OK since the subject came up I’ll give you my thoughts on CB’s
1. Don’t go on an organized trail run without one. Period.
2. Don’t rely on a hand held. (I have a couple and only use them for spotter duties so that I am THE ONLY ONE THAT IS BEING HEARD in the spotted vehicle) they just don’t work good from inside a vehicle and most of them sound like crap anyway. In a pinch a hand held CB can be used with an external antenna but with all the wires is a PITA.
3. Make sure it works and that you can be understood (this means you need to do this before the trail not during)
4. Tune your antenna. SWR meters are cheep or built into the more expensive CB’s.
5. For less than $75 you can get a CB and magnetic mount antenna that will work just fine. No need to spend more unless you want a good microphone.
6. Stick with a name brand such as Midland, Cobra or Uniden. To tell you the truth though the quality has gone down the last few years. I have gone through a lot of cheep and expensive radios from the $40 to $500 ones so now I only buy cheep name brand ones. Stay away from refurbished radios you find on the web. I have several and they all have issues.
7. Big truck stops are the place to buy them along with any other CB equipment like antennas, SWR meters and mounts. Radio Shack and Wallmart just don’t have everything you need so at some point you will end up at a truck stop.
8. Linda and I also use FRS/GRMS radios but we use them for private conversations, not to talk to the rest of the group.
9. During Easter Jeep Safari we ask participants to have CB’s but my experience has been that only 75% do have them and out of the 75% only 25% can be understood during introductions at the beginning of each trail ride.
Todd
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Jolly Roger VX'er
