CB radio: Is it over and out?

[Unit 194]

An interesting article from 2012 of which I wholeheartedly agree with.

http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/lo...cle_9263766e-721d-5dc7-8d26-27e966ce108d.html

 

[Tallman]

An interesting article from 2012 of which I wholeheartedly agree with.

http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/lo...cle_9263766e-721d-5dc7-8d26-27e966ce108d.html

As long as there are truckers CB will never die. I have been a CB'er for over Fifty years and never was a "Trucker", but have had lot's of jobs that required that required long distance travel in a car. I am a Amateur Radio operator but I still keep a road kit handy for travel. Might be going to South Texas from KY and you can bet CB will be with me.

 

[Unit 194]

As long as there are truckers CB will never die. I have been a CB'er for over Fifty years and never was a "Trucker", but have had lot's of jobs that required that required long distance travel in a car. I am a Amateur Radio operator but I still keep a road kit handy for travel. Might be going to South Texas from KY and you can bet CB will be with me.

Channel 19 has been pretty dead lately in my neck of the woods and I live within shouting distance of Interstate 78, 80 and 95.

 

[Tallman]

Channel 19 has been pretty dead lately in my neck of the woods and I live within shouting distance of Interstate 78, 80 and 95.

I don't know where that is, but must be way out there some where.

 

[Unit 194]

I don't know where that is, but must be way out there some where.

New York metro area (New Jersey).

 

[Tallman]

New York metro area (New Jersey).

Check to see if your squelch is tuned up too high or your RF gain is turned way down. You should hear all kinds of chatter in that area, Unless that area is strictly "Hands Free Zone"

 

[Unit 194]

Check to see if your squelch is tuned up too high or your RF gain is turned way down. You should hear all kinds of chatter in that area, Unless that area is strictly "Hands Free Zone"

It's not my radio it's the lack of chatter.

 

[Tallman]

It's not my radio it's the lack of chatter.

I had to ask. I had one guy come over to my house wanting me to trouble shoot his radio while it was in his car. He told me when he turned on the ignition his radio did not come on. He turn the ignition and sure as all get out the radio was blank. I reached over and turned the on/off volume switch and Viola! Radio on. Is your area up there Hands Free enforced? If so that might account for the lack of chatter. Antenna checked?

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

The channels in my area are mostly quiet. I live about a quarter mile away from US1 in Delaware and occasionally I will hear a few drivers on channel 19. There are a small group of locals that talk sometimes on ch 20. Other than that I have to wait for skip to roll in. I recently noticed that my local Walmart has the small Cobra radio for sale along with a really cheap looking mag mount. I am sure when the solar cycle allows the skip to be a regular occurrence, there will be an up tick in CB sales.

 

[jon666]

The channels in my area are mostly quiet. I live about a quarter mile away from US1 in Delaware and occasionally I will hear a few drivers on channel 19. There are a small group of locals that talk sometimes on ch 20. Other than that I have to wait for skip to roll in. I recently noticed that my local Walmart has the small Cobra radio for sale along with a really cheap looking mag mount. I am sure when the solar cycle allows the skip to be a regular occurrence, there will be an up tick in CB sales.

been dead here for years. in upstate n.y not even i trucker. is why i got my ham license.

 

[Robb]

An interesting article from 2012 of which I wholeheartedly agree with.

http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/lo...cle_9263766e-721d-5dc7-8d26-27e966ce108d.html

Thanks for posting that link

. . .However, I can only agree that is not being used at the same level that it was in the 1970's. I would also disagree of the direction of that article, since I believe that it ('CB radio') is a privilege that needs to be maintained and protected.

Is it 'over and out'? Hardly. Might be a little quiet now that skip conditions are low. But now that Federal law has been reversed in the direction of legal skip use, it will be used to the full extent of the law. Matter of fact, there was a small skip window yesterday, and the band and operators were out in full force from what I could hear. Even joined in myself.

In that regard, the foundation of that article was totally false and therefore slanted. I would go as far to say that they were either lying outright or didn't have a clue.

We also don't need to have laws enacted to do it damage. Is operating a CB radio while driving hazardous? The answer is no. No more than shifting gears, talking to the person next to you in the vehicle, taking a sip of your favorite drive-thru coffee, changing the station on your vehicles FM receiver, or using a turn signal. Or maybe those should be made illegal as well?

