Basic CB Questions-Are you like me and stuck in the past?

[4x4junkie]

Fortunately I'm not a trucker. CB is dead. Move on.

That probably sounds harsh, but the barrier to entry for ham radio is so low that CB makes no sense.

Two weeks ago in Death Valley a group member was talking to me on 2meter from his $40 handheld (external mag mount antenna) at 16 miles. Clear as day. I was in dedeckera canyon he was saline valley rd between lippencott rd and the lower warm springs.

That's awesome.
Some months ago a friend of mine near the city of Lancaster broke in and was talking to several members of our group clear as day on CB (one of whom who also had a $40 CB unit, but with a good antenna) while we were in the hills north of Big Bear (about 40 miles). No barrier at all (not even a low one).

 

[RobRed]

I do not really want the CB to die!!! Here is my reasoning; We all know those who have kickers and directional antennas and the AAAAAUUUUUUUUUDDDDDIIIIIIOOOOOOOOO group of people. If we got rid of the CB where do you think they would go???? I do not want them on the Ham frequency's! Policing on a mobile unit with these people would be a nightmare.

Keep CB's! I except people for who they are, even if I disagree with them.:REOutShootinghunter:yikes:

Good point. I've changed my mind. I'm on Amazon right now ordering a CB.

 

[RobRed]

Yes FM is line of site. But my example of 16 miles, simplex, on a clear day in death valley is real world consistent. There is no question that an optimally tuned CB/Antenna combo can be incredible... but the majority of setups I've experienced are from that. If you want a CB I have no issues with you wanting/using it. Any group runs I lead require 2m.... and good tires.... and a jack .... and...and

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Im done with static

When it come to cost 2m offers much better communication at a lower price.

With the use and knowledge of repeaters you have access to auto-patch (phone calls via a repeater) and you are never away from help in an emergency situation.

 

[Vicreo A Legarreta]

I do not really want the CB to die!!! Here is my reasoning; We all know those who have kickers and directional antennas and the AAAAAUUUUUUUUUDDDDDIIIIIIOOOOOOOOO group of people. If we got rid of the CB where do you think they would go???? I do not want them on the Ham frequency's! Policing on a mobile unit with these people would be a nightmare.

:

that is way we move from cb to vhf, we all running tk-7102H ( I am in charge of the programming of the fm radios here) , one channel with repeater and one in simplex here in the local 4x4 club's, I carry my cb cus love to do dx, and my hand held ht in the trails, heat when you hear AAAAAUUUUUUDDDDDIIIIIIOOOO that some one is warming 1000 watts amp's

 

[jtpaintball70]

My Jeeps have had one, and my truck will have one. And once I get my Ham license back I will put my dual band mobile in their too. Lots of local groups use them offroad.

 

[soldierman79]

I've had a cb radio in my truck since I could drive. I'm in the Army and we tend to move every 3 years or so. So, right before one move I mounted a cb in my wife's car. She wasn't happy about it...until we were on the road.
Gas, restroom breaks, breakfast/lunch/dinner stops could all be radioed in easily and quickly and the kids had a blast talking back and forth.

Now she loves her cb and won't be without one.

Still trying to get her motivated to get her HAM ticket. We'll see.

 

[Martinjmpr]

IMO for most people the barrier to HAM is not the cost, it's primarily the complexity of the equipment (and to a lesser extent, the clannish nature of the hobby.)

The time and effort it takes to set up a modern 2m or dual band radio is significant. Having to deal with multiple stacked menus, multi-function keys, CTCSS codes, knowing offsets, programming repeaters - its not that its difficult as much as it requires someone who probably doesn't care much about radio to learn about it. For people who are "into" radio and who have the desire to learn a new hobby, all the features are great. But for those who just want to talk, it's like trying to figure out how to program a VCR when all you want to do is watch your favorite program - IOW, it's for them it's not a hobby, it's a chore.

Contrast this with CB (or FRS) where it's pretty simple: You turn on the radio, select a channel and talk. That's it. For most people who just hit the trails on weekends, that works fine.

Modern CBs also pack a lot of features. Almost all of them include a supplemental NOAA WX band and while that only works when you are near a NOAA transmitter, it's a nice feature to have.

 

[NMC_EXP]

IMO for most people the barrier to HAM is not the cost, it's primarily the complexity of the equipment (and to a lesser extent, the clannish nature of the hobby.)

The time and effort it takes to set up a modern 2m or dual band radio is significant. Having to deal with multiple stacked menus, multi-function keys, CTCSS codes, knowing offsets, programming repeaters - its not that its difficult as much as it requires someone who probably doesn't care much about radio to learn about it. For people who are "into" radio and who have the desire to learn a new hobby, all the features are great. But for those who just want to talk, it's like trying to figure out how to program a VCR when all you want to do is watch your favorite program - IOW, it's for them it's not a hobby, it's a chore.

This is precisely why I have not yet gotten into HAM radio. I do not see myself ever looking at HAM as a hobby, just a better method of mobile communication.

