CB VS HAM (1 Viewer)

[yukon]

So I have a CB in the truck now, it needs a new antenna setup, and before I invest in that, I briefly considered upgrading to HAM. I really don't use the radio a lot (partly because it sucked, partly because none of my buddies have one)

But I was thinking with a HAM radio, I might get more use out of it, I don't see myself using repeaters, or talking to people far away, I don't do expo. More like using it as a type of super radio (i know very very little about HAM, so don't flame)

Is it possible to talk to those little hand held Motorola radios with one? Can you talk on the CB bands? Can I use it like a scanner to hear the police and FD bands?

Obviosuly I'd have to get a license, but if I can do those things... its a consideration.

Noob here, just thinking of new and exciting ways of spending money!

 

[cook]

Find a local club and join. If you can’t find a local club to join, or if the local club want let you join, start a new club and get other people to join. The fun of cbs and hams is having other people to bs with on the trial. If the people you’re on the trail with have cbs your going to want to have one. If they have hams, you’ll want one of those to. I have both.

A friend who recently got his ham license was getting ready for Moab so he took out the cb and put in a ham. He came back and installed the cb. Apparently everyone had a cb, but only a handful had ham.

And you will use repeaters.

Good luck.

 

[spressomon]

When traveling with other rigs it all depends on what the group has: Ham or CB. All of us here in Northern Nevada, thanks to the NorCal Wagon's guys taking the lead on this, are on HAM.

But legal CB can't touch HAM's ability for longer distance communication...

 

[BC_FJC]

I think you will always see both CB and Ham radio on the trial. The Ham radio operator numbers keep going up every year so maybe one day you might get away with one radio.

 

[1911]

So I have a CB in the truck now, it needs a new antenna setup, and before I invest in that, I briefly considered upgrading to HAM. I really don't use the radio a lot (partly because it sucked, partly because none of my buddies have one)

But I was thinking with a HAM radio, I might get more use out of it, I don't see myself using repeaters, or talking to people far away, I don't do expo. More like using it as a type of super radio (i know very very little about HAM, so don't flame)

If you don't use the repeaters and your buddies don't have ham radios, it's going to be real quiet! You might enjoy and use repeaters more than you think once you get started in ham.

Is it possible to talk to those little hand held Motorola radios with one? Can you talk on the CB bands?

Not on a stock radio and not legally on any radio; they're different bands.

Can I use it like a scanner to hear the police and FD bands?

Yes, most all 2 Meter radios sold today will receive in the older emergency VHF frequencies, but modern and big-city departments are mostly going to different bands now.

Obviosuly I'd have to get a license, but if I can do those things... its a consideration.

Noob here, just thinking of new and exciting ways of spending money!

Ham radio is a great hobby, and they are vastly superior to CB as a trail radio, but only if the folks you wheel with have one too.

Here are a couple of web resources for you; one is an article I wrote on the trail/off-road aspects of ham for another forum, and one is a forum dedicated to 4WD and ham use:

Ham Radio for Trail Use Primer & Radio Buyers Guide - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum

4X4 Ham Radio Operators - Off Road and On the air!

 

[e9999]

I have a ham radio. Use it for most wheeling events, but overall I don't use it much, and practically never outside of wheeling. You think you'll be spending hours on the radio cuz it's fun, but in actuality, outside of nets, most of the casual traffic out there is surprisingly inane. Might be mildly entertaining on those long boring trips and may get you to meet folks and get advice in new parts if you travel, though. No matter, I got it primarily as a safety device in case I get stuck or broken down out there by myself. Generally nice helpful community of folks though. Anyway, on the trail with other hams in the group, it's great. The reach is amazing.
CB sucks but better than nothing.
I have used the little GMRS and FRS radios for truck to truck commo with no problem at smallish distances.
You can hear the little Motorola FRS and GMRS radios fine with most wide receiving ham radios set up for 2m. But not talk unless you do a mod.

 

[rusty_tlc]

If none of your buddies have CB or Ham and you aren't interested in using repeaters why bother with either?
Get a scanner to listen to emergency channels, it will pick up the newer systems used by LE and Fire.
Then get a pair of FSR radios. I have used these a lot with family and friends when we would caravan. Now most of the people I travel with have 2M.

Unless you want to champion HAM with your pals. Once you get use to having good clear radio comm between rigs you will love it. It adds a whole extra dimension to group travel. You can chat along the way, just listen to your buddies or shut the radio off. Whatever suits your mood that day.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

It's all about the friends you go with. CB, unfortunately, blows. Ham can do everything CB does 1000X better, but then all your friends have to have Ham radios. Ham lets you do things truck to truck that cb could never do-talk 100 miles, keep a diverse group together through a repeater system etc. For the guy who only does day runs with the same guys, CB works fine,

CBs are cheap enough to just have one, Ham is slightly more $ for a much better radio experience. It's semi-interesting as an independent discipline. But you still need someone to talk to.

For the trips we do and the people we go with, Ham is ideal. You get CB level convenience with real radio power, clarity, and flexibility. If you can convince your local hombres to convert to Ham, everyone will be happy, but if you can't then stick with CB and be happy with 1 mile range and poor clarity.

 

[yukon]

Well thanks for all the responses, looks like I'll just stick with my CB for now. I have a hard enough time convincing people to run 100 bucks in CB stuff, let alone 200+ in HAM gear.

I was hoping I could use my HAM gear to talk to the CB's then still get all the benefits with other HAM's. Thats the deal breaker right there.

Most of the wheeling we do here anyways is short trails, and most vehicles are in visual distance anyways so no real need for a big radio setup.

Thanks for the responses guys!

 

[adalnay]

Also keep in mind that the license test for ham radios (technician license) is going to change July 1st. I just took the test this yesterday and I was told by the instructors the new test will be 30% harder than before.

 

[1911]

...I was told by the instructors the new test will be 30% harder than before.

I'd be very surprised if this was true. The questions are updated every few years to better reflect the current state of the hobby and any new FCC regulations and new band plans, but they don't make them harder on purpose. The opposite could be argued, since for example in the fairly recent past they have dropped the Morse Code requirement for all license levels.

 

[Volcano cruiser]

CB v Ham truly depends on what the folks you run with are willing to use. My club here uses Ham (11m). I had decided before I moved hee to get into Ham and took the tests and bought the gear. Thus far only one other guy here uses 2m. Since I plan to drive my rig back to the US I bought the Ham as a safety feature as others have said. I got a package deal with a multi band Ham hand held on the same theory. Theoretically I can use the hand held while I´m hiking away from my vehicle to turn on my mobile and use it as a repeater. Even though I was skeptical it seemed worth it to try out as a feature given the amount of hiking that I do and the lack of cell coverage out in the boonies.

Funny thing, even though the club regs say everyone has to run a CB I noticed several guys using the little family channel radios for truck to truck. I guess they didn´t want to shell out the cash for the cheap
CB. P.S. the quality of Ham over CB can not be exaggerated.
Good luck