New tools you've bought recently?

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Okay. Thank You Very Much for that info.

Now I'm wondering why I wasn't picking nothing up when I was at my brother's.

I don't know if you've watched the video yet or not. But in the video you can see semis going past the trees and you can tell how close his trailer is to the highway.

I think being that close I should have picked something up.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

My impression is that cb's aren't used much anymore.

 

[pjtoledo]

I haven't turned my CB on for several years. it wouldn't surprise me that traffic is way down because there are other ways to get info now.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

You @alwaysFlOoReD I had not thought about that.

With everyone having cell phones the CB is most likely becoming obsolete.

 

[97RangerXLT]

You @alwaysFlOoReD I had not thought about that.

With everyone having cell phones the CB is most likely becoming obsolete.

I also think that as CB has a bit of limited range and most I have seen are either plugged into the cars cigarette lighter or hardwired in, I don't think I have seen very many handheld. so if in an area of no cell reception GMRS radios are a much better option. you can get handhelds and mobile mounted units, and from what I have experienced, they are much better for sound quality without having to fiddle with settings or squelch. a basic click the mic and talk.

Satellite phones might be an option if they come down in price for data/ talk packages, but GMRS is still an easier option especially if you are communicating with a group of people in different vehicles. you do have to get a license, but 35 bucks gets you set and that license covers your family.

And now for Ham Radio... looking at getting the first two licenses for that, my 15 year old is really interested in it as well, so we are getting ready to study for that.

AJ

 

[Roert42]

I have a CB hard wired in my truck, and a handheld unit. I've used it mostly when I'm going on a trip and there are people taking multiple vehicles. Seems to be easier then using a cell phone for holding a conversation.

With the handheld CB, you are more or less limited to line of sight communication. They are just not very powerful.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yeah, handheld CBs are only good for a couple miles at best.

Truckers used to respond only if you knew the lingo. Trying to use Smokey and the Bandit talk got you ignored.

I haven’t used the CB much in the past few years because the antenna came off my F-150, I never got a radio put in my green Ranger because I wanted one with mic controls, and my Choptop I can’t find two of my radios that will fit the mount and the one I can find needs opened up and fixed.

One thing I did notice is that CB traffic is way down. Back in the early 2000s, there were groups that would routinely talk on the CB around here and most truckers monitored the CB. By 2020, more than half of the truckers I’d hail on the highway wouldn’t respond.

I’ve also noticed that in more recent years there are a lot of semi drivers that are not… how shall I put it… English as a first language?… I suspect they’re not trying to talk on a CB if they speak only in broken English. Truckers and can be touchy, I remember once long ago listening to a violent argument that broke out over the Civil War and had truckers threatening to run each other off the road and have fights in the median. I don’t recommend trying to re-start the Civil War on the CB or any other subjects that may cause hot tempers after witnessing that.

 

[pjtoledo]

a few years ago I was using a hand held at night. a trucker behind me saw it and called me out as an unmarked police car.
I heard the broadcast and told him the white Olds with Louisiana plates in Ohio was safe.

yeah,, riiiight

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

a few years ago I was using a hand held at night. a trucker behind me saw it and called me out as an unmarked police car.
I heard the broadcast and told him the white Olds with Louisiana plates in Ohio was safe.

yeah,, riiiight

Sounds like something a cop would say…

 

[Rick W]

Sounds like something a cop would say…

Tsk tsk tsk,

A soap box moment…

I’ve been fortunate to travel much of the world. There is no place on earth where you have our freedoms, and the freedom of communication and the privilege and use of free speech like we have here in the USA. The establishment and defense of those freedoms and privileges were established and are preserved at great personal sacrifice. Those who serve, especially putting themselves in harms way occasionally, deserve nothing but compliments and support. Yeah there’s a bad apple in every bunch, but most of the time nobody is shooting at those apples from time to time. I actively support the police and those who truly serve in any way, and I pray for them every single day, for them and their safety and the well-being of their families.

I guess I just don’t think it’s something to joke about. I’m sure we are all friends and we trust each other and we realize it’s just poking fun, but we live in a time when disparaging comments made in humor are reinforcing the ignorant bad actors who have been influenced to disparage the great nation we have in those who serve.

OK, that’s off my chest, I hope we’re still friends.

EDIT: after thought, I’ve had a hard few weeks with socialist anti-government anti-America influencers, and those who have been influenced, so I’m just responding to an open wound