Who Uses CB Radios?

[RobertN]

I was going thru some stuff of my Mom's; I came across her practice test for CB, from the early 1960's.

My Grandfather was an early adopter of CB. He was a HAM going back to the 1930's, and got one of the first CB's. Tube stuff... Him and my Mom said when the first CB's came out, most people just used their real name. Everyone was pleasant, no foul language etc. Everybody was licensed.

My cousin still has my Grandfather and his dad's(my uncles) Pace 23 channel rigs. They were big. The radios could be used mobile, or stationary.

Grandfather and Uncle talked about conversations with people in the Midwest and east if conditions were right; they were in N. Calif...

 

[vvanders]

Ham radio is still like that today for the most part. Not sure if it's the licensing or the fact that it's less common.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I used to have CBs in both my trucks, one was a 'good' one, 'might' have been tuned up a bit... would really cover some ground, even when down in the hollers, matched to the antenna and the whole system checked with SWR meter. The other one was a basic Midland $40 radio and cheapo antenna, fine for close range, talking to other traffic on well roads and back roads.

Haven't had one in a truck for a few years, going to stick the little one in my daily driver soon, its laying in the back seat now, just need to hook it up.

 

[DK35vince]

Gravel pits use them around here. When I was working in their office, I thought, how primitive, thinking they used them for on site communications. Then I realized and observed how they could talk with any incoming or outgoing dump truck. VERY effective, and CHEAP!

They do the same here.
Also Asphalt plants use them to let the drivers know who is loading next and what silo to be under.

 

[ultrarunner]

I still have the tube CB with desk microphone in the attic connected to a large rooftop antenna at Mom's... has not been on for years but did collect a lot of call sign cards at one time.

 

[k0ua]

Yes, we use them at work daily (all the trucks have CB's and many of the company pickups), couple of miles is all that is needed.

As the FCC originally envisioned the Citizens Radio Service in 1958 that is precisely what they had in mind. The service was originally on 462 Mhz, but the state of the art in those days made it difficult to produce radios on those high (at the time) frequency's at a price point and with the reliability that people could afford. So some idiot at the FCC thought it might be a good idea to take back the 11 meter Amateur band as radios could be made much cheaper and much more stable at the much lower frequency of 27 Mhz and create what is known as the Class D Citizens radio service with the original 23 channels..

That was all well and good but no one thought about the sunspot cycle. For several years at a time 27 Mhz supports long distance communications at sunspot maxima. At sunspot minima only ground wave communications or the occasional Sporadic E propagation is possible. Ground wave with inefficient antennas is typically only a few miles, Which is exactly what they had in mind.

During periods of high solar flux (large amounts of sunspots) the band opens up for "skip", and communication is possible for thousands of miles, even worldwide if there wasn't such congestion on the channels (later expanded to 40 to try to help alleviate the congestion). The FCC originally tried to stop "hobbyist" type activity by making it against the rules to try to communicate long distances, but by then the genie was out of the bottle. They discovered that there was not way to police this particular radio "service" and in fact they even dropped the licensing requirements and the need for actual assigned call-signs.

As the sunspots die down, the people attempting to work "skip" lose interest as the band is "dead" with only local short ranges are possible. Also as pointed out other technology's have surpassed the need for highway information, and interest in CB radio has dropped even more, with so many of the radios either going in the dumpster, or thrown in a pile in the garage.

Someday when cycle 25 starts back up (theoretically a few years from now) who knows if the CB usage will increase or not. Time marches on, and this isn't 1979 any more. Smokey and the bandit is a distant memory. And if illegal hobby usage of CB starts up again, your legitimate and useful usage of CB for short range communications will suffer.

Ironically the old original 462 Mhz frequency allocation for CB that was called Class A at the time is now called the FRS or Family Radio Service. It is very popular, and unlicensed but only "walkie talkies" portables are used here. The GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service is next door and does allow mobile radios but as far as I know it still requires applying for a license. it is just a small amount of money and waiting on the license and callsign to arrive. The radios for the FRS are extremely cheap and are blister packed at wal-mart which is the lowest common denominator. They are so cheap, they are throw away items.

 

[k0ua]

Ham radio is still like that today for the most part. Not sure if it's the licensing or the fact that it's less common.

