Citizen Band radios?

[Brake Weight]

How many people use one in their vehicle? Their home?

I recently purchased a Cobra 19 to play with. I used it maybe a week and realized it's low on the list of nice radios. I then purchased a Galaxy DX 949, which is 100X better. Since I was eager in getting a better radio, I didn't research enough on the actual sizes of each unit. My 949 is too large a frame to mount in my Tacoma decently. I've completed more research and have narrowed the field down to just a few radios that will fit my truck, and my wallet. One of these is an 'Export Radio'. As such, it covers many more frequencies and this is my question:

Can I use this daily as a CB radio only...legally?

 

[Jimbrown]

Legally no. If you have it in your possesion then the presumption is that you will use it.

In reality will the Feds come knocking on your door and hual you off to jail. Not likely unless you start trying to brodcast over the top of legally licensed stations.

 

[Sutol]

Still got my FM set from the seventies when the government over here made it illegal and legalised AM sets which are rubbish.

Whats the situation in the US with them is it a total ban?

 

[ultrarunner]

I've got a couple...

The antique car club uses them to keep in touch when on club tours.

It makes it possible to be in touch with the entire group... sometimes 25 or more cars traveling together...

Most have made a small box with a motorcycle battery since the old cars are magneto or 6 volt.

 

[Brake Weight]

Legally no. If you have it in your possesion then the presumption is that you will use it.

In reality will the Feds come knocking on your door and hual you off to jail. Not likely unless you start trying to brodcast over the top of legally licensed stations.

That's what I was thinking. How about if I get pulled over, for whatever reason, and the LEO searches the vehicle. Will/can the average LEO do anything about it?

What is really drawing me toward the exports is that they can be used on Ham, and can be tuned up much higher than legal. I would not do this until it was needed to do so. Beings I live down south, we got hit during Katrina. No power, water, phones, cell phones, nothing for several weeks. Had I had a CB, let alone a powerful export, I could have received word from the outside world. We had a small stash that was dwindling down rapidly. We made it, but another week and we would've been scratching bottom. Had I had one then, I could've gone and bought-traded-whatever for needed supplies without running around the county burning gas.

 

[MadJack]

Check out the Cobra 25. Good mid-size radio.
It's a bit narrower than my uniden and I mounted mine on the tranny hump to the right of the shifter. Get a 90* coax elbow so the coax doesn't kink where it rubs the floor.
Dash mounted radio's just ask for trouble.

I just repaired an inner fuse on a 949... their huge! As big as my Galaxy Delta 88.

The biggest feature you want in a mobile is "RF Gain" so you can turn down the skip while in convoy.

 

[Combustix]

Got one a few years back just a small one maybe a cobra. Don't use it much on the highway except when heading out to go camping in backwoods with a buddy. Were it is useful is in the backwoods on active logging roads. They trucks are moving and all one lane win pull outs. You call out mile markers it paid for itself on our first trip

 

[grsthegreat]

I really didnt think that they still made these CB's any more. I thought they were a "in my days" kind of a thing.

Our horse clubs all use the handheld FM radios for years. I know they have limited distance, but were usually not far away from each other.

I used to have a nice CB back in College days (80's) and they were nice back then... before cell phones

 

[marimus]

Yeah I just put a 18' antenna up on my shed, with SSB some evenings I can talk to Hawaii :thumbsup:

Sure brings back some memories.

 

[Brake Weight]

The Galaxy DX979(AM/SSB) and the Mirage MX36(export) are both 7.25" wide, 9" deep(not counting knobs and wires), and the taller is 2.325"(IIRC on the height). Both are around the $200 mark +/- and have tuning potential to run barefoot if need be. If I take out my cig lighter plug, either will fit in my Tacoma with a 90* antennae connector and have open air below. Mount an external speaker elsewhere and remove the internal speaker to increase cooling. It should all tuck out of the way fairly good.

I was just gonna get a simple Uniden 520 until I read how many truckers and others have been actually rescued from snowbanks by SSB skipping to the other side of the country. Someone on the other end calls the local rescue 5-10 states over and saves the day.

 

[edlegault]

In the USA LEO's have no jurisdiction over transmitting radios. Comes under the FCC. They (FCC) will only act after several documented complaints -- usually by licensed ham operators tracking down illegal broadcasters that are causing interference in other (non CB) bands/frequencies/services.

