We bought this new coach a few months back. I hemmed and hawed about things I wanted to add. You know, those extra things...
A CB radio was one of those things I just wasn't sure about. I had watched the posts on CB radios and just wasn't sure if I wanted one of those noisy old boxes that whined with alternator noise, that on occasions said things I really didn't want to hear, and sometimes even called me good buddie and asked what my twenny was.
A couple of weeks ago, just before we left for a week's trip down to Florida, in a weak moment, I splurged and bought one.
We'd just gone over the Tappan Zee Bridge and were turning off at the Garden State Parkway exit off of 287 when the box started talking to me.
Hey, southbouth RV on the Parkway... Godany ears in that motorhome?
There was a class C three cars ahead so I asked "are you talking to the small white one or the bigger brown and maroon one?
"the big one," he said.
"OK, you've got him," I said.
"You've got a very flat outside driver's side rear tire."
Holy smoke!
"Mucho thank you," I said as I pulled into that first service area that was coming up on the left.
I felt nothing. No sign that the tire was flat (And very flat it was). If it hadn't been for that trucker, who knows what would have happened.
So... A big thank you, to you Mr. Trucker, who ever you are. Thanks for taking the time to help someone out.
Thanks to Willie, the tire repair guy that Good Sam ERS sent to help.
And... A big thanks to that CB radio. I knew I put it in for a reason. I just didn't know what the reason was.
By the way... The tire was flat because the idiot technician at the RV service department where the rig was serviced four days before we left, didn't tighten the valve stem extender he installed for me. The extension was just loose enough to wiggle around and bleed the air out slowly. Stupid me...
2006 Winnebago Adventurer
Wonderful Wife/Co-Pilot/Best Friend of 37 years
...and Casey, in memory only.
I have a hand held Midland that has been helpful many times. Listen to the truckers when everything starts slowing down and you can start planning what lane to get in and what is going on. Usually don't leave it on because of all the chatter but sometimes it is entertaining when the driving gets boring.
We bought a Midland - don't remember the Model but it has builtin Weather Band and weather alert. No licence required by Uncle Sam. It a good radio for our purpose. I installed a remote speaker for it right above and just behind my head at the drivers seat. That way I can keep the volume down so it doesn't get too annoying. It's off when we're stopped but gets turned on when we move.
mine is portable to the point that the antenna is magnet and I put it on the roof. I bought the cobra all in one hand radio and it does a good job. just wish my old buddy still had his tuning equipe so he could super tune it for range.
We use one all the time. We stay on channel 13, but do use the truckers channel if traffic is a problem. We have a 18"x12" sign on the back that tells others we are on 13, we get calls from other RVers and truckers with some great information. It doesn't work to well without the sign, and yes people coming in the other direction won't see the sign, but still it works great for us.
Jim & Jane
2008 Cardinal 30TS
Trail Air Pin Box, Air Suspension, Smartair Air Spring Self Leveling, Reese Signature Series 18K hitch
2008 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 Duramax/Allison Ext Cab Long box Use And Promote CB Channel 13
skipit wrote: We bought this new coach a few months back. I hemmed and hawed about things I wanted to add. You know, those extra things...
A CB radio was one of those things I just wasn't sure about. I had watched the posts on CB radios and just wasn't sure if I wanted one of those noisy old boxes that whined with alternator noise, that on occasions said things I really didn't want to hear, and sometimes even called me good buddie and asked what my twenny was.
A couple of weeks ago, just before we left for a week's trip down to Florida, in a weak moment, I splurged and bought one.
We'd just gone over the Tappan Zee Bridge and were turning off at the Garden State Parkway exit off of 287 when the box started talking to me.
Hey, southbouth RV on the Parkway... Godany ears in that motorhome?
There was a class C three cars ahead so I asked "are you talking to the small white one or the bigger brown and maroon one?
"the big one," he said.
"OK, you've got him," I said.
"You've got a very flat outside driver's side rear tire."
Holy smoke!
"Mucho thank you," I said as I pulled into that first service area that was coming up on the left.
I felt nothing. No sign that the tire was flat (And very flat it was). If it hadn't been for that trucker, who knows what would have happened.
So... A big thank you, to you Mr. Trucker, who ever you are. Thanks for taking the time to help someone out.
Thanks to Willie, the tire repair guy that Good Sam ERS sent to help.
And... A big thanks to that CB radio. I knew I put it in for a reason. I just didn't know what the reason was.
By the way... The tire was flat because the idiot technician at the RV service department where the rig was serviced four days before we left, didn't tighten the valve stem extender he installed for me. The extension was just loose enough to wiggle around and bleed the air out slowly. Stupid me...
Be sure to let the RV service department know, in a friendly manner, about the error. They'll want to prevent it from happening again.
Years ago, before cellphones, CB's were the trucker's most important piece of electronics and could still be today as long as they're used wisely. I've helped others out and ahve been helped thru CB radio.
spat61 wrote: Wow. You convinced me. Do you need any type of license for a CB? What brand did you buy and how do you like it? Thanks for the great post.
Steve
No license is required for CB at this time in the US, don't know about Canada, I have a Cobra (Top of the line) in the motor home on 19, a Realistic (Vintage, this sucker is 25 if it's a day) on 13 and a low end cobra in the towed. I've had them pay for themselves many times. IN fact the realistic used to be in a van some 20 years ago and I was driving, unknowing, onto some black ICE, the radio warned me of an overturned semi so I started backing it down... About the time I hit around 5MPH I found two out of four cars who had NOT backed it down quite as quick as I had... One in each ditch, totaled, Sheltered till police arrived, took them home, paid for the trip they did.
And what is more.. I had narry a scratch in my van... Had I had to panic stop I'd have not been so un-scarred.
And that was just one trip.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
I had my brakes lock up on my 5th wheel about 4 years ago while doing 65 on the turn pike. I didnt even realize it till a trucker told me on the CB my wheels were smoking . I have always had a CB in the truck as far back as I can remember .I always have it on 19 while towing.
I am just completing a trip from SCA to MD and back in less than 2 weeks. We went East on route 10 to 85 and then up to MD. Coming back we picked up route 20 in Atlanta and went across to 10 and back home. We saw many RV's with CB antennas, but calls on Channel 13 were unanswered. I suspect many have radios to call on channel 19 in an emergency, but due to the "talk" on 19, probably have their radios turned off.
Why dont we all monitor ch13? I suspect the conversations might be a lot "cleaner" than on 19. If you want your might be able to do a dual watch on 13 and 19.
Lets make CH 13 the RV channel and be able to say Hi to each other!!
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