5 Reasons CB Radio is Sometimes Better Than Ham Radio

►► I was told that I should stop messing around with CB radios. I disagree and in this video explain a few reasons why. Let me know what you think in the comments section but please keep things respectful.

► DISCLAIMER
The radio club I mention in this video is NOT a local club. All of the local radio clubs I've interacted with here in New England are excellent clubs and very supportive of ALL radio enthusiasts.

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[extreme]

imo it should stay separate. Cb'ers act a fool too much. They are always fighting, arguing, talking over each other...we dont need them on ham. Thats what the license system is for, , to keep these lower IQ people off the hf bands... Another thing, cb is 4watts, , period. It is actually illegal to attemp a contact over 150 miles away. The top of your cb antenna cant be over 12 feet off the ground. If you follow the law, a cb isnt worth it.

[greghunter]

I have been a Extra class Ham since 1991. I still love to get on 38 LSB they are probably more ham operators on 38 LSB Than 11 m operators. They are nothing wrong with Amateur operators talking on 11 meter that’s where over 3/4 of amateur operators come from.If your local club Gave you the cold shoulder that’s their problem not yours. Keep the good work up

[davidsradioroom]

Radio is radio. Yes, there are idiots on CB, but there are idiots on amateur radio, as well. CB is another tool in the toolbox for emergency communications. I heard that during Katrina, truckers provided valuable information to first responders. I am sure that has happened in other disaster situations, as well. EmCommers need to have as many avenues of communication as possible. Also, It can be fun to be on CB, too.

[jacktaylor]

There's a good reason we're seeing an uptick in CB sales again in the U.S.. For me it's like this:

1. It's free to use. 2. It's uncensored, open public communication. 3. No third party infrastructure, making it more dependable in the long run. 4. Emergency preparedness. 5. It's fun. As a hobby one learns radio application and antenna theory, but some history along with the technology... as you say, there's nostalgia to it.

Coming up on 2 years since I got (back) in to the radio hobby. Would like to see more folks get back on the air. Studying for my Tech, but honestly only to be a better 11 meter operator in the long run. I like having options.

[kcjbradio]

I chuckled when you called CB the “gateway drug” to ham radio. Same thing happened for me. I was in the middle of the CB craze in the 70s when I got my ham ticket in 1976. The rift between ham and CB radio came about when the FCC removed any license requirements for CB. I always had a CB in my vehicles (still do) and have recently started putting together a CB in my shack. 38 LSB has quote a bit of activity and the operators do take it seriously using Q-codes, etc. I think the only concern I have is the amount of CBers that are using ham radios on CB. I believe, and I might be wrong, that CB still has the 5W power limit, and we all know most ham rigs are 100W. Anyway, great idea for a video. Instead of a fireside chat it’s a roadside chat!

[daveNMXX]

I agree with you....amateur radio is a radio communications hobby, which I feel includes CB (and GMRS)

[markgossett]

You hit the nail on the head when you said pizzaz. I graduated high school in 1981. My Dad was a polio crippled TV Radio repairman who built really powerful linear amplifiers for his buddies back in the 70s. First talked on a cb when I was 13. You’re right about the nostalgia and the chrome and the gateway! Ham is not better. But rather it’s different. Their is no reason to be a snob. It’s merely a different starting point into this fascinating hobby. Yes I did like the video. And who knows? When I get my base station set up, you may be hearing from Chattanooga TN !

[StuartMTTQAmateurRadio]

I started off on CB in the early 80s when I was a kid and they were a craze in the UK. I still have my old radios in a storage unit. CB was the first mass social media! I would not have eventually got licensed without it. We were fortunate in my area that quite a few of the hams used CB too and passed on some of the knowledge. There is still some activity on 27MHz and I still talk to people on there.

[hamradiowithkevin]

Absolutely, I started in cb radio in the late 70s . Hell I used to hand create my own QSL cards and exchanged them as a young boy. I am afraid some of the older guys did not have that kind of fun experience when they were young, or just dislike people who like fun. No different then fishing. Many fly fishermen dislike shore fishermen. It's just a thing, who cares. Do what you love and share it. Life is to short to bother with anything else. Great video 741. 73

[randallbreen]

KO4KAD here, great video and I just bought my first CB in 30 years and use both! Keep up the good videos!

[kldzq]

Bravo!! I am 100% behind you on this one. I see reasons to be active in both Ham and CB, and I am. In fact, I got into CB after getting my Ham license - because it saw it as the cheapest and quickest way to get into HF before getting pricey Ham HF gear. I learned how HF signals propagate by using my CBs. And I love listening to skip during the day. I used CB as a teen in the 1970s but hadn't touched it since. Now I'm hooked again. You're right about the way the old radios look, and I've been collecting a few from the 70s because they're fun and cheap. Generally speaking they're simple in and out, and a guy like me can even do some of the repairs.

I really don't like the "rift" of CB vs Ham. Comparing them isn't fair; they are distinct culturally and both have relevant uses today. I'll add GMRS into that mix too, and I'm also licensed for that. Culturally it is also different from the other two - more emergency response and less rag chew in my area. Being involved in those three types of radio services brings variety to my own hobby. I steered myself away from a local club partly because of the reaction most of the members had to my use of CB. Pretty sad. But I've found MANY Hams who have been interested in CB and have started asking me questions about my radios etc. A lot of them have started to - or returned to - using CBs on the side for fun because of my involvement. We have Nets on Channels 16 and 40 LSB on Saturday nights locally, and many of the participants are also Hams. Some aren't, and 99% of them are great radio hobbyists who know a lot about electronics.

