CB novice looking for guidance

[KQ7D]

I've recently become interested in CB radio. I marveled at Citizens Band as a kid, but now as an amateur, I hadn't thought much about it until lately. I've got some local friends who aren't as keen to get on the ham frequencies, and I'm curious about how active CB is in my area.

If I was to get started with a solid mobile unit, where should I start? The McKinley looks interesting but I literally just started my research.

Also, any direction as to links, forums, books would be welcome.

Thanks!

 

[alcahuete]

Do you have an HF radio? If you're only curious how active CB is for now, just monitor on your HF gear. Generally speaking, CB is dead. Most definitely not like the glory days.

 

[wtp]

or if you just happen to have a scanner like a 436, set the custom search for 26.965 to 27.405.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I've recently become interested in CB radio. I marveled at Citizens Band as a kid, but now as an amateur, I hadn't thought much about it until lately. I've got some local friends who aren't as keen to get on the ham frequencies, and I'm curious about how active CB is in my area.

If I was to get started with a solid mobile unit, where should I start? The McKinley looks interesting but I literally just started my research.

Also, any direction as to links, forums, books would be welcome.

Thanks!

At a minimum a radio with SSB capability is a must. If you can get AM/FM/SSB, go for it. I was very active with CB decades ago and stopped. But now see it as a good addition for situational awareness should TSHTF.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I've recently become interested in CB radio. I marveled at Citizens Band as a kid, but now as an amateur, I hadn't thought much about it until lately. I've got some local friends who aren't as keen to get on the ham frequencies, and I'm curious about how active CB is in my area.

If I was to get started with a solid mobile unit, where should I start? The McKinley looks interesting but I literally just started my research.

Also, any direction as to links, forums, books would be welcome.

Thanks!

Start here!

CB Radio Forum

Discussions regarding Citizens Band Radio (CB)

forums.radioreference.com

 

[KQ7D]

At a minimum a radio with SSB capability is a must. If you can get AM/FM/SSB, go for it. I was very active with CB decades ago and stopped. But now see it as a good addition for situational awareness should TSHTF.

That's kind of my thinking. With others who aren't likely to get into ham, CB could be another tool.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

That's kind of my thinking. With others who aren't likely to get into ham, CB could be another tool.

Yeah CB has been much maligned, but the fact is, far more CB radios have ever been produced than any other. So chances nearly every family has a CB squirreled away in a closet. Making an antenna, powering and operating one is very trivial.

 

[slowmover]

— Less than AM/SSB not worth it.

— Radio without integrated NRC not worth it.

Radio in vid represents this latest circuit board (biggest advance in CB since 40-channels intro’d)

Vid is by retailer with greatest familiarity with ANYTONE radios. Have him do the setup and reap the benefits.

Easy way into CB as best antenna for your situation is where time & money should go.

Same radio:

2023 Best Mobile CB

Via mobile experience as an OTR truck driver. Several thousand hours annual use. Earlier references to the Qixiang factory’s new circuit board elsewhere. Several brands. The above possibly the best known example at present. Paired with the equally new Driver Extreme DRX-9010 External Speaker...

forums.radioreference.com

Solar propagation this cycle is such that contacts from this hemisphere and the other are regular.

Dead-solid on-frequency Sideband and the ability of DSP (NRC) to clean up vocals makes a highly enjoyable experience.

And it’s plain cheap compared to the expense of the two or more pieces of gear it replaces from just two years ago.

Current state-of-the-art.

.

 

[Freemor]

CB is definitely not dead. Lately once the skip is in full swing the SSB channels are too crowded for me to get out (I run a stock QRP rig).

I agree that SSB support is a must. FM just became legal so there isn't much of that around yet. Not sure it'll take off due to the FM capture effect. Tho itd be good when talking local.

NRC? I got back in to CB with a TRC-480 from 1979. It had SSB and ANL I don't know if folks would consider that NRC. But it worked perfectly well and I was able to talk to people from far flung places and that was while we were just starting out of the solar minimum. (we are now approaching the maximum.)

I also agree with other about the fact that you can use other available equipment to listen in first to see what is out there before getting into the cost of an antenna, coax, and a rig

I am currently using the McKinley AM/SSB version and love it. people I talk to says It's very clear. I like the WX feature and that it is able to monitor for WX alerts while listening to the CB. Very hand in my coastal area. (just watch out for the monthly tests. As the alert tones can be rather loud. What you want in an alert tone really but can be startling if you just had the CB idling in the background.)

 

[tomhank]

CB radios can be used in SSB or AM mode. If you want more range and less noise, SSB is a better choice than the other one. As a result, investing in the best SSB CB radio is highly recommended, particularly if you need dependable travel and emergency communication gear. Reaching a larger audience and getting access to more channels is feasible with the radio's SSB capability. Pro models will have a sturdy build, an easy-to-use UI, and great audio quality, to name a few features.

 

[slowmover]

“ . . NRC? I got back in to CB with a TRC-480 from 1979. It had SSB and ANL I don't know if folks would consider that NRC.”

