Regular CB Worth Temporary Install?

[alcahuete]

why do you not just go with a "MARS" modded ham radio to keep it all neat and compact?

And you get a FAR better radio on top of it.

 

[slowmover]

Slow,

Leaving the legality discussion for another day The KL203 is only 100 watts out on a good day. That plate with the CB, amp, filters, all the interconnects just waiting to come loose, and misc stuff mounted on it why do you not just go with a "MARS" modded ham radio to keep it all neat and compact?

Thanks for the question. Let’s see if description and context work:

1). In the big truck I don’t lack for space.
And it’s in its own air-ride seat.

2). Crutches for a fleet-spec big truck have been found necessary. Meaning, coax filters (as there are also feedline chokes at the two antennas), and a quite large ferrite toroid for the DC power. The Bandpass makes it a bit better.

————— Post Key —————————
3). Determining distant from close RX Is crucial. One might just hear of a problem once. And have to deduce by distance and guesses from which road it came what was meant. What problems posed. The PRESIDENT Lincoln I ran awhile presented all RX as equidistant. (No clues).
———————————————————

— So, this is the encrustation radio system.
Bit-by-bit over five years (with other items not now in use).

— I’m not against, say, a Yaesu 891 or similar despite it’s having features of no present interest to me.

4). I may up the power to a KL-503hd run mid-range to get the most from the pair of 7’ Skipshooters in use (touching 14’ gets them a few inches above the trailer; have tested 6’ versions and it’s not the same) as I’ve lost other drivers before I “should” have.

A latest tech radio (integrated DSP called NRC) with a better receiver is on my list to try. At $250 that seems a no brainer. A $700 Yaesu after MARS/CAP is a bigger bite. Not ruled out, it’s that I’m pretty specific as to what I want and why:

Problems of the Road

A). I haven’t much cared about Sideband except to have it and occasionally make contacts. It’s more a matter of discussing with another driver some aspect or details about this job. Something that day, or if a more abstract nature that several minutes on AM-19 won’t cover if he doesn’t have a good radio system and we are headed different directions.

B). The Slip Seater Box makes component changes easy. Add, or subtract. Very different from digging the rig out of the dash. Remove cover, fiddle around, replace. If I’m out of the truck a few days while on the road, I can disconnect and bury it in my stored gear aft.

C). The AM/SSB GALAXY 959b as basis is just about as good as it gets save integrated DSP. For this use as defined above. There are about a dozen switch configurations can take me across the problems of any day.


I “get it” that a base operator wants better or different, and that a commercial mobile operator not in a big truck might be better served by another radio choice. I advocate such, in repeated posts, in fact. Same for the occasional traveler

D). I drive 110-140k miles per year. The radio is on 12-hours daily, 300-days per year. A GALAXY is pretty easy to live with. To which to listen. This aspect can’t be discounted. Purely personal. They tend to be long-lived. Reliable.

Side mic radios are a thing. That big S-Meter is part of trained intuition as to what I’m hearing. (“Accuracy” not relevant).


There’ll be a point somewhere in 2023 I’ll want a change. The new slip seater box will make those easy to perform (same reason as changing to the use of Anderson PowerPoles). Faster & more decisive choices.

Should have seen how this looked all strung out with jumpers in the overhead.

E). The SlipSeater takes away the worst of the installation. That’s a two day job. Here’s where it starts:


Running only coax isn’t so bad I don’t have to go up the A-pillar. Same for DC power in 6-AWG (40-50A at 15-20’).


Next truck will be very short power run as I already know from previous experience that there’s no advantage going to the BATT box versus connecting at the main (single) fuse panel. I can get it to under 10’ TTL circuit length included.

I can quickly disconnect and store cables or box away.

F). I have several amps to try (7405v, 7505v and a future 503hd).

G). An antenna analyzer is a tool I’ve put off for years. That’s next.

H). Better cophase harness (big trucks benefit by best shielding). For that I need all the tools and supplies.

I). If I want to run a pair of 102” whips I’ll need to probably get help in fabricating adequate mounts. (The experience of other drivers is promising).

J). I’ll be driving a reefer (refrigerated). Tractor with ThermoKing APU (auxiliary power unit). The APU or prime mover will one of them always be running. The 130-HP Kubota ThermoKing refrigeration unit won’t be “off” either (constant or cycling). There’s no end to electronic noise potential. Then, a compressor refrigerator plus 2500W inverter for my use

Last, I’ll be starting in an older truck. In time I’ll be moving to another. Until I’m in a brand-new one this may be a few months to a year per truck. Might be 3-4/trucks in there.

— What looks like more trouble actually isn’t.
For now. The SS Box is a way of getting changes under control.