I have heard the divisive commentary, about how one service is this or that - or using demeaning terms to describe the operators. Not fair, not cool. CB isn't Ham. CB isn't GMRS, or MURS, or FRS. All services and all users are different. I have my fair share of CB stories with arguments, drunk tirades etc, and it's funny to talk about them. But I will never use those to describe all CB operators! That just doesn't make sense, right? And on CB there are 40 channels - which means someone can CHANGE THE CHANNEL if they don't like what they hear. That's freedom.

My oldest son is not the kind of person to get a Ham license, but he LOVES CB radio. I've been able to share that with him. In my mind, there are far more reasons to get involved in all types of radio services, than to focus on just one of them. Thank you for this video, and for your commentary! 73s from Kurt in Seattle - 993 / Checkpoint Charlie

[vinniec]

I was a kid in the 70's when I bought my first CB radio. i still have it here on the shelf. I had to have my father send in the form to get the CB license. Some of my friends ended up doing the same thing. We had a blast. I grew up on the Jersey Shore and in the early 90s we had a TON of people who lived in South Jersey and worked in North Jersey and we spoke to each other on the CB to and from work. I finally met a Ham in 1995 and in January of 1996 I got my Ham license. CB was sort of slowing down then and I was happy to find 2 meter repeaters to communicate. Many of the Hams I met looked down on "11 meters". For me, it was the excitement of two-way radio. I didn't understand the snobbery. Then you have Hams looking down on other Hams who don't get their General or Extra license. I heard one tell someone "You're only a 2 meter Ham." I am not sure how that was significant. Likewise, one old Ham would tell the other that "he" wasn't a real Ham because he couldn't work CW. Really? What happened to, "There is is something in this hobby for everybody"? Some hams only do CW, some only VHF. For those that do voice (phone) on 10 meters, how is that different than 11 meters? Having said that, yes there are bad actors on both sides. I finally put a CB back in my car (in addition to VHF) because a significant portion of my daily commute is on I-95 here in Southeast Georgia, near Savannah. There is not much going on on channel 19, but when road traffic is backed up, it is a tremendous help to take alternate routes. If one of my kids or friends wants to know more about radio (CB or Ham), I will absolutely help out. It is fun, you get to use a little math, a little physics and a little electrical theory for fun! And sharing that is even more fun! Thanks for the video.

[just_in_time]

I like this style of video you did. You made a lot of good points about CB radio. I have been using a CB radio in my pickup truck since i was 17 and still do to this day. I use it mostly for traffic info on my way back and forth to work. Sometimes I get informed before the GPS says anything. And you are right there are a lot of good people out there! In CB land I call it. lol

[Texasvalve]

I'm interested in getting my ham license so I watch ham radio videos on YouTube and I read the comments from hams and **some** hams are just so snobby and "above the world" it makes me loose interest immediately. But then I watch your videos and other "good" hams and it makes me want to do it again. Maybe one day I will, but for now I'll stick to the CB and have fun with it.

[Team-fabulous]

Coming from CB radio since I was 14 iv now had my ham ticket for nearly 20 years. I haven't operated as an amateur in over 5 years now for one simple reason...
The snobbery..
Ham operator's look down their nose I find and will shun you once they hear you are from a CB background, never has an 11 meter operator done this and the hypocrisy is alot of hams came from CB. When it comes to operating procedure I know loads of 11 meter stations could put plenty of hams to shame. Its been years since I bought an amateur radio but I still buy CBs...
I know my place and I'm very happy there.

[danielkinsman]

I have had my tech class license for 20 years but still do CB. I run a Uniden 980 SSB with a Wilson 5000

[pixotica]

I like cb radio. Most ham in my area is repeater 2m stuff, ie runs on 3rd party equipment, like cell phone. . I like stick to stick radio. If shtf I need local comms. I talk out 45 miles with a good radio/antenna. That is 1600 square miles of coverage locally. I like talking with people where I live. I have no need to talk the world. I get lots of skip so I do get the opportunity to do that for fun, and that is good fun. Why make it harder than it needs to be. I listen to hams on my shortwave and scanners. Doesn't seem any different than what I do on cb, and most of the traffic is 2m role calls with clubs. This has zero appeal. Cb is simple, easy going, fun. I just don't need anything more. If the powers down, my 12 v battery powers up my station for the whole day. No big power drain. I like setting up when hiking as well, I can get a 1/2 wave in the air on fish pole in 5 mins. Simple.

[joeladair]

Hello, been a ham since 1991. Last few years of my older age I have been taking up a bucket list of things I always wanted to do as a child and growing up, like metal detecting, rock tumbling, sling shot and now CB. Bought a President McKinley and Randy. Big reason for CB is Sun Spot cycle peaking in 2025, this means about 6 years of 11 meter skip. In any case for some reason I feel more at ease, comfortable CB'ng. I'll always be a ham, but CB is just plain funner!

Love your videos, and I see K2CJB below me, he has good ones too!

73 K0TU and now StormRider 313

[hatchetjackphillips]

I’m not a Ham operator. I’ve always been a CB guy growing up in the 70’s. Me and my friends had em in our trucks and Jeeps when we were in high school in the early 80’s. The guys I hunt with all have em in our trucks and hear quite a few people on em over in eastern Ohio along the West Virginia boarder where there’s no cell service. The locals over there are pretty fun to bs with on Friday and Saturday night when we’re over there. Ham radios were something I never had any interest getting into.

[gregsmith]

Thanks 741! Yep, I have many memories of CB radio from using it when I was a kid. We had a Johnson radio and it was a mobile and it went on trips with us. Fun stuff.