robertwbob
KE0WRU
yes im in southwet mo. what freqincy are they on and area? im licened too. is it 2 meters 440?
i carry a dual band hand held radio and set to scan never hearing anybody cept repeaters when they autokey to identify
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Do truckers still use CB Radios?
- Thread starter MCKFD34
- Start date
i carry a dual band hand held radio and set to scan never hearing anybody cept repeaters when they autokey to identify
Thanks for the reply .It has uhf vhf and air band. It can in with factory settings.I wonder if the baufang videos would help. Sorry to be in the weeds on this.
robertwbob
KE0WRU
its in use. was talking on 19 yesterday in big truck
slowmover
Active Member
I was using AM-19 on my last pickup truck run towards Fort Worth.
SmileySixguns
Member
I was sitting at an intersection that’s right next to I-85 the other day, and one truck called another truck to let him know that one of his trailer doors had come open. The other truck acknowledged him and pulled over to fix it.
slowmover
Active Member
That’s the exact example of why real truck drivers cant believe others go without a radio.
Tires are the scary one.
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niceguy71
Active Member
I hardly ever hear anyone on 19... just a new fact of life I guess
used to be, if I asked for a radio check on my big base antenna I would normally get a response... but lately they are fewer and fewer.
I was out in my shop this morning at 6:30AM on LSB talking to Europe.... I normally can make several contacts at this time in the morning... but I could hear a lot of people but didn't get them??? after a couple tries, I said oh no we had a lot of snow and ice storms the last couple days... I bet my antenna is all covered in ice.... so I flipped on 19 turned my power down all the way ( 2 watts) and keyed the mic to see the SWR ...it seemed ok... and seeing I was keying the mic I asked for a radio check... I was shocked to have someone tell me it was working fine.... I live out in the middle of a forest.. I can go out for the mail and stand in the middle of the road and talk to my neighbor for 20 minutes and not have a car go by ( horses go by every hour or so but cars???? only a few)... I've NEVER seen an 18 wheeler in my area... only trees and squirrels here.... but I guess you just never know whose around.
used to be, if I asked for a radio check on my big base antenna I would normally get a response... but lately they are fewer and fewer.
I was out in my shop this morning at 6:30AM on LSB talking to Europe.... I normally can make several contacts at this time in the morning... but I could hear a lot of people but didn't get them??? after a couple tries, I said oh no we had a lot of snow and ice storms the last couple days... I bet my antenna is all covered in ice.... so I flipped on 19 turned my power down all the way ( 2 watts) and keyed the mic to see the SWR ...it seemed ok... and seeing I was keying the mic I asked for a radio check... I was shocked to have someone tell me it was working fine.... I live out in the middle of a forest.. I can go out for the mail and stand in the middle of the road and talk to my neighbor for 20 minutes and not have a car go by ( horses go by every hour or so but cars???? only a few)... I've NEVER seen an 18 wheeler in my area... only trees and squirrels here.... but I guess you just never know whose around.
One way to measure the percentage of truckers driving with a CB is to use a frequency counter to measure the number of truckers with a CB antenna mounted on the truck. This is called "interval recording." You define the interval of measurement. One could measure the frequency of occurrence of truckers passing by with a mounted CB antenna within a thirty-minute time frame. You could actually measure this during a 24-hour period of time. I would imagine there would be exceptions in this measurement that may be addressed with an "error of measurement" for the exceptions that will likely surface. Who knows what results would follow. However, I don't feel the need to sit on the side of the road for twenty-four hours. If you want more accuracy, you could get a friend to do the same. Then, you would have two observers for measurement comparisons, LOL.
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slowmover
Active Member
Here’s an example of an antenna molded-into the area above windshield. OEM
FREIGHTLINER.
A large percentage of trucks on the road.
No external clues as to presence.
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FREIGHTLINER.
A large percentage of trucks on the road.
No external clues as to presence.
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My living doesn't get made on the road, but my truck doesn't move until I'm on AM19.
There's almost no time of the day that I can't make contact on that channel. Local contact with other mobiles, not DX.
Granted, I'm in a high use area, and that's not the case for everyone.
The only thing that HURTS the channel around here IS the DX!
The only time I have to stretch to make local contact is when the Skip is rolling.
That's when men, tired of the BS, turn their volume low and their squelch high.
slowmover
Active Member
Howzabout yer Cobra 29 Backup Radio?
A DX86V is my backup. And not much better with a Lil Wil (atrocious, IOW). But at least it has some juice as well as being AM/SSB.
Guess we gotta pony up for a T3500 antenna, huh? That’ll fix it!
Men caught in the past just don’t realize they can’t hear a third, sometimes half of what’s in their area compared to a modern NRC (DSP) radio rig with a very good antenna system. (Mag mount WILSON or SIRIO 6’ or taller for backup radio).
— Thirty years experience (opinion) of running a CB really don’t matter if gear and install weren’t worth beans.
The minimum is a decent (tall) antenna for a backup. Both of our radios are “good” even if obsolete. (Need outboard DSP, then alignment/tune to be sure of operation).
