I have noticed many new and used RV's have a CB radio installed. I remember years ago trucker and non truckers used them and the radio were usually real busy and noisy. With the advent of the cell phone does the CB radio still in use in 18 wheelers as before? Are they that helpful to the rv driver? I have a 31 ft. Minnie and mine does not a CB radio?.
I asked the same questions you did not too long ago and ended up buying a portable CB from CW that works just fine. Truckers still use them as well as others and seems to be remarkably quite compared to usage many years ago. We leave it on during trips to monitor, as well as HAM radio, and came in very handy when the freeway we were on was completely stopped, put out a call and 2-3 people told us exactly what was happening a couple of miles ahead.
Good luck and safe trips.
Fred C, Mary & 'Noah' (momma's boy) SoCal
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Yes the CB radio's can really be used now days, its not like it was back in the 70s and 80s, and the truckers use Ch 19, and the other channels are quiet. Some people are trying to get the RVers to monitor CH 13 as the RV call channel, and that could be a good thing.
I have one with the 10 weather channels and the weather emergency alarm built in, and keep it on Ch 13 when were traveling. Its handy but not every one has one, or if they do they dont keep them on.
It would be nice if more had them and used them.
2001 27' Four Winds Class-C E-450 V-10.
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1941 Farm All "A"
Starting tomorrow, July 1, in California, if the driver is using a cell phone it must be hands free.
The driver can still use any radio that they want to except a radio built into a cell phone.
When we caravan we used to use FRS radios, but switched to cell phones when the minutes got cheap enough. Time to pull the FRS radios out again, perhaps.
CB and FRS appear to be legal in CA.
Wayne in San Jose
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD 4x4 Crew Cab
2005 Trailmanor 2720
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PopBeavers wrote: Starting tomorrow, July 1, in California, if the driver is using a cell phone it must be hands free...SNIP
Ditto for Washington. It is only a "second offense" law though. You have to be pulled over for something else before you can be ticketed for this.
Why can't we have solid "driving while distracted" law that if you are doing other things while driving you get ticketed? From the cab of a truck I have seen most all of it. One of my favorites was the person with a major insurance company in a car promoting safe driving working on a laptop in the right seat, with notes propped up on the steering wheel. Saftey...Right.
We would like to use our CB in our RV but having difficulty selecting an antenna with all of the fiberglass on the body and not excited about drilling holes. Does the combination radio/CB antenna work okay? That would be easier to do -just replace the radio antenna with the combo one.
Anyone have experience with those CB radios built into the hand-held microphone? It appears all you have to do is plug the microphone into a 12V cigarette lighter socket, and the CB radio is ready to use. I assume the antenna is built into the coily cord.
I never owned a CB radio. This seems a care-free way of having one without installation. But I wonder how good their transmission & reception would be.
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loliver wrote: With the advent of the cell phone does the CB radio still in use in 18 wheelers as before? Are they that helpful to the rv driver?
Cell phones are great for calling campgrounds for reservations, emergency road service for breakdowns, friends, etc. It's true that a lot of people have cell phones these days, but until people start putting their phone numbers on their cars, trucks, and trailers, they aren't very useful for warning someone about a dangerous condition (like their tire going flat) or asking what is the traffic hold up and how long is the backup. You also won't have anyone call you to tell you that there is a major traffic snarl up ahead and you should get off the road while there's still a chance.
Cell phones can't really help you with many of these scenarios, but a CB can be real handy.
ron.dittmer wrote: Anyone have experience with those CB radios built into the hand-held microphone? It appears all you have to do is plug the microphone into a 12V cigarette lighter socket, and the CB radio is ready to use. I assume the antenna is built into the coily cord.
I've not seen one like what you're talking about. Perhaps you are talking about one like the one I have from Cobra?
While all the controls are built into the microphone, it still requires installation and an external antenna. There is a very small junction box that mounts under the dash, which has 12 volt power wires, a socket that the microphone plugs into, and a socket for the antenna.
This is the junction box (it's available separately so you can install it one in a second vehicle, and just move the microphone back and forth between them.)
It works well, I have no complaints, other than the sound is a bit tinny coming from the small speaker. The junction box does have a jack for an external speaker, and that might help.
I would be concerned about anything that doesn't have an external antenna. It's a pain to mount an antenna and run the wires, but the antenna is the most important part of the setup. Using a hand-held walkie-talkie inside the rig, or using something that doesn't have a proper antenna (like something built into the coiled cord) just can't hold a candle to a good external antenna, in my opinion. I won't say the others won't work, but I think they are seriously compromised.
I've used an FRS hand-held radio inside the truck, and it works, but I also have one that has a remote microphone and a magnet mount antenna that goes on the roof, and that one works much better than the handheld when inside the vehicle.
2007 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PDQ 400 ISL Cummins/Allison
2002 Chevy Avalanche toad
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They make CB antennas that are designed for fiberglass surfaces, and dont require a metal ground plane, (Fire-stick) is one.
I installed a white one on the drivers side down about 8" from the roof, and back about 3' from the truck door, so the coax comes out in the cabinet with the DVD/VCR Etc in it.
It comes with a gasket and side mount,(I would not install one on the roof) and I used a little sealant and have no rain or water leaks. And you can unscrew the antenna if you want to install an RV cover.
It sticks up about 3" above the roof, and gives good radio coverage, and looks original, and good.
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