I am planning on getting one just to keep myself busy on long drives. Was just curious on how many of you guys have em and use em
I listen to the truck chatter when on a long drive at least until the language gets coarse. You can hear about road conditions, smokies etc. It's good for a few chuckles to pass the miles away. I don't think I've ever chatted on it, but I have an old ambulance UHF radio programmed on the family channels so I use this when traveling with other friends.
Although I'm not a big fan - particularly the language - having the CB on saved me some trouble.
On the run back home from buying the coach (New Hampshire to Texas, via New Brunswick Canada), a trucker called me while coming across Tennessee. We'd lost one nut on the temporary paper license plate, and it was flapping in the breeze. Pulled off at the next exit, and put the coat hanger wire to work. I'd prefer not to run 600 or so miles without any license plate.
Arthur
I bought one for the rough language as I travel by myself and get tired of cussing out bad drivers by myself. One time I actually used it to check my trailers.
truckers know everything . you'll soon findoutinternet voice chat 4 highway.
its a excelent tool to find where the cops r hiding and for finding out thy you have ben sitting in the same sopt on I-10 for 3 hrs with out moving
plus u can hear what they say about your rig as they pass you doing 90
I would not be without our CB.
It's virtually useless outside of the Interstate system and major highways, which, for us, is less than 2% of our mileage. But still, when on those roads, it's a valuable resource. Also, we are greatly amused by what the truckers are saying about us (and why, pray tell, do they think we can't hear them?).
Additionally, if you ever do a caravan (we did 35 days through Mexico), a CB is more or less a mandatory requirement.
Quote from: fraser8 on November 26, 2008, 03:58:28 PM
... I have an old ambulance UHF radio programmed on the family channels so I use this when traveling with other friends.
If by "family channels" you mean FRS, be advised that what you are doing is illegal and carries steep fines. Only dedicated FRS radios can be used on FRS-only channels.
There are a handful of channels that FRS shares with GMRS, and you can use commercial UHF equipment on these channels so long as it is type-accepted AND you hold a GMRS license. You will need to follow the strict GMRS rules, including transmitting your call sign every fifteen minutes. FWIW.
-Sean
(who holds a GMRS license in addition to a General Class amateur license)
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.Com
So you are able to sleep tonight, I am licensed.
i agree that the language is usually offensive, but it really helps when you are trying to avoid a traffic jam, get out of a traffic jam or get advance warning of a brake check around the next curve. i keep mine on low volume most of the time. i would definitely get a CB.
nice comment fraser8. ;). i'm so glad your licensed also. but i wasn't losing any sleep over it either. :)
As noted, great way for someone else to warn you something is wrong with your rig, and you may tell others something is wrong with theirs.
However, the worst that the human race is able to articulate anonymously must be put up with periodically.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
What is a CB Radio? ;D
Grant
As a part-time/full-time trucker...and a bus-nut, I always hollar at the bus conversions.
In the past year two out of about 50 I have seen have come back.
Most of the time the buses antenna system probably has not had the SWR set and therefore can only transmit and hear for a couple of hundred yards. With a properly tuned antenna you shoud be able to talk up to one or two miles. (Or hit the "Special" button like I have and talk for miles and miles!LOL)
Jack
Jack, I have a cobra 29 special edition and i had a wilson 1000 antenna but i honestly didnt see too good of results from it.
What kind of antenna would you recommend for a cobra 29?
I firmly believe you should have both a CB radio and a cell phone with you. Some areas still do not get cell phone coverage-but a CB will always work. It is especially fun on a clear night playing with it when skip conditions exist. Sometimes you can talk to someone a couple of states away. They're just plainly cheap insurance. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: jackhartjr on November 26, 2008, 08:47:11 PM
Most of the time the buses antenna system probably has not had the SWR set and therefore can only transmit and hear for a couple of hundred yards. With a properly tuned antenna you shoud be able to talk up to one or two miles. (Or hit the "Special" button like I have and talk for miles and miles!LOL)
Jack -Let's see. . . IIRC. . . The best place on a coach for a CB antenna is right smack dab in the middle of the roof - both front-to-back and side-to-side. Gives the best "ground plane", or something like that, especially if there aren't a lot of carbunkles up there with it.
