What Two Truckers Think of CB Radio

[FiveFilter]

The reason I have a CB is to use on the road to get traffic and road conditions in any given immediate area. It has saved me many hours of frustration by avoiding wrecks or other traffic jams via the use of alternative routes.

It's really great that on a commonly recognized frequency (channel 19 in my area), such road information is sometimes available day and night. This is because many truckers still have and depend on CBs, even though many drivers don't turn them on until the road conditions get bad and they want information about what's happening.

Some truckers also use CBs at loading docks to get loading and unloading instructions and for other such incidental purposes.

I don't think there is any other radio that is as useful on a day-to-day basis for people who are not on dedicated business or emergency bands which are accessible only to their employees.

Unfortunately, because it is open and available for all to use, the CB also has its share of immature and/or sick individuals who use the band with language and tactics designed to make others as miserable as themselves. But, that's the price of living in a world with such folks.

As far as when the apocalypse hits and the power fails and the repeaters quit repeating, the CB can be quite valuable due to the fact that so many people own them, most operate on 12vdc battery power and the 11 meter band possesses a great combination of regional ground wave and distant skip propagation characteristics.

For a $100 investment in radio and antenna, I've found CB to be a really good deal.

 

[SCPD]

A lot of Cbers these days in general are very selective who they talk to. Some will flat out ignore you when you ask them something.

the CB also has its share of immature and/or sick individuals who use the band with language and tactics designed to make others as miserable as themselves.

An attitude no doubt carried over from the ham bands.

 

[motorcoachdoug]

My son is a truck driver and when he is out on the interstates in the midwest and west coast the cb is on all the time and he is picking up a lot of drivers who still use it. I did the tuning on his antennas and got the swrs down to 1 to 1.5 which is not bad.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

My son is a truck driver and when he is out on the interstates in the midwest and west coast the cb is on all the time and he is picking up a lot of drivers who still use it. I did the tuning on his antennas and got the swrs down to 1 to 1.5 which is not bad.

In many areas of the country there is still a substantial amount of 11 meter activity. In fact, it actually seems to be on the increase! I was quite surprised at the huge increase in the number of CB related groups and members on Facebook.

 

[Nutes]

CB Radio Today

I got into CB Radio on a whim about a year ago after many years of not being involved. I also listen to MARCS IP local law enforcement traffic on a Uniden 325 P2 Scanner. It is funny because in my area I find myself finding out more good/useful information on my base station CB/Roof top antenna unit that from my scanner by just listening to the local truck drivers coming through town. Now granted there are allot of local truck drivers in the area that live around here who drive for loggers, chippers, distribution etc. so that makes a difference. However, along with this info and the fact that CB is safer and downright quicker to use on the road as opposed to a cell phone I think it still has it's uses. Once again it depends greatly on what area you are in. Rural areas such as mine still have a good market for it. Metro areas, maybe not so much due to interference, walk over and good cell service.

 

[Hydrogen18]

I'm from East Northport, New York, and I have an Antron 99 on my roof. There isn't much activity here, but you will here activity on channel 9, 15, 16, 19, and I have also heard activity on 30 late at night. There is a large group I talk to on 16 on weekend nights.

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[TheSpaceMann]

I'm from East Northport, New York, and I have an Antron 99 on my roof. There isn't much activity here, but you will here activity on channel 9, 15, 16, 19, and I have also heard activity on 30 late at night. There is a large group I talk to on 16 on weekend nights.

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There is a group in NYC, Long Island and CT late nights on channels 31, 34 and 38 LSB.

 

[Hydrogen18]

There is a group in NYC, Long Island and CT late nights on channels 31, 34 and 38 LSB.

I am really hoping to get my hands on a SSB radio for the purpose of contacting those groups as well as others.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

I am really hoping to get my hands on a SSB radio for the purpose of contacting those groups as well as others.

There is a group that chats quite a bit on 34 AM around New London CT. most evenings! Also, Channel 31 AM is quite active evenings as well. That Bronx group has been yapping on the air on Channel 31 for around 40 years, non stop!!

 

[stingray327]

I would love to get back on-line to CB and get a Super Penetrator base station antenna from way back then.

 

[Hydrogen18]

I would love to get back on-line to CB and get a Super Penetrator base station antenna from way back then.

You should definitely give it a try, I'm glad I did

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[TheSpaceMann]

I would love to get back on-line to CB and get a Super Penetrator base station antenna from way back then.

They still make them!!!

 

[stingray327]

They still make them!!!

Not at $49.95.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Not at $49.95.

I think they are around $150 now.

 

[Hydrogen18]

I think they are around $150 now.

I believe I saw one for around $100 but I could be wrong

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