CB radio is dead. Stop installing them and get a VHF/UHF instead!!!

[chuckfinley79]

I don’t know much about radios but stumbled on this article a week or two ago.

https://midlandusa.com/micromobile-...mpaign=jeep-jamboree&utm_content=announcement

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[Jay Gatsby]

I don’t know much about radios but stumbled on this article a week or two ago.

https://midlandusa.com/micromobile-...mpaign=jeep-jamboree&utm_content=announcement

Yeah, that's been talked about for awhile. Official now I guess. I'm all for it being a HAM operator myself. May not go over well with some people since different radios will need to be acquired. And the cost of a 10yr license is $70 for GMRS. FRS is free, but it's not as good.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I

interesting, I was told HAM will mess with my pacemaker

Saying HAM radio itself would cause issues doesn't seem to make much sense. But I would wonder if there is a frequency in the wireless spectrum that would cause issues or is actually used to program the device itself. The FRS/GMRS bands are just right above the standard HAM UHF radio range.

Like another member said for sure check with the doctor. It could just be the HF stuff that could cause issues and UHF and VHF are the only bands that would be used on the trails.

 

[eaglerugby04]

Yeah, that's been talked about for awhile. Official now I guess. I'm all for it being a HAM operator myself. May not go over well with some people since different radios will need to be acquired. And the cost of a 10yr license is $70 for GMRS. FRS is free, but it's not as good.

I don't see FRS working well at all, those things just don't reach. I wish this would have went the HAM route instead. Plenty of free material to study for a few hours, $15 exam and you are set for life. Way more frequencies and options as well available vs GMRS

 

[sarguy1941]

While i agree with some of the statements about coverage and stuff, remember the majority of the jeep rides/ events you are jeep after jeep. Alot of folks were already using FRS between friends while on the trails. I still have CB in all my Jeeps but have had GMRS/FRS for years. The real issue is as one has stated about a license. No one does it and this just adds to the issue with unlicensed users on the radio.

 

[eaglerugby04]

While i agree with some of the statements about coverage and stuff, remember the majority of the jeep rides/ events you are jeep after jeep. Alot of folks were already using FRS between friends while on the trails. I still have CB in all my Jeeps but have had GMRS/FRS for years. The real issue is as one has stated about a license. No one does it and this just adds to the issue with unlicensed users on the radio.

True FRS will work great close range. If some of the bigger places get GMRS repeaters up it could actually be pretty cool for needing to call for help/guidance/condition updates/etc.

So true about the license thing, I think encouraging GMRS is going to end up with a ton of users one there, and being unlicensed and uneducated they are probably going to mess things up using improper frequencies.

 

[prerunner1982]

interesting, I was told HAM will mess with my pacemaker

http://www.arrl.org/pacemaker

 

[Jellygladiator]

http://www.arrl.org/pacemaker

Thanks, I’ll call my company and ask

 

[eaglerugby04]

Is CB radio really dead? Is VHF/UHF better?

CB usage is going down, but still exists. But since this thread was started some announcements were made for things like Jeep Jamboree. It looks like the path forward is going to be FRS and GMRS radios for the most part. They are technically UHF radios but due to certification restrictions can't use a ham type radio.

 

[Jellygladiator]

So what’s everyone going to ?

 

[prerunner1982]

So what’s everyone going to ?

GMRS is gaining popularity. Midlandusa has a number of GMRS mobile and handheld radios available. Baofengtech has a mobile GMRS radio as well. $70 license, no test, good for 10 yrs, covers immediate family.

I prefer ham radio personally because of it's capabilities and versatility, but getting people to study and take a test just to use a radio can be difficult.

 

[WhatExit?]

GMRS is gaining popularity. Midlandusa has a number of GMRS mobile and handheld radios available. Baofengtech has a mobile GMRS radio as well. $70 license, no test, good for 10 yrs, covers immediate family.

I prefer ham radio personally because of it's capabilities and versatility, but getting people to study and take a test just to use a radio can be difficult.

I have a Ham radio - been meaning to study and take the test for years. So not worth my time to do that for a radio I rarely want to use (only off roading). Not putting down Ham radio but the only reason for a freaking radio is because there's no cell signal. This is 2020 and Ham radios have been around forever and a day. Anyone who wants to use a radio just wants to "use a radio" as in pick it up, press the button and talk to someone else.

Frequencies, call signs, studying, tests - fuggedaboudit!

This is why GMRS and the other alphabet radios grow in popularity (and CB radios don't die). Now if they could make it even simpler everyone would standardize and not have to figure out which radio is best for them. So much wasted energy and time for what we do on our phones. There should be a radio killer and I hope it's soon.

That's MO and you got what you paid for

 

[d k]

whats the range on one of those?

 

[eaglerugby04]

I have a Ham radio - been meaning to study and take the test for years. So not worth my time to do that for a radio I rarely want to use (only off roading). Not putting down Ham radio but the only reason for a freaking radio is because there's no cell signal. This is 2020 and Ham radios have been around forever and a day. Anyone who wants to use a radio just wants to "use a radio" as in pick it up, press the button and talk to someone else.

Frequencies, call signs, studying, tests - fuggedaboudit!

This is why GMRS and the other alphabet radios grow in popularity (and CB radios don't die). Now if they could make it even simpler everyone would standardize and not have to figure out which radio is best for them. So much wasted energy and time for what we do on our phones. There should be a radio killer and I hope it's soon.

That's MO and you got what you paid for

The test isn't really that bad, and cheaper than a GMRS license. Free materials, $15 for the test and it was only maybe 6 hours of studying.

I agree though I wish they would standardize. Kind of anoying seeing some people with multiple radios in their rigs due to the lack of standards.

 

[prerunner1982]

whats the range on one of those?

That's hard to say as there are many variables..... just don't go by what's on the front of the box of those handheld radios you see at Walmart and outdoor retailers, you aren't getting 36 miles from two handheld radios unless you are both on the top of very high mountains.

Antenna height, terrain, and environment (vegetation, buildings, etc) all play a roll in how far your signal will go.

You can talk to the ISS (International Space Station) with a handheld radio 254 miles away because there is nothing between you however on earth one of the big factors that limits communication (with some exceptions) is the curvature of the Earth, unless you are a flat earther then this doesn't apply to you. Certain radio wave depending on their wavelength bounce off the ionosphere better than others, UHF (Ultra High Frequency, 300 MHz - 3 GHz, GMRS is 462 and 467 MHz) is not one of those that bounces off the ionosphere or at least it doesn't happen often. Though it may curve slightly around the earth giving you a little further distance than you can actually see, this is called Radio Horizon.

So you want to talk further, the antenna needs to be higher. This is why it is recommended to put the antenna on the roof of the vehicle, besides having a larger, flatter ground plane except not on removable top Jeeps. Also getting up higher in elevation will help as well but in some places such as the flat lands of Kansas or west Texas that's not an option so antenna height is still key. But put a hill between you and communication will likely cease as radio waves can't travel through the earth.

Environment, vegetation will tend to absorb the radio waves and in this case having more power can help make those waves that do get through a bit stronger. Buildings will refract the waves in all sorts of directions creating a multipath signal which can decrease the signal strength should the two received signal paths be out of phase.

GMRS does have repeater capability though mostly near metro areas, again depending on height they can have a 50-100 mile range.

For mobile to mobile, 10 miles give or take would be about average. You may easily find a scenario where you can easily get 20-30 miles and then run into an area where 5 miles or so is about all you can get.

Sorry for the long reply, unfortunately though it's a simple question it's not a simple answer.

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