Makes it a great target for low-hanging tree limbs, tho! :'(
Seem to remember that mounting twin antennas on the mirror arms gives a good signal, but it's biased in one direction or the other, can't remember which. . . ???
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Iminaccess, you have one of the best CB's and antennas out there.
Have a CB Shop along your travels check and set the "SWR's", (They do that by putting a meter between the radio and antenna) and then either moving a set screw on the top of the antenna or trimming off a little wire on the top of it until the right 'numbers' come up. Most roadside CB shops, at least in the south do not charge for this.
I have a meter and will gladly set yours if we are ever in the same place at the same time.
By the way, I don't understand all this...I just know it works! ;D
And RJ, I have heard that too about them working best in the middle. Come to think about it the old AM antenna on our Scenicruiser has it ritght in the middle of the lower section.
Jack
The "twin truckers" antenna on the mirrors gives better reception and transmission fore and aft.
I'm an amateur radio operator, but not when in motion. Can't snivel about cellphone users if I'm doing the same thing in a different way.
I have a CB but I do not like some of the language I hear. My question is why can I recieve pretty good but I can't seem to send? I was next to a RV and they told me to pull in front of them but I could not acknowledge them. Larry
Quote from: kd5kfl on November 27, 2008, 05:49:58 AM
The "twin truckers" antenna on the mirrors gives better reception and transmission fore and aft.
Actually, the "co-phased" antennas on big trucks (and our coaches) are there because of the tall, metal sides, and the desire to have longer antennas than could be put on the top. The object is to have an omnidirectional antenna illuminated no matter which direction the signal is coming from. The signal pattern is still pretty much the same as a single stick on the roof would be, you just aren't blocked by the vehicle the way it would be with a single antenna mounted below the top.
I didn't think the language was all that bad. Oops! *&**%!!!
I was driving across country one dark clear night in the middle of No Where Central. Cruising down the Interstate at my usual 50mph and listening to the CB which seemed unusually quiet. In my rear views I saw a "Convoy" of trucks screaming up on me doing 80 at a min and they were using both lanes. Never saw the likes before or since. They were more than 10 trucks deep and tucked in nose to tail real tight. Maybe that saves fuel but only two of them could see much and that can't be all that safe.
When they were about a half mile back my CB crackled to life with a voice that had a little worried excitement in it. He said "Guys, that camper isn't going all that fast". A few seconds later and as the trucks were a couple hundred yards distant the same voice said "Ugh, Guys? That camper is really coming up fast. Shouldn't we be doing...?" As it just happened there was a rest stop right there and I was intending to turn off for the night as it was 1 am. I started down the off ramp and had only gotten my tail end off the highway barely and a few yards down the ramp and this HORDE of a Flock of semi's went thundering past doing at least 80. They never even flinched and I know in my heart that there would have been staples and sticks spread for two counties had I not been getting out of the way, only by chance. The radio was silent as they went by and I heard not a peep for the next hour. Slow night, I guess. Yeah, I keep my ears up all the way and I watch my six. You do the same and remember that "sticks and stones will break my bones....." get it?
That was the only time I ever saw truckers not acting risk averse except the one that nearly put me under the rear truck of his trailer. Two baddies in 18 years ain't all that bad and I hope they keep up the good work. Good luck to all!
John
John
cdl "A" means genius geta CB
I don't think I would go without one. The rubish gets old but one can always turn it off. Very handy for checking road conditions , lane closures in construction etc etc.
About CB radio in bus conversion. While traveling from Michigan to San Diego, Ca., again to Bangor, Maine and to Arcadia, Fl....It was in 1998 and many times it will alert the accident or construction work with bumper to bumper line of traffic from CB-err. So I look for the next exit or wait it out. By leave it on while driving and whoever CB-err behind you will post a message about what it maybe concern such as low tire pressure to the bus driver. Channel 19 is what the truckers use.
Choosing the Best CB Radio (http://www.rightchannelradios.com/pages/choosing-the-best-cb-radio-pv-c0-27.html) (left click)
About CB radio with the slang language. It used to be to identify your self before ever speaking so FCC can impose a fine or take away the CB license rights. In the 50's was popular and clean.
FWIW
Sojourn for Christ, Gerald