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FOX NEWS 25 talked to truck drivers in Oklahoma City ON THE CB RADIO.

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FiveFilter

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That's great.

The last time I saw a CB on the TV screen it was Bert Reynolds behind the mike being chased by a fat cop.

The CB is still a great tool for the commercial truck driver.
 

PGHSCANNERWACKER1

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That's great.

The last time I saw a CB on the TV screen it was Bert Reynolds behind the mike being chased by a fat cop.

The CB is still a great tool for the commercial truck driver.
yeah as young (25 years old) i still use and love the cb radio its a awesome emergency communication tool cheap and reliable i recommend anyone to have one in there car and house.
 

IdleMonitor

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Could they possibly have picked a bigger portable radio to do this with? lol

None the less though, it was an interesting way of them doing the news report and including the CB radio in it as far as communications go on top of an overpass overlooking the highway.

They even had a Bye Bye Bye audio clip in there also. :p
 

slowmover

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There’s not a better city than OKC in which to have done this.

1). The high volume of E-W traffic on IH40.

2). The very good local conditions.

3). The very good establishment of locals on-air every evening on AM-19 causes any number of drivers to have radios turned up. Not “on”, (a norm), but “up” so as to participate.

One needn’t have much radio volume to determine if a problem is out ahead.
Key words & phrases stand out.

That’s different than wanting to catch local conversations.
 

slowmover

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That's great.

The last time I saw a CB on the TV screen it was Bert Reynolds behind the mike being chased by a fat cop.

The CB is still a great tool for the commercial truck driver.


Or anyone else.

What one shares with his neighbors trumps better-performing radio-types, if it comes to that.

Citizen Band is basic. Not having it is the head-scratcher.

A mobile install follows (and has the same problems) as with any Amateur Radio gear.

My response to this type of tepid approval (not to the man posting it), is:

That’s because you’re unaware of how well it can perform.

(“awareness”, being emotional versus rational).

We didn’t (in the 1970s) have ferrites (as CMC Chokes & RF mitigation) or DSP filtration (Amateur-quality).

The Radio units are better than you thought. Between poor-performing installations, and lack of remedial noise control there’s a whole other world out there.

The bible of Mobile Installation is K0BG

That’s the game-changer.

The install on my Peterbilt 579 is a great deal more difficult and won’t perform as well as what can be done on a private vehicle.

Bubba Joe down the street with an antenna on the headache rack of his mud-boggin’ 4WD pickemup hasn’t got a clue either.

What few CB shops remain, don’t have the time nor the patience to spoon-feed you what the Amateur community now makes available via Mr Applegates’ tome.

Passing thru southern Illinois yesterday I picked up a kid parked at a station with a mag mount on his pickup. 2.5-miles out, and the same once past. Had he a better mobile it would have been 7-10/miles in each direction.

Over a 5-mile span versus a 20-mile span. 5-minutes, or 20-minutes. A big difference for first establishing communication — same page of same book — and what time remains. As that “establishment” isn’t automatic.

Think of CB Radio as a net draped over a map area. Smaller or larger. Many conditions apply to effective communication, so the best installation past gear chosen makes a night & day difference.

A “typical” big truck install would have heard him, but the driver wouldn’t be able to make out the words except in a smaller radius than I described.

When I go thru OKC in the evenings I can pick up the locals 15-miles west at the El Reno scale house and continue nearly thirty miles in RX/TX till past Tinker AFB while running east. (There are some very good base and mobile installs in that city).

This truck isn’t available with GOOD antenna mounts. Factory or aftermarket. A private vehicle could do much better.

SSB is a whole other cat.


CB (in common parlance) isn’t the same as setting up an Eleven-Meter Radio.

— A Uniden 980 AM/SSB (or PRESIDENT McKinley) is the low-cost start.

— Past install per above, it’s a
WEST MOUNTAIN RADIO CLEARSPEECH DSP Speaker (or equivalent inline module) that brings the Radio Rig into focus.

Permanent antenna mount in the correct location is the biggest decision.

I hear and converse with other rigs the truck drivers around me can’t hear or be heard by on a regular basis. Their radios are fine, and most of the rest isn’t bad, is the irony.

A private vehicle with an NMO roof-mount 49” LAIRD can pretty well out-talk and out-hear some very big $$$ installations where details are tested and adjusted.

That’s the the family guy who’s not serious. Basic good equipment and basic good install.

(Some of you use WAZE? The only reason I may keep it around is to know what the stupid people will be doing)

There’s NOT a substitute for having your fellows inform you of which way the wind is blowing.

That’s, around your town OR while out on the Big Road. Stationary or Mobile.
.
 