Noise Reduction Circuit: Digital Signal Processing

Prior to this 2022 circuit board introduction one needed to add — as I did ten years ago — an outboard DSP filter for audio:

West Mountain CLR-SPKR - Review

After reading several posts by @slowmover extolling the virtues of this speaker, I bought one and tried it today with a CB (President McKinley), ham radio (Yaesu FT-818), and scanner (Uniden BC125AT). Operation.--The speaker comes with its own power and audio cables. The power cable is...

forums.radioreference.com

Ones radio may/may not have a good/great receiver, but it undoubtedly had poor filtration to understand much of that reception in trying circumstances.

DSP (NRC) so cleans up the audio that CB is a new experience.

Literally, I can spend my day hearing that which those around me aren’t aware even exists.

For me it’s been the effort to capture the weak and/or distant signal of on-the-road problems. Today’s big trucks are difficult on which to have a “good” CB. Overcoming the deficiencies of the other mans radio rig is another way of stating this.

DSP is king as hash is cut away from voice, effectively.

That speaker will change your experience with the McK

Best rig of this sort circa 2021 was a combined price of $450-$700 when compared to a Q5/QT60 (Anytone).

Today it’s sub-$300 (plus extension speaker) and doesn’t need an outboard DSP device.

That the outboard devices retain greater sophistication is true.

To update an older radio (Galaxy 959 as best pre-NRC FCC AM/SSB representative) is to add both that DSP outboard and install a DDS-VFO internally. A high expense proposition.

Alternatively, as said, a President McKinley needs DSP on audio.

DDS-VFO

DDS-VFO A 21st Century upgrade for the better CB transceivers of the era just past. — No more SSB drift — Scan — VFO My desire is to also add DSP to the RX side. (West Mountain hadn’t seen that on a CB, yet, and kindly offered circuit diagram advice)...

forums.radioreference.com

.

 

[slowmover]

CB radios can be used in SSB or AM mode. If you want more range and less noise, SSB is a better choice than the other one. As a result, investing in the best SSB CB radio is highly recommended, particularly if you need dependable travel and emergency communication gear. Reaching a larger audience and getting access to more channels is feasible with the radio's SSB capability. Pro models will have a sturdy build, an easy-to-use UI, and great audio quality, to name a few features.

DSP (called NRC) is, IMO, a mandatory feature inclusion.

SSB frequency stability (and capture) is next.

That linked list is outdated.

The FCC version is on its way of what would be (should be) the high performance choice in this:

President George II

President George II https://president-electronics.com/RadioCB/AM-FM-BLU/GEORGE-II Starting a thread so that the latest & greatest from President has a discussion home. General release in EU is just up ahead. Price is high at the moment, but so is demand. All I know is that I really want...

forums.radioreference.com

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[slowmover]

Audio

One listens to the speaker, not the radio.

I strongly recommend the inclusion of not only an extension speaker, but specifically of the DRIVER EXTREME DRX-901 as accompaniment to latest NRC radios as “digital radios” (such as a non-NRC UNIDEN 980 AM/SSB) tend to have a hissy audio in comparison to older thru hole circuit board radios.

I’ve a half-dozen other remote mobile speakers (including Kenwood). None sound this good with latest radio gear.

For a non-NRC radio also add the W-M stand-alone DSP module to add the desired clarity & fidelity:




DRX-901 = the men you hear are in the same room as you (given DSP).




The W-M ClearSpeech unit tames that digital hiss admirably, and is the way to go for fewest devices to achieve performance sans an NRC-radio. (Mine has ten years and 500k miles of hard travel. A great piece of kit):




You want something can be heard at 40-yards from your car on a windy day, then, the KES-5 is your beast. (DSP beforehand recommended):



Look for used examples to keep purchase price low.

Get this part right. Speaker location is also critical, not an afterthought.

Whether or not one purchases a radio . . . the audio (speaker) can make or break the experience, IMO.

As a phenomenon, Skip can be so overwhelming that many will turn off the mobile while en-route to their destination. Don’t let bad actors force your hand (audio clarity is the game once understood):

SKIP Problems in Noise Abatement.

The discourtesy of screwing up AM-19. The understood Truckers Channel. Got 39 to 119 other channels before we consider freeband. The thread is not to whine and moan, but to introduce others new to CB how to deal with Skip overwhelming local comms. The exigencies of the road. Your experience...

forums.radioreference.com

DSP brings in layers of voices near & far, weak & strong. There’s a learning curve.

.

 

[slowmover]

I've recently become interested in CB radio. I marveled at Citizens Band as a kid, but now as an amateur, I hadn't thought much about it until lately. I've got some local friends who aren't as keen to get on the ham frequencies, and I'm curious about how active CB is in my area.

If I was to get started with a solid mobile unit, where should I start? The McKinley looks interesting but I literally just started my research.

Also, any direction as to links, forums, books would be welcome.

Thanks!

You’ll get tweaked by so-called sophisticates for interest in chicken band.

Honest exploration will reveal there’s much more than meets the eye.

Comparisons to 1983 in 2023 haven’t validity.

