need advice, here in Colorado, for loud, clear, good highway range CB (basic)

[ten4goodbuddycmon]

Hi. Need your advice. Back in the 1970's, (in Boulder, CO) I used a basic 40 channel CB,
and an 8' Francis Whip on my old VW bug. My handle was "Flying Squirrel".

Now, I'm up in Grand County, CO, and would like to get a CB that has good volume (I'm
a bit more hard of hearing than I used to be), is clear (not muffled), and has good range
(or is it the antenna that's the key factor for range?).

Is there anyone in my area (Boulder, Denver, up here in the mountains, etc.),
who uses CB, who I can talk to, for ideas of what & where to buy?

Carol

 

[SpectreOZ]

A remote speaker might be the ideal addition to your mobile station, you could mount it near your A pillar, overhead console or even the dash to ensure that audio is travelling directly to your ears and not bouncing around the cabin alternatively depending on your vehicle choice an overhead console mounted radio would work just as well...

Choosing a radio will depend on what you want to do with it, down here in Australia I wouldn't bother with anything that didn't have SSB however that's because down here maximum range is pretty much the primary concern.

Check out models you may like online and search through Youtube for "on air" video clips, you'll be able to see how those particular radios sound IRL.

 

[robertmac]

Put the pedal to the medal and let her roar, catch you on the flip flop. HHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. 4 10. You get what you pay for. So the more you pay, you might get better. But, after all, this is Crappy Band.

 

[pjtnascar]

Uniden Bearcat 680 or 880 look like nice radios. For magnetic mount antennas I would get a Wilson 1000.

 

[mmckenna]

Get a good radio and a better antenna. Antenna will make or break your system. I've personally used the Larsen NMO-27 with good luck. Permanent mount NMO mount will work best. Personally I'd avoid magnetic mounts if you can. While they do work, a permanent mount will work better.
As other said, get a really good external speaker and that will help.

 

[WB4CS]

If you haven't been on CB since the 1970's, you may want to have a listen before you invest some money. CB has changed/died/went downhill since the 70's. Here in North Alabama you get the truckers off the interstate, a small handful of local rednecks that get drunk on the air and talk about their trucks, and of course all the "skip" from stations running 1000s of watts of power screaming "HELLLLLLLO AUDIOOOOOOO" The point is, you might be disappointed in what you hear.

If you have a scanner or can pick up a used scanner and connect a decent antenna you'll be able to scan the CB band and see what you can hear. If it sounds like it's pretty active you'll know to spend the money for the radio.

Good luck!

 

[mmckenna]

Excellent point, and exactly the reason I haven't had a CB in a vehicle since the mid 1990's.

 

[ten4goodbuddycmon]

Thank you to all who replied! I will take all suggestions into consideration!

Yesterday, I found a local who sold me a used (from 1990's he thinks)
Cobra 29 LTD Classic CB radio, for $25. He checked the SWR's with his meter,
and things looked pretty good.

I was able to do radio checks with him (nobody else would "come back" to me
--my local CB handle is "Flying Squirrel"--for radio checks on channel 19
--skip was intense on most channels) for about 10 miles

--but he has very good base antennas.

I'm using a cigarette lighter power splitter, so I don't have to use power
from the back (cords don't reach well).

My scanner from Radio Schack (old analog one with 200 channels)
works great, thanks to using the local area frequencies from this website!

I'm only missing car to car from local police, pretty much, with the scanner.

I thought I would have a CB handy, in case I need info from truckers, etc., if
there's a traffic jam, and I want to find out what's happening on I-70,
or on I-40, mountain passes, etc., in Colorado, for example--that is,
if cell phone service isn't working well.

I don't know if I can program my old RS/Radio Shack analog scanner to pick up
CB or not. I'll check on CB frequencies, and see if the scanner lets me program
any CB frequencies.

Everyone on this CB and newbie scanner forums is helpful, friendly, and I greatly
appreciate you all!

I hope my old 1970's CB "buddies" from Boulder are still alive and kicking
(they were, way back from the 70's). One of their great handles was "Bald Eagle".

The gentleman who sold me the CB said people are quiet up here in Grand County,
regarding using CB radios. He's not sure why.

I'll let you know if I ever do get a reply, when I holler "Break one nine, for a radio check" (we
used to call them "radidios" back when).

Sincerely,
Carol ("Flying Squirrel" when out & about--Ten4goodbuddycmon, here)

P.S. I used to be a nurse--so if anyone has respiratory/breathing problems,
check out my website, entitled Can't Breathe? Suspect Vocal Cord Dysfunction!

 

[ten4goodbuddycmon]

I tried to program channel 19's frequency into my old analog scanner, and it read "Error".

I finally did get a radio check (took many tries) today, so I'm happy the other guy said I was coming in loud and clear!

Thanks again!

Carol

 

[robertmac]

Loud and clear from 2 blocks away?

 

[ten4goodbuddycmon]

Good point. I'll have to see what range I really have.

 

[LtDoc]

Just a couple of things that might help.
SWR is a way of measuring how 'compatible', or how well things have been adjusted in your radio -system-, the radio, feed line, and antenna. It can and will change when any of those things in that 'system' are changed. So, it's not a "set it and forget it" thingy. When the antenna system (feed line and antenna) is adjusted correctly any radio should work well with it. The seller of that radio has surely done that adjusting on his antenna system so checking SWR that way isn't going to tell you anything about YOUR antenna system. It'd be a good idea to check it and see.
Going simple by 'range' is a terrible way of judging how well your set up is doing. There are just too many variables in that to be conclusive. The biggy is propagation, and that's changing almost all the time, so the distance you can hear and be heard at will also be changing. Sometimes, as you may have figured from getting that 'radio check', people just don't want to answer you, or they maybe really don't hear you or there's no one there, you know?
The 'method' of using CB radio has changed over the years but the 'basics' are still the same. You shouldn't be totally 'lost', and it shouldn't take much time for it to be familiar again.
Have fun.
- 'Doc

 

[ten4goodbuddycmon]

Thanks again, everyone, for all your great advice! On Thurs., I ordered a mag mount Wilson 1000 (3000 watt series) from Amazon.com (has a 62.5" removable whip). I'll keep the Larsen NMO-27 in mind, for the future.

I'll probably keep my Walmart CB antenna (Scosche) as an extra backup, just in case needed--but I bet I'll hear and get out much better with the Wilson 1000!

I'll get some help in adjusting my SWR's when I receive the Wilson 1000.

I also telephoned Wilson Electronics, and they told me they sold their CB division about 4 years ago, and they only do Cellular stuff now! No wonder I couldn't find the Wilson 1000 at a brick & mortar store (not truck stops, not Walmart, etc.) anywhere in my areas!

Carol