Handheld CB radio? (1 Viewer)

[Bigsky80]

Hello folks,
Does anyone in the club use a handheld CB? I know HAM is the best/preferred communication, but I'm just not ready to commit to that. I also know radio is a requirement for club runs so I'm looking for a relatively simple solution that will fit the bill. I honestly would only be using it on trail rides. Thanks for any feed back.
Cheers,
Scot

 

[REZARF]

Scot, @Adventure family is selling a great compact CB and antenna in the for sale section. It's what I run in the 100 and it works great. We can help you tune it before you hit the trail. A true handheld CB is not worth it in my opinion, I'd rather you bring two dixie cups with a string between them. Get a 12v mobile unit with a quality antenna and you'll be WAY less frustrated and you'll be able to hear the conversation.

 

[Bigsky80]

Scot, @Adventure family is selling a great compact CB and antenna in the for sale section. It's what I run in the 100 and it works great. We can help you tune it before you hit the trail. A true handheld CB is not worth it in my opinion, I'd rather you bring two dixie cups with a string between them. Get a 12v mobile unit with a quality antenna and you'll be WAY less frustrated and you'll be able to hear the conversation.

Thanks for getting back to me. I hard wired a CB into my 80 and used it a total of zero times, so I'm a little reluctant to go that route a second time with my 100. Sounds like the handheld CB juice isn't worth the squeeze though. At least I have a little to think about

 

[ttFJC]

Thanks for getting back to me. I hard wired a CB into my 80 and used it a total of zero times, so I'm a little reluctant to go that route a second time with my 100. Sounds like the handheld CB juice isn't worth the squeeze though. At least I have a little to think about

CBs are for JeAPs.
Ham is worth the effort. and you only need a license to transmit.

 

[adventurefamly]

Thanks for getting back to me. I hard wired a CB into my 80 and used it a total of zero times, so I'm a little reluctant to go that route a second time with my 100. Sounds like the handheld CB juice isn't worth the squeeze though. At least I have a little to think about

I have a handheld CB you can have. I used it once on a trip back from down south a few years ago. It has been in storage since.

 

[Bigsky80]

I have a handheld CB you can have. I used it once on a trip back from down south a few years ago. It has been in storage since.

Thanks for the offer! I'll gladly pay you what it's worth if you think it will be suitable for club trail runs.

 

[REZARF]

This is for sale in the for sale section at the top of the forum page here. It's all the guts of a stereo sized box but you can store it in your glove box until needed. I promise it's better than a true handheld and takes up very little room. I agree with you, the days of the stereo sized (DIN) units are LONG gone in modern trucks.

I have the same setup for when I am on the trails with someone who doesn't have a HAM radio. I hid the end of the antenna cable in the ash tray and pull this out of the glove box when needed, connect and start yapping.

I really think this is what you're after...

 

[Bigsky80]

This is for sale in the for sale section at the top of the forum page here. It's all the guts of a stereo sized box but you can store it in your glove box until needed. I promise it's better than a true handheld and takes up very little room. I agree with you, the days of the stereo sized (DIN) units are LONG gone in modern trucks.

I have the same setup for when I am on the trails with someone who doesn't have a HAM radio. I hid the end of the antenna cable in the ash tray and pull this out of the glove box when needed, connect and start yapping.

I really think this is what you're after...

I just don't want to run extra wires to my battery or fuse box, and an antenna cable through some grommet (firewall or in the back) for an accessory I will rarely use. I had a lot going on with my 80 and have adopted a less is more approach with the 100. I really appreciate the advice.

 

[secretasiansam]

I think a handheld is fine if you're just trying to meet the club requirements. It's what I use.
I have no experience with ham, I understand it's better. But if it's so much better why isn't that the club requirement? I'm also not trying to run more wires.

 

[REZARF]

Good luck with your hopes and dreams

 

[secretasiansam]

Good luck with your hopes and dreams

When you're bumper to bumper on a club run that technology would probably be fine.

 

[Bigsky80]

Good luck with your hopes and dreams

I think there seems to be a general misunderstanding regarding exactly what my hopes and dreams are I really am only looking for a solution that will allow me to communicate with club members on trail runs (that meets the clubs requirements). Maybe a handheld won't work for that, I don't know. Thats why I am here looking for real world feedback. I have no interest in talking to long haul truckers about lot lizards or whatever else it is people do with radios when they are not in a group on the trail.

 

[4gotalot]

I use a good quality hand held ham and a mobile hard mounted CB. They both have their place and options help keep a group together. Get what works for you and your time table and budget for now.

If you get a hand held CB, invest in a roof top magnetic mounted antenna until you get it all figured out. You can get a inexpensive hand held ham radio and only use it on trail ride with other licensed operators for the purpose of safety.

 

[secretasiansam]

I use a good quality hand held ham and a mobile hard mounted CB. They both have their place and options help keep a group together. Get what works for you and your time table and budget for now.

If you get a hand held CB, invest in a roof top magnetic mounted antenna until you get it all figured out. You can get a inexpensive hand held ham radio and only use it on trail ride with other licensed operators for the purpose of safety.

I had a magnetic antenna, it fell off on a rough trail and broke.
The range and sound quality of handheld cb's may leave a lot to be desired but it meets the tlca/ 406 cruiser requirements for trail rides.

 

[Bigsky80]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I didn't realize you could use a HAM radio without a license if you are with licensed users. That might be worth it We use Harris PRC-152's at work so I'm not unfamiliar with radios. I understand why they are required on trailsides as well. I just don't enjoy them Again, thank you all.
Cheers,
Scot

 

[4gotalot]

Mag mounts server their purpose.

