The 3 Types of People still using CB Radio

[dantheman]

Be ready guy you think your cell phone will never shut down always need a back nothing wrong with keeping a cb on hand.

[scottthomas]

I listen to your colleagues in the late evening, early morning when traveling East for trade shows. The boys help keep each other awake with conversations in the post-midnight frame. Not as often today, but still takes place. I just listen and don't interrupt; after all, I'm just' a minivan.

[SevenFortyOne]

There are also radio enthusiasts (radio nerds maybe?) who still use CB. They like tinkering with and learning about electronics, antennas and radio in general. Some will move into Ham Radio after spending some time on CB while others are not interested in getting a Ham Radio license and find CB is enough.

[DieselTrucker]

You forgot one... What about the mud duck in the desert and a couple of them high powered airwave users that clog up the channel 19 band??.

[darryldoesit]

You forgot to mention the Lot Lizards...

[Porco_Utah]

I am 4 wheeler, and Ham radio operator also. always use CB CH 19 when I drive long distance along I-15 Calif to Idaho. leave them ON most of the time, it is very useful when weather get bad, accident ahead, so on. I think every truck should have them, even should be required by Law. large RV trailer over turned on down hill on I-15 in Utah mountain road covered with Snow and ice. I heard most of the two lanes were blocked ahead on CH 19. it is safety item.

[brianveitenheimer]

Life long 11m operator and ham operator. CB is still alive and well if you ever strayed of 19AM.

[spencerjohnson]

Im an 18 year old diesel tech for a fleet in indiana... I would say a good 60% to 65% of our drivers dont have CBs anymore. Ive got a little uniden and a 2 foot whip on my pickup, i would love to see more people get back on. I dont see how you could be a trucker and not want to communicate with fellow drivers. This part is debatable but i dont think it even has to be crucial information, it is just nice to pass the time on the interstate as long as youre not saying stupid shit

[manidig]

I started as CB kid back in the 70s and got my ham license when I was 14. CB used to require a mail-in license with an actual call sign but when so many thousands of people got them in then late 70s they got rid of that requirement. CB transmissions were supposed to be short (5 minutes). They were supposed to direct to another station-- no broadcasting. No music. That's what AM and FM radio were for. It wasn't originally for commercial businesses-- that's what land-mobile service is for. The service is supposed to exist for ordinary people of any kind to have access to two-way radio communication on a fair basis. With cell phones the whole thing is kind of obsolete. But for specific people who can still make used of it (and trucking is a perfect example--especially in the many places a cell phone doesn't reach or if you're in a major storm of some kind--it's a life saver!) Those same "tinfoil hat" types are on the Ham bands too. Since you have to pass a test to be a Ham and you are assigned a call sign and people can find you the Hams are a more behaved bunch. But I still miss the old "Breaker Breaker one nine anyone out there got And someone would respond that they had a and it went on and on. Be safe.

[jeffclyburn]

OlD boomer I've got a Cobra 29 LTD classic hooked up to a 102" whip antenna mounted on my chimney for a base station. It gets interesting when the skip gets active. Drive safe.👍

[alphacentauri]

I used to use my CB radio as a wannabe HAM radio operator. Back then as a 12 year old, having the ability to talk to people from Maine to the Caribbean on days when your signal would skip all over the place was a magical experience.

[bricks-mortar]

TY. Clicked on this video, after finding CB radio in a box at home. I don't even remember when I bought it, over a decade ago.

[AdvantureRoad]

Wife and I do a lot of road trips and I put a radio in our vehicle so we could get information about wrecks, road conditions, ect. and I have to absolutely agree with your assessment. Haven’t heard to many conspiracy theorists, but definitely plenty of “preachers” that I don’t know what language they’re even speaking. Always had a radio in my truck as a younger man back in the mid 90’s and there’s a huge difference in how it’s used now. I don’t even know if law enforcement monitors the cb if you would need to get ahold of them for something. I’ll always keep one in every vehicle I own just in case, but I don’t know I’d call it as useful as it used to be

[zarnell]

I grew up in very remote Native Alaska, at Fish camp everyone had a CB radio and used call signs, it was very locally public but due to our remoteness the airwaves were all ours! Feels like an entire different life now that i live in the modern world. I am retired now and just purchased an Older RV and YES!!!! It has a CB radio in it. I haven't used it yet but have been thinking about it and found myself here on your Vid. Looking forward to checking it out!... Do ppl still have callsigns? Mine was "DeadtillNoon" because i liked to stay up late and sleep in.

