Are CB radios in use anymore?

[Moosemedic]

I recently picked up a really sweet CB radio for a cross country drive and I didn't hear much.

I was wondering if CB's are that common anymore, or did all the truckers put VHF business band mobile in thier truck instead?

Just for grins, I used my BC 785D with multiband antenna and had it doing a service search on CB and didn't hear much either.

Is this an antenna problem?

Are all the trucker communications on another band?

Thanks to the group.

Incidentally, my rig is a Cherokee CM-10 with a 30 watt bi-directional amplifier, huge gain antenna, obviously a mag mount becuse it makes my truck look like a fishing trawler. I went with this CB becuase it can scan all 40 channels, or a scan list of up to 7 or just monitor 9 & 19.

 

[scanlist]

You will find some activity on the FRS and MURS (VHF) channels.

A number of them have ham licenses these days as well.

27 MHz, though not completely dead yet, is very quite around here.

Phil.

 

[Liverdog]

Well, this begs a second question... What if it all are truckers using for their calling channel on FRS or MURS? I still hear them around here on CB Ch 18/19.

 

[n0zed]

most OTR trucks still have em in , I , Myself will have it on out on the openroad , but will turn it off in urban areas... most or our shippers/ recivers and scales make use of them

 

[k0co_5]

CBs in Aurora

Still in use at DAD's Landfill - Waste Management's site at Gun Club and Hampden roads. I forget the posted channel, but there's a sign there posting the operating channel - presumably for truck direction coms.

I gotta remember to bring a CB next dump drop to see what's going on.....

 

[n0zed]

Well, this begs a second question... What if it all are truckers using for their calling channel on FRS or MURS? I still hear them around here on CB Ch 18/19.

most do use ch19 on the road except west coast ( I 5 ) were ch 17 is used. I have scanned FRS and dont hear much. I also have 146.520 on most of the time. and now with code gone more truckers are working on the ham tickets. you should see this thin of mine,
both westcoast mirrors are loaded down

 

[Troop]

most of them have them.....I cant run radar on the interstate more than 3 minutes without seeing one grabbing for the mic to report a bear in the grass....

 

[Scan-Denver]

scales make use of them

Indeed the port of entries/truck scales use them (I'm sure Troop can vouch for that). I don't recall the scale operators using their cb radio much to the drivers, but then again I have pre-pass in my rig so I don't spend much time at the scales.

 

[n0zed]

Indeed the port of entries/truck scales use them (I'm sure Troop can vouch for that). I don't recall the scale operators using their cb radio much to the drivers, but then again I have pre-pass in my rig so I don't spend much time at the scales.

more like at flyin j or other truck stops...I also love prepass

 

[snoopyII]

CO. P.O.E. have them and usually are on 16. For the most part they dont say anything unless 1. advising you of a significant weather related item i.e imminent or nearby road closure or very high winds and they notice you're light or 2. you're being called onto the carpet for one reason or another. Most drivers have a CB, but anymore if they have been on the road for any time at all, have it turned way down or off.....to many nutjobs out there that like to just ramble on, mostly about nothing.

 

[jimmnn]

CO. P.O.E. have them and usually are on 16. For the most part they dont say anything unless 1. advising you of a significant weather related item i.e imminent or nearby road closure or very high winds and they notice you're light or 2. you're being called onto the carpet for one reason or another. Most drivers have a CB, but anymore if they have been on the road for any time at all, have it turned way down or off.....to many nutjobs out there that like to just ramble on, mostly about nothing.

And what might CO POE be??

Jim<

 

[radiowatcher_06]

LOL....PO PO theres some slang I haven't heard in a while.

or

5-0

 

[GrayJeep]

POE = Port of Entry

I have CB 19 and CB9 programmed into my 2 hr/day commute radios.

19 is quieter than it was 30 years ago but it still has outbreaks of the old days.
Every once in awhile I'll get a useful road advisory when conditions are bad.
But generally if there's much activity it's because somebody said something to get others all stirred up. It's locked out a fair percentage of the time.

NW)U

 

[Scan-Denver]

And what might CO POE be??

Jim<

Colorado Port Of Entry

 

[Thayne]

Not to change the subject, but didya see that Wyoming is the deadliest state for fatalities related to trucking?
Most big rigs indeed still have CB's. The new trucks usually have the 2 antennas mounted on the mirror brackets already installed with the antenna harness and power wiring ready and waiting. I gave my son an old Royce cb made in 1975 I had collecting dust in the Bsmt. and installed it in his Freightliner. It seems to work better than the $35.00 one the trucking company wants to sell the drivers--and the price was right

 

[wildboar]

You find most CB traffic on the main interstates during the daytime. I drove I-80 across Nebraska the other day and it was nonstop chatter the whole way. When I was coming into Denver on I-76, I got to mile marker 36 and started picking up someone transmitting clear as day from somewhere up on lookout mountain. Must have been running a _few_ watts to be talking 40+ miles that easily.

 

[Scan-Denver]

When I was coming into Denver on I-76, I got to mile marker 36 and started picking up someone transmitting clear as day from somewhere up on lookout mountain. Must have been running a _few_ watts to be talking 40+ miles that easily.

You're probably right, however skip conditions could have played a part in this also. Remember someone transmitting at the top of lookout mountain is going to get greater distance (even at the legal 4 watts) than someone transmitting in their car/home in the city.

A properly tuned radio and antenna along with excellent coax will produce excellent results !

 

[n0zed]

most of them have them.....I cant run radar on the interstate more than 3 minutes without seeing one grabbing for the mic to report a bear in the grass....

The other day in northern cal , head a CHP come back " I glad they are saing were I am ,
I thought I was lost "

 

[manross]

Yep what Troop said

Last December I was stuck on the west side of Eisenhower tunnel because of slick roads and a tractor trailer/car TA. While sitting there I decided to try scanning the CB band. I only have a 800mhz short dome antenna, but was able to hear multiple conversations about the accident. Until then I didn't know what had happened.

Marty

 

[funcritter]

You're probably right, however skip conditions could have played a part in this also. Remember someone transmitting at the top of lookout mountain is going to get greater distance (even at the legal 4 watts) than someone transmitting in their car/home in the city.

A properly tuned radio and antenna along with excellent coax will produce excellent results !

I know several guys who go up to lookout and Genesse all the time to talk on the radio. I do it myself every weekend. I would say that CBs are still as popular now as they were when I first got into them in the late 80s. At one time I used to go up there with just my 4 watt radio and 102" whip antenna and get out all the way to Littleton. It's still a very fun hobby, I just hate the little battle going on bewteen westside and northside all because someone helped a disabled guy by giving him an amp so that he gets heard. He now sits out there and bucket mouths all night. I'll be taking my radio with me on my roadtrip this summer.

I don't think there are any local people out in this area that don't have an amp on their radios or are at least running exports.