I use a K40 antenna mag mount with a QD. It has 120 lbs of holding force but I still knock it off on some trail rides. The main purpose for this type is to be able get the best possible reception (top/center) and remove the antenna to park in the garage and the mag base stays on the roof.

See: RightChannelRadios.com or go to our 406Cruisers home page and then click on the logo

Get your ham license when as soon as you can and then keep improving your comms as you go, but I would not leave out one radio or another. You never know who you may meet on the trail.

 

[pigmony]

I didn't realize you could use a HAM radio without a license if you are with licensed users.

That's incorrect. Anyone can monitor HAM frequencies with or without a license. You are required to have a license to transmit, except in specific emergency situations.

Right now, with my understanding of your needs, I think your best bet is a handheld CB with a magnetic mount antenna. You wont have to hard wire anything in your vehicle. You'll have have significantly better reception, in both directions, over a handheld alone. It wont cost much. You don't need a license.

Some things are happening in the HAM world right now with regard to licensing with this virus thing being the catalyst. Online testing is going to be a thing, so you wont have to wait for a local club to hold a test session. I don't know exactly when that's going to happen, it'll take some time to get the infrastructure setup, but it's coming.

HAM is a huge step up from CB. You have exponentially more power to work with. Most reasonably intelligent people can study for and pass the Technician exam with a week of preparation, assuming that they do okay on standardized tests. The Technician license is sufficient for everything you will want to use a radio for related to club events. So, understanding that no club events are going to be happening for a bit, I'd strongly encourage everyone to study for the Technician test and take advantage of the online testing as soon as it becomes available.

Once you have that Technician license, you're back to the same question: hard wired mobile or handheld HAM radio? The difference is that a handheld HAM radio will have significantly more power than a handheld CB. Add a magnetic mount antenna to a handheld HAM radio and you have a pretty reasonable setup for not much money.

The best setup (CB or HAM) is to have a hard wired radio in the vehicle and a handheld as a backup or to be used by your spotter.

 

[REZARF]

I think there seems to be a general misunderstanding regarding exactly what my hopes and dreams are I really am only looking for a solution that will allow me to communicate with club members on trail runs (that meets the clubs requirements). Maybe a handheld won't work for that, I don't know. Thats why I am here looking for real world feedback. I have no interest in talking to long haul truckers about lot lizards or whatever else it is people do with radios when they are not in a group on the trail.

I hear you man, your goals are clear. I understand what you're after. I get there is a club requirement and I understand not wanting to spend much time or money on a system that'll be rarely used. I really do, and by all means get what fits your goals, I am just sharing my real world experience... no harm meant. However, after 20+ years of trail time, I have learned lessons the hard way. I am only trying to help. To me trail coms are a safety item, not merely a convenience for conversations.

That said, I have YET to see a handheld CB without an external antenna transmit much further than yelling distance. I am not kidding, not exaggerating. I understand the club "requirement" and a handheld CB would meet that requirement/goal, but you won't be heard or "in the loop" of conversation on a trail ride... for new folks it becomes a source of frustration. For folks who can communicate and chat the one or two rigs without radios or subpar radios slow the group down. Everyone becomes frustrated. So on one hand you meet the club requirement (that's great) but on the other hand I personally think you'll be disappointed with the actual ability to communicate on the trail. If you're looking to come play on a trail run, come on out. I doubt anyone is going to DQ you for not having a radio on your first run. Maybe borrow a CB handheld and see how it goes? I carry a spare HAM to loan out to others for better trail coms, you're welcome to borrow mine to give it a test drive.

I remember a year ago Darren, Bryan and I went wheeling all around Little Bear in the Gallatin Gateway, at times I could SEE Darren (who was using a handheld CB) at a true 100 yard line of sight distance and couldn't hear what he was saying. We'd have to stop, get out of the rigs, talk through next steps etc. YMMV. I am not talking about chewing the rag with truckers 5 miles away I am talking about trying to see if everyone in sight wants to stop for lunch.

By all means, buy what fits your need... I haven't seen a vehicle inspection yet for a club ride. Radio's are for trail communication, all I am saying is the handheld CB's will meet the "requirement" but fall short of the goal of being able to communicate on the trail. Maybe they've improved, maybe they're as good as the family radio's (walkie talkie's) have become but that hasn't been my experience.

The advent of the inexpensive (Bofang and similar) HAM radios has really opened up good options for a handheld solution that works. The radio's can be had for under $50 and the only hangup is passing the exam to get your license. I haven't met someone who couldn't pass the exam with a little studying. The leap in clarity and distance from CB to HAM is like the jump from a rotary phone to an iPhone 11. I would imagine a handheld CB and an inexpensive HAM are about the same price these days.

 

[pigmony]

...at times I could SEE Darren (who was using a handheld CB) at a true 100 yard line of sight distance and couldn't hear what he was saying.

I've had this experience several times with CB radios. A vehicle is a box that traps radio waves inside it. Any handheld will be similarly hindered when used inside a vehicle. HAM radios have enough more power that it tends to not be as much of an issue. Still, with any handheld, spending a little extra to get a magnetic mount antenna will greatly improve performance.

 

[Bigsky80]

Thank you all for the well thought out responses. Based on the feedback I think I will looking a handheld with external antenna for now and likely HAM in the future. For no reason whatsoever here's a picture because threads are better with pictures