Is CB radio dead on the west coast? Let's see your radios!

[40Garand]

I know a lot of folks have jumped ship and gone to 10 meter, but let's talk about the good ole CB radio mounted in your personal vehicle or your own CMV. What are you packin! Feel free to post some pics. How long have you been around CB's? I'll start out with my experiences and newest set up. I'll avoid sharing what's in my employers rigs as they're just budget radios for communicating on and off highway as well as job sites with co-workers. As a child my first interactions were in family vehicles in the late 70's. They were pretty much used them for family convoy road trips. The airways were busy and the content was never dull. Sometimes for kicks we'd sneak out to the truck or car and talk smack to truckers just to get a reaction. In the early 90s we use to play CB tag in our pick up trucks around Newport and Toledo. As an adult I obtained my Class-A in 1999 and the CB came in handy for it's intended use but the chatter by this point was mostly disgruntled long haul drivers crying the blues about getting tickets, hours of operation regulations, and their horrible employers. Then there were base station lunatics trying to smash everybody within range. At this point I only turned it on when I wanted to get lane updates in traffic. 99% of the time it was turned off. Now, running log trucks or rock trucks it's a must have tool and that is what sparked my interest to put a radio back in my personal vehicle again. From what I'm experiencing these days, CB radio is pretty much dead on the west coast interstates but it's very active off road. My newest radio is a Cobra 29 LX Max that's been tuned and peaked. I run it with a tuned 4' Firestick II antenna and Fire Flex/Fire Ring coaxial kit. I have my antenna mounted above my front drivers side fender. I'm not blowing anybody's windows out but I'm pushing a conservative 25 watts. I purchased my radio last month direct from Cobra and the pertinent accessories from Amazon. I will be adding an external speaker this week.

Cobra 29 LX MAX

The 29 LX MAX offers the benefits of a Bluetooth® enabled smartphone right from a professional CB Radio. Shop quality Professional CB Radios at Cobra.com

www.cobra.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EARXF06?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WCY7UU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Read More

 

[gryghin]

I've been thinking about getting a CB radio. Haven't had one since the 80s but figure now is the time to get one.

 

[GWS]

I have a Cobra CB set I'd like to put in my RV, but just haven't gotten around to yet.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Mine looks exactly like a cell phone.

 

[Nosferatu]

I keep a handheld CB in the truck because it's required on most active logging roads.

On highway, It's been mostly dead for quite some time now. I rarely pick anything up so I removed my Cobra to put a GMRS in it's place. The spousal unit and I use GMRS for comms when we're travelling in separate vehicles.

 

[parallax]

The solar cycle is changing radio bands are starting to see more long distance propagation Makes it good and bad depending on what your trying to do with it

 

[Flopsweat]

I've gone to GMRS too, mainly for riding quads. Finally got a mobile unit for the truck, was using one of the hand-helds since we mostly only use them on the trail. I do have a set of CB walkies, just for nostalgia's sake.

 

[CountryGent]

Ditto shift to GMRS. Though, candidly, radio work went the wayside a while ago. But we do have CBs in each vehicle, a handheld stashed in each, and a Cherokee base station at the house. We haven't employed it in a while, but it was an easy way to report back and forth to the house.

 

[L84Cabo]

 

[parallax]

My CB radio setup in my Jeep after forgetting to lock the door last week

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Last time I saw a CB radio was in the early 1980s.

 

[parallax]

….

 

[Flopsweat]

My CB radio setup in my Jeep after forgetting to lock the door last week

View attachment 1347814

At least they disconnected stuff instead of cutting it.

 

[40Garand]

My CB radio setup in my Jeep after forgetting to lock the door last week

Did they jack your antenna to or just your mic and radio?

 

[Jason999]

Sold my Heathkit base station last year, hadn't used it in a decade.

So much foul language and idiots who would broadcast music.... just wasn't fun anymore.

 

[boattail]

I have one in my logging truck. Absolutely useless unless you can see the other person. Even then it's touch and go. I only use it to communicate with the loader operator and even then I can give him hand signals easier.

 

[40Garand]

I have one in my logging truck. Absolutely useless unless you can see the other person. Even then it's touch and go. I only use it to communicate with the loader operator and even then I can give him hand signals easier.

All the log trucks I've driven had tuned Cobras and tuned antennas at the minimum. They worked fairly well calling out and receiving tree milage. This also banked on that oncoming truck having a decent radio as well. But there are those dead corners or holes that swallow any output or block reception for sure.

 

[Unicykle]

My dad cruised the world in his sailboat for several years in the 80s and in the 90s. I still have the old RDF which works great and the hand held i keep in the living room turned to weather

 

[HotRodGuy]

Uniden PRO505XL with external speaker in my trailer (hole was cut for a Cobra but I hated the chrome).
Midland 75-822 in the truck with another set up as a handheld if I need to be out of the truck while working (talking to people without a CB, getting out to use the skidder to move logs out of the road, etc) or if I need a second channel without switching back and forth. Also have VHF in the truck.

 

[HotRodGuy]

All the log trucks I've driven had tuned Cobras and tuned antennas at the minimum. They worked fairly well calling out and receiving tree milage. This also banked on that oncoming truck having a decent radio as well. But there are those dead corners or holes that swallow any output or block reception for sure.

Lots of dead spots up here, but have 2 corners in particular that are signal black holes. I've also had the issues with trucks not being able to hear when close to me or one of the bunchers. Found that most of them have a Noise Blanket switch turned on and by having them turn it off when they get on the dirt gets rid of the issue.