Why you need a CB Radio!

[BNSFrailfan]

Very good video. And it does have a very good point.

Why you need a CB!
YouTube - Why You Need A CB!

[MPSCS]

The negatives of CB radio...

CB band would be overwhelmed with traffic, and become unusable.

CB radio would be destroyed in the event of an EMP bomb.

CB radio could give away your location to the military, or roving gangs looking for food and other resources.

CB radio could be jammed by the military.

CB radio has relatively high current demands, shortening battery life.

CB radio requires large antennas to be effective.

CB radio does not work well around structures.

CB hand-held radios are larger and heavier compared to FRS/GMRS/MURS alternatives.

[va3hub]

Originally Posted by BNSFrailfan

Very good video. And it does have a very good point.

Why you need a CB!
YouTube - Why You Need A CB!

Good post.

[gewecke]

Originally Posted by MPSCS

The negatives of CB radio...

CB band would be overwhelmed with traffic, and become unusable.

CB radio would be destroyed in the event of an EMP bomb.

CB radio could give away your location to the military, or roving gangs looking for food and other resources.

CB radio could be jammed by the military.

CB radio has relatively high current demands, shortening battery life.

CB radio requires large antennas to be effective.

CB radio does not work well around structures.

CB hand-held radios are larger and heavier compared to FRS/GMRS/MURS alternatives.

Number 2 in this list is not exactly true. IF they were the older vaccum tube radios,then they would more than likely still operate. The electronics the usaf used in the 1950's during nuclear testing were all using vaccum tubes in that era. How do you think they were still able to communicate? Not on their blackberrys,lol!

[DirtyLarry]

Always wondered how that squelch thing worked. :-)

[BNSFrailfan]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

Always wondered how that squelch thing worked. :-)

LMAO That's funny. I wish that some people came with a Squelch switch.

[trace1]

Someone needed to kill 11 minutes of their time, huh?

[BNSFrailfan]

Originally Posted by MPSCS

The negatives of CB radio...

CB band would be overwhelmed with traffic, and become unusable.

CB radio would be destroyed in the event of an EMP bomb.

CB radio could give away your location to the military, or roving gangs looking for food and other resources.

CB radio could be jammed by the military.

CB radio has relatively high current demands, shortening battery life.

CB radio requires large antennas to be effective.

CB radio does not work well around structures.

CB hand-held radios are larger and heavier compared to FRS/GMRS/MURS alternatives.

Number one thing. Your wrong on alot of your answers. CB Radio's do not drain your Battery. I have been into the CB Radio for well over 15 years and have not one once had that problem. Number two. CB signal's in large city's still will work just fine. In Omaha I don't have that problem. And they have tall structures. Number three. Yes. The Military can block "ALL" radio signal's. But right now they have bigger fish to fry like trying to keep this country safe from another attack. As for the Antenna. CB Radio needs a high Antenna because of the type of Frequency that it runs on. I like my big Antenna. You said "CB band would be overwhelmed with traffic, and become unusable". Yes that is true. But only in the bigger city's. Not in the country. And besides. There are not that many CB's out there to cause that much of a problem as right now. And a nuclear attack can and very will knock out "ALL" radio communication's. So. Your wrong on your part on some of your answers.

[Evert]

Originally Posted by gewecke

....... The electronics the usaf used in the 1950's during nuclear testing were all using vaccum tubes in that era. How do you think they were still able to communicate? Not on their blackberrys,lol!

That brings back some old memories. F-84Fs of my squadron were used during operation Teapot in early 1955. I don’t think these aircraft were subjected to EMP but they did fly through the nuclear cloud after the EMP would have been over with.

[roadranger]

FRS/GMRS/MURS Really do fall into the "CB Radio" spectrum, if you will. That gives us four bands to play with, outside of the Ham Radio hobby. They are all subjects on other posts that you should read about. All have their uses, and all can be utilized to our advantage. Most of the public are already informed and employ FRS and MURS in the every day routines. There is always help nearby. You should be able to find help from someone!

[gewecke]

Originally Posted by Evert

That brings back some old memories. F-84Fs of my squadron were used during operation Teapot in early 1955. I don’t think these aircraft were subjected to EMP but they did fly through the nuclear cloud after the EMP would have been over with.

This is true. IF after the initial blast we are still around...then we can all sit around and argue about why our cb's don't work in the CANDLE light,lol! cb's ARE going to be the LEAST of our problems!!!
N9ZAS

[va3hub]

Originally Posted by gewecke

This is true. IF after the initial blast we are still around...then we can all sit around and argue about why our cb's don't work in the CANDLE light,lol! cb's ARE going to be the LEAST of our problems!!!
N9ZAS

And don't forget all the well cook Ham's !

