Hand held cb radio

[sbrodacz]

I'm looking to get a cb radio. I am leaning towards a handheld one. It would be nice to be able to take it out of the lc when needed. I'm just worried about distance. I am looking at this one https://www.cobra.com/products/portable/hh-road-trip#pr_reviews
1/4 mile by itself and then it comes with a small antenna with a range of about a mile. I like how it has emergency channels too.

Does anyone know if you can mount a regular cb antenna to the back and connect it to a handheld when it is in the vehicle for better range?

 

[Dragos80]

They all have the emergency channel. It's called channel 9.

How are you going to use it if you are off roading and need to contact someone in an emergency situation? Someone needs to hear you. With such a short range, which is further limited by the surroundings (trees, hills and other obstacles) the range will be even shorter.
Just remember, CB is good only as a line of sight communication device.

Read the other similar topics in this subforum.

 

[Dragos80]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/radios-for-communication—not-the-music-kind.864754/

 

[sbrodacz]

Thanks. It would be more less to communicate with people im with on the trails.

 

[Dragos80]

look into Midland too, it has a car kit. Also, look into getting a longer antenna or maybe an external one too. That short external antenna in your link is a joke.

Or forget about the CB technology altogether and get a Baofeng handheld HAM radio for $30-35 and have the best of both worlds.

 

[Dragos80]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...s=baofeng+uv-5r&sprefix=baofeng+uv-5r,aps,211

 

[sbrodacz]

look into Midland too, it has a car kit. Also, look into getting a longer antenna or maybe an external one too. That short external antenna in your link is a joke.

Or forget about the CB technology altogether and get a Baofeng handheld HAM radio for $30-35 and have the best of both worlds.

Thanks! does a ham radio only work with other ham radios?

 

[Dragos80]

Yes. The most used band for HAM in off roading is the 2m band and sometimes the 70cm band.
Just make sure everyone in your group uses the same technology CB/HAM. Otherwise smoke signals are the best option.

 

[sbrodacz]

Yes. The most used band for HAM in off roading is the 2m band and sometimes the 70cm band.
Just make sure everyone in your group uses the same technology CB/HAM. Otherwise smoke signals are the best option.

Lol thanks.

 

[ChaseTruck]

I'm looking to get a cb radio. I am leaning towards a handheld one. It would be nice to be able to take it out of the lc when needed. I'm just worried about distance. I am looking at this one https://www.cobra.com/products/portable/hh-road-trip#pr_reviews
1/4 mile by itself and then it comes with a small antenna with a range of about a mile. I like how it has emergency channels too.

Does anyone know if you can mount a regular cb antenna to the back and connect it to a handheld when it is in the vehicle for better range?

I did just that, with a Radio Shack handheld CB, a CB antenna on the roof rack, and the little stubby antenna for when you're out of the truck...
That was back in 2002, or so

CB is for talking to the truck 1/4 mile in front of you, and the handheld function is good if you need to go scouting the trail on foot for a bit.
Do not rely on the emergency channels.

CB is not nearly as bad as it's made out to be on this board; one simply needs to be clear about its limitations.

 

[rusty_tlc]

.........

CB is not nearly as bad as it's made out to be on this board; one simply needs to be clear about its limitations.

It's not that CB is so bad, it's that ham is so much better.