CB radio's - who has them?

[Sodium Duck]

I hate how I can't search for words less than 3 letters. I just want to know who's got CB's and see some pictures of your installs.

I know for sure at least one member here has one. I talked with him before the hack, and he had installed an antenna in place of the old AM/FM antenna. But I lost the PM's obviously - doh!

[sportin83]

y do people still use cb's? i see why semi drivers do cause it keeps then in touch with whats goin on with scales and police. but with all the technology y would u want a cb? get a cell phone.

[Sodium Duck]

Hmm, maybe I want to know where the cops are too, or why the traffic is stopped up ahead, or to get NOAA weather reports, or if I'm in an area that *gasp* doesn't have cell phone service (thanks - I do have one), or just to chat while I'm on the highway (which is most of my commute), or just because I like CB's?

So fart on that! lol

[Spades]

nah, cb's are okay for the average joe i suppose...however, having been on the road alot with my dad when he was driving comercial trucks...some people should not have them.

for example, anyone in a jacked up 4x4 that has a handle that starts with "Big" and a short or compound name...example: Big Rick, Big Jimmy Joe, ect.

or anyone under the age of 20 in general...or anyone that gets their kicks by being a douche or trying to find a woman to hook up with.



that being said, anyone who wants to use a cb for the reasons sodium mentioned, by all means. while i wish i had one in my car on more than one occasion, i dont have room for it.

[sportin83]

i guess they could be useful, but the range isnt great and there have always been a ton of idiots on cb's when i was around em so it seemed like a waste of a time.

[WolfWings]

I hate how I can't search for words less than 3 letters. I just want to know who's got CB's and see some pictures of your installs.

I know for sure at least one member here has one. I talked with him before the hack, and he had installed an antenna in place of the old AM/FM antenna. But I lost the PM's obviously - doh!

That'd be me! The stock AM/FM antenna mount is an excellent location for a medium or short antenna. In the process of installing a remote-head old (23 channel) CB radio so all the controls will be on the mic and I'll just have a jack in the dash I plug the mic into, no box cluttering up space on the dash itself.

[slothman86]

Anyone have pics of their setup (CB)?

[Reddog99]

i guess they could be useful, but the range isnt great and there have always been a ton of idiots on cb's when i was around em so it seemed like a waste of a time.While I can't disagree that there are a ton of idiots on the airwaves, the comment about short range is only true with a lot of qualifiers. I have personally talked all over the world on a CB (Australia, Columbia, Peru, Japan, Italy, etc). Range will depend on general atmospheric and solar conditions, on antenna quality and proper setup, and on a quality radio. A CB may not be your cup of tea, but they can be fun.

[Appalachian Trail 2007]

I would love to pick up a CB radio but my problem is the same as sodium's (I think). I'm trying to figure out a way to install the antenna without creating too much extra drag.

[Sodium Duck]

I'm already decided on where my antenna's are going. Right in front of the side view mirrors. One will be my new AM/FM antenna, the other for the CB.

I'm going to a CB shop tommorow, I'm not sure how reputable it is though... I'm going to buy 2 Wilson FGT's.

[Stargate YARlantIS]

Hmm, maybe I want to know where the cops are too, or why the traffic is stopped up ahead, or to get NOAA weather reports, or if I'm in an area that *gasp* doesn't have cell phone service (thanks - I do have one), or just to chat while I'm on the highway (which is most of my commute), or just because I like CB's?

So fart on that! lol

SHAZAAAM!!!! and BOOYA! LOL, how's that for kickin' it old skool!?@?

[LtNoogie]

y do people still use cb's? ... get a cell phone.

I have a handheld Midland CB because there are still some places in the western states where cell phone service is spotty. If I take my Jeep off the main road, the CB might be the only way I can call for help.

If the prices ever come down for the handsets and airtime, I'll get a satellite phone.

[WolfWings]

Anyone have pics of their setup (CB)?

Pictures of my test-fit setup. (http://pics.livejournal.com/wolfwings/gallery/0001121q) The final setup for the antenna is the same mount, FireStik for the quick-disconnect and a 3' FireStik antenna. I haven't taken updated pictures of the antenna configuration yet.

Range will depend on general atmospheric and solar conditions, on antenna quality and proper setup, and on a quality radio. A CB may not be your cup of tea, but they can be fun.

Amen. A poorly (or god-forbid, entirely un)tuned 108" stainless-steel whip antenna (the 'gold standard' to compare antenna's to for CB use) can be lucky to recieve anything when parked in the parking lot of a truck stop. At the same time, a carefully-tuned and well placed 24-36" fiberglass antenna (what most stores call a CB antenna) can easilly recieve from 10 miles away on the Yaris, mine regularly has about a 6-7 mile useful range. And that's on the cheap $25 radio-shack CB radio I'm using with no power filtering AND using the same antenna to drive my AM/FM radio to boot.

When buying a CB, blow $100 on the antenna and cable and $25 on the radio, not the other way 'round.

I'm already decided on where my antenna's are going. Right in front of the side view mirrors. One will be my new AM/FM antenna, the other for the CB.

I'm going to a CB shop tommorow, I'm not sure how reputable it is though... I'm going to buy 2 Wilson FGT's.

That will result in horrible reception. The two antenna's driving seperate devices but so similair in tune to each other will cause all sorts of wierd interferance. Get a proper co-phased antenna harness if you're going to drive two antenna's, and get an AM/FM splitter like the Firestik's AR-1A (http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/AR-1A.htm) and you'll get several times the performance of 'dedicated' AM/FM and CB antenna's.

But honestly, I think a single 2' antenna replacing the stock AM/FM antenna would get you better performance. The roof where the stock AM/FM antenna is mounted is a huge, flat sheet of metal that can easilly serve as a ground-plane (though not safely support without warping and eventually tearing!) for a full-height 108" whip antenna. Drag is a complete non-issue, get a proper light-weight spring and flexible antenna, you're good to go.

[Sodium Duck]

That will result in horrible reception. The two antenna's driving seperate devices but so similair in tune to each other will cause all sorts of wierd interferance. Get a proper co-phased antenna harness if you're going to drive two antenna's, and get an AM/FM splitter like the Firestik's AR-1A (http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/AR-1A.htm) and you'll get several times the performance of 'dedicated' AM/FM and CB antenna's.

I was told up and down on a CB site to avoid them at all costs. They said the best route was going to be to leep them separate. Any more info?

And besides, the AM/FM is just recieving signal, how will it interfere with my CB?

[KCALB SIRAY]

I'm an avid off-roader and use it frequently on the trail. It still has a place among the big rigs as well as dangerous situations on the trail

[nsmitchell]

I love CBs. My brother had one in the 1980s with a "linear" signal amplifier. They were illegal as hell - too much power. That setup would light up a flourescent light held close to it. We once were parked ouside my mom's house in Richmond, Virginia talking to a guy in Topeka, Kansas!

Very awesome for emergencies!

[Appalachian Trail 2007]

Does anyone know of a flat panel CB antenna? OR does anyone know why this wouldn't work?

<---don't know much about antennas

[Sodium Duck]

Flat panel? What do you mean, like an antenna that is a 2'X2' piece of sheet metal?

[Appalachian Trail 2007]

yeah exactly, something that is just a panel and will magnetically stick to the car