C.B. Radios

[Iver]

Just wondering how important is a c.b. radio in a coach?  The P.O. of our coach installed one and I have never used it.  (Ok, I haven't used the coach much yet either)

Are they now antiques?  Are they necessary?  Can I live without one? 

Actually mine is in the way of installing my new driver's seat and I need to either move or REmove it.

Thanks,  Iver.    Oh, also the tree branches keep knocking off the antennas........

[Sean]

I would not be without mine.

In addition to hearing about conditions ahead, and particularly when traffic stops completely (we've been able to bail off and route around more than once due to information we got on the CB), it is absolutely essential for knowing just what the truck drivers are saying about us.  ("Dang, did you see that?  That driver's @$# is right on the ground.  If he hits a deer he's in trouble." Etc.)  I don't know why they think we are not listening.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[boxcarOkie]

I would not be without mine.

We are still running ours.  Most of this new breed of truckers' prefer cell phones over the C.B. and I don't believe they share the popularity of what they used to have.  As with all technology, there are good points and there are the bad.  Now days, a few truckers are still using them and as Sean has pointed out, and they are a useful tool to have in the coach.  

One drawback is the profanity levels have increased and most of the time they are rather offensive to listen to when you have youngsters in the coach (when the bucket-mouths have at it, it can get nasty real quick).  Our last two weeker (a little over 3,000 miles) with the grand-kids we didn't even turn it on.  

I also know of people who have gotten on the radio and asked for assistance, and then someone has showed up to their location and robbed them.  So it would be wise to make sure you know of; who, what, where, when and why when you are using the thing.

It works both ways .....

BCO

[Gary '79 5C]

Sean, I do not think truckers much care if we listen, Ha Ha,,,theirs is a close fraternity...

I do agree of the benefit of the information afforded. Trucking is much more difficult & competitive than years past. To your point, they must be most efficient to make money.

I find the din of the BS, boasting, profanity is a distraction & difficult for me to tune out, and I listen less & less. I do get burned on traffic as a result.

[Rick59-4104]

 You can get one with National Weather Service Channels, this is very handy, I use mine in the big truck a lot and it is nice to have, a lot of the trash talk is when you are in or near a big city and I think a lot of that is from some nut sitting in a basement somewhere, when I get close to a city I turn mine off.  Out on the road away from the cities I don't hear a lot of bad language.

If you are traveling with someone and you both have one remember there are channels other than 19 you can go to..

Rick

[Ace]

Rick said it right! Big cities bring out the trucker wannabees. Heck we used to have guy that lived on his while riding a bycycle and was the loudest radio ever heard to mankind here locally. After he got hit and run over by a semi, resulting in death, it was later found that on his bike was a whip antenna, a cb, a 12v battery in a basket and a linear.
As for mine? Travelling with friends, I use it to chat, cut up, and know when and where were going to stop or in case of an emercency, such as a mechanical failure, each of us knows rather than one running off without knowing.
We always use channel 3. Almost private!

[Joe Camper]

I have moved over to channel 9 it is very quiet over there and it allows me to moniter for emergencys.

People are confused about this frequency.

It is not illigeal to use this frequency. When you do use it ya just have to brake for assistance during emergencys.

You can moniter and carry on a conversation at the same time. Just likw walking and chewing gum at the same time. don't be scared.

In fact, I have decided talking on it helps others in need hear someone on it and allow them to call out with more confidence someone can here them and help.

We started doing this a few years back when trucking locally in Chi. The profanity on 19 abounds and there is never no quiet. Additionally it seemed like any and evey time you go to 9 nobody is EVER on it to help. So all the drivers made 9 the company frequency. It was a win win

Sure every now and then we get a Natzi giveing us grief for using it but I simply reply "We are monitering and we break for emergencys do you need assistance.

The week link on the radio is the mic cord ends. Talk back is very nice to install, it will notify you when that cord has gone south because it allows you to here your own broken transmission.

Since moving over there I cant tell you the number of folks we have been able to help but most inportantly it is quiet quiet quiet.

Try it you will likw it.

