Which CB to use?

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Here comes the HAM guy being bad: :)

Depending how many HAM we have here, here is my Newb view: Save the money on the CB and just buy a Baofeng 2M HAM and be done with it. You can put a huge antenna on your truck and have the best CB, but the cheap $35 Chinese 2M is still 5x's better. Of course if you are the only one with it, it doesn't make sense :)
 
weejub said:
Here comes the HAM guy being bad: :)

Depending how many HAM we have here, here is my Newb view: Save the money on the CB and just buy a Baofeng 2M HAM and be done with it. You can put a huge antenna on your truck and have the best CB, but the cheap $35 Chinese 2M is still 5x's better. Of course if you are the only one with it, it doesn't make sense :)
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There are a few of us and it's not being bad as long as we're legal.
It's just not a walkie talkie for the kids. It does work better than FRS especially if you can hit a repeater. (and Uwharie has a couple) I keep a Baofang in there along with my mobile.

I still have a CB because another group I go with uses them. It's funny to listen to them struggle around Uwharrie and I'm listening to Raleigh repeaters on my mobile 2m.
 
SeanLX said:
There are a few of us and it's not being bad as long as we're legal.
It's just not a walkie talkie for the kids. It does work better than FRS especially if you can hit a repeater. (and Uwharie has a couple) I keep a Baofang in there along with my mobile.

I still have a CB because another group I go with uses them. It's funny to listen to them struggle around Uwharrie and I'm listening to Raleigh repeaters on my mobile 2m.
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Even simplex, a handheld 2M is going to have better range and better audio quality than a FRS/GMRS or CB radio. Repeaters are a whole other world of awesome :D

I've neglected my CB radio since getting a 2M. I've always got my Baofeng in the glovebox, and it's usually charged, so that I can use it as a spotting radio, or in case of no one else having radios, I'll give it to the tail gunner (when I'm trail leader) so that I can keep the whole group together.
 
Soooo new member here. What is the preference. CB or HAM? I just bought a new high zoot Bearcat CB should it go back? Cb is what I’ve always used but it seems a lot of people are going HAM. is it worth the certification hassle?
 
The club is predominantly FRS and HAM. There are a couple of enthusiastic HAM radio folks, but GMRS/FRS is what we were using at the last event for some of the communications, and HAM for some others.
 
Yotahead52 said:
Soooo new member here. What is the preference. CB or HAM? I just bought a new high zoot Bearcat CB should it go back? Cb is what I’ve always used but it seems a lot of people are going HAM. is it worth the certification hassle?
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Send it back or be happy talking to 1-2 people in your group, at least if they’re in unobstructed line of sight (and that’s IF you have lots of people in the group). FRS sucks at URE. CB sucks at URE. Even if you can’t transmit on HAM (you’ll need a license) you can at least hear what people are saying.

One of my reasons for not wanting to lead groups of more than 5-6 trucks is the lack of effective comms in the URE terrain unless HAM is used. There needs to be a standard within the club and HAM will eventually be it.
 
Yotahead52 said:
Soooo new member here. What is the preference. CB or HAM? I just bought a new high zoot Bearcat CB should it go back? Cb is what I’ve always used but it seems a lot of people are going HAM. is it worth the certification hassle?
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HAM.
 
I can tell you that the CB will not be going back into Heather's 80. HAM and FRS is what we'll have in the truck.
 
There’s a benefit to CB when you’re on the highway tho. Trucker cross talk is better than any pod cast.
 
I do get a kick out of trucker cross talk no doubt. What is the preference on brands for HAM? Baofeng seems to be the biggest brand used by Upstate Cruisers. There also seems to be a low key debate on getting licensed when only using rare frequencies in small groups out on the forums as well. I know exactly nothing about HAM so forgive my ignorance. Starting the research process as of right now.
 
You need a license for gmrs too.

You should not transmit on gmrs or ham frequencies without a license. A license is easy as heck to get.

Baofeng is good for handhelds. I have two.
 
GLTHFJ60 said:
You need a license for gmrs too.
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That's what I always thought, and true to a degree, but it turns out that a group can be covered under the blanket license of an individual...or something like that. CLCC uses GMRS exclusively so that's where I learned that little nugget. Not sure of the particulars, just put a lot of faith in the CLCC radio guys' knowledge...a couple of them are pretty hardcore.
 
JohnVee said:
That's what I always thought, and true to a degree, but it turns out that a group can be covered under the blanket license of an individual...or something like that. CLCC uses GMRS exclusively so that's where I learned that little nugget. Not sure of the particulars, just put a lot of faith in the CLCC radio guys' knowledge...a couple of them are pretty hardcore.
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To an extent, that exists with ham too.
 
GLTHFJ60 said:
To an extent, that exists with ham too.
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That's true. There are club call signs for events but there always has to be a licensed operator present and in control of the radio.

At least with the GMRS licence it's just a fee and no test.
Good thing about the ham technician test is it's really not hard, especially with all the free online training.
 
It has been mentioned that the HAM Technician Test (35 questions) is easy but it is worth noting just how easy ... all the questions are published and are on public domain. Additionally, the study guides put out by ARRL are spot on and include the test bank. Even though the $$$ is more I recommend getting the spiral bound version. If you then decide to expand to the General and then Extra license the same is true there as well, however, for 2-meter operation (what is most common) the 1st license (Technician) is all that is required.

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