Best gear produces best results.

Best antenna system should be the focus.

In mobile, IMO, best all-around would be an NMO30 or 34 with WD640 whip as 5’ is needed for minimal performance (dial in with analyzer).

Quarter-wave whip still king.

Literally, if there’s an equal forum to the accompanying Install sub-forum than the one on RR I’d dearly like to have that link.

Radio Equipment Installation Forum

Forum for discussing how to install radio communications equipment in Mobile, Base, Command Post, EOC, etc configurations.

forums.radioreference.com

A bible of the basics:

Mobile Radio Guide

At home a vertical ground plane gets one talking quickly. Other choices for long-range Skip.

Some context to activity on AM-19

Do truckers still use CB Radios?

I never hear any trucker chit-chat on Ch19, even with two different types of scanners monitoring. As a kid in the 70's, CB radios were cool!

forums.radioreference.com

3.5-million CDL licensees. 1.5-million at work today. 750k of them 150-miles from home two or more nights per week (up to my two-to-three week trips as a fleet driver. Then there are those on-road months at a time in specialized).

AM-19 is the travelers channel the past fifty years. Not just truck drivers. Currently under assault by unscrupulous base station operators.

Scan capability is another NRC radio advantage. (Via squelch break or timed pause).

There are days with hours where every channel has activity, but only if one has the ears to hear & decipher it.

Complaints that, “CB is dead”, reveal lack of good gear (mainly NRC) & an antenna system adequate to the problem.

.

 

[slowmover]

Diesel is how what you own arrived.
From start to finish. CB there at every step ashore.

No one will say a word you decide to restore a ‘97 12-valve this radio thing gets your world moving. (Ha!)

No diesel = civilization ends.

No electricity isn’t the same.

CB-savvy (knowing how used today) is something of a skill times get hard.

A man with a decent truck can go great distances (diesel economy) and CB is part & parcel of buy, sell, trade to keep his family afloat.

ARRL revealed its deep corruption shared with other institutions in cancelling events due to the Covid-19 hoax instead of INSTANTLY leveraging the ability of radio to ensure smooth transactions in times of difficulty.

CB would have shot to prominence in that moment.

The current (growing) assault on AM-19 is part of this: interference with the traveler.

You’re on the right track.

.

 

[Freemor]

Maybe I'm just an old timer and showing my age here. But I've yet to come across a DSP device that can pull voice of a weak signal out of the static better than a well trained ear. But then I've been listening through the static for weak signals since I built my first shortwave radio back in the 70s. Back then there was the concept of "getting your ear in" to be able to hear weak audio through the static. Its a valuable skill especially if you are DXing.

 

[slowmover]

Maybe I'm just an old timer and showing my age here. But I've yet to come across a DSP device that can pull voice of a weak signal out of the static better than a well trained ear. But then I've been listening through the static for weak signals since I built my first shortwave radio back in the 70s. Back then there was the concept of "getting your ear in" to be able to hear weak audio through the static. Its a valuable skill especially if you are DXing.

Try a typical CB with & without.

This ain’t ANL or NB.

.

 

[Freemor]

Try a typical CB with & without.

This ain’t ANL or NB.

.

I know the difference between ANL/NB and DSP. I use sox based DSP filter chains with my SDR on a regular basis.
I suspect we may be coming from different angles here. I was talking about chasing weak signals down on the noise floor where the SNR is low and filternig of any sort can get in the way. I suspect your talking more about the tone and fidelity of stronger signal.

 

[slowmover]

Mobile, where weak & strong with advancing & receding and every combination of those is the difficulty against yet farther signals intruding.

On a base station without the stress, one has leisure.

DSP while underway allows greater distance which is time . . and for message content that’s priority. Definition & Solution of problems have time limits forced by road speed.

Clarity in that, is king.

There’s no fill-in-the-gaps of a signal barely received. If the radio hears it, so will you.

I’d imagine that at home with an antenna system better than mobile one has “more” he can do with RX.

I wouldn’t disagree about ears needing training, would only re-frame to say that the window for contact success in mobile is exceedingly short. One can’t afford misunderstandings.

Mobile also defines use for the majority at present.

While I advocate AM/SSB as minimum, FM will be a boon for those who begin to understand CB is more than just a run for groceries & supply two counties over.

Then, there’s the truly distant SSB world where I’d imagine tools mentioned prove their worth, in your description.

Skip on AM-19 is populated by nothing said except babble from the soul-dead paid to interfere with mobile. Have to distinguish. Clarity enough to easily recognize voices.

Other channels it’s just fun, in main.

The small still voice? (Ha!)

.

 

[KQ7D]

There is so much info being shared here that I haven't the faintest pre-knowledge of. I appreciate the info dump and have A LOT to learn.
Go figure- a ham operator learning from those who understand the value of CB. Based on the responses I've gotten to my original question posed in "ham" forums, you'd think CB was only utilized by the lowest levels of humanity.

It's refreshing to see those here who are interested in radio communications as a whole (many here are also hams) are willing to share such valuable information, especially during these challenging times.