[eddiepotts]

When I bought my bus out of Nashville the PO came back to Houston with me to teach me about the bus. It was a big help to have the CB when it was time for fuel. He just asked where the next truck stop was from a mile marker and in 5 seconds we knew how far we had to go. You can hear anything from porn rental to speed traps but the best part is even if your phone wont get signal you will find someone on the radio for help if needed. You don't have to listen to it but it is a staple in my bus.

[Eagle Andy]

I put mind that I had in my big truck in the Eagle I hard wired it and iam picking up interfearence, Do I need to have a filter in there somewhere? It work fine in the truck and I was just plugging it in to the 12 volt outlet.

[Runcutter]

Monitoring the CB saved us from losing our temporary licence plate in Tennessee, on the way from New Hampshire to Dallas.  One paper plate on the rear, and it had lost one nut - so it was flapping in the breeze.  A trucker called us - in case we were listening - and I was able to pull off and fix it before it spun off into the puckerbrush. 

I wouldn't have wanted to drive that distance without any license plate -- even before I got a prescription for blood pressure pills.  The profanity is annoying, and I did have to turn it off several times on the trip.

Arthur

[happycamperbrat]

I have an old CB...... it belonged to my father when he was alive and a trucker. I want to hook it up for my bus but I havent researched this stuff yet. Im pretty sure it is 12 volt. Does it need a fuse in line? There is no documentation to be had for hooking this up...... but because of the sentiment value, it is a must have for me

[Lin]

I have one in the bus.  I have turned it on but never heard anyone talking.  Maybe it doesn't work.  I'm sure it could be useful but I have not reached that on the list yet.

[boxcarOkie]

I have an old CB...... it belonged to my father when he was alive and a trucker. I want to hook it up for my bus but I havent researched this stuff yet. Im pretty sure it is 12 volt. Does it need a fuse in line? There is no documentation to be had for hooking this up...... but because of the sentiment value, it is a must have for me

Most come with an inline fuse (10 amps) and you need to use it.  Take it to just about any truckstop, they usually have a CB Guy around and he can install it, SWR the antenna's and make sure it is up to snuff.  Usually less than $50 to do the entire thing.

Then all you need is a "super-secret-CB-code name" and you are in business.

BCO

[artvonne]

  Rick, we live in Arkansas, not quite so much trash talking around these parts as other parts of the country. But yeah, big cities spawn much more. I actually got "the finger" for the first time since moving here almost two years ago. But I had to drive through Little Rock eight times to get one. I almost felt honored.

  Regarding the CB, it has saved us running into traffic tie ups numerous time, by "seeing" what was going on miles ahead by listening to the chatter on 19, and I wouldnt want to be without it for that reason. We got off 35 through Des Moines after hearing of traffic stopped for miles, after a skid loader fell off an overpass onto the freeway. Without a CB we would have been completely in the dark. And while the CB is not what it once was, its much quieter and less used today, sometimes you can still pick up a trucker and chat away the miles. Takes away some of the boredom when driving through desolate, uninteresting, or perhaps "swine odorous" country, or what my dad politely refered to as Dog ___ country. 

  I honestly wish the Carter Administration had not deregulated it. When the FCC was watching over it, when it was licensed, it was a very good and useful system and was well policed, not only by FCC officials, but by licensed operators ourselves. And cussing or swearing, or any other abuses, were rapidly addressed, and not suprisingly, often by physical force, ie; ripping your antenna down. I for one wish licensing it was reinstated.

[Joe Camper]

If you ever see us underway we monitor channel 9.

We have a radio that you can toggle between ch9-19-and a third chosen channel of my choosing without having to change the knob it is a seporate 3 position toggle and I have found that to be a very useful and convenient feature.

Another thing that is built into our radio, that incidentally I was unaware of when I first put it in, is a "WARNING SERINE" that I think could raise the dead it is so loud and shrill. After the innital shock the first time it goes off you quickly realize the desire to have such a device in a RV or boat. Even with the radio off any severe thunderstorm or tornado alert (and every Tues morn at 10am) its going off.

This is worth thinking about in the middle of all this bad weather. Sometimes it OK for a rude awakening and I do like this feature a lot.

Its a common deck night watch weather ban I'm sure others out there are using one.