C B Radio

[Jerry]

The following comments are copied from the Files section at Backroad Drivers Northwest:

Communications

We use CB radios. We use them to communicate driving directions, to warn others in our party of oncoming vehicles, to inform the group that we are stopping for pictures or making a rest stop, to point out natural features and to just plain chitchat. In this age of high-tech hand-held personal communication devices we still recommend the good old fashioned CB radio.

Family Radio Service (FRS) hand-held walkie-talkies are great in many circumstances and they can be used successfully to communicate between vehicles at close range. The advantage of CB radio is that it generally has a longer range and they are widely used by commercial and sport users in case you need to contact someone in an emergency. It is a relief to know the driver of that log truck heading down the hill will be looking out for you after you announce over the designated CB channel that you are heading his way. Yes, you can actually talk with the driver of the truck.

CB radios come in convenient sizes, various price ranges and they can be temporarily mounted in your vehicle and removed at the end of the day without a trace. Usually an inexpensive radio will work just fine, but spend a little extra for a good outside mounted antenna.

Without going into Radio Transmission 101, it is generally best to use the tallest antenna possible for your driving conditions. If the antenna is too low you will not be able to converse with other vehicles after we spread apart (we could be separated by more than a mile in mountainous terrain) and if the antenna is too tall it will snag, bend or break on overhanging brush and branches, to say nothing of your garage door. There are some easy solutions including temporary magnetic mount antennas or permanently mounted antennas with quick-disconnects that allow various lengths depending on the conditions.

For the best advice seek out a specialty CB Radio shop and discuss your needs with an expert.

[Jerry]

Does anybody run and/or use sideband radios?

[Jerry]

Most of my CB radios have sideband capability, although sometimes I feel like I am all alone out there. I like sideband because it is a little more powerful, sometimes a little quieter and always more private.

Sideband radios are limited to 4 watts on AM and 12 watts PEP (peak envelope power) on both upper and lower sideband. They use the same channels as a regular AM radio, but sideband splits the signal in half with an upper side and a lower side. Let's not go into the details of how that works because I wouldn't have a clue. Let's just leave it with sideband is that gurgley voice sound you sometimes hear while listening to your CB radio.

Sideband usually carries farther than AM transmissions and oftentimes the airwaves are quieter than AM, not always, just depends, it's another option.

Finally, sideband is more private than AM in that both the sender and receiver need sideband capability to understand one another. Anybody listening on a regular CB radio will not be able to understand the garbled transmissions.

And no special license is required.
Jerry

[Jerry]

The best CB advice = Buy a good antenna! And that applies to handheld radios that don't work good enough for our purposes without an outside mounted antenna.

[Jerry]

I'm not through with C.B. radio yet. Not by a longshot. As a matter of fact I recently purchased three inexpensive, used models as loaners for our road trips. I hope to scrounge up some magnetic mount antennas to go with them.
Jerry

[Albino94ltd]

Do any PNWBRD's use marine VHF?
















just though I'd psot the question so it doesn't look like you'r'e talking to youself

[Steve]

I have yet to see a marine vhf in vehicle. That doesn't mean it won't work.

Steve

[hutchman]

Marine VHF will work fine in a car, it's just not legal. The marine frequencies are reserved for ship to ship and ship to shore. I don't imagine that you would ever get caught, but I wouldn't want to find out the hard way.

FWIW..........

[RidgeRunner]

Originally Posted by soggymountain

I'm not through with C.B. radio yet. Not by a longshot. As a matter of fact I recently purchased three inexpensive, used models as loaners for our road trips. I hope to scrounge up some magnetic mount antennas to go with them.
Jerry

Jerry I have a spare handheld and a mag mount antenna for it. I'll try to remember to dig it out and bring it for the 4/19 trip in case anyone needs it.

Mick

[Jerry]

Great idea. Thanks, Mick.
Jerry