[IndianOutlaw_]

We use them daily running bulk materials so if you see a dump truck, end dump, belly dump, side dump, bulk trailer they got their ears on all across Oklahoma from ch1-21 but 1, 4, and19 is what we use locally

[PNWJMc]

I was number 3 back when I still had them in my vehicles. I'm not a professional driver on the road. I eventually gave up on the CB since I never heard English any more.

[polonium]

I am a Ham radio operator (general license), and I have added a CB to my truck and one in my Ham shack because CB is good way to track traffic on long trips to West Texas and to stay in touch with local operators in case of inclement weather and local emergencies. I do not like idle chat or rants of any kind on radio, but I appreciate the chance to monitor comments, notices and conversations on long trips on 2-M, 1.25-m, and 70-cm Ham bands and on CB. I wish more CB operators would consider earing at least a Ham technician's license, as their participation in local/regional emergency communications groups would be most welcome.

73
KI5KET

[billredding]

I put one in my Jeep, even though I know the off-road/4x4 people prefer GMRS now. Got mine (President Bill II FCC AM/FM/NOAA) mainly to LISTEN, not talk or for idle brainless/inconsiderate chit-chat. Specifically, I got mine for these reasons:
1. Listen to truckers on the freeways in case there is some sort of traffic slowdown or such, IF that's possible because as you say, there's WAY too much rude/inconsiderate trash-talkers on 19 to hear much legitimate talk/info. And they don't keep it SHORT, then get off -- they go on & on tying up a channel.
2. Listen to the NOAA weather channels -- definitely something I wanted on my CB in case of inclement weather coming. Got caught in a Colorado snowstorm (twice) I wasn't expecting back when I did NOT have a CB...it would have helped if I had known a storm (or a tornado, flooding, etc.) was expected.
3. If I'm in a convoy on-road or off, and I can STILL use CB if someone else has one to keep in touch close-up. Or, can just use my FRS hand-held (and loan one to another person) for very close distances such as that.
4. Finally, in a SHTF situation and if cell phone towers are down, I can try to (again, just LISTEN) find out what happened, either via my CB Base Station (President McKinley II FCC AM/FM/SSB/NOAA) in my apt or the via mobile CB out in my Jeep if I'm NOT at my apt.
So for me, I though going CB was was worthwhile enough. ;-)
Just wish the FCC would crack down on the cheaters (including the Super Bowl fools), BSers and other airhead/DFs who are messing-up CB today. AND, "revive" Channels 9 & 19 to keep them CLEAR as most people (apparently) have NO respect for those 2 channels anymore. Fo example, one fool here is CONSTANTLY on channel 9 -- coming in loud & clear -- jabbering on and on in SPANISH and ALWAYS seems to be on 9. HIGHLY annoying and he never shuts up.
Also, I'd like to see every state's DPS/EMS system monitor channel 9 as it used to in case we want to report an accident or some other emergency. From what I've gathered, CB is kind of making a comeback, as now radios have FM band added -- great for clearer close-range use (like convoys on/off-road)...so it seems people are buying enough CB radios for the manufacturers to keep making them and taking it further by adding FM.
But really, I'd like to see the trash on CB tracked-down and fined/jailed...they have NO business being on the air and as you said, the REST of us don't want to hear anything from them at all.
-- BR

[jimgraham]

The big thing is if the CB was used for what it should be there would be no more of those big multi vehicle pileups. I am retired but I still have my radio on in my pickup truck when I am traveling. But yes, there are also those that are sitting at home with a power amp just saying stupid stuff just for the purpose of pissing drivers off.

[Rottingboards]

Sad, in the 1970s it was a great way for truckers to have fun while driving.