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captainmax1

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I always pack a handheld CB when I travel long distance. It can be a very handy tool if stuck in highway traffic for hours to find out the reason and progress of the incident causing the lockdown. It has happened to me several times over the years. I also use my scanners and ham radio as information tools along with my CB.
 

slowmover

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And, that Hollywood portrays CB as a laughingstock should be the biggest clue of all (to yet another of its many lies).

You don’t benefit by adherence to faked consensus.

.

I always pack a handheld CB when I travel long distance. It can be a very handy tool if stuck in highway traffic for hours to find out the reason and progress of the incident causing the lockdown. It has happened to me several times over the years. I also use my scanners and ham radio as information tools along with my CB.

Stopped traffic is a problem. Directly affects my income. A CB is germane.

So, that I hear about it miles ahead of others gives me more choices.

Without going into all of them, it’s nevertheless possible I can save an hour or hours I can’t afford to waste by those choices being removed.

My daily clock has some “give”. But my weekly miles have little.

More importantly, I’m not trapped in the ghetto with the stupid, the clueless and the zombies.

I don’t live among them. Do you?

Forewarned is forearmed.
 

K9DWB

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When I drove for an 11 year span, the 6 most hated/feared words were brake check and Bear at mile X. The first radio was a Cobra 29 NW WX that eventually was paired to a Texas Star DX250, next up were some Exports including a Mirage 48T, some others I forgot, one that had the Nitro knobs installed at White's truck stop in Raphine, VA along I-81 while I was on a DOT break, then a Stryker (I think it was the SR-497HPC) with an add-on frequency counter, and a Galaxy 98VHP. The Galaxy was a waste due to where I bought it. All that just to keep up with other drivers and to check in at the warehouse. When I got out of the truck for good in August 2009, CB in my region was a little helpful info and a lot of garbage and trash talk. Then this July, I decided to pick up the radio hobby again by getting my Tech license and make a new list of radio equipment and making a new set of challenges including doing more with less watts.

YMMV :coffee:
 

slowmover

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When I drove for an 11 year span, the 6 most hated/feared words were brake check and Bear at mile X. The first radio was a Cobra 29 NW WX that eventually was paired to a Texas Star DX250, next up were some Exports including a Mirage 48T, some others I forgot, one that had the Nitro knobs installed at White's truck stop in Raphine, VA along I-81 while I was on a DOT break, then a Stryker (I think it was the SR-497HPC) with an add-on frequency counter, and a Galaxy 98VHP. The Galaxy was a waste due to where I bought it. All that just to keep up with other drivers and to check in at the warehouse. When I got out of the truck for good in August 2009, CB in my region was a little helpful info and a lot of garbage and trash talk. Then this July, I decided to pick up the radio hobby again by getting my Tech license and make a new list of radio equipment and making a new set of challenges including doing more with less watts.

YMMV :coffee:

Needs a WEST MOUNTAIN RADIO CLEARSPEECH DSP SPEAKER for the genuine performance gain desired.

Hear around the noise one thought unavoidable. IOW, with whatever radio it’s better than you think, but needs DSP in the received signal at/before the speaker to clean up the mess.

See website catalog page.

Eleven-Meter is no slouch. Sideband and Freeband have plenty of action. Across North America as well as the Caribbean and South America. (Africa and Europe when you get serious).

The installation — Mobile or Base — isn’t any different for best results.

Look at it this way: SSB CB Radio is inexpensive compared to Amateur. That money this year goes to ironing out the bugs of location or mobile-related.

Do It Right, and next year start plugging in the more expensive gear.

CB is what you and your neighbors are likeliest to share. Gives it precedence. Greatest utility.

“Garbage and Trash Talk” are up to you. Do something about it. Offer some intelligence and you’ll get results. Everyone else is tired of it also.

Ran thru Tulsa last month with that problem. Kept asking the degenerate for his name and address. Third time he responded directly. I reminded him that NO base station is hard to find. I’d happily do a 34-reset there and I’d find him. I immediately had offers of help. Point I then made to him is that he has an excellent rig. Change his ways — be helpful —and one night he’d hear a friend calling for him.

Ignore.
Then be persistent about acting as a man while on-air.

(I’ll be stopping at Raphine tonight if my load is ready early enough. Whites is a great old truck stop).

.

That's a cool way to gather info from Truckers.. It would NEVER happen in California, the idea that CB still exists would upset the smartphone crowd :)

I recently rolled SoCal from an IH-8 San Diego entrance, stopped overnight, then up thru LA to exit via IH-40.

There are busier places for CB. And Kalifornia Konfusion about what CB channels to be on adds to the impression of low participation. (15, 17, 19). Doesn’t mean radios are off, just means monitored without much comment.

If I wanted an air-check or directions, I had only to ask.

.

The West Mountain DSP Speaker is considered to be HAM gear, not CB.

Most reviews or threads online will be by users of Amateur equipment.

