CB channel usage across the US while traveling

There are other truck drivers here besides me. I’m OTR (Over-The-Road) and that’s a dwindling group. Container-hauling from inland rail ports changed cross-continent. But, when east of IH35 (west of which the rains stop), there’s a great deal of OTR drivers who mainly use AM-19.

This is assuming they are actual Americans, and are motivated enough to try and make a radio work. The typical Class 8 tractor nowadays is mainly composite-body, thus an RF groundplane has become exceedingly-difficult to work with.

1). See the map Mega-Regions of the United States. Traffic between these will feature drivers attentive to AM-19, but drivers out-of & back-into the same city will not. These are fleets of company drivers.

2). A ways away from those city regions and where you are traversing the factory floor (America doesn’t have farmers & ranchers anymore; it has assigned way-stations on the food manufacture line), there are FAR more owner-operators going significant distances. As being away from the Interstate is a feature of their work, AM-19 is monitored even where another channel may be in use.

— Those are the main groups. There are a kajillion sub-groups, some of whom operate a couple of months per year, to a heavy number in just one small region (and not seen anywhere else).

— Heavy Haul is the most interesting group to cover ALL of North America and to the Arctic Circle. The (literal) most-remote places. Might have 2-3 radios going at once (just spent a few days with some in my company fleet). You “may” hear them working with escort vehicles (pilot cars) on 19.

3). The Locals:
This ranges from great to terrible (on AM- 19). So much so I’ve decided to get and try a 355-series Bearcat Scanner to see what else is out there. I know that there’s always talk on other channels (before we get to SSB), but chasing it manually is too much work while driving.

There are areas where CB is local fun. I remember a long drive in Kentucky near the Ohio one summers afternoon & evening circa 1998, and my route had me bending away and then back towards the same 10-20 doing some hell-raising. Boats, pickemups and base stations. (I’ve noticed this near other major rivers and on the Gulf Coast away from tourists).

Truck drivers are most active on radio near dawn. On their way into a city for delivery. By the time they’ve chased down a new load and are outbound after 1300, their day is nearing its end. I’m underway by 0300-400, and prefer to be parked again by/before 1700 with about 500-miles done. (That’s an ideal day).

3-million truck drivers. 750k of them 150-miles or more away from home during the typical workweek. I’m west of Fort Worth with a load that came from Mexican border this morning (Wednesday night now). Deliver tomorrow north of OKC, bobtail to south of Muskogee to get another trailer, then re-load in Joplin, MO early Friday and will be in San Diego, CA on Monday. (A good week, as not all of them are; I came out of shop near Houston yesterday).

Most of us are involved in being 2-3 days ahead of where we are at the moment (well, the good drivers are). The inferior ones are past their true skill level at anything above 45-mph (not kidding), and what’s on the radio is more than walnut-sized craniums can deal with.

All that said, many have the radio on. All day. “Quiet” is relative.

Channel 9 for the most part is just another channel now...It hasn't been monitored in decades by emergency services...Every now and then you "might" run across a wrecker driver that has his radio set to pick up channel 9, but they are the exception more than anything...You will come more hearing Mexican Taxi companies using channel 9 than anyone in the States...when DX is rolling out of the South, all that spanish chatter you hear on 9 is those taxi companies.

After watching Ice Road Truckers I noticed they were using the usual Cobra 29’s, but mainly VHF FM radios. This is just a small list of VHF frequencies they use.

Arrow 2 is 162.270
Arrow 1 is 155.190
LADD 1 154.100
LADD 2 158.940
LADD 3 154.325
LADD 4 173.370
Carlile 160.125
Haulroad 151.925
Alcan BS 153.035

The LADD frequencies are used when they are on the Canadian side. All of these frequencies are used in accordance to the different roads they take. Road signs even indicate the frequency used in those remote areas. It would be interesting to listen to a live stream from a Broadcastify scanner contributor in that area, but the Alaska streams at this time are limited to a just a few, Marine, Police or Fire scanners around the major cities.

channel 19 here locally ,, i 4 and i 75,, channel 28 very active with the big strappers,,, channel 6 mostly noise,, channel 9 is the spanish channel,,,,

except for truckers, I see almost as many mobil hams as cbers, wonder what channel the hams are on? I monitor 19 when traveling, sometimes play with the skip channels, yep 9 is south of the border mostly, there is also a lot of mobil activity on 38LSB

I use a Stryker 955 mobile. I usually use the scan function while traveling so I don't miss anything.

Christopher17 said:

wonder what channel the hams are on

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Hams don't use "channels" we refer to actual frequencies. The only channelized band is 60 meters which has only 5 channels. Other than that, we can store frequencies into a memory channel for faster recall.

Christopher17 said:

except for truckers, I see almost as many mobil hams as cbers, wonder what channel the hams are on? I monitor 19 when traveling, sometimes play with the skip channels, yep 9 is south of the border mostly, there is also a lot of mobil activity on 38LSB

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Hams are not allocated to any specific channel numbers like CB. Look at one of the ham frequency maps that's allocated to Hams and you will see a wide range of frequency bands and various modes. In short, there’s no normal way of telling what frequency or mode they’re talking on. They live in the realm of having far more freedom of choice.

