CB Radio / Ham Radio?

[two miles uphill]

DMR is the route I'm going.  got a cellphone signal and I can talk to the entire planet.  I tried the 146.520 and not a peep.  The only option for 2 meter or 70 cm is to program in all the repeaters along your route.  Seems like a lot of work just to ragchew while driving.

[Transient]

DMR?  Something new to learn about.  This is getting bigger the more I learn about it.  I move every 3 years.  I could acquire a database of repeaters.

 

Getting back to CB, thoughts on Midland CMX760???  I know it's discontinued and only units available are what haven't been sold, but it's either that or the Cobra 75 WX ST.  Seems like Cobra is suffering from quality issues, and the 75 WX ST mic is larger, heavier, and Midland has one more feature.  I found a CMX760 for ~$120 NIB.  Everybody else wants $165-$230 for the Cobra. 

Edited January 1, 2022 by Transient

[two miles uphill]

3 hours ago, Transient said:

-$200DMR?  Something new to learn about.  This is getting bigger the more I learn about it.  I move every 3 years.  I could acquire a database of repeaters.

There is already a database of repeaters on repeaterbook.com.   Still you have to program the freq, offset and PL tones for each one.  Not an easy task in heavy traffic although you could add everything before you left.  DMR always has someone talking and switching to a tac channel for a QSO is much easier than programming in a repeater.  I hear people all the time, driving trucks in the USA and Europe on DMR.  One guy talks while out walking his dog.  There is even a radio out not that has the cell, hotspot and radio all in one device.  Pricey but convenient.  I have an anytone 878 with an openspot3 and use my cellphone for wifi.  I can carry it in my pocket and take it anywhere.  Too much trouble for me to add antennas and such.  I have a portable HF rig if I want traditional when I get where I'm going.

 

The downside to DMR is you can't listen to trucks for traffic etc but if I'm stuck in a parking lot going somewhere like I95 I can still entertain myself.

 

I used an HT with a mag mount on my 2500 on a trip to Florida.  Nothing not a peep on national calling channel and I tried every 10-20 miles.

[nichos]

Same here, I've drove almost 1,000 in the southeast with the ham radio on 146.520, I never heard anything.

 

CH 19 on the CB though, is pretty active. Especially if you get near larger truck stops or in the city. It lights up during any traffic jam.

[Transient]

Pulled the trigger on the Uniden CMX760.  Now looking into antennas and whether or not I need an external speaker.  I think I've come up with a way to install antennas without going too high in height, but considering going dual based on what I've read about needing to balance between the left and right.  Any recommendations?

 

Btw, have any of you on DMR contacted the space station yet?

[Transient]

Just thought I'd follow up on the CB radio deal I found.  It was ebay and started at $121.  Sold for about $220.  No, it wasn't me.  I found another elsewhere for less.  Once the ebay bidding went too high I bought the other one I found.  Somebody paid way too much for a Uniden CMX760.

[nichos]

18 hours ago, Transient said:

Just thought I'd follow up on the CB radio deal I found.  It was ebay and started at $121.  Sold for about $220.  No, it wasn't me.  I found another elsewhere for less.  Once the ebay bidding went too high I bought the other one I found.  Somebody paid way too much for a Uniden CMX760.

 

A lot of "preppers" are in to radio comms (ham and CB), so there's been an increase in the sales of them I'd say in the past ~5 years or so.

 

Or maybe that's just my observation

[Transient]

2 hours ago, nichos said:

 

A lot of "preppers" are in to radio comms (ham and CB), so there's been an increase in the sales of them I'd say in the past ~5 years or so.

 

Or maybe that's just my observation

Doing some digging, it appears this particular CB is out of stock everywhere.  Some websites say it'll be available after the 15th.  Does that mean this CB is that much better than the Cobra 75 WX ST?  Still finding those in stock everywhere.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Transient

[nichos]

"Better" in which way? The most important thing with CBs is the antenna. Personally, I like the president radios, but they're a bit higher up in price. They make some ultra compact ones though.

My advice is narrow down to budget, features that you want/must have, and focus the rest of your money and research on a good antenna.

 

Good luck!

[Transient]

On 1/5/2022 at 7:05 PM, nichos said:

"Better" in which way? The most important thing with CBs is the antenna. Personally, I like the president radios, but they're a bit higher up in price. They make some ultra compact ones though.

My advice is narrow down to budget, features that you want/must have, and focus the rest of your money and research on a good antenna.

 

Good luck!

Based on the prices in finding for CBs, money really isn't an option.  It's cheaper than I thought it was going to be.  I went into this assuming I'd be paying $300-$400 for a CB.  I wanted an All In One because all the controls are in the mic.  It's more compact/concealable, and won't affect my passengers.  I am hung up on the antenna research at the moment.  Just haven't been able to commit the time to searching like I want to.  Lots of other things going on right now.  Not a biggie.  Seems UPS is taking its sweet time getting my delivery to me.

[Transient]

CB finally arrived.  Reading owners manual, it says to wire to something switched so it's off when the truck is off and on when the truck is on.  Anybody who has done this, do you have a suggestion of where to connect into?  I'm honestly being lazy in asking this question.  Just thought I'd ask before I did something that screwed up my truck or the radio.  The alternative is to connect directly to the battery. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by Transient

[slj2008]

Hook it up the the Battery (best place) .

[Transient]

On 1/14/2022 at 5:31 AM, slj2008 said:

Hook it up the the Battery (best place) .

Roger that.  Thanks. 

[Ravenkeeper]

I had one running in my '15 Silverado, then it got totaled, and I haven't completely set it up in my '18 Silverado ME.  I'm trying to find an antenna cable that I can route like the one that was left in my '15, after the wreck. PLUS, I'm not quite sure where I want to put the radios in my '18, yet, will either be INSIDE my center console box, or I may convert the forward section to a 14-15.  Also, I tried using my CB with my home antenna and I'm pretty sure that either my mic or my radio is broken, BUT my scanner works like a champ.

 

The cupholder in the 14-15 could be moved all the way forward (like below), all the way back (like 16+ are), or halfway inbetween.  All the way forward exposed a DEEP pocket for my radios and bracket to sit.

 

With the tunneau cover, I had to mount the antenna on a stakehole bracket, extended to the outside.

 

I got tired of laying the mic in the pen tray at the front of the console, so I did some looking, and found that Steelie's/Nite-Ize's little magnet was the perfect fit to the knob on the back of the mic, and I could use their vent clip to hang the mic on.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Ravenkeeper

[Transient]

Finally getting the cb antenna sorted out.  Going with the President Electronics Mississippi.  Mounting it on top of the GM Accessories sport bar via a low profile mount.  We'll see how this works out.