C B radios?

T

Team Elkhorn

Guest
Hey, who all still uses CBs in their tow vehicles? With everyone carrying cell phones now, (I carry two, mine and the Nextell for work), you rarely see anyone, other than truckers, using CBs anymore. I always put mine in my truck for the winter, but I confess, I rarely remember to turn it on anymore. We used to ride up in caravans of three or more vehicles and it was nice to be able to talk to each other when necessary. Its also nice to let someone else know, (as they drive by you at ludicrous speed), if they have a low tire or a cover coming loose on their trailer, etc. I think it was Illinois Snowmobile Magazine that had an article about CB radios in the 90's, that suggested snowmobilers use channel 13 to talk to other snowmobiles. Who all still has a CB, and what channel do you monitor?
Anyway, if you see me on the road, (you'll know its me by my trailer, everyone usually waves), give me a shout, Ill probably have mine on channel 19, if I remember to turn it on.:)
 
I

indiana

New member
LOL! We do actually. It helps pass the time on the 12+ hr drive by being able to chat between the 2 or 3 vehicles about whatever. They are really handy for discussing where to stop, icy roads, spotting the first snowmobile (we come from southern Indiana) and whatever else. That being said, they can be incredibly frustrating as they are easily prone to being burned up from a bad antenna and your always fooling with the squelch etc. Two way radios would work just as good (if not better really) plus you could use them out on the trail, never the less we look forward to using them as a novelty for some reason. Never really talked to anyone else, who is gonna happen to be one the one channel out of 40 we're on, let alone have it on. Can't take much of ch19, that gets old quick except for finding out how the roads are getting.
 
J

jr37

Well-known member
We have two-way radios in the trucks at work, for b.s.ing.

Our family has the little Motorola hand-held two-ways, the kind hunters use.
 
C

Cat600

Member
I got a cobra and 2 4ft antennas on my truck, usually turn it on and stays on channel 19, but there really isn't much chatter these days as you said thanks to cell phones. But it's fun to listen when they do.

A bunch of us in high school used them all the time, west high was on channel 12, east high was on channel 31 I believe. Got good reception all the way across town.
 
chords

chords

Active member
I stayed high on a hill once in Vine Grove, Kentucky outside Fort Knox.

Anyway my car CB connected inside my trailer and 30' antenna with my DC converter, chatted with some good buddies and gals miles away. Colda been 20 - 30 miles away. That was part of my Army experience.
 
P

peter

Member
Got the K-40 on the roof of the suburban. We use them to kill the drive time and have some fun. Also works good where the phones don't work.
 
R

racerx

Active member
Mine is a permanent part of my truck. I do not have it on all the time but it is always ready. A couple years back we got stuck on the highway for 10+hrs during a snowstorm (the one that shut down the highway south of Madison) and it was lifeline so to speak, the phones were working but the call centers and operators were overwhelmed. One guy was having issues due to diabetes and the call went out on the CB that he needed attention since he had no food/water and someone helped him out and also the CB helped organize the Paramedicrescue effort as there was not much help available as everything was locked up, even the side roads.

I do have to find a new K40 mag mount as it just seperated and I had that antenna for 3 decades. I actually wish I could find a decent way to mount my twin 4ft K40s but I have not found anything I like.
 
T

Team Elkhorn

Guest
Yep, I remember that storm well, my son and his buddy got stuck in it also, same area. My wife and I headed north a day early to miss the storm, but my son's buddy had to work. They sat for 4-5 hours. I mount my mag mount antenna with a homemade bracket to my tool box so I don't knock it off the roof when I back in the garage. Same reason I don't have a roof top bicycle carrier, I know I would forget and Id knock that puppy off the first time I pulled into the garage.:)
Oh, we're gonna try to make the February Frosty meeting in LOL. Just got the news letter, meeting are Thursdays now?
 
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