So how do we keep the CB ball rollin'?

[WA3R]

Yeah, a deep topic I know, but I would like to see the hobby survive and pass it on to the next generation. Most people will tell you that kids today are too into their smartphones and video games to pay any attention to CB, but I disagree. My son is 20 and has a large group of friends with lifted Jeeps and pick ups. They've all been VERY receptive to the idea of putting CB's in their vehicles for cruisin' town and riding the trails. The biggest problem they have with it is puttin' a goofy lookin' antenna on their trucks (their description, not mine). I doubt that base stations will ever catch on with them, but who knows? Anyone else on the same page with me?? I'd love to hear and share ideas on sparking the next generation's interest. It's the only way the hobby can survive I think. I drive truck for a living and it seems the new generation of drivers are becoming less and less interested as well. Thanks - Bob

 

[nobody]

Only the city, Yankee folk talk like that down here in the south. Nothing says good old boy or country more than a CB antenna on the truck. Heck IMO a 4X4 truck looks "goofy" with out one.

Seriously though it's not as popular as it once was down here but you still see some.

 

[WA3R]

LOL Point taken! Is there alot of CB activity "down there"? I live on a mountain out in the sticks (on purpose!) and although there are still some of us "old timers" floatin' around, most of the CB activity is either on ch 19 or the seemingly endless skip.

 

[KC9Q]

Well if the cell phone (excuse me), mobile phone services keep jacking up their subscription prices, those CB radios will start looking better, and better to the general public again. Plus they can't track what you're saying, or where you're going on a CB either. There is no privacy in digital communication systems, only analog.

 

[pro151]

I keep an assortment of used radios on hand to give out as loaners or as free equipment to get the younger people around here started.

I will help them install them in their rides and tune them and then try to make sure I have my base on when I am in the "man cave" to talk to them if they call.

You can't interest other people in the hobby if you are not willing to be involved in it with them.

I know another fellow on this forum (that will remain nameless for now) that will even go so far as to ship good, new equipment free to other people for them to use.

His only requirement is that you repay the favor with someone else.

Now there is a man worth calling a friend.

 

[WA3R]

BRAVO! I neglected to mention that I do the same. I always seem to attract old radios here for some reason - lol. People see the tower in the back yard and figure I'm a radio recycling center I guess. I bring 'em back to life and pass 'em on.

 

[WA3R]

10-4 on the highway robbery! I still use the same old coal powered Motorola cell phone I've had for 8 yrs, but I guess the shiny new ones with all the video and internet tech are hard for some to resist. The privacy factor doesn't seem to worry the younger crowd as much either - YET

 

[Mac83]

At age 25 I am seeing the decline of cb use from say even 10 years ago in my area. Its a real shame, there just isn't anyone local any more.
I have been trying to convice my friends to get one but they show no interest at all. Of couse now everyone has cells phones and texting. And they don't want to spend the money or put in any of the effort to get a cb hooked up.

I really don't know how to get them interested.

 

[cbradiomagazine.com]

The way to interest people is DX. Since the local scene in most areas is dead or in many cases are the leftover hardcore crowd from the 80's this isn't a reason people will be interested in radio.

I love to have someone new in my vehicle and turn on 38 LSB when the DX is running especially when we get foreign DX like Australia. They look at me and ask "did those guys say they are in Australia"? I hand them the microphone and tell them how to call for a station and it just blows their mind. They ask - "this is just a CB right"?

These days you have to show someone why radio is so cool, I'm pretty tech oriented and personally I've maxed out with the internet. I search for news but these days there is rarely something new or interesting to try or do on the internet. It's the same with smart phone apps, everything happened so quickly for a couple of years that right now things are actually a bit stalled.

When people get bored is when they look for new things to try. Unless we see some cool new kick ass internet or phone stuff in the next year I think we'll pick up a few more CBers this year, especially with the peak of the cycle coming.

 

[2RT307]

I try to do what folks did "back in the day" for me, and I consider it the true spirit of radio. I was only 13 and a whole bunch of local CB'ers helped me get a Taylor .64 wave ground plane and a push up pole. (I had to pay for half). Mom and Dad gave me a Robyn T240D and D104 for birthday/Christmas. (I'm a December baby). And everyone came over and helped put up the antenna. What a great time we had!

So, fast forward to now... I recently gave a local a 40 foot push up pole so that she could get her Maco 5/8 wave in the air. Also donated some coax. Made another fella a killer deal on a Maco 4 element yagi and tower. Now we have two more good operators on the air. Funny thing is, the more people are talking, the more that seem to come out of the woodwork. Next thing you know, you've got some local CB activity!


73,
RT307

 

[Mudfoot]

I bet if Nursing Homes installed a CB/HAM shack it would make some old timers happy.

 

[Atlasta]

At age 25 I am seeing the decline of cb use from say even 10 years ago in my area. Its a real shame, there just isn't anyone local any more.
I have been trying to convice my friends to get one but they show no interest at all. Of couse now everyone has cells phones and texting. And they don't want to spend the money or put in any of the effort to get a cb hooked up.

I really don't know how to get them interested.

Inform them that although cell phones and the internet are wonderful tools, they rely on someone elses equipment to operate. When the network goes down for whatever reason, all you have is an expensive paperweight.

CB works all the time and without monthly charges or data logging. Tube CB radios are also much more resistant to EMP (and they sound better)

 

[unit_399]

When my son turned 16, We gave him my old '87 Toyota 4x4 pickup for his birthday. It had a cb in it, but he never used it. One weekend, he and 3 of his friends were going off-roading in the mountains, and I talked them into letting me put a cb in each of his friends' trucks. When they got back, the first thing he said was," Dad, is it ok if they keep the CBs?" It just snowballed from there. All it takes is a little exposure, and the hobby sells itself.

 

[confederateslouch]

cb radio

Yes cb radio should be used and also for range at 12watts can travel alot farther then 4 miles 800 miles can be had qrp with a tuned antenna or dipole!!

 

[nobody]

Since I last read this thread I seemed to have noticed more trucks with CB antennas. I have a base station set up in my man cave and was trying to do some DX on AM and SSB. I never made any DX contacts myself but heard some locals talking as I was flipping through the channels. I talked to them and discovered they and several others hung out on that channel some evenings and most weekends. Lately though it's been a little slow. Maybe later today (Sat) things will pick up on the channel.
I also worked a part time job with another local earlier this year. He asked me about my radio in the truck and discovered he was into CB DX but he hangs out on another channel. I called for him a few times on the radio but he never replied back. He and the folks he talks to on the radio use foot warmers and I don't.