TACTICAL RADIO CARRIER TRC-2. I can attach or detach gear all over this thing. It fits my Yaesu ft450d. Multiple heights to accommodate changes. Etc. Very handy and an ingenious design. (Several options).

 

[slowmover]

By contrast, here’s my pickup (not done), and a pic of the model I’m using.

PRESIDENT Texas 1800 on a Breedlove #601
(Many antennas can be used including quarter wave).



Radio bracket screwed thru headliner to a
board epoxied to roof underside.



A Quad 5 v2 Anytone eliminates need for amp and separate, powered DSP speaker.



Now, this approach makes more sense


Best antenna ground plane and a quiet vehicle relative to a fleet tractor.

Fewer problems to solve.
Easy high performance.

Big truck — and you aren’t the owner — is another kettle of fish.

.

 

[slowmover]

Last, a word more about Item 3 in long post above. This is about radio use.

AM-19 can be a cacophony of voices.

1). One isn’t interested in all of it. In fact a fair amount is ignored in metro areas, or in rural traffic back-ups.

2). One won’t be answering everything asked given xtra-high performance. May be on a different road, may have an attitude, one may already be busy.

3) The difficulty of figuring near from far takes practice. It’s much more than strong versus weak signals.

— With a base station, all are clear or muddy, so to speak. There’s nothing riding on it. I make the QSO or I don’t. Same for the other guy. A radio which presents all signals as equidistant though with strong/muddy overtones doesn’t fit what’s needed on the big road.

We are all of us in motion. “Capture” may be seconds long. One chance.

I don’t wish to sound as if I’m not willing to help. Far from it. But there are those times and places with 2-3 Interstate’s merging (and a US highway) with men traveling (7-8) “directions” that one’s ears need a radio helps you distinguish strong from weak, near from far, and advancing or receding from you.

And they next to none of them may hear you (one’s mobile goal is to overcome the deficiencies of the other mans radio rig).

4). Dead Quiet Background is worth the expense and devices

The quality of the sound of one’s radio is a stand-in for character. Bigger = Better, in the best sense of that. Radio Announcer.

5). In turn one hears the man (what’s in his voice). Stress. Gaiety. Disgust. These colorings only come thru with a dead-quiet background. Men at work. Alone, far from home. These are clues to what is being said.

— Unlike the military or air traffic there isn’t a standard vocabulary to accommodate the new or weird. Out-of-place.

Truck drivers didn’t get out of bed that morning expecting this was their last day. But that can happen. The fear it is happening.

This jacks up everyone else.

“Best ears” (best gear) is about being able to differentiate.

And, . . sometimes, guys who sound like jerks on typical crap CB systems are just joking. You have to be able to hear what they pit into it

Now extrapolate this to a more ordinary day yet with trouble ahead. All the excitement ain’t in your direction of travel . . . hell, it’s not even on your road.

Those two things can take verrry long seconds to understand. A full stop from 65-mph may be 400’. But what lane? Grab the shoulder? Get ready to Superman across the grass median?

All kinds of worry get baked into Near/Far.
As a strong radio may be faint, and a weak radio may be next to you.

.

 

[jhooten]

While a full panic stop with 80K# spread out over 18 large truck tires and about 70 feet can be, shall we say, exciting, try it 40K# with a Dually pulling a 40' flat bed loaded with oil field equipment. It would be nice if someone would develop an ABS system for trailer brakes.

Oh, BTW, a panic stop coming down a mountain pulling a half full un-baffled gasoline tanker in the rain is not something I care to repeat.

But, with the way people act on the highway today I traded the dually work truck for a more Luxury edition SRW and sold the hot shot trailer. The only thing I plan to pull now will be the travel trailer and since their is just the two of us now I'm downsizing that also. A 24' bumper pull should do just fine. No more weigh station hassles or dealing with the commercial vehicle enforcement troopers.

 

[slowmover]

TUSON sells (or used to) an anti-lock module for their state-of-the-art trailer disc brake control system. (Big truck trailer ABS works with Engine Braking; not so on pickups). See Kent Sunderling review on MR TRUCK.

Converting the axles to fully independent suspension is also wise. IS + Disc + ABS is king.

I’ve pulled many of those oilfield loads with a 1T Dodge Cummins. One really doesn’t get to run above 65 in mildest conditions of weather and near non-existent traffic, and 55 ain’t out of the question that changes. Typical electric drum trailer brakes have one stop in them. From 55. Not above.

And I’ve run open-bore tanker.

Thanks for the reminders.
55 or lower preserves handling, steering & braking.

I have no experience with Amateur radio gear. Especially not while mobile. My experience with the Linc-2 was that, yes, the receiver was significantly “better” . . . with caveats.