BTW, some cities/counties, including some in CA, have laws against listening to local public service (police, fire, etc) radio conversations, but I do not know if they have been given permission by the FCC or Congress to do that.

-Ed-
NX6ED

 

[Bird]

When we started full time RVing in 1989, I had a good CB radio installed in the truck, but don't remember what brand. Then when we traded the truck and trailer for a motorhome I had a Uniden CB/weather radio installed And when we quit RVing in 1995, I bought a handheld Cobra, model HH35WX, 40 channel CB and 3 channel weather radio. I think it takes 8 batteries, but I always used it in the car on trips with a cigar lighter adapter.

And I don't guess it's been used in more than 10 years, but I've still got it.:laughing:

 

[Bird]

some cities/counties, including some in CA, have laws against listening to local public service (police, fire, etc) radio conversations

I have no idea what they're doing now, but I was commander of the Dallas Police Communications Division 1975 to 1981, and if anyone wanted to listen to our radios back then (we had 12 duplex channels), all they had to do was call and we'd give the frequencies they needed.

 

[bullbreaker]

Some units now-a-days come with built in SWR meter capability. If swr(standing wave ratio) are not correct cb unit will not transmit correctly(distance wise) and sooner or latter will get damaged.Most of the time output final(s). Talking about base units and mobile units not handhelds.

Boone

 

[flyingcow]

I drive truck for a living. All local, seldom overnight. I run in some pretty rural areas. I have a Galaxy, forget the model number. Out of the box you're looking at 4 watts. I got mine kicked up to a little over 7 watts. BUT as important as the radio is, the antenna is equally important, if not more. Good single whip with 18ft if good coax. Off the rack, nothing beats a K-40 mag mount antenna. Proper tune the SWR meter(had a tech do mine) and watch if the red light comes on telling you somethings wrong. Prolong use of the radio out of tune or bad coax will ruin your output.

Some guys that run outside near good radio shops will get them kicked up alot of wattage and also get set up so they can pull signals out form a far.


Dual antennas are only good on big rigs. They need to be 7ft or 8ft apart.


I also have been looking at goofing with side band and ham set ups. There are still some very good Ham clubs that will be the backbone of our communications if we ever loose this "modern" systems we use.

 

[flyingcow]

I have no idea what they're doing now, but I was commander of the Dallas Police Communications Division 1975 to 1981, and if anyone wanted to listen to our radios back then (we had 12 duplex channels), all they had to do was call and we'd give the frequencies they needed.

Last i knew scanners were legal in all states. I run just in the northern half of the state of Maine. I have a scanner, it works incredibly well in bad weather. Monitor state police channels and a couple of sheriffs channels, and I'll know about cars off the road, accidents, etc. Sometimes just a couple of mins in front of me. cell phone users will call it in, long time before the LEO's cab get there.

 

[Samandothers]

I think i have an old 23 channel Cobra. In addition I think I still have an old Hygain and a Layfayette 40 channel and maybe a Midland still in a box. Enjoyed messing with them in the 70's and even had the 102" wipe on my Toyota Corona:confused2:

 

[Brake Weight]

You still got the Corona?

 

[k0ua]

If some of you have questions about getting into ham radio from a hobbyist or public service perspective I can help answer questions. Of course if you are licensed (I have been since 1971) the penaltys for doing illegal things could be more severe as you cannot plead ignorance. But the opportunity's and the sheer amount of frequency's and modes available are greatly enhanced also. Of course there are some things to learn, mostly rules and regs. and radio theory. There is no Morse code test anymore, and ironically Morse code use among hams is at least as great as it was, and in fact is showing more interest lately. I also like digital weak signal modes that are worked with a PC. Anyway it is a technical hobby, but you can put as much or as little into it as you want, and take it in any direction you want. Ham or Amateur radio is many things to many different people. Let me know if I can help

James K0UA

 

[Depmandog]

Oh this thread brings back memories. I too had the CB - 23 channel back in the late 70's. I remember sending off for my FCC License - thought I was a cool teen.

The people I lived with had a base unit, with the antenna up top a tripole - some 50-75 up. I remember listening to the "skip" and the guys running boosted linear amps. One in particular was from the bayous of Louisiana, and I was in north Missouri. I would hear him all the time. If he was yakking, there would be no way to talk over him. It would amaze me - I had a hard time talking to someone 10 miles away.

I enjoy stopping at the truck stops and looking at the units in the cb shops. Probably won't ever get one again, but brings back memories.