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Thread: CB Radio Install

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    Is there a speaker output on that radio? What kinda range could a guy get out of one? I assume hill top to hill top would be longer than a dense forest? I'm thinking of looking into maybe getting one for the side by side(and one for a friend's machine too). Could put on way more miles in a day if we could communicate on the go rather than stop 100x a day to point something out, figure out where to turn, let someone know their machine is effered or that you're going to see a man about a horse.

    Also would be good to have when in a larger group, I don't know how many times we've had 10 machines on a long ride and had part of the group fall behind and nobody knows if they're just slow, lost, had an accident, or broke down. Then one or two machines head back to look for them which can be sketchy if you meet them cresting a hill unexpectedly.

    I have couple cheap walkie talkies buy the range sucks and so do the batteries. Can't hear them while driving either. Thought about a com system but those are pricey and I'm cheap.
    Lots of 4X4 clubs and enthusiasts use CB radios for group communications. Mobile 12v hardwired CB radios have much longer range than the FRS walkie talkies. easily 3 or 4 miles under even poor conditions, and much farther when conditions are right. The main issue is privacy, there is none. So if someone outside your group wants to be a dink they can interfere with your comms.



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  3. #12
    Business Up Front Johnny Mullet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    Is there a speaker output on that radio? What kinda range could a guy get out of one? I assume hill top to hill top would be longer than a dense forest? I'm thinking of looking into maybe getting one for the side by side(and one for a friend's machine too). Could put on way more miles in a day if we could communicate on the go rather than stop 100x a day to point something out, figure out where to turn, let someone know their machine is effered or that you're going to see a man about a horse.
    CB range varies a lot. CB band (11 meter) gets propagation or "Skip" during the solar cycles every 11 years or so. This means radio signals can travel or (skip) hundreds or even thousands of miles. So similar to ham radio, you can talk all over the planet if you wish during these daytime conditions for the next few years. Solar activity peaks in 2025. Propagation usually starts in the morning and is gone by the evening. During skip, other signals will cover up your local signals especially if these stations are running power with large antennas.

    When the airwaves are quiet and no skip, you can usually talk mobile to mobile with a standard magnet mount antenna up to 5 or 6 miles in the open or 1 mile or 2 in dense forest or hilly conditions. A 9 foot whip antenna will extend your range, but it will whack everything. A lot of offroader guys use CB for comms and some use GMRS (licensed radio) for comms. CB offroad channel is 16 (4x4).
    Range is similar for both type radios. GMRS does not get propagation.

    The speaker on most mobile radios like mine have a bottom firing speaker. This one is quite good. An external speaker jack and a PA speaker jack is on the back.
    Last edited by Johnny Mullet; 01-20-2023 at 03:55 PM.

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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    I'll add that CB rigs put out 5 watts or so, plenty for the purpose at hand but there are guys who have ham rigs that of course cover the entire CB frequency range with 1-200 watts of power. There are a few nuts who run 2000 watt RF amplifiers to basically be asses on the CB channels. The FCC is pretty lax these days going after anyone. There's an idiot on 14.150mhz (ham band) who lives on there swearing, ranting/raving etc and he's somewhere in the US.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    There's an idiot on 14.150mhz (ham band) who lives on there swearing, ranting/raving etc and he's somewhere in the US.
    That's gotta be Boss Hogg!

    OK, OK, OK, Ok, ok, ok I'll stop with my ridiculous goofing.

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    Business Up Front Johnny Mullet's Avatar
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    From a CB mobile station to a Base station the range is even farther. Base station to base station with a good antenna can reach 50 miles local chatter no problem.

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    Johnny Mullet I watched your video review on the New Virginia antenna. Looks like a pretty cool deal and good review!

  9. #17
    Business Up Front Johnny Mullet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ylekot View Post
    Johnny Mullet I watched your video review on the New Virginia antenna. Looks like a pretty cool deal and good review!
    I love that little antenna!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet View Post
    I love that little antenna!
    If I'm understanding correctly the SWR is already set. How is that possible? I thought every antenna had to be tuned to the specific transmitter. Oh well, most new technology escapes me.

  11. #19
    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ylekot View Post
    If I'm understanding correctly the SWR is already set. How is that possible? I thought every antenna had to be tuned to the specific transmitter. Oh well, most new technology escapes me.
    No, these days it's easy for a manufacturer to produce an antenna pre tuned with an SWR under 1.5 across the band. Some antennas can't be tuned.
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  13. #20
    Business Up Front Johnny Mullet's Avatar
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    SWR was almost flat when I tested it. Needle on the meter barely moved.



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