CB radio is also using your right of free speech, so long as you say your piece in a timely fashion, and then get the out of the way for someone else.

A little more common sense and a lot less of other people telling what you should want and do - sums it all up . . .

To the author of the article: sez you, ya commie b******.
lol

 

[Tallman]

been dead here for years. in upstate n.y not even i trucker. is why i got my ham license.

Same here, although I did not play with 11 meter skip I did listen. Now with ham radio I can always hear something going on.

But my main reason was I could possibly be of service like the hams in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.

 

[fourstringburn]

I can attest to the fact the CB is indeed dying off in the trucking industry. There are many reasons for this.

1. Older generations of drivers retiring, in jail, drug rehab, or gone off to the sweet bye and bye. These were the CBers of yesteryear. I consider myself to be some of the last of that generation being a pre-CDL era driver since 1985 and my CB is always on even though my HF rig is used more but I'm always monitoring the CB.

2. Newer breed drivers have smart phones, laptops, Sat-radio, GPS, and other forms of entertainment and CB is the least of their desire especially since 1 on 1 communication skills are deteriorating due to the popularity of social media. You can say we all are going down this road to by wasting precious radio time logging on to this Forum.

3. Company trucks are governed, log books are electronic so no need to watch for smokey bear or know if the chicken coops are open. Also no need to say "break one nine for local info" because of GPS.

4. Not to sound racial here but the fact is many trucks on the road are driven by and owned by people from foreign countries like India and European countries. These are hardly the CB truck driving stereotypes of yesteryear. Lately there have been indictments of many of these drivers with illegally obtained CDL's from bogus driving schools and bribes from DMV officials to get licensed. Wonderful isn't it!

5. The truckstop lot-lizzards are even using social media and not the CB anymore to keep from being chased out by truckstop security. It's been a while since I heard " any of them at a truckstop say " break one nine, any drivers looking for commercial company".

6. The last reason for the decline of CB use is because if Fine-Tune radio shop can't be at all places at one time, it's not worth investing in a CB if it can be "Fine -Tuned" before you use it!

 

[Unit 194]

I had to ask. I had one guy come over to my house wanting me to trouble shoot his radio while it was in his car. He told me when he turned on the ignition his radio did not come on. He turn the ignition and sure as all get out the radio was blank. I reached over and turned the on/off volume switch and Viola! Radio on. Is your area up there Hands Free enforced? If so that might account for the lack of chatter. Antenna checked?

My antenna is fine and as far as I know Hands Free is not enforced.

 

[Unit 194]

I can attest to the fact the CB is indeed dying off in the trucking industry. There are many reasons for this.

1. Older generations of drivers retiring, in jail, drug rehab, or gone off to the sweet bye and bye. These were the CBers of yesteryear. I consider myself to be some of the last of that generation being a pre-CDL era driver since 1985 and my CB is always on even though my HF rig is used more but I'm always monitoring the CB.

2. Newer breed drivers have smart phones, laptops, Sat-radio, GPS, and other forms of entertainment and CB is the least of their desire especially since 1 on 1 communication skills are deteriorating due to the popularity of social media. You can say we all are going down this road to by wasting precious radio time logging on to this Forum.

3. Company trucks are governed, log books are electronic so no need to watch for smokey bear or know if the chicken coops are open. Also no need to say "break one nine for local info" because of GPS.

4. Not to sound racial here but the fact is many trucks on the road are driven by and owned by people from foreign countries like India and European countries. These are hardly the CB truck driving stereotypes of yesteryear. Lately there have been indictments of many of these drivers with illegally obtained CDL's from bogus driving schools and bribes from DMV officials to get licensed. Wonderful isn't it!

5. The truckstop lot-lizzards are even using social media and not the CB anymore to keep from being chased out by truckstop security. It's been a while since I heard " any of them at a truckstop say " break one nine, any drivers looking for commercial company".

6. The last reason for the decline of CB use is because if Fine-Tune radio shop can't be at all places at one time, it's not worth investing in a CB if it can be "Fine -Tuned" before you use it!

Reason number 6 should have been included in the article.