Might not be anyone around 2-3/miles out. And there might be a fair number 5-7/miles out. But if one doesn’t have a radio system antenna that enables one to Hear, and Get Heard an inaccurate appraisal of radio traffic is automatic.
It was time-consuming (not just expensive) trying to get a now old-style radio system to really perform.
Luckily, an NRC radio is happy to swap into place. And is uncannily quiet at both ends.
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78k10
Member
Don’t forget about all the trucks that have mounted antennas, but no radio. Last warehouse I worked in, had something like 150 tractors give or take. They all came in with dual firestik style antennas mounted, but I’d say only 30-40 actually had a radio in the cab.
slowmover
Active Member
Only the price is attractive. I cringe every time I see it as I’m far from convinced it’ll last.
It’s presence argues that antenna system is least important. Don’t let it whack anything.
Temp only.
Conversely, the W1000 has a solid track record in commercial use by pilot cars, snow plows and others where slip seat is a norm (or the W5000). Yet other choices are available.
W1000MAG-B - Wilson 1000 Magnetic Mount Base Loaded CB Antenna
W1000MAG-B - Wilson 1000 Magnetic Mount Base Loaded CB Antenna
www.wearecb.com
“Saving money” isn’t value. I’d cheap out by buying ANYTONE versus PRESIDENT were that the route I had to follow. A radio is easy to swap.
Theres no reason not to try an NMO Magnetic as the wind load is low. And one can get above 5’.
RGPL - Maxrad/PCTEL NMO Chrome Magnetic Antenna Mount with MUHF Crimp Connector
RGPL - Maxrad/PCTEL NMO Chrome Magnetic Antenna Mount with MUHF Crimp Connector
www.wearecb.com
Most of my antennas I’d be using the triple magnet mount which is less than handy, but that’s more a matter of how to carry it around (larger case). In 25-years I have yet to have it move under any antenna at 70+ MPH including quarter-wave whips bent nearly double.
Actual worst thing about it is removal.
A WILSON 2000 with a variety of base shafts atop the Starpad Launcher can get it above 5’ fairly easily (gear already owned). Now it’s become difficult to outperform except via being quite tall (over 6’).
A big mag mount is a handy piece to own.
Temporary assignment to another vehicle with little drop-off in GP performance.
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slowmover
Active Member
For this job (were it my company truck in shop):
Have to match one of my W2000 with an appropriate spring and bottom shaft (many lengths on hand).
Old big truck gear re-purposed (in this case).
This assumes we want antenna whip to be no more than about 5’ and with additional height via triple magnet mount + spring + quick disconnect and are willing to assemble such.
Whip length is what decides ease-of-carry.
Longer Shaft Below Coil = Shorter Whip Above Coil.
Thus, a replacement whip cut to spec for this.
Not cheap if from scratch.
A 5’ SKIPSHOOTER with appropriate spring would be less costly, for example, but has no coil to be concerned over (durability).
The longer one is in the loaner vehicle . . . .
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Have to match one of my W2000 with an appropriate spring and bottom shaft (many lengths on hand).
Old big truck gear re-purposed (in this case).
This assumes we want antenna whip to be no more than about 5’ and with additional height via triple magnet mount + spring + quick disconnect and are willing to assemble such.
Whip length is what decides ease-of-carry.
Longer Shaft Below Coil = Shorter Whip Above Coil.
Thus, a replacement whip cut to spec for this.
Not cheap if from scratch.
A 5’ SKIPSHOOTER with appropriate spring would be less costly, for example, but has no coil to be concerned over (durability).
The longer one is in the loaner vehicle . . . .
.
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slowmover
Active Member
One isn’t limited to packaged antennas is the only point.
Ease of Carry is self-determined.
Something kept in the work vehicle as backup is one scenario. Should it also have to serve on a loaner vehicle is additional duty.
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Ease of Carry is self-determined.
Something kept in the work vehicle as backup is one scenario. Should it also have to serve on a loaner vehicle is additional duty.
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As far as backup antennas go, this ain't that for me. The Tram is my loaner-outer (the choice having been made based on economics).
As you probably remember I have three permanent mounts wired up (two just being capped off), and a backup 4.5' SkipShooter stowed away.
I got my truck back from the shop today. Apparently I forgot to take my 7' SkipShooter off when I left it.
This was their solution...
slowmover
Active Member
Ck ferrule.
I’d figure it may be “broken” at that point unless you have correct spring.
Why many of us ran 1’ tall PVC down to shaft bottom in OTR.
I gave the surviving 7’ of my first pair after 90k miles to a young O/O in a thread on this forum. The other (broken at ferrule) is now a “fishing tool”.
After I remove an antenna I have a SS bolt can go into mount (a little bit long to facilitate removal).
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I’d figure it may be “broken” at that point unless you have correct spring.
Why many of us ran 1’ tall PVC down to shaft bottom in OTR.
I gave the surviving 7’ of my first pair after 90k miles to a young O/O in a thread on this forum. The other (broken at ferrule) is now a “fishing tool”.
After I remove an antenna I have a SS bolt can go into mount (a little bit long to facilitate removal).
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