Slowmover said:

There are other truck drivers here besides me. I’m OTR (Over-The-Road) and that’s a dwindling group. Container-hauling from inland rail ports changed cross-continent. But, when east of IH35 (west of which the rains stop), there’s a great deal of OTR drivers who mainly use AM-19.

This is assuming they are actual Americans, and are motivated enough to try and make a radio work. The typical Class 8 tractor nowadays is mainly composite-body, thus an RF groundplane has become exceedingly-difficult to work with.

1). See the map Mega-Regions of the United States. Traffic between these will feature drivers attentive to AM-19, but drivers out-of & back-into the same city will not. These are fleets of company drivers.

2). A ways away from those city regions and where you are traversing the factory floor (America doesn’t have farmers & ranchers anymore; it has assigned way-stations on the food manufacture line), there are FAR more owner-operators going significant distances. As being away from the Interstate is a feature of their work, AM-19 is monitored even where another channel may be in use.

— Those are the main groups. There are a kajillion sub-groups, some of whom operate a couple of months per year, to a heavy number in just one small region (and not seen anywhere else).

— Heavy Haul is the most interesting group to cover ALL of North America and to the Arctic Circle. The (literal) most-remote places. Might have 2-3 radios going at once (just spent a few days with some in my company fleet). You “may” hear them working with escort vehicles (pilot cars) on 19.

3). The Locals:
This ranges from great to terrible (on AM- 19). So much so I’ve decided to get and try a 355-series Bearcat Scanner to see what else is out there. I know that there’s always talk on other channels (before we get to SSB), but chasing it manually is too much work while driving.

There are areas where CB is local fun. I remember a long drive in Kentucky near the Ohio one summers afternoon & evening circa 1998, and my route had me bending away and then back towards the same 10-20 doing some hell-raising. Boats, pickemups and base stations. (I’ve noticed this near other major rivers and on the Gulf Coast away from tourists).

Truck drivers are most active on radio near dawn. On their way into a city for delivery. By the time they’ve chased down a new load and are outbound after 1300, their day is nearing its end. I’m underway by 0300-400, and prefer to be parked again by/before 1700 with about 500-miles done. (That’s an ideal day).

3-million truck drivers. 750k of them 150-miles or more away from home during the typical workweek. I’m west of Fort Worth with a load that came from Mexican border this morning (Wednesday night now). Deliver tomorrow north of OKC, bobtail to south of Muskogee to get another trailer, then re-load in Joplin, MO early Friday and will be in San Diego, CA on Monday. (A good week, as not all of them are; I came out of shop near Houston yesterday).

Most of us are involved in being 2-3 days ahead of where we are at the moment (well, the good drivers are). The inferior ones are past their true skill level at anything above 45-mph (not kidding), and what’s on the radio is more than walnut-sized craniums can deal with.

All that said, many have the radio on. All day. “Quiet” is relative.

Click to expand...

Looks like you'll be running through the texas plains on your run out to Cali.

Back to topic,
From Amarillo I run a radius to about I-70 north, I-35 east, I-10 south and I25 west so anywhere in between what Slowmover applies right on. 19 when coming through Amarillo get you an answers from locals or a friendly bull wagon. Comparing from 15 to 20 years back it gets really quiet at times..... too quiet I start to wonder if it's still working... I become that guy hollering, break one...nine... for a radio check..... and that one driver at the petro says "check's in the mail driver" then I know it's working but realize it's just that there just isn't many on the citizens band anymore. Now I will say late in the day just as Slowmover said, it does liven up in Amarillo. Not the most civil people, mostly the chicken feed guy or the "workin girls" haha.. Okc is always a lively bunch even with Striker cb shop not being there to feud with drivers anymore.

With the next generation drivers coming in with a different way of communicating or just not communicating at all it's just not what it once was in this part of the world.

Eldorado828 said:

Looks like you'll be running through the texas plains on your run out to Cali.

Back to topic,
From Amarillo I run a radius to about I-70 north, I-35 east, I-10 south and I25 west so anywhere in between what Slowmover applies right on. 19 when coming through Amarillo get you an answers from locals or a friendly bull wagon. Comparing from 15 to 20 years back it gets really quiet at times..... too quiet I start to wonder if it's still working... I become that guy hollering, break one...nine... for a radio check..... and that one driver at the petro says "check's in the mail driver" then I know it's working but realize it's just that there just isn't many on the citizens band anymore. Now I will say late in the day just as Slowmover said, it does liven up in Amarillo. Not the most civil people, mostly the chicken feed guy or the "workin girls" haha.. Okc is always a lively bunch even with Striker cb shop not being there to feud with drivers anymore.

With the next generation drivers coming in with a different way of communicating or just not communicating at all it's just not what it once was in this part of the world.