USUALLY, you will have a bit more respect for something you at least had to work a little bit for. Notice I said Usually. There are some rotten apples in the Amateur Radio barrell also. But they are for sure in the minority. If you are licensed, and forced to use a callsign which anyone can look up instantly to know who you are and where you are, it tends to make a person a bit more civil. By the way my callsign is KØUA. And I have been a licensed Amateur Radio operator for 48 years this year.

 

[oosik]

I agree with you, James( K0UA ). I was first licensed in 1968. Originally - WL7AHL Now - KC7SW

 

[PA Scott]

I have been a HAM since the 80s. But that is useless for this purpose. UHF CB, really? That is the band it SHOULD have been on all along.

There is "UHF CB" now. They call it FRS. It is available in those little walkie-talkie radios you can buy almost everywhere now. Unfortunately they put too many restrictions on it to make it useful. The prohibition of an external antenna means mobile use doesn't work very well.

 

[aczlan]

USUALLY, you will have a bit more respect for something you at least had to work a little bit for. Notice I said Usually. There are some rotten apples in the Amateur Radio barrell also. But they are for sure in the minority. If you are licensed, and forced to use a callsign which anyone can look up instantly to know who you are and where you are, it tends to make a person a bit more civil. By the way my callsign is KØUA. And I have been a licensed Amateur Radio operator for 48 years this year.

Yep, I switched to a vanity call sign and got the letters/numbers mixed up while using it for the first time while mobile, someone on the repeater looked me up by my previous call sign and straightened me out fairly quickly.

Aaron Z

 

[Industrial Toys]

Many older Hams already agreed back in the 90s that Hams had just become appliance operators. My Boss in the 70s, built his own VHF 2Meter rig and pioneered repeaters and links. I remember I rewired a Northern Electric touch tone (Intercom) module out of 1A2 equipment for his repeater.

With the world putting all their eggs in the one (Internet) basket, maybe the time is more critical than ever to have a seperate emergency communications resource.

I keep thinking about getting an HF Rig, except, 1. there are more projects and wants in my life than money, 2. I Hate to buy something that will be old and out of date, yet unused, and 3. stuff is so complicated, changes models so fast that it's a real crap shoot weather you are buying something good and reliable or not.

 

[k0ua]

Many older Hams already agreed back in the 90s that Hams had just become appliance operators. My Boss in the 70s, built his own VHF 2Meter rig and pioneered repeaters and links. I remember I rewired a Northern Electric touch tone (Intercom) module out of 1A2 equipment for his repeater.

With the world putting all their eggs in the one (Internet) basket, maybe the time is more critical than ever to have a seperate emergency communications resource.

I keep thinking about getting an HF Rig, except, 1. there are more projects and wants in my life than money, 2. I Hate to buy something that will be old and out of date, yet unused, and 3. stuff is so complicated, changes models so fast that it's a real crap shoot weather you are buying something good and reliable or not.

Buy an Icom 7300, and you will not be sorry. About a grand. I have two of them.

\

It is an SDR (Software Defined Radio) but it still has knobs and buttons or you can control it with a PC if you desire. SDR is taking over the architecture of radios in the 21st century. Long lived the Superhet, but the Superhet is dead. It is just to easy to add features and fix bugs with a radio that is software driven and direct sampling. The past objection to SDR by some was the offerings were all computer controlled, but these rigs still offers the analog MMI (Man Machine Interface) that we all grew up with but the latest features and performance. This particular rig is groundbreaking in the price to performance ratio. They sell for under a $1000 when on sale, like at Christmas, but have popped back to $1050 now. Worth every penny, and I personally guarantee you will not be disappointed.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I will revisit it. Wouldn't I feel like the fool if I needed a rig and didn't have one. Nont even sure what they do around here anymore for field day. It would be a good place to get reaquainted with the hobby.

 

[RobertN]

Oh for the days of the Heathkits My Grandfather had 1960's Heathkit O'scopes and VTVM's. I have an old Heathkit LM-11 VTVM sitting on my bench at work for posterity.

Many older Hams already agreed back in the 90s that Hams had just become appliance operators. My Boss in the 70s, built his own VHF 2Meter rig and pioneered repeaters and links. I remember I rewired a Northern Electric touch tone (Intercom) module out of 1A2 equipment for his repeater.

