Excellent info! Thanks all!
I would like the VHF radios but they are a little pricey and for the little use they would get, I can't justify paying for them as well as getting a licence for them all.
I think that's a good plan. Unless you are licensed, there's no need to have a radio capable for transmitting. While they do tend to have better receivers than a scanner, the extra cost and the programming can offset that.
So it looks like a scanner in each truck to hear the truckers in the area and a CB in each truck as well as the fifth wheel and Argo for communication between each other.
I've got a Polaris Ranger, and several others in my extended family have them, or Polaris Rzr's. As long as we've had them, we've had permanently mounted VHF radios with permanent antennas. Being able to communicate easily while on the trail is a huge benefit. Usually while riding in groups, we tend to get spaced out on the trail due to dust. Makes it really easy to get separated.
Even being able to talk back to camp can be really handy.
I won't ride without a helmet and a radio, ever.
Now the next questions...
I will take the advice of getting GOOD antennas.
Does it matter if I get a fixed or magnet base? ( I was thinking magnet base for the trucks and fifth wheel and a fixed base for the Argo)
First off, I'm not a fan of magnet mount antennas.
A permanent mount antenna will outperform a magnetic mount antenna by a bit.
Magnet mounts will damage the truck paint.
Big issue is routing the coaxial cable into the cab. Routing the cable through doors or windows will result in the cable being pinched. Pinching the cable will cause a couple of issues:
1. It deforms the cable and this can cause issues with how well the signal flows through it. The spacing between the center conductor and the outer shield is critical.
2. If the outer jacket gets damaged, water can get in. Water and copper corrode, and that will cause more issues.
Permanent mount will work better, last longer and look a lot nicer. It takes extra work, but it really is worth it.
Done right, it'll outlast the truck.
Best place to mount the antenna is right in the middle of the cab roof. Anything else is a compromise. There are other options, but the come at a cost. Some mount them on brackets off the side of the hood channel, off mirrors, etc. Center of the cab really does work better.
Can (or should) the scanner be hooked up to the CB antenna or just left on its own antenna or should I purchase a separate antenna for it?
It has to be separate antennas. There are ways to split the feed, but it introduces loss into the system. That loss can impact reception and transmitting. Plus, it's expensive. Two separate antennas will work better.
Since the fifth wheel would essentially be a base station, should I get a longer antenna for it?
So, what a lot of guys do is get a base antenna that can be broken down. When you set up camp, assemble the antenna and use a mast to hold it up above the trailer. Often they'll use the ladder on the rear of the bigger trailers as a mounting point. Route the cable inside to the radio.
There are companies that make a small metal platform that goes under one of the tires. The weight of the trailer holds it in place and it has a socket for the mast.
Other option is to mount an antenna on the roof of the trailer.
I see some trucks that have the antenna tied down to the back of the box... does this affect reception?
Yes. Signals transmitted by the radio/antenna will reflect off the cab and will increase the amount of transmitted signal reflected back into the radio. This means less of your signal gets transmitted out. You really do want them on top of the cab if at all possible.
Mounting them on the toolbox will work, but just not as well.
Is a longer antenna better than a shorter one?
Longer is better. Antenna length is related to the frequency in use. There are ways to trick the antenna into thinking its longer than it really is, but they come at a bit of a cost.
Ideally, the 102 inch long whips are excellent performers, but the 8 foot length can really get in the way. Plus, you need a really substantial mount to support it.
Shorter "base loaded" antennas can work well, especially when installed on the top of the cab. They are about 4 feet long, so while they will hit some low tree branches, they are flexible enough to absorb it.
I see some antennas say CB tuneable and some list a frequency range? Should I match this up to the CB I get?
A lot of that is just marketing. Since antenna length is relative to the frequency, the antennas need to be a certain length to work best. A good commercial antenna will come with a cutting chart to tell you how long the antenna needs to be. That usually gets you pretty close, but ideally you want to follow up by testing it with an SWR meter. This meter looks at how much of the transmitted signal is radiated by the antenna (transmitted out to other radios) and how much gets reflected back towards the radio (basically wasted).
A good CB shop, if you can find one, can do the tuning for you. If not, a basic SWR meter is cheap. Some higher end CB's will have them built in, but they tend to not be very accurate. Maybe good enough, though.
I am considering the Uniden Bearcat 980SSB's but will have to look into a power supply idea for the one in the fifth wheel. (Not sure if I want to run directly to the batteries or plug into 110volt). I was thinking of SSB just to help with distance in the bush as the Argo could be 10 miles away from base or someone could be 20 miles from base in the truck scouting another area.
Been a while since I owned a CB, but I've heard people that say they like those.
SSB can give you some more range, but a lot really depends on the antenna. You can spend $500 on a radio, but if you hook it up to a $20 antenna, it's going to work as well as that $20 antenna. On the other end, get a $50 radio and a $50 antenna, and it'll outperform the other.
Keeping range expectations realistic would be in order. While it's certainly possible to get those sorts of ranges, a lot depends on the terrain. Mountains will block your signals. Vehicle ignition noise can cause issues. Atmospheric interference will cause issues.
Line of sight, as in you could see one antenna from the other will really help. Get in a valley, canyon, etc. and things are not going to work too well.
Hook the CB up to the trailer battery. Battery power is cleaner, so you won't pick up interference from the power supply. Also, you won't want to have to run your generator all the time. A CB just sitting there not transmitting doesn't use much power. What little it does use can be offset by a small solar panel.
I haven't decided on the scanners for the trucks yet... is analog good enough or should I be looking at digital?
For what you are doing, analog is good enough. Unless you really want to get into scanner listening, you don't need a digital scanner. Instead of spending the money on a digital scanner, put the money you save into antennas.
10 years from now, yeah, you might need digital, but by then you'll probably want a new scanner anyway.
A couple of things I've learned from doing what you are planning:
1. I've never driven an Argo, so I don't know what the noise level is. I know from the Polaris machines we have it can be difficult to hear the radio without a good external speaker. I'd strongly recommend getting a good waterproof external speaker for your Argo. It'll make it a lot easier to hear.
2. Always run the radio power off the vehicle battery. Never tap into any existing wiring and never, never use cigarette lighter power feeds. Modern vehicles have so many computerized things in them that all generate radio noise. Feeding off the battery directly will get cleaner power with less noise.
3. The antenna is the most important part of your setup. Don't cut corners with the antenna setup.
4. Don't buy cheap consumer grade CB antennas. High quality commercial stuff works better and lasts longer.
5. Don't rely on your radio as your only source of emergency communications. Cellular coverage might be tricky, we always carry a personal locater beacon with us when we ride. Consumer units like the Spot! units are a good option. Dedicated PLB's work out cheaper in the long run.
Picking all the individual components really takes some time. When you decide what you are going to do, let us know and we can make some recommendations. I think you are on the right track. It might cost a bit to set this all up right, but if you do it right from the start, it'll save you a lot of headaches later on.