Click to expand...

I’ve been selling it this way: the ones that ain’t on-air, . . we needn’t care.

Google gonna save ‘em!

Forgoing a tool with amazing properties for those who’s parents dropped them in front of a TV is par.

Nothing real unless a paid spokesman on Facebook or Fox tells them it’s daylight at 0130.

Suspect the neighbor of calumny, but wrap yo arms roun’ Orpah!



It’s fun to talk the subject. They think “I know what this is” (and don’t).

— A citizen without a Citizen Band Radio? (Contradiction).

1). Have a cheap radio and a Lil Will.
Demonstrate.

2). Then start the engine and slowly ease the Big Iron on-line.

— At a campground, it’s more impressive with a base antenna. (Do a good job of hiding that in the trees).

Put up a sign at the camp office.
“CH 7 at Seven”.

— What’s out there to hear, and how I might foster a little fun (the right kind) is a study in camaraderie.

Be persistent. (Ignore the boors.)

I asked advice on IH40 as it crosses IH35 in OKC this morning. Atop the flyover to go north. (Man, I was nationwide from up there).

Trying to find a radio supply house (“Hey all you OKC Big Radio’s”). Dr Bob got me to thinking, and via the Edmond OK HAM Club I found a guy who’ll make me a pair of jumpers (didn’t have adaptors).

Internet search last night (and all day the day before) rendered NADA from Houston to San Antonio to Del Rio then north.

OKC was lively all day. So was Tulsa.

Coaxman will meet me a mile from his home where I can park the big rig after I load in Joplin and start west, hammer-down.

Mini-UHF (Male) to SO-239. Gonna make the factory mounts sing Verdi with Super-Whack-Pack’m-Coax’m.

I’ve not ever made a request on-air folks don’t try to help.

If no one answers another guys question, I key up just to give him a 20 on his TX. Let him know he’s heard.

Just one guy gets the ball rolling, and purty soon the stands start to fill and the game announcer is introducing the players.

I know Eldorado828 is familiar with that phenomenon. As are other drivers.

Encourage the guy who’s trying. Many do try. Just not practiced at an opening.

It’s your needs-a-neck-shave nephew emerging from sisters basement first time since 2012.

One of our sons.

.

Slowmover said:

...then re-load in Joplin, MO ...

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Slow, you'll be a mere 65 miles north of me Friday morning.
Drive safe. Bring that big truck down to Rogers, AR and I'll buy you supper.

HomerBB said:

Slow, you'll be a mere 65 miles north of me Friday morning.
Drive safe. Bring that big truck down to Rogers, AR and I'll buy you supper.

Click to expand...

Why, thanks! That’d be a distinct pleasure.

Westbound yesterday out of the ‘dillo had Harddrive 350-miles SSW in Lordsburg and the crew in OKC 400-miles behind me able to hear him (and many others) on AM-19.

Night before at the Petro (stayed up too late cleaning interior after a run thru Blue Beacon) had Mr Stayawake on AM-19 and a local (Mr Audio Processor Chain) with a great-sounding Connex 4600 chatting away. Insults on offer.

CB still a world of its own. Can take awhile as conversational graces may not be in evidence.

Left Yaller House late and came upon an eastbound driver at the 54-mark who’d managed to slide off of a dry Interstate into the cabled drug runner median fence. Totally off of the roadway. Couldn’t have lined it up better on a bet.

He was just getting out as I passed. Shoulda heard the supplied soundtrack of what was (wasn’t) in his head at that point. Dem guys, they kept me laughing all the way to the state line.

Nothing like having your ineptitude on display on maybe the busiest truck route E-W Interstate in the nation.

Gotta be ready for that give & take on-air. Means you’re still breathing.

.

Slowmover said:

Westbound yesterday out of the ‘dillo had Harddrive 350-miles SSW in Lordsburg and the crew in OKC 400-miles behind me able to hear him (and many others) on AM-19.

Night before at the Petro (stayed up too late cleaning interior after a run thru Blue Beacon) had Mr Stayawake on AM-19 and a local (Mr Audio Processor Chain) with a great-sounding Connex 4600 chatting away. Insults on offer.

CB still a world of its own. Can take awhile as conversational graces may not be in evidence.

Left Yaller House late and came upon an eastbound driver at the 54-mark who’d managed to slide off of a dry Interstate into the cabled drug runner median fence. Totally off of the roadway. Couldn’t have lined it up better on a bet.

He was just getting out as I passed. Shoulda heard the supplied soundtrack of what was (wasn’t) in his head at that point. Dem guys, they kept me laughing all the way to the state line.

Nothing like having your ineptitude on display on maybe the busiest truck route E-W Interstate in the nation.

Gotta be ready for that give & take on-air. Means you’re still breathing.

.

Click to expand...

Big ray-did-ee-o--Truck'em up--big trucks--woop woop--rod knocker!

I got all that above except " Left Yaller House".

Also it's the "streakin Beacon"