 

[MossRoad]

Oh for the days of the Heathkits My Grandfather had 1960's Heathkit O'scopes and VTVM's. I have an old Heathkit LM-11 VTVM sitting on my bench at work for posterity.

My dad built a nice little Heathkit multi-band receiver in the 50's before I was born. We played around with it quite a bit as I grew up. Had a long wire antenna strung between two trees with a drop in the middle to the radio. We also built a crystal radio kit together for Boy Scouts. That was way cool at the time. Today, not many kids would be interested in wrapping wire around a toilet tissue tube and scratching rock with a wire whisker. But I was. :thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

My dad built a nice little Heathkit multi-band receiver in the 50's before I was born. We played around with it quite a bit as I grew up. Had a long wire antenna strung between two trees with a drop in the middle to the radio. We also built a crystal radio kit together for Boy Scouts. That was way cool at the time. Today, not many kids would be interested in wrapping wire around a toilet tissue tube and scratching rock with a wire whisker. But I was. :thumbsup:

What happened? Why didn't you progress and get you license and continue your studies? The reason I want to know is as a group what can we Amateur radio enthusiasts do to continue to encourage kids so that they don't drop out and lose interest. Was there no one at the Boy Scouts to help you onto the next step? There is so much more to learn, and enjoy beyond the first steps, but so few take the path. Why? What can we do to help?

 

[MossRoad]

What happened? Why didn't you progress and get you license and continue your studies? The reason I want to know is as a group what can we Amateur radio enthusiasts do to continue to encourage kids so that they don't drop out and lose interest. Was there no one at the Boy Scouts to help you onto the next step? There is so much more to learn, and enjoy beyond the first steps, but so few take the path. Why? What can we do to help?

Well, my dad and I had multiple hobbies. We collected fossils, read hieroglyphics, played with explosives, studied architecture (Greek, Roman, Egyptian), collected stamps, built telescopes, amatuer astronomy, listened to the Russians on the radio, went for walks, and did a lot of fishing and playing outdoors with my friends. Dad was our Scout Master, too. I was also a competitive marksman from 14 -18, and had a job as a lifeguard in summers. So I guess the reason we didn't continue with the radio part past the crystal set, was it didn't hold my interest as much as the other hobbies I had going on.

Now to the why?

I liked to listen. I didn't like to operate. The same thing happened with me and airplanes. I was around small aircraft for my entire life. I liked to fly. I had little interest in piloting. I've got hundreds of hours in small planes. Only a handful as pilot.

I did get a CB when I was about 14 and had it in my bedroom with a (as I recall) 1/2 wave antenna I mounted on a 30' mast outside the house. I had fun listening, and I did make a bunch of weirdo friends (I've talked about that before) that would make a parent cringe, and probably get someone arrested in these days. I had the CB on a slide-out mount so I could take it from house to both my parents' cars and had antennas on both cars. I enjoyed listening to the truckers on the highway, and as I got my license, friends and I would use them to communicate on beer runs and out generally causing menace to society. No license required.

We had no interest in serving the community on the aspect of civil defense via radio communications. We'd volunteer for storm cleanup and such. I know there were Explorer posts that specialized in radio.

Perhaps that's where you should focus, on civil defense and Scouting and Explorers.

 

[MossRoad]

There's probably no apparent reason for a kid to try and communicate around the world via radio, when the internet is so easy. They have no idea that it can all go away in a power outage, hacker attack, etc.... most are too young to have never experienced limited communications.

 

[k0ua]

27mhz is unheard of now, have been gone for at least 30 years, even 40 channel UHF are almost unheard of.
I use a super compact GME 80 channel
UHF CB Radio - TX31DP Super Compact UHF CB Radio

I also use marine 27mhz and VHF, there is no UHF in marine, don't know why.

That looks like a nice UHF radio.

 

[k0ua]

There's probably no apparent reason for a kid to try and communicate around the world via radio, when the internet is so easy. They have no idea that it can all go away in a power outage, hacker attack, etc.... most are too young to have never experienced limited communications.

Do you have any interest in it still as an adult? Perhaps when you retire?