DSP (as a subject) is also (should be) of interest. CB Radios lack it entirely, and there are forms of it in modern Amateur Radios.

The WM Speaker is used often in addition to built-in DSP.

It’s a game-changer (DSP).

The speaker I’ve used now six years and far past 300k miles including off-road oilfield (300+ days/year at 10-12/hrs per).

Don’t leave home without it!

.

The transport case appears to be the same as the Harbor Freight Apache series (range of colors).

Let me extend the use and experience:

For CB Radio, that 2800-size, (and the next size up 3800; the 4800 will just hold a Yaesu ft450d) are an inexpensive alternative to better known expensive brands (which I’d more likely use for airline travel).

A). The 3800 holds a Uniden 980 and its gear as received at purchase, plus an RM Italy KL203 & and an extra microphone.

B). Zippered Bucket Boss automobile jump-start cable bag for Coax + Power Cables (and associated).

C) Rigid vertical mobile antenna into PVC tubing.

D). Is a laptop used for operation? Then integrate it with the whole of the above. Field Expedition.

E). Go-Kit or EmComms portable power (battery)? Same.

1). Gear gets damaged being moved.
2). Accidents happen otherwise.
3). Ground-ship compatible (with an over-carton).

It’s important to lay out everything which will ever be used with the rig. There’s more than we sometimes realize. Move the whole of the rig.

See the whole even if only parts of assembled kit are used daily. The foam-lined transport cases aren’t the end.

— How will you transport safely by vehicle (and minimize temptation by thieves)? I use mil-spec Flyers Kit Bag by the dozen to keep my assigned Peterbilt personal items easily moved in/out.

One of these purposed for Radio goes on the backseat under some loose clothing to look like a laundry bag.

But”, says someone, “my gear is at home for for a fixed installation”. Again, IMO, I don’t think that changes things. Look back in time and see that quality gear was sold with a way to ship & store it when not in use.

— Will the room in which it’s located ever be painted or re-carpeted? Will you ever change addresses?

While portability ranks high, I find that foam separation of smaller gear (than receiver or transceiver) is necessary. Zippered pouches, snap-cases, etc. Full assortment. Everything thus packaged. No gear breaking other gear.

IMO, if it means moving up a size to keep gear sorted & separated and restrained from movement by foam divisions, then all is good.

What’s the full retail replacement value of the gear in the transport case? Is how to look at it.

A similar approach is to use the smallest hard-case inside a shoulder bag/ backpack where associated gear is distributed across the bag. The receiver/transceiver thus highly cushioned against shock. Etc

— IMO, every radio of any type needs this dedicated storage. A transport case which holds all and related. Permanent assignment.

No sharing among other receivers/transceivers.

Ex: I may buy an aftermarket microphone. It goes with but one radio.

Have a few collector cars? Share tires among them and your daily driver so that you can get to work?

The same applies here that an attached checklist pertains to every receiver/transceiver.

My way of seeing this (the goal) is that pretty much I can hand a case to someone and maybe they’ll need a different antenna is about the extent of additions. (And — should I kick off tomorrow — Gear, Tools & Supply is obviously organized for relatives to dispose as desired).

I’ve a half-dozen CB/Exports easily. Plus Big Iron. Just starting with Scanners. Limited space. Several vehicles (Mobile) plus home (Base) plus RV (Portable).

Swapping stuff around is a dead-end game plus the potential of damage.

One nice receiver/transceiver & gear = $600.

Eight (8) inexpensive transport cases plus inner bags/casing plus overbag/chest & asociated = same amount +/-

For but one receiver it’s $100 +/- to get everything portable.

Worth your time to consider.

.

43813FB2-4877-4F14-9993-7E640245C7C2.jpeg

Issued under an NSN number since 1963.
Cordura Nylon.
23”x13”x19”

“Flyers Kit Bag”
(Also: Engineer, or Rigging)

Avoid knockoffs

I usually pay $30-40/ea.

It will carry more in weight than you can effectively move.

Aboard the Peterbilt I have (4) of the transport cases of different sizes all of which fit into one of these with sleeping bag (or other) to limit movement.

Then a half-dozen plus more of which tote the other 480-lbs of personal belongings.

This is one of those, “can’t have too many”, items in life.

I keep buying more as they get “re-purposed”.

And I really do use one for laundry (I travel 3-5/weeks at a time).

.

.
 
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K9DWB

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Greencastle, PA, USA
@slowmover Good info and no argument here, better and right equipment means better results. I may dabble in CB again at some point, for now I'll focus on Amateur. Only so much money and I try to stay focused on one hobby and do it right, despite what I used to do in the past. Ham is new to me, so it gets the focus for now. I'm done with truck driving as the back has gone bad permanently. Couldn't crawl into a truck if I wanted to. Regardless, safe travels.

truck stop coffee typically measured by the glop not ounce :coffee:
 
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