CB Radios for trails

[Hedgehog]

I don't know nothin' about CB type radios except that I hated them in the '70's. Dad was a trucker and well you know how the '70 were. Now that I'm older the idea of a radio of some sort on the CJ is appealing to me. Looking for radio advice. New/old models, type, antenna, what to get, what NOT to get ... the whole ball of wax.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Please see this post as a primer for radios: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/two-way-radio-basics-21511/

CB radios operate between 26 and 27 MHz, so a quarter wave antenna is 102 inches long. That's a lot of antenna. I would suggest either a shortened fiberglass stick antenna with a spring base or a shorten coil base antenna with a SS whip. Depends on where you are going to mount it. The antenna needs as much metal under it as you can get away with. That being said legal CBs don't put out much wattage, so you can get away with grounding or mounting to the bumper or frame, etc. Some may say different, but most CB's are created equal for what you want. Decide where you want to mount it and look for a size that will fit that location. Radios with a Noise Blanker option will help with electrical noise from your vehicle. If money is not an option Ranger makes several nice radios. Not many specialty stores these days, but any good truck stop will have some stuff on hand. If you have any specific questions, shoot em out this way and we'll try to get them answered.

 

[HackFabrication]

Watch it... I was a trucker back in the 70's.

Only have experience with a couple different brands: Cobra and Uniden. Both are about on a par, IMHO. But you'll get a bunch of opinions on either. Everyone has their favorite. Really depends on budget.

My rig is a Uniden PC66XL that I've had for 40+ years. It's got a full 5 watts. I've got it mounted to the roll cage and it uses a 102" stainless steel whip.

 

[hole]

Not even sure what brand is in my 8,(it was a take out of a semi that was getting scrapped) but it works great on the trails. The antenna is a Firestick and is about 36" long so no worries about it getting caught on a low tree branch.

 

[Posi]

x2 on the the posts above.
I have an old cobra in one rig, and midland in another.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

I have always liked the top end Cobra radios.
Use a 4' adjustable Firestick antenna so you can adjust/tune the SWR to match the antenna to your radio.
Radio I use-
http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-29-LX-40-Channel-Selectable/dp/B004RO3RBE

Antenna--
http://www.amazon.com/Firestik-Series-Tunable-Antenna-Watts/dp/B000SB6SDE

Get the stiffest stainless spring you can find for the antenna mount.

You may well need to install a 'filter' on the radio's power(+)lead to remove RFI. Install this filter as close to the radio as you can.
BTW-I'm a former 'trucker'.

LG

 

[Hedgehog]

Easy truckers, my dad put food on the table for most of his life pushing a big rig down the road and I'm proud of that fact. This isn't about truckers and the comment was about the CB radio craze that flooded the US back then. We had a CB base unit at my grand mothers house, she didn't understand the Limited range of a CB unit. So when things went bad, she's jump on the CB and start hollering "Johnnie", "Johnnie are you out there!", "Johnnie where are you!" She didn't understand that he was probably 300 miles away and a CB just doesn't have that kind of power.

Peanut Butter - I haven't seen your thread on CB's. I'll have to start looking around some for it.

I generally run an open top jeep and plan on putting the radio on the roll cage center bars. It will generally be up and out of the weather, but not entirely. Are the Marine radios better for this sort of location or are there weather proof radios for vehicles other than boats?

 

[Lumpy Grits]

You will NEED a secondary(larger)speaker for the radio.
Marine radios run on different 'freaks' than CB doez.
Why don't you look into a 'ham' lic for 2 or 10 meter radio.
I have held my lic since the late 1960's.
73s
LG

 

[mtnwhlr]

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/two-way-radio-basics-21511/

 

[HackFabrication]

Easy truckers, my dad put food on the table for most of his life pushing a big rig down the road and I'm proud of that fact. This isn't about truckers and the comment was about the CB radio craze that flooded the US back then.

We weren't taking shots at ya, just letting ya know that there were a few of us on the board who also rolled the big iron up and down the interstates.

And yeah, I remember the whole 'Smokey and The Bandit' CB craze...

I generally run an open top jeep and plan on putting the radio on the roll cage center bars. It will generally be up and out of the weather, but not entirely.

That's where mine is mounted. Get a bimini and put it on if you think it's going to rain. Or a plastic bag to slip over it. Although that will make it challenging to use...

