CB Radio: Anyone talk on them still?

[Dodgem250]

anyone have a small 100 watts biscuit burner for sale or trade, I'm looking for a small Texas Star / Phantom etc.

Dodgem

240-682-0958

[Dodgem250]

Well, the loud mouth mobile unit has been installed in the Dodgemobile, and the big ugly X-Terminator double-coily is properly mounted to it's position.

The SWR's are reading a whopping 8.9, that's awesome, I have never had my SWR reading so high, on anything, ever... guess another warm day will be spent wearing out the hex screws on that situation and replacing the broken ground straps I found while working on my upside-down and back-a$$wards yoga routine under the dash and cab of the "Dodgemobile".

However, the hard part is done and now I can talk at people I don't know... Yet!

BREAK CHANNEL, HOW 'BOUT THAT LOUD-MOUF' MUD-DUCK 829 SANDMAN AROUND THAT SOUTHERN MARYLAND 20 BREAK, TWO-HUNDRED AND FIVE-ZERO MR DODGEM SAID IT, 73'S AND I'M BACK QUIET... BUMP-BUMP!

[LusbyMom (Premo)]

I am looking for info on CB's and I know nothing about them. Back in the day I used to goof off on them but that's it.

I need one now for dispatching.. Can anyone help me out and point me in the right direction? How far away will it work? If my guy is out in the truck how far away can he be and us still be able to talk?

[Dodgem250]

Originally Posted by LusbyMom

I am looking for info on CB's and I know nothing about them. Back in the day I used to goof off on them but that's it.

I need one now for dispatching.. Can anyone help me out and point me in the right direction? How far away will it work? If my guy is out in the truck how far away can he be and us still be able to talk?

Well... that's a really tough question to answer. There are so many factors involved in 2 way communications with CB radio being such a low powered resource. You have to consider these basic factors to start:

1) Transmitting locations of radios
2) Geography of surrounding area (CB is basically "line-of-sight")
3) Type and height of antennas on base and mobile units
4) Is the radio stock or modified
5) Quality of radios and antennas
6) Power lines / satellite dishes / other electronic "signal blockers"

CB radio is "advertised" as being good up to 5 miles, however, I have been talking on the CB since I was about 7-8 years old, so, given my past 30 years of experience, both talking and repairing cb radios, I have talked to hundreds and hundreds of people in the surrounding area, I can put my life savings on the fact that a stock radio with a junk antenna can safely do well at 10-15 miles, BUT, this is where I have a major advantage and that is living on a very high geographical location, I can literally see over top of the Virginia coastline from my home, if there was a bright light shining at me from say, Fredericksburg, I would see that. If I were in a hole somewhere, the difference would be clear.

CB radio is not an expensive thing to start, but, it can cost a few hundred to get descent equipment without all the bells and whistles, that the rest of us just have to have.

Let's figure you buy 2 Cobra 29 LTD radios, (stock radios, no upgrades) and 1 Wilson 1000 magnet mount antenna for the vehicle, and 1 base station antenna for the base unit, like an old faithful Antron 99, add in the mounting mast and some coax cable, plus the ground wire... right here you have an excellent 2-way setup, but, hardly the best of the best, and this would ball park around $400.00

Now, if you want to talk about using export radios with modifications and big coil antennas and linear amplifiers and then peakin' & tweakin' the radios, then you must bring out the credit cards, second mortgages, and check books. This is why most CB'ers are poor and drive junk trucks...

Billy Bob... what happened to your paycheck?

"The money is being "invested dear" LOL!


Anyway,

If I were still in the CB radio sales business, my questions to you would be:

1) How far will you have to transmit to the guys in the field?
2) How many vehicles do you need radios for?

Budget is no concern, you have to have what you have to have in order to do what you gotta do, so is life, but, here you can spend what you got, There's a ton of options with CB radio equipment.

Any further questions, just hollar.

Thanks,
Dodgem

[Speedy70]

Originally Posted by wmburdette

KBPS7695, The Big Foot, here. Mid '70s to early '80s all around the San Francisco Bay Area, a couple of years in the early '80s Fort Washington to Goddard area, mid-'80s San Jose vicinity and late '80s to mid-'90s Charles County to western Fairfax County areas. Haven't had it in the vehicle since mid '90s. Still carry my portable on trips and it's still very useful for traffic conditions. Now have GPS with Traffic Service so probably won't need it much more.

My Dad's handle was Big Foot. My parents still have their radios and mics, but they don't use them anymore. They still have their 'lollipop' too.

[Magnum (Premo)]

I need to pull my General out of my Blazer and see whats wrong with it..... I think it might have gotten a little water in it For slapping a setup in a truck it did ok. I was in Welcome talking to the other side of Waldorf which is a feat in itself nowadays with all the trash out there in the air. Nice little 2 pill, Wilson 1000 just slapped anywhere it will stick, no point in setting SWR's.... I have to take it down everytime I come in or out to avoid power lines

[Dodgem250]

Originally Posted by Magnum

I need to pull my General out of my Blazer and see whats wrong with it..... I think it might have gotten a little water in it For slapping a setup in a truck it did ok. I was in Welcome talking to the other side of Waldorf which is a feat in itself nowadays with all the trash out there in the air. Nice little 2 pill, Wilson 1000 just slapped anywhere it will stick, no point in setting SWR's.... I have to take it down everytime I come in or out to avoid power lines

Well, slap it up there and give me a shout on 19 in the afternoons and evenings, I have the base on all the time and sometimes in the mobile.

Dodgem
Indian Head

[fireman343]

hello all fireman here st marys north end stumbled across this just searching around i am an avid cber I know sneaky snake pretty good and swamp angel I am only 21 yrs old been in since i was 16 and have no plans to stop started out stock and now one of the top dogs in the county as of right now not to brag to much tho and if anyone needs to get a hold of stickman let me know i go up there a few times a week to see him and hope to hear you guys out there on the band they call me fireman i maily stay on 19 however like to roam around but when trhe skip is rolling good im on the bowl and other channels holler out for fireman or 343 southern md alright all have a good one and im back on the quiet side

[morningbell]

Originally Posted by SoMdMusician

I am an old CB'er from days gone by and I used to spend a lot of time on the radio. I also had my own CB/Scanner repair business, and I got out of it completely about 7 years ago.

I'm curious to know if there is still anyone using the service. I'm also interested in knowing if anyone has a nice 10meter unit they want to sell, or maybe a nice unit like a Cobra 148GTL or even a Cobra 29LTD.

I'd like to find an older model, since those can be "worked", these new unit come with a few less screws.

boop bop bop bop booop bop bop booop bop boop bop bop bop bop bop booop booop bop bop boop booop booop

my dad was one, had a huge set up and antenne, met up with a bunch of them at the Frnaklin Institute many times throughout the year..... WB3KAC was his call number. He was teaching me Morse code at age 6!

[Squirrel]

they call me squirrel ch 19 and fireemans a meatball. i talk to sneaky snake alot... very funny man he always makes me laugh. and he will always tell you whats fer supper. anywho yea anyone needs to get a hold of stick or anything me or fireman can hook you up.