I find it easier to think of CB use (USA) as nowadays being self-selected. The Few.
The lemmings sold the Pet Rock and Royce 23-channel a long time ago.
My experience on-road as a truck driver with over 2,000-hrs annually spent with AM-19 monitored across the 48 is that, there actually are a good number of radios always on, but not necessary in use.
The outward pressures (speed limits) used to spark activity. All drivers. Today there’s a traffic volume between cities that didn’t used to exist. A phenomenon without rational explanation. Meaning, very little open road.
Most Interstates today are as dull as metro traffic as they’re an extension (But what job do these millions have has them on the road weekday business hours?). I can see why radio interest isn’t present.
One might have to talk to strangers. And Mommy drilled them in stranger danger after she divorced Daddy to whore around again.
To get closer to the OPs open-ended observation query, I hear about talk-groups (locals chattering on Ch X at Y o’clock), but it’s not what’s being conveyed by drivers on 19 who are often far from home.
750k OTR of 3-mil total; USA largest category of employment; a group with highly common interests Sunday night thru Friday night as the livelihood is about predictable travel times and in unfamiliar territory.
Of these, let’s call it 20k with fair to good radios (as compared to a car; I’d guess 60% of OTR big trucks have radios), and, nationally, 5-7k with above average or great radio rigs.
80% of those are in the eastern half of the US. (Some states with very high proportions, such as Ohio & Pennsylvania).
“Out West” is a greater proportion of radio-equipped trucks and of the best performance. Just aren’t many on a geographical basis in gross total.
Hearing drivers is proximity and clock time. 0500 to 1300, then being in or near a major metro.
The early part of the day and occasionally past sunset is when I’d hear about local nets or groups. (Before and after the 9-5 workers).
Some cities have good activity 24/7. Not just on AM-19. Only seems to take 2-3 regulars with at least one who makes it a point to talk with drivers during the slow times.
— We’ve some regulars in SE Dallas County who conduct their base & mobile talk in the afternoons without stepping on drivers.
—,In OKC (my favorite) there’s a group that’s like a dull roar, but that never gets boring.
— Knoxville — like Amarillo — has a few powerful base stations that are friendly. These are both major truck intersections. Drivers on their way thru always at 1430 on T & TH (Linehaul) key up to ask for their old friends.
— Atlanta and Charleston/Savannah both have some of that, as does Houston. Regulars.
My impression is that someone new isn’t welcome or unwelcome (neutrality observed) until intent proven. A modicum of friendliness observed.
Ones personality (character) can gain a toehold by these different examples. Might take a passerby 2-3 times of hearing you before he decides to pipe up when it’s not traffic-related. 19 is somewhat sacred. The hailing channel to go elsewhere if it’s not an immediate concern.
A guy with a directional beam aimed towards truckstops is going to get a response. Any hour of the clock. 0200-0400 on a morning with snow turned to ice since dusk is a guarantee of many men already talking (example). Spent two hours in January trying to get out of a truckstop starting at 0300 after a lowboy high-centered at the entrance and two babblejeets wrecked at the exit.
As 11-Meter propagation has been unreal, it’s sometimes easier to talk (I don’t) to the jerks on 19 with high-watt stations crowding out working men. One notorious bad actor was evicted from his RV park a couple of weeks ago and a huge portion of the nation hasn’t had to be subjected to his 10K watt window-licker inanities.
It’s a good time to be back. DSP is the technical game-changer you’ll need. With FM mode now available and the opportunity for that small portion of drivers with best equipment noted above the opportunity to use Sideband for local-distant comms is sure more interesting.
The somewhat above-average rigs (exports) and those with a baby amp are greater than before, but many just aren’t used to on-air conversation.
FWIW, an air check audio quality report can bring them out of the woods. Many men are shy about being on-air due to not having a decent assessment of how they sound (meaning mic gain set, or how far to hold away). Set it up so they’ll ask you.
Not long ago I ran a 100-mile stretch across St Louis and spent most of it trying to help with audio. This leads to other men speaking to each other more readily
All I did was give a response to the usual “Am-I-Getting-Out” with an affirmative, and, in turn, how far he was from my position at Mile Marker Z. I asked him a couple of basics, and we got his mic gain dialed in.
After that it was a “short” 97-miles the rest of the way as I was joined by other top radios in doing assessments and corrections.
With every mile some fade in and others starting to come in more strongly already doing His Work.
Be the stone sets the pond ripple.
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