How many truckers are running VHF ? Is CB dying ?

[nobody123]

Where did you buy your 880 from?

Not to offend any of the supporting vendors on here, but I bought it from customcbradios.com because a) he answered my emails b) he would work with the 880 and c) he tuned the dead key for use with the amp.

I have been thinking about getting this radio but have not heard of any one running it with an amp which is what I was thinking of doing. Just didn't know if any one had tried tuning it for an amp yet.

My radio shipped last week. I should get it installed in a couple weeks. I'll update how it works when I know.

Aside, with all the tornados in the midwest, I am very happy I went with the 880. From what I can tell, it has much better weather band reception. I think it also has good reception in the CB band and with the amp, I should have good reach.

I can also see where a good 2M rig would be great in times of emergency, especially one that could monitor emergency workers on 2M.

Last summer I got caught in 2 really bad storms. Neither turned into a full blown tornado, but one was very close. i was totally oblivious to the first one... had a guy not casually mentioned there was a severe weather warning on, it could have been a lot worse.

 

[weatherman]

Now if there is severe weather around, the CB is turned off and the VHF is cranked up. Get weather warnings from the NWS and storm spotter info before the general public. It happened this past Friday with the tornado's in north AL. Was able to direct 2 other trucks away from the tornado's. Was also able to hear about the tornado that went thru the neighborhood and luckily missed the house. I have been able to relay info also when in the right position to see anything, but at 44 tons, I try to stay a good distance away.

 

[nobody123]

Very interesting that you rely on the 2M when the weather turns bad.

When I had the near misses with the tornados last summer, I actually drove into one of the storms rather than away from it. I had no idea which way to go.

Looks like I will need to suppliment the Uni 880 with a 2M rig.

 

[triple nickel]

I wish the truckers would pick another channel to use since every dipstick around now uses 19 for tuning, rag-chewing, music playing, etc.

Oh wait, never mind. They would just move to the new "Truckers Channel" to play on.

Dumb idea, I apologize for dreaming again.

Funny you should say that, When a lot of Base stations get on 27.185 and give a lot of Truckers a bunch of BullShit. As for me, 36+ yrs behind a wheel of a Semi, I still run a CB radio. And to imagine when we would get out to Shakey,We would switch over to Ch.17. I started back in the mid'70's when Trucking was still good and a 23 Ch. CB was your best friend. Society has changed for the worse. Please tell me your not one of 95.5% who get's on 27.185 and give us Truckers a lot of Grief ???

 

[pro151]

Please tell me your not one of 95.5% who get's on 27.185 and give us Truckers a lot of Grief ???

I am one of the old timers that keep my base on 27.185 90% of the time in case a driver needs local information.

 

[triple nickel]

I am one of the old timers that keep my base on 27.185 90% of the time in case a driver needs local information.

That my Friend, Is a rarity in it's self. I Thank You very much for that. In Salinas Ca. back in the early '70's We would run Ch.19 for home channel and the Truckers would run Ch.17. They would come up to Ch.19 for directions into the Produce House. around the Salinas Area. We also had CB Breaks every weekend. There was quite a few CB Clubs back in the day that I belonged to. There would be a Country-Western Band and Door Prizes, Like a Mobile Amp and so on. I miss them days.

 

[Slowmover]

Too good a thread not to bump. Even if some have gone on to their reward.

WALCOTT RADIO had some UNIDEN Marine VHF I almost bought. Won’t pass that up again.

2-Meter is something I’ll throw at my son and holler, “here, make it work and call to show me what’s what with license, etc” (your turn).

 

[Rebel Outlaw]

There is a VHF band in Canada for truckers.Here in the States I suppose some might use MURS.I have never heard anything on the MURS frequencies except the businesses that were there before MURS.

Yes you are right IMD262 there is a VHF band for truckers in Canada. These are some of the most popular channels:
LADD 1 154.100 mhz (basically the VHF version of CB ch.19)
LADD 2 158.940 mhz
LADD 3 154.325 mhz
LADD 4 173.370 mhz
AB WIDE 1 153.050 mhz
AB WIDE 2 162.210
AB WIDE 3 163.050
AB WIDE 4 166.620
AB WIDE 5 168.120
AB WIDE 6 165.480
Then they have 40 channels from 150.080 to 151.850 MHz for logging trucks (these are called resource road channels and there is a sign at the beginning of the gravel road that states which channel they use)

 

[Rebel Outlaw]

Too good a thread not to bump. Even if some have gone on to their reward.

WALCOTT RADIO had some UNIDEN Marine VHF I almost bought. Won’t pass that up again.

2-Meter is something I’ll throw at my son and holler, “here, make it work and call to show me what’s what with license, etc” (your turn).