[APTN]

Originally Posted by BNSFrailfan

Number one thing. Your wrong on alot of your answers. CB Radio's do not drain your Battery. I have been into the CB Radio for well over 15 years and have not one once had that problem. Number two. CB signal's in large city's still will work just fine. In Omaha I don't have that problem. And they have tall structures. Number three. Yes. The Military can block "ALL" radio signal's. But right now they have bigger fish to fry like trying to keep this country safe from another attack. As for the Antenna. CB Radio needs a high Antenna because of the type of Frequency that it runs on. I like my big Antenna. You said "CB band would be overwhelmed with traffic, and become unusable". Yes that is true. But only in the bigger city's. Not in the country. And besides. There are not that many CB's out there to cause that much of a problem as right now. And a nuclear attack can and very will knock out "ALL" radio communication's. So. Your wrong on your part on some of your answers.

CB's not jammed in the country ? Maybe as long as there isn't a truckstop nearby. I've been near rural truckstops where there was all sorts of chatter, especially on Channel 19.

[mike_gain]

CB may get over crowded if the band is open, but lets face it, only a fraction of the population have CB's. During a crisis they/you can go to a truck stop or radio shack, did I say radio shack, do they even have radios at radio shack? CB maybe the BEST cheap short range option. Get a good 40 ch. mobile, a few pairs of GMRS/FRS and MURS HT' store them in a metal ammo box to protect from EMP. When the feces makes contact with the rotating air moving thingie you will be ready. Don't forget batteries, wire , rope, connectors, etc. The options are limitless. Mobile and base, as well as dipole/sloper field antennas can be homebrewed.

[zz0468]

What a frightening thought...

It's World War 3 and our infrastructure has been destroyed, the population decimated, nations reduced to rubble and roving bands of very hungry people...

And civilization will be reconstituted by the cowboys and country bumpkins with CB radios.

The lucky ones get vaporized.

[Big_Ears]

I can recall the days when we used CB w/t's for deer hunting. I modified a small 40 channel "base camp" radio that had a Turner base microphone and a mag mount antenna that we use to place on the Coleman stove (for the ground plane). I also installed a hi/low power switch that would switch 4W/500mW output power that would conserve battery power.

[JayMojave]

The CB Radio Service has done many great things for us here in the good ol US of A!

Sure there is foul mouthed and rude people out there, also get a load of 80 and 40 meters.

But still CB radio has proven to a really great radio service for the local communities and such. I have seen many times CB Radio help out in Earthquakes, Fires, and Floods. Locals had a radio communication capability that allowed the locals to know whats going on, and aid the local fire and police services.

After the 1971 and 1994 Earthquakes in Southern California, the Radio Shack guy couldn't keep a CB on the shelf for some time. CB Groups helped report broken gas lines, fires, and water mains leaking mass quantities of water. And our own CB Club had a increased membership, even some hams joined.

During some of the So Cal Brush Fires we keep on top of were the fire was and even helped evacuate some folks. During a Flood of the Big Tujunga Canyon our CB Club evacuated friends who had lost their house to flooding.

I am sure there are many stories out there telling of great things the CB Radio Service has provided for the communities. The problem is that there is no central origination or spokesmen for the CB Radio Service. Its own down home local service also inhibits its good qualities.

There have been many of younger people who have been bitten by the CB Bug and went on to Ham Radio, and careers in electronics. ( I am one of those )

I don't go on a driving vacation without a CB radio, a radar detector, and a 2 meter radio.

The CB Breaks were great, we would four wheel drive up to the local mountain top and advertise our CB Breaks, so all of So Cal could hear us, even with the skip was in. The CB Club used the local VFW
Hall, the VFW guys ran the bar and got a cut of the bar. This worked out really well as there was plenty of parking and we had a "drive ya home if ya get too liquored up" service. We had drawings for radio's linears, antennas, and accessories. Meeting the people you talked to on the radio was a good time.

Jay in the Mojave

[himelrick]

I started using a cb back in 1970"s and still have one in my car and my truck.here in WV. there are alot of people still using them.sad to say not as many as there used to be .always enjoyed the cb songs that were out in the 70-80"s

[ANZTV]

I've been using a cb radio for about 15 years now. I remember 20 years ago in the New York area lot of people use to be on it. I remember my family use to call me on the radio to see if I was alright. I had a nice base set up at my house a nice high antenna, it was great 20 years ago. Today I still have my cb radio in my truck, but out here in the New York, New Jersey area, people are degenerates on the radio, they play music, crazy sounds, people using 250 and 500 watt power amps, over power you. When I drive about 150 miles west of the city. It gets better. Then I enjoy it.

[Ray_Air]

Sometimes on my road trips to Virginia I take a CB along. It provides interesting comm's on the highway and it is the only source of comm's near the mountains in WV where cell phones don't work.