Are CB Radio's fun?

[sean_kd4adv]

I have a Maxon MCB-45W that has the NOAA channels in it. I bought at the RATS Frostfest back on 5 Feb this year. It Works. I use it for Local/Hwy talk. I don't "shoot skip" or "drop a maul" on others.

I have a General Class license, so I can get on HF with my HF5B antenna.

I used to talk on 16 "The Family Channel" back in the Mid 90s. I've changed my handle from "Stealth Rider" to "240-Robert"

73s

 

[Allan_Love_Jr]

No. The CB is not fun anymore. No one talks on them that much anymore. Everywhere I go the Radio is always quiet. Even Channel 19 is dead anymore.

 

[freqs]

No. The CB is not fun anymore. No one talks on them that much anymore. Everywhere I go the Radio is always quiet. Even Channel 19 is dead anymore.[/QU
Thats not the case in all area's here around Detroit its alive and kicking but not for the best .We have the big radio's that walk on everybody talk about nasty things on 19 I used to enjoy CB alot you could have a normal chat with people about everyday things now its fallin into trash talking fools .While there is a few channels around my area that has good user's but far apart it sure be nice if it went back to the old day's .But I went on vacation last July to Kentucky and Southern Ill and on the road it was almost dead on the CB

 

[Murraylangston]

I use mine mostly to monitor the truckers so I know what's going on when heading to the interstate. I am not sure I would call that fun but it serves a purpose.

 

[ZigZag747]

Yes CBs are fun. Im both a CBer and a HAM operator. IF you want to get traffic backups, cop locations, local info, chit-chat, BS or joke around, get a CB.

I was big into HAM radio for a while, but it became old, fast Its too politically correct, and all you hear about it what medications and health problems the old people have. Most HAM's in my area have taken the fun out of it, and try to be "radio police" and wanna-be's. Who cares if they think they are supurior just cause of a test. I passed my test at 14, so ANYONE can pass it, and I was an idiot on the HAM bands back then too. There are a LOT of HAMS who still use CB, but dont admit it, cause of old farts who complain, but thats where 90% of HAMS started.

There is nothing wrong with CB, as long as you can deal with some idiots, or learn to turn the channel or volume down. Its a great source of info or 2-way entertainment, besides just listening on a scanner.

Right on brother! I listen to my CB more than I do my car stereo...you never know what will happen on channel 19 either, just like someone said earlier it's the Wild West of HF radio...kind of funny if you think of it that way. There's a little cowboy in all of us, that's probably why Cb'ers haven't gone extinct yet. I enjoy scanning also and have tuned in on some 2m Ham tx and found the operators to be very friendly and obviously a nice community or social group of people operating those freq's, but every now and then turning on some Jerry Springer is much more entertaining than watching Leave it to Beaver every day or once a week at 1930 on Thursdays...On another note, I would stay away from handheld CB's only because you'll end up purchasing a mobile CB anyway...Hand held CB's don't work very well inside your vehicle and most wont hear you when you tx, unless you mount a mag-mount but by that time you could have purchased a decent mobile Cb and antenna system for about the same price and your performance will be much better anyway's...Hand helds are great for hiking, but nowadays you could get a really good pare of GMRS radios for the same price and have better quality sound...so I don't see any reason why they still sell those hand held Cb's anymore...Anyway, point is CB is entertaining and very handy when traveling on the hwy's...hand held units have better options for same prices...and Ham operators are very professional on the air and practice for proficiency in case of national or local communications emergencies...enjoy.

 

[emd001]

I dont know what i would do without the CB in the pickup. Alot of local guys around here have them in their trucks, and of course the big rigs have them. Its great in the morning because before i even get to the freeway in the mornings i can figure out if its open or locked up because of the construction their doing. I also have the noaa channels on the radio so i listen to the forecast first thing in the morning. Its great for chit chat on the roads, even side roads around here someone is usually listening to 19. Like everyone else said i use it daily for BS, traffic and cop reports, ive even gotten help and given help thanks to the CB in the truck.

 

[fischlerpromo]

SSB on CB is best. the people there run ham radios usually and act better then most hams i have heard of late.

they usually run about 100-200 watts on the legal 40 channels using modded ham radios (just fyi i don')t and studio grade processing and mics.

this has been my experience.

for in the car on the highways, i just leave it on 19, but as one poster said better not have any kids around.

SSB is a whole other worl from the AM side of CB.

Totally true and if you take your radio to your neighborhood friendly knowledgeable radio guy he can lock your clarifier, (allows you to tune IN BETWEEN channels and broadcast there also), and tweak your chip and double your frequencies... that is the way it was in the 80's. I had a SSB and a 100W kicker under my seat with a Firestick antenna... GOOD TIMES!

 

[fischlerpromo]

Quite a bit of SSB activity in the New York area, mostly on the freeband and on the CB channels above 31.

As a rule of thumb here in L.A. side bander's used channels 31-40 and AM channels 30 and below.

Using a sideband frequency throws this loud carrier on AM frequencies that make it impossible for AM'ers to use it., so maybe it's that way everywhere.