CB Radios

Anyone know anything about CB radios or have an opinion on one over another. Looking for some offroad/emergency communication reviews or suggestions.

 

Unless you're using one with friends or a club that uses them they're all but worthless these days. If you still want one, look at one of the compact models with the handheld controller that can be stored out of the way. You want a tuned antenna up as high and unobstructed as you can get it, i.e. the center of your roof. Find your local ham club, they'll have an SWR meter, and get them to help you tune it.

Better yet, just get your ham operator's license, technician is easy to get, and opens up a lot more options. Another option is a cell phone booster.

 

Cell phone booster

 

Check this thread out. Some cool info here:
CB specifics

Some more here Clean VHF/CB radio installs and there
CB Radio Information and Installation

 

I've got the Cobra 75WX ST, its compact. I've zip tied the little power "box" under my seat. For the antenna, I've got a generic 4' antenna with a tuneable tip. I used the Firestik fireeye CB Coax Cable so I could have the cable come off the whip at 90 degrees, and I sneaked it between the taillight and the body. The mout is a firestick universal door jam mount flipped upside down, and screwed in beside the tailgate.

it all works well. on a good day I can ( barely ) reach my buddy a few miles away when we are both in our driveway's with the squelch turned off. On the trails it works quite well. He's been way out of sight, and I was still able to communicate.

I will say this about CB's. He's had waaaay less problems with his "non ground plane" Firestick then I've had with my traditional setup. I find that the braided cable in my spring keeps breaking then my TX distance is terrible while the Non Ground Plane Aantenna always has good TX.

as far as CB Being "dead" that's not the case in my area, lots of local truckers on it, I chat some times, but mostly listen for traffic advice.

I am getting my HAM license this year, and plan to do the who ARPS thing with above mentioned buddy, but at the same time I'll probally keep a CB in the truck for when I run with others who don't have HAM.

Clear as mud?

 

I have

$170 Uniden cmx760 Bearcat Off Road Series Compact Mobile CB Radio, 40-Channel Operation, Ultra-Compact for Easy Mounting, Large 7-Color Backlit LCD Display on Mic with Built-in Speaker Mic, Black

Uniden cmx760 (which is similar form factors as Cobra 75) mounted in my truck. It's a good radio for what it is. Kinda expensive for its performance, but I guess I'm paying for convenience factor here. Radio is connected to Browning BR-180B antenna, that is installed on trunk lip mount on my hood.
All together this setup works out good on the trails but now I'm intrigued with that Non Ground Plane Antenna that @D2. mentioned in previous post

 

I love how people are so quick to say CBs are worthless -- just go Ham. CBs are far from useless. They provide citizen coms on long trips, many have NOAA capabilities, and with the right antenna set up they are great for trail coms in a group, or monitoring other groups while in popular runs, passes, and off road areas. My unit doubles as a handheld so I can spot out of the vehicle if necessary. That being said, the range is very limited as compared to Ham. What do vehicles you run with use? How much will you actually use a Ham? For most offroaders and trail runners, CB is more than enough, no test to take or specialized equip to buy. You have to evaluate what works best for you.

The Uniden Pro Series has several units, are super compact and affordable. I run a

$100 Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB-Way Radio

Midland 75-822 because I can easily move it from my Tacoma to my Land Cruiser.

 

@Canoehead
the NGP antenna is a "kit" the cable has to be a NGP cable, and you can't modify the length. once Canoehead ditched his faulty radio, he's never had an issue TX'ing decent distances.

I now want to go this route for my CB, but Canoehead and I both want our HAM....

https://www.rightchannelradios.com/...products/firestik-ngp-antenna-3-way-mount-kit

Below is the mount I used.
https://www.rightchannelradios.com/.../products/vertical-door-jamb-cb-antenna-mount

Look at Post #42
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...nd-quantity-advice.207219/page-3#post-4945570

This is what I did, but I did not cut my mount, I simply slid it between the bed metal and the sheet metal. There was enough room. Then I took the tail light out and put the cable in that hole and bolted up the light again. its snug, but fits. Been that way for about 2 years.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I am looking for one pretty much just for off road use with buddies and weather. If I had a CB, Can i also communicate with people who have hand helds? Just not any licensed radios correct?

 

No. Cb is a deficated 11 meter band, frs/gmrs/ham will not be able to communicate with you and vice versa unless they have a cb.

 

You can communicate with CB hand helds, but not other bands, or 2-ways. Both have to be to dedicated as will.i.was said.

 

I have the president bill CB with a fire stick antenna. It's a tiny little setup and gets pretty decent range. I have a hill out on my property and if I park on the top I can talk to my buddies who live 10 miles away, (as the crow flies).

 

I think the name of the game for “emergency” comms is to have a couple options with you. I personally wouldn’t rely on CB alone for an emergency. Out of cell phone range I’d probably want a HAM handheld or such also. You are allowed to use them without a license in a true emergency situation.

 

This. I wouldn't want to rely on my CB for emergencies. Best case you're looking at a 12 mile range. I'm often well out beyond 12 miles of anything or anybody. Look into a cell booster, emergency beacon, or gmrs/ham radio for this.
That being said, a CB can be fun and useful if you're buddies also run them.