RE: Anyone use a CB?

[whippetwrun]

 
I mentioned to DH that it might not be a bad idea to get a CB, maybe a handheld.  First he smirked, then he thought about it and finally he asked me to post here to see what the general opinion on CBs was and whether folks found them useful or not.
 
 We have a cellphone for emergencies, of course they don t work everywhere.
 
 So having said all that, any thoughts on CBs?

[Turn Key]

 whippetwrun
Stopped using a CB many years ago due to the language used and the fact that it had stopped being of any real help.  Got a chance to use one about a year ago and found that things have gotten worse.  Seems many CB operaters have done things to boost their output to the point that if your using legal equipment, they just " walk all over you"  and broadcast what ever filth they feel like (kind of like what you get on an un-monitored message boards but worse[: (]).  SIL is in the trucking industry and tells me that most of the time his drivers leave their CB s " off"  and many don t even bother to carry one anymore.
 Just a thought.  Happy Camping.

[whippetwrun]

 whippetwrun
Thanks for the info - don t think I want something like that around the kids!

[mike4947]

 whippetwrun
Gotta go with TK on this one. The great fad of the late 60 s & early 70 s is long gone. All that s left is the ham wannabee s that don t have brains to pass a code test, but still want 2k watts to the antenna, ones that can t afford a cell phone, and whose that want a outlet for profanity where they are anonymous.
 I hear " 10-4 good buddy"  I turn around and walk away.
 FRS for around the campsite and between vehicles has replaced the " CB"  in most places.

[Turn Key]

 whippetwrun
mike: SIL tells me that  " 10-4 good buddy"  has a whole new meaning and it s not a phrase one wants to use unless one is of a " certain persuasion" , if you catch my drift.

[Gone-Camping]

 whippetwrun
I have to agree that the CB doesn t provide the most pleasant conversations to listen too. But I drive a truck for a living, and use a CB daily! It is nearly essential for determining route s around traffic jams, or simply finding out what s going on up ahead. And since I drive alone, this provides me with " someone"  to talk to... Hey, it beats talking to myself!! (though on some occassions I may have been better off talking to myself)...
 
 It s definately NOT family oriented. If your idea is to communicate with other campers, then buy a pair of FRS radio s... They are the radio of choice at the campground, and great for keep in touch with kids that are old enough to " roam"  the campground. (Just be weary of youngsters that keep loosing them)....

[Firefyter-Emt]

 whippetwrun
I have one in the 4Runner.. But for what you would want to use a CB for now a days.. The FSR radios work better.. You would be hard pressed to get someone on a CB to help you if you " needed"  help, and the language is bad..
 
 However, there are still uses for them.. Lets face it, there is only maybe 5 chanels out of 40 that are used by truckers at the most..  I use it for 4 weeling because the FSR s would not have the reach we need, However even in that aspect they are gaining goround enough that i carry both while on a wheeling run (well all the time, but I have them both on during runs)
 CH 4 for off roaders BTW...

[CampG]

 whippetwrun
I have used a CB in for past trips, and am getting ready to put one in the van for our upcoming journey.
 I use it for traffic info.  As far as the language issues, etc..  I can t say that I have had a real issue with it.  Maybe it just depends on the area of the country.
 
 JR

[wiininkwe]

 whippetwrun
Several years ago, my DH set up a CB in my van, because I was doing a lot of traveling.   I had a cell phone, but the cb was suppose to supplement my cell ph. by giving me the opportunity to hear from other travelers what was going on down the road.  The truckers were great about telling each other where there were accidents, road construction, cops with radar guns, etc.  Unfortunaltely they were also announcing their   lifestyle preferences  in a very graphic manner.    I ended up taking the cb out, because the language was so objectionable, also, as someone has already mentioned, there were some very bored people out there who believed that they had to have a radio that would blast every body else off the air waves.  I very seldom used mine to talk to anyone, but just listening to a trucker trying to be nice and warn everyone about a slowdown up ahead as he was constantly being shouted down by a drunk (or just retarded) idiot who could only say the bad words was a real headache.   I miss the traffic updates, but oh well.
 T
 []

[Biskit4Camping]

 whippetwrun
Hi there!
 
 We take our CB along on longer drives.  We ve found that it does come in handy especially when there s traffic problems up ahead and we want to find out which lane to be in if there s a tie-up.  Last week on our way to Myrtle Beach, we had a very pleasant conversation with a truck driver about our camper... he and his wife are thinking of getting one, and he peppered us with questions.  The conversation lasted for about 15 mins or so!
 
 We ve also used it to ask what gas stations may be up ahead of us, to find out where we may want to drive slower (for whatever reason... ahem), and quickie directions if we need them.  
 
 What you may want to consider is bringing your CB, and then turning it on only when you need to find out something.  Most of the time the CB is useless to us, but it s handy when we need it.  
 
 Yeah, the language can be a problem, and that s usually why we don t leave it on all the time.  We have found, though, that most of the time the yap yapping is on 19, and the other 39 channels are empty of conversation... so, if you need to talk to somebody else that may be taveling with you, just agree on a channel and stay there... chances are nobody else will even hear you, and, even if they do, will probably leave you alone anyway.
 
 
 *** When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free!! ***
 

[CAPEd CODger]

 whippetwrun
I certainly agree that, in general, CB users tend to be a little, shall we say, foul-mouthed. However, I have a cb in my van. It doesn t get turned on very much, except on longer journeys when it s helpful to know what s up ahead. It has been a very usefull tool. It can provide for a little longer range than FRS, and you ll almost be certain to get help from someone if you need it.
 FRS is nice, but it s getting trashed-up by the bazillions of people that use it, too.
 GMRS is a good alternative for families if you don t mind paying the license fee. The GMRS radios tend to be a little pricier, too. They aren t very good for " Smoky"  reports either.
 Just my $.02
 
 

[jstaddwtr]

 whippetwrun
We continue to use ours but we use a compromise.  With the squelch up to filter out the noise, we use an ear phone.  The ear phone protects the kids from the general language in the car and permits the driver to turn it up if something important is going on.  Maybe it is just a habit, but we do not take a trip without it.  
 Truckers are generally pretty good in telling us if something is dragging or to be careful in work zones or where the road ahead is getting dicey.  We seldom talk but when everyone else is sleeping, it helps to keep the driver going or at least provides another option to the long road.  
 
 The problems and opinions expressed by everyone else are real and justify turning it off.  We have just learned to live with it because it has saved our butts, many times.  God bless the truckers.....    Just our opinion.

[jaycocamprs]

 whippetwrun
I prefer the CB to the FRS for talking car to car. But the FRS has real advantages once you reach the campground. The CB is good for traffic updates, but like most every one else has said the language isn t fit to repeat here. The last trip we took I left it at home. We used FRS radios to talk to the people we were traveling with. But on the way home we ran into a real bad traffic jam do to construction. Lesson learned, next trip the CB is going in the truck.

[dee106]

 whippetwrun
we have one , we use it for traffic reports, and we reminder truckers their kids are listening!