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Author Topic: CB Radio?  (Read 9574 times)

AC2Q

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CB Radio?
« on: September 07, 2007, 07:14:40 AM »

I am a member of our local ARES group, and receive a lot of good natured, and some not so good natured =0)
ribbing for having a CB in my car in addition to the DB Mobile Rig.

My reason for having one stems from the everyday fact I find that if you are on the interstate, you can monitor the local repeater while you SIT in the traffic jam caused by an accident, or be traveling AROUND it on the route the truckers are following IF you were listening to Ch 19.

SO, IF there is an Emergency, having the CB would likely give me ready access to ANOTHER pool of information.

So, let's hear from others?

KF8ZN
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W9AL

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CB Radio?
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2007, 09:19:08 AM »

I have one in each car and one at my station.
Its just another form of communication.
73
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K2GW

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CB Radio?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2007, 09:37:31 AM »

It can't hurt.  We try to have an AEC(REACT) in our organization to provide the liaison, but even those folks tend to use GMRS more than the old 27 MHz CB these days.

73

Gary, K2GW
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W7AIT

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CB Radio?
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2007, 10:44:39 AM »

I do both at home, and ONLY have a CB mobile in the car exactly for that reason.

On 2 meters, it goes out 100 miles Round Trip to some isolated mountain top and to some ham in a city 50 miles from my current location; he has no clue about conditions down the road. Meanwhile I’m stuck in traffic.

Whereas with the CB, you get almost real time data.  The guys give you good reports from 5 miles, 2 miles, ¼ mile away from the traffic clog and I can take corrective action, and alternate routes.  I find most CB “drivers” to be most helpful.

CB isn’t bad folks.

So when traveling, its CB.

PS:  Yes, I operate CW 90% of the time at home – only real hams operate CW and HF you know - but it sure won’t help in a traffic jam!
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W0IPL

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CB Radio?
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2007, 09:44:54 PM »

I agree with Gary - Can't hurt.

One of the guys in the local group was on a temporary assignment down in Florida when one of the many huricanes came through. He indicated that one of the major functions in the aftermath was talking with the truckers as they moved load after load of relief supplies. Since the majority of truckers are not hams, the CB was a very useful tool to "have in your kit".
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K9KJM

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CB Radio?
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2007, 11:02:45 PM »

I have a 40 channel AM CB in my truck with a short little loaded antenna that is good for very short range only, Always turned on channel 19. As mentioned, Sometimes great traffic info!

I also have a 40 channel SSB CB at my home base station, That is hooked to an A-99 antenna that has not been turned on in years now. But it IS there if a need would come up for some type of communications!
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KB1PMW

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CB Radio?
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2007, 05:31:50 AM »

I am currently a member of REACT and monitor both CB and FRS, and will be getting my ticket soon and joining in the local ARES program. In Oct of 2006 the town next to me was flooded out. It was a flash flood, totally unexpected. One of the major bridges to go was about a mile from my front door, and I knew nothing about any of this until long after the fact. But in the days afterward, I found that during the event and afterward many people were communicating on CBs and HTs. So for me, the CB will stay, even after I join ARES.
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K1CJS

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CB Radio?
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2007, 05:13:53 AM »

I have a unit in the shack and in the car, although I only use them if needed.  The one in the car is a little emergency unit, cig. lighter plug and mag mount antenna.  It serves well enough to get me the info I need.

There's nothing wrong with CB--especially if it gets you info you can use.
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KG4RUL

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CB Radio?
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2007, 04:53:14 PM »

CB, FRS, GMRS ands MURS radios may all be a part of the ARES operator's arsenal.  An ability to effectively use normal means of communications including phones, FAX and E-Mail is also a part of our services.  We are providers of communications services to our served agencies by whatever means are at our disposal.  But, "when all else fails" Amateur Radio is ready and able to help.
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KC8VWM

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CB Radio?
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2007, 10:18:54 PM »

Gee, can you imagine the ribbing you would get if you had a cell phone installed under your dash instead?

73
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AC2Q

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CB Radio?
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2007, 08:58:18 AM »

KC8VWM wrote:  
Gee, can you imagine the ribbing you would get if you had a cell phone installed under your dash instead?

One of those nice dependable Motorola Bag Phones??

Dropped call back then meant you lost hold of the phone........................
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ONAIR

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CB Radio?
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2007, 02:26:05 AM »

   CBs are essental for anyone involved in emergency communications!  Always have at least 1 SSB AM CB in the mobile, and 2 SSB AM CBs at the base. (preferably one a tube rig that can survive an EMP from a nuclear blast!)
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KE4SKY

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CB Radio?
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2007, 05:57:09 AM »

Only problem with the old bag phones is that all the carriers are dropping their analog roaming service and pretty soon they won't work anywhere.  I used to carry one around, but gave up on it for this reason.
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CLEBOT

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CB Radio?
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2007, 07:08:05 PM »

Don't forget the price factor...
Gosh, CBs are so cheap these days.  You can get a very good NEW basic CB for around 50 bucks.  Of course you can spend more for radios with more features, etc, but for 50 bucks, you can get one for each car and one for the shack.  Throw a couple of handhelds in your jump/go kits and you're all set with a redundant communications mode.

73

Gerrit
KE5HVM
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WR8D

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CB Radio?
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2007, 08:40:18 AM »

You can't have one of those in coal country. All you'll hear on them here is filth. No way could you have one in the car and children in there too.

Out on the interstates away from this part of the country they're fine. My goldwing has one built in, and the wife and i sometimes ask for directions from truckers while touring.

It seems freight truckers and coal truckers aren't from the same gene pool. We've never had a bad experiance while out on the interstates in other states touring on the bike and talking on its cb. Channel 19 or for that matter any of them here in southern wv and east ky is another animal entirely.

73 John
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