Is there an easy to understand and operate 2M radio?

 

[NMC_EXP]

Thanks for the info Frenchie. It'll be a while before I can start looking seriously at HAM. Too many other irons in the fire right now.

 

[Skwerly]

i just installed an old CB in my Ramcharger. I'll always run one.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Is there an easy to understand and operate 2M radio?

Interesting question. I'm not aware of one but IMO the market is ripe for just such a radio.

However, I think there will be significant "pushback" from the "traditional" Ham radio community, precisely because it is easy to operate.

Not everyone, understand, but the same people who screamed bloody murder that the hobby was going to hell when they dropped the CW (morse code) requirements about 10 - 15 years ago.

My theory is that some people jealously "guard" their pet hobbies, the ones that they had to struggle to get knowledgeable about, and they resent anyone who makes it easier for the "less committed" to come into the hobby.
They see it as a "dulution" of the hobby and they fear that once everybody is able to do it, there won't be anything unique or special about them.

Even in our own hobby of overlanding/4 wheeling, there are people who lament the nice, comfy mall crawlers or factory-built-rock crawlers like the Rubicon because those vehicles make it easy for people to just buy a turn-key off roader and head into the boonies.

However, in the day of the internet and cell phones, there's a lot of concern about whether Amateur Radio will even survive. Go to a typical HAM radio club meeting and guess the average age of the members - in most cases it will be close to 50 if not more. That's not a good sign.

I think the only way HAM can survive is if they can get more young people to buy into the hobby and I think the way to do that is to have a simpler, more user-friendly system to supplant what people already use, IOW, what they need is a new "Citizens Band."

EDITED TO ADD: IMO HAM will always be around on the lower bands (HF: 3 - 30 MhZ) but only because that's a portion of the RF spectrum that nobody else really wants. OTOH competition for bandwidth is fierce in the VHF/UHF spectrum and those are the portions that will be taken away if HAM users don't get more people using them.

 

[BigSwede]

IMO for most people the barrier to HAM is not the cost, it's primarily the complexity of the equipment (and to a lesser extent, the clannish nature of the hobby.)

The time and effort it takes to set up a modern 2m or dual band radio is significant. Having to deal with multiple stacked menus, multi-function keys, CTCSS codes, knowing offsets, programming repeaters - its not that its difficult as much as it requires someone who probably doesn't care much about radio to learn about it. For people who are "into" radio and who have the desire to learn a new hobby, all the features are great. But for those who just want to talk, it's like trying to figure out how to program a VCR when all you want to do is watch your favorite program - IOW, it's for them it's not a hobby, it's a chore.

I think this is very true for non-hobbyists. In our group we have had issues communicating with CB between the tail and leader in large groups when we get spread out. So we've been trying to get folks into ham trail comms, but it isn't quick 'n easy. Our last run had a mix of CB, Ham, and FRS...what a pain.

 

[4x4junkie]

I think this is very true for non-hobbyists. In our group we have had issues communicating with CB between the tail and leader in large groups when we get spread out. So we've been trying to get folks into ham trail comms, but it isn't quick 'n easy. Our last run had a mix of CB, Ham, and FRS...what a pain.

Why not just suggest to those who are having trouble communicating that they get a better antenna and/or CB unit?
I don't know how spread out your group gets, but two good CB units with decent antennas should easily cover 5-10 miles average distance, with 20 or more miles frequently possible. Seems this would be easier than juggling radios while trying to get people to study for licenses...

Or maybe this option would work (of course everyone still needs to make the switch just the same):

Is there an easy to understand and operate 2M radio?

http://www.amazon.com/MURS-Hand-Two-Way-Radio-M538-HT/dp/B0002XRPNA
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-RDM2080D-Portable-Two-Way-Radio/dp/B00525ZT2M

Ok, so they're ~1.88M radios. But the same clear FM audio, you won't hear guys out in the DX tuning up their amps, and best of all, still no license required so everyone can use it. Range should average around 3-8 miles with a good external antenna (most 2M mobile ants. work well if trimmed slightly).

 

[4x4junkie]

The radio is not the problem with how far the radio transmits. It is the match of the antenna to the radio that is the more important part of the system. Perfect is a 1 to 1 match.

It's true that virtually all radios have the same transmitter power, however a better quality radio unit very often transmits with cleaner, more crisp audio, making it easier for others to hear & understand (cheap radios tend to sound muffled or 'boxy'). That is mainly why I mentioned getting a better radio in addition to any antenna concerns. An aftermarket microphone very often helps with clarity too (I've always liked Astatic mics). Like you said, better radios usually have better receivers, with more features like a "noise blanker", which is highly effective against ignition (pulse) noise.

Bad antenna match (SWR) does affect receive sensitivity, but it's less noticeable than on the transmit side. But yeah, mounting the antenna up high and in the clear is crucial to range (and the longer the better... Performance really starts to suffer with antennas shorter than 4½ feet or so... I use a 5½ foot Francis on mine).