— I’ll work on the descriptive language concerning AM-19 use. The need to use audio cues to:

1). Determine Near versus Far.
2). Determine Strong versus Weak.
3). At the same time.

The Linc-2 left me floundering in this. Often.
All signals reproduced similarly.

The rise in blood pressure is real. Running a slower speed isn’t the only answer in the mix of things . . . one may need to exit the road onto the shoulder (not always possible), or take the very next exit (usually much safer).

But can I make it to the next exit?

1). What’s the problem?
2). What is its location (road, direction, mile marker)?
3). Severity & Age (happening right now or an hour ago with emergency vehicles just arrived). Fatalities? Severe Injuries? On fire?

— One doesn’t get to learn every detail except by reading next days newspaper. Educated guesses come with experience.

DSP in the audio means being one of the big boys. Your “transistor radio” benefits in the above more (in some ways) than the latest digital radios whereby “signal strength” can be analyzed with acuteness.

A signal strength meter isn’t enough.
Nor even upgraded audio.
Not with Ham Radio, Jr (Linc-2).

I’m using that radio as example of other more sophisticated gear. It may be that this other gear can provide what I’ve tried to describe (near instantaneous recognition).

.

 

[slowmover]

The only thing I plan to pull now will be the travel trailer and since their is just the two of us now I'm downsizing that also. A 24' bumper pull should do just fine. No more weigh station hassles or dealing with the commercial vehicle enforcement troopers.

EOH Disc on IS with the travel trailer. Preferably an all-aluminum, aerodynamic travel trailer. AIRSTREAM is the only survivor of the era, but it was the entry-level choice. Still, it had (has) best suspension when brakes upgraded to EOH disc from pre-1990.

28’ is the ideal size (and up) for extended touring. I’m third generation in this (Silver Streak and Streamline brands; also see AVION). 24’ confers no benefits in tow ability if using a pickup (worst choice).

Given that the pickup is in solo use carrying no less than 700# to 1900# in the bed (1/2 to 1-T) it’s “okay”.

As it’s the likely cause of a loss-of-control accident (the trailer type is more stable to a higher speed than the pickup), get a Jim Hensley-patent hitch. Like disc brakes or radial tires: there’s no going back once experienced.

The A/S forum AIR, search out all posts by guskmkg (among some others).

HITCH RIGGING is fully as important as the two vehicles. Design, and execution. It’s a steering component.

Now you “know” why my Cummins Dodge can run a quarter wave on the roof. The TEXAS gets almost 2’ above the trailer (13’ TTL clearance).



That’s a 61’ combination vehicle (tractor-trailers are a legal maximum of 72’). But this only weighs 17-18m in comparison. With Hensley (brand; other is Pro Pride), I can do maneuvers — at speed, throttle-ON — that will roll any 5’er.

Radio is my early big road exit versus at 1100 as it becomes crowded. US Highways (or State) become the choice till 1500 (parked). Thread the needle with this rig.

That hitch, this trailer type, (details worked), means even an old man doesn’t tire as easily. You won’t feel the bow wave of a big truck passing you till it hits the TV. (Adjust fingers).

And with a RWD Cummins, it’s a 15-mpg average in the South-Central USA (consistent across a dozen era comps).

.

 

[slowmover]

Thread topic: Regular CB Worth Temporary Install?:





My GALAXY 86V fitted to the padded $12 WALCOTT RADIO “radio bag”. Stored away in seat console. Strap runs around console arm rest when in use and mic keeper attached to rear view mirror.



Until recently it was with my triple-mag WORKMANN antenna mount with a 102” on a Hustler QD (or other).

Yes, it’s worth the very small trouble to run permanent battery power to where you’ll run the radio.

.

 

[jhooten]

To directly address the OP: This is my 20+ year old Rental car/loaner CB. It ain't pretty or the best performing but it fills a need. It has traveled interstate highways and been bounced around out in the boonies, even spending some time on the lake. Recently it has spent time on the tool trailer while doing a brush clearing project so it needs a little clean up.

 

[slowmover]

Just installed the radio rig from Post #48 in a rental, with sons SIRIO 5000. About a 500-mile drive out to New Mexico.

Skip is strong at noon. Have to back off the RF Gain and crank in a bit of Squelch.

Thinking this rig (barefoot) would benefit with a power mic. (That it needs DSP and a coax filter goes w/o saying).

South Florida, Delaware and Massachusetts reaching FTW.

.

 

[Gumball928]

I have a Magnum S-9 that I purchased used. One of the LEDs were out, so I sent it to The Radio Shop in Fontana, Ca.
When I talked to him about repairs, I asked him about "peak and tune".
His answer - "all we do is ensure the settings are correct and optimal. We do not pump it up"
My radio works very well.