I agree Slomover, but since the main question was "how many truckers are on VHF and IMD262 mentioned the band in Canada I thought maybe I can clarify things a little bit.
Here the VHF frequencies that I posted are mainly for truckers and you do not need an amateur license to talk on these frequencies. These are programmed in commercial radios (ICOM 5061, KENWOOD 7180, and so on) these radios do not have a VFO but are capable of 512 channels. The bad part is that if a company gets their own frequency, and you need to add it to your radio, dealers charge a $25 programming fee ( can get expensive for some truckers to add channels).
For once, amateurs are not allowed to use these frequencies because they are for commercial use only. There is a fee that "should" be paid for having the radio, however, I don't believe the government owns everything, including the air that I breath, so everybody does whatever they want anyway.
As far as rules and regulations go, I thought I was born a FREE HUMAN BEING until proven otherwise! (I refuse to be enslaved by anyone)
73.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I agree Slomover, but since the main question was "how many truckers are on VHF and IMD262 mentioned the band in Canada I thought maybe I can clarify things a little bit.
Here the VHF frequencies that I posted are mainly for truckers and you do not need an amateur license to talk on these frequencies. These are programmed in commercial radios (ICOM 5061, KENWOOD 7180, and so on) these radios do not have a VFO but are capable of 512 channels. The bad part is that if a company gets their own frequency, and you need to add it to your radio, dealers charge a $25 programming fee ( can get expensive for some truckers to add channels).
For once, amateurs are not allowed to use these frequencies because they are for commercial use only. There is a fee that "should" be paid for having the radio, however, I don't believe the government owns everything, including the air that I breath, so everybody does whatever they want anyway.
As far as rules and regulations go, I thought I was born a FREE HUMAN BEING until proven otherwise! (I refuse to be enslaved by anyone)
73.

Amateurs cannot use those frequencies, simply because they are not amateur frequencies. They are land mobile frequencies just like any other VHF business radio or emergency services use. Just because it is VHF does not mean anything in relation to amateurs.

 

[Blackcat630]

WALCOTT RADIO had some UNIDEN Marine VHF I almost bought. Won’t pass that up again.
(your turn).

I scan the vhf marine channels in my neck of the woods for hunting activities. I'm 40 air miles from the Mississippi and don't hear much boat traffic.. but the hunters are active. When I worked out of town in rural north east Missouri this was also the case with the farm/hunter crowd. Cell service was sketchy in areas. It was not uncommon to see pickup trucks running around with marine radios installed on the dash. Saw a couple rural farm houses with a 8 ft fiberglass marine antenna mounted on old TV antenna towers.

Though NOT legal for use on land it is not uncommon in some parts of the country. Unsure if this is fcc enforced either unless it draws a complaint.

These channels might bring some entertainment when trucking across the country.

 

[binrat]

LADD are for Ab and parts of BC.

 

[binrat]

Amateurs cannot use those frequencies, simply because they are not amateur frequencies. They are land mobile frequencies just like any other VHF business radio or emergency services use. Just because it is VHF does not mean anything in relation to amateurs.

People think I am crazy as I have my 2 metre radio on .52 and my Commercial Icom on whatever LADD frequency for the area.

 

[Slowmover]

There’s CB . . . and then there appear to be fringes (radio-wise) where use starts to gravitate.

Maybe doesn’t quite land (except changing groups across changing locales). With an exception for Canuckistan.


So,

Water (stream, lake or sea) = Marine VHF

Extensive, non-paved-road access = 2-Meter

Then the other stuff I’ve ignored with skill and determination such as FRS, GMRS.

It starts to be several directions all at once.

.

 

[Rebel Outlaw]

There’s CB . . . and then there appear to be fringes (radio-wise) where use starts to gravitate.

Maybe doesn’t quite land (except changing groups across changing locales). With an exception for Canuckistan.


So,

Water (stream, lake or sea) = Marine VHF

Extensive, non-paved-road access = 2-Meter

Then the other stuff I’ve ignored with skill and determination such as FRS, GMRS.

It starts to be several directions all at once.

.

Couldn’t agree more Slowmover! Plus, even in Canuckistan, i don’t know who is the genius(government employee, of course) that assigned some of those frequencies. Truckers that do heavy haul need the “bush channels” 150’s MHz and road 154 MHz and up, but they put 167 and 174 in there. How do you get an antenna to have a bandwidth of 24 MHz and tune properly?
Some Chinese made ones even advertise 36 MHz of bandwidth, since the radio does 136-174 maybe another government genius will come up with an antenna for the entire bandwidth: Guaranteed SWR of 25 or less depending on application (what do they care since they don’t pay for the radio anyway)!
73