Are the Marine radios better for this sort of location or are there weather proof radios for vehicles other than boats?

As LG pointed out, it's a different bandwidth allotted to Marine radios. And yes most, if not all, are 'weatherproof'. I had one for years in my 22' Sylvan I boated on the Great Lakes. I've never seen a specific marine CB radio (like they market marine FM radios). Although, if you use CB on a boat, you will need a marine CB antenna (ground plane issues). You might be able to find a weatherproof type CB, but most of the ones I've seen are 'walkie-talkie' type.

Find a nice Uniden, Cobra, Midland in the $100 range (new). Or pickup a used one. I wouldn't go SSB (Single Side Band) unless it's a deal that's really good. 40 channels is enough. Just make certain it has a microphone with it (if it's a used unit).

A good antenna will make a basic CB very good. A cheap antenna (or one improperly matched), will make a top end CB sound bad. Don't skrimp on the antenna or the mounting system. I've had excellent luck with K40. You don't need duals, IMHO. Like I posted, I'm running a single 102" SS (powder coated black) mounted on the side of my CJ (quasi military style):



The whip isn't installed, but you can see the spring mount bolted through the corner armor. Remember that CB is 'line of sight'. The taller the antenna, the more range (within the limits of your wattage), you'll get.

I'm lucky in the way there is a CB shop within 10 miles of my house. They've been in business for a loooong time and are one of the few places (other than some truck stops) that sell/service/repair CB radios.

 

[Knighttime85]

Have any of yall tried one of the hand held CBs, and if so how did you like it?

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[hondo]

i have used the hand held cbs and they work ok but it is literally only good for vehicle to vehicle when you're all lined up. get at all spread out and they are useless. can't add much over what was stated. except if you need a longer range then get you're ham license and use it advantage to a ham is that more people listen to them these days then cb and they can reach out beyond the woods if you get hurt and need help back on the trail.

 

[Knighttime85]

Yeah I just planned on using it while lined up on trail rides.

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[Lumpy Grits]

Have any of yall tried one of the hand held CBs, and if so how did you like it?

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Yes-I use one also, when out of the jeep.
Very short range but works well while on the trail.
LG

 

[Torxhead]

I would suggest an underdash mounted CB radio, for ease of handling and not having to put the thing next to your ear while driving. A hand held unit works good for a spare for you or a fellow trailrider and when you have to walk ahead to check out the trail or giving directions out side the Jeep. An oversize speaker helps also and I would not go for a high dollar unit, batteries are expensive too. My $.02

 

[Lumpy Grits]

110%!
This is what I've done.......
LG

 

[IOPort51]

cheep ! and don't have it tuned. extra speaker is good.

 

[Hedgehog]

There is a Cobra on local Craigslist I'm trying to work a deal with right now. I also have a neighbor that had a few radios in his attic when he bought the house. He offered them to me, but haven't heard from him since. That is what got me thinking about radios. I'll have to hit him up again.

 

[diddy2003]

Uniden 510 Jeep & Off-Road CB Kit | Right Channel Radios

I went with the Uniden Pro 520 Xl, 3' FS, and the right rear tail light mount. It works great. I also got this little speaker:
Compact 5 Watt CB Speaker | Right Channel Radios

Works well considering how cheap it is.

They offer another one now too:
Official "Jeep" CB Speaker | Right Channel Radios

 

[Peanut Butter]

Why don't you look into a 'ham' lic for 2 or 10 meter radio.
I have held my lic since the late 1960's.
73s
LG

Lumpy is right on here. With a CB your chance of finding somebody to talk to in an emergency is slim to none in the back woods. If you are with a club then they are great. A 2 meter Amateur radio is better quality, more power which equals longer distance, and there are lots of repeaters around. The test is an easy multiple choice questions. Cost is minimal. I haven't had my license as long as Lumpy, but in a pinch it is a much better system. Also we are talking FM instead of AM, just like the car radios. Here is a web site that has practice tests you can take: Callsign Database by QRZ.COM they also have a swap list where you could pick up a good deal on a used radio, and here is a web page with just about everything you need to know about getting a license: ARRL Home In Tucson alone there are 18 repeaters. Here is a map and listing: AzRepeaters.Net - Main/Repeater Maps