CB radio...

[AdvanceRoadcraft]

1)Do you?

2)Does anybody (except truckers, maybe) anymore?

Got a strange yearning for a new (read that as "revived") hobby.

Is it still fun...is it worth it...any experiences...any thoughts...all contributions welcome.

Best, B

Edited by AdvanceRoadcraft on Saturday 19th March 22:30

[MonkeyBusiness]

As a CBer in the 80's I bought a cheap setup last summer as just like you, I wondered if they were used anymore.

The answer is no. Picked up a couple of lads chatting and someone broadcasting bhangra music.
The set is now in the loft somewhere.

[Bungleaio]

I think Internet chat rooms may have killed it off.

[Dave 500]

We have one in our work van

Can be really handy when stuck in traffic but most of the time its off.

Seems to be about 10-20 people local to the office always chatting on c19.

One thing that really surprised us was the aerial is fairly small but still works 10-15 miles away.

[Nash_wrx]

Yup got one in the Pajero, gets used mostly when out laning
also handy when stuck in traffic as mentioned above, mostly off otherwise
I also hear a lot of people on C19 mostly late at night

[Fun Bus]

Ten-Four, Ten-Four we've a convoy here..........

Am I doing it right?

[Cock Womble 7]

Convoy G.B.

[FranKinFezza]

I have it in the landrover for comms in groups laneing etc but i rarely hear
anyone else using it out here in the west berks sticks however it is still
popular in parts of the country especially in the midlands where it is crammed
full of foul mouth tards, brain dead scum of all levels and a (very) few nice folks
but its heyday is long past im afraid.

[Captain Cadillac]

Here in America they're still used quite a bit, almost exclusively by truckers.

Whenever I go on a road trip I use one, I might look like a fool with a huge whip antenna on the Lexus, but heck with it, there is simply NO better way to avoid getting a ticket than a CB radio.

Put the thing on Channel 19 and the truckers tend to alert you of any police activity

[Acepaint]

Are we taking about the am or fm ones from the 80'S? I still have an fm set...worth plugging in ?

[SEE YA]

I still have some a Bintone 5 star turn it on everynow and again.
There not much on the air these days.

[dowahdiddyman]

Bought one three years ago for my truck, not many truckers use them now, seem to be really old hat now, save your money and don`t bother, unless your going to go green laneing in a group.

[Twincam16]

Not CBs as such, but every time me and my mates go on a big continental road-trip, we take walkie-talkies.

'Banter' is maintained on the move without needing to rack up huge phone bills and it's easier to maintain the convoy if it looks like someone's going to make a wrong turn.

[Fractal]

Yes and yes, although it really depends on what area you are in at the time as to whether you get a good conversation.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Do they use the same frequencies as modern PMRs (walkie talkies)?

[K50 DEL]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Do they use the same frequencies as modern PMRs (walkie talkies)?

No, CB is on 27Mhz and IIRC PMR is 443Mhz

[AdvanceRoadcraft]

OK, thanks to all who replied. I'm going ahead anyway!

Kit bought; install this week. I'll let you know how I get on.

I've used those PMR446 jobbies for keeping in touch with a group (bikes) when on tour and for instructing. Tried 'em all from the cheapest to Ride magazine's top stuff. (Even had one unit fitted by the manufacturers at the NEC.)

Without exception I found them a useful bit of kit (even the cheapest) for, say, half a click in line of sight; never found one that wasn't useless at 1km+ on the open road or round any corner in a city.

Maybe more modern stuff is better? But, if the CB bands are so empty, I'm wondering why we didn't splash out a little more cash for the sake of legally upggrading from 0.5 to 4 Watts and from a rubber duck to a decent whip.

Best, B

[Fractal]

AdvanceRoadcraft said:

OK, thanks to all who replied. I'm going ahead anyway!

Kit bought; install this week. I'll let you know how I get on.

I've used those PMR446 jobbies for keeping in touch with a group (bikes) when on tour and for instructing. Tried 'em all from the cheapest to Ride magazine's top stuff. (Even had one unit fitted by the manufacturers at the NEC.)

Without exception I found them a useful bit of kit (even the cheapest) for, say, half a click in line of sight; never found one that wasn't useless at 1km+ on the open road or round any corner in a city.

Maybe more modern stuff is better? But, if the CB bands are so empty, I'm wondering why we didn't splash out a little more cash for the sake of legally upggrading from 0.5 to 4 Watts and from a rubber duck to a decent whip.

Best, B

Because UHF radio carries better than VHF radio does so you get a bit more bang for your buck with UHF. CB still has a greater range but you are using much larger aerials. Most people are also turning a blind eye to using linear amplifiers but these are still illegal to use.

[AdvanceRoadcraft]

Fractal said:

Because UHF radio carries better than VHF radio does so you get a bit more bang for your buck with UHF. CB still has a greater range but you are using much larger aerials. Most people are also turning a blind eye to using linear amplifiers but these are still illegal to use.

Linear amp...."but it's only powered up when it's set to receive, officer!". (And it's hidden away in the boot, not on show with the set.)

Best, B

[Morningside]

What did you go for in the end?

I have one each of standard UK FM. My sidebander 27.555 anyone? and duelband CB (original 27 and the 'new' frequency).

As well as my 70cms/2m ham radio and gawd knows how many other odds and sods.

I did have it all fitted on the Pajero, but the wife wont left me fit ANY radios in/on her Scenic

What makes me laugh is looking at some of the old CBs on eBay. A Fidelity 1000 (crap bleedover box) making £30.

Somewhere in the shed I have an old 1980s car telephone system that has car and home roof antennas with linear amps that are supposed to give approx 30 miles! How about that for a cordless!

BTW: Has anyone on here got an old cordless phone from the early 1980s? Some of those were on the 27Mhz band and a friend of my had a set of 'boots' on the homebase via a GP27 (Aerial) and another set on the cordless phone for the car and tada! Your own carphone.


My first CB radio was a Maxcom 4E in around 1981 (I missed the AM days as I was too young) and I slowly advanced upto a SSB running about 500+ watts. TVI was an understatement!