CB or HAM?

[KD7WCD]

FWIW, I have both permanently mounted in my 'cruiser. A good Yaesu FT8800 dual-band (2M/440) which is very capable, and a Cobra 75WXST CB. I have spent some quality time making sure the antenna's are tuned well, mounted in a good place and are robust enough to handle rough treatment. I have used both, almost simultaneously because there are folks who have only CB and those who have only 2M, so I became the cross-over person with critical communications.
If I was only thinking one radio, I completely agree with Yidaki, the license is easier to get now and radio's are very cost friendly, I would go with a simple 2M. That said, CB seems to still be the default radio. Line-of-sight is the big shortcoming.
I also have hand-helds (both CB and 2M) that I have lent out, I like 2M for those too, but feel a little guilty because they usually don't have a license...

Gear Up!

Dan #OB582

Think about going for a general license and it will open up a whole new aspects. After I got my general license I picked up a Yaesu 857 which is all band / all modes. I have one radio that I can use for VHF/UHF/HF/CB (11 METER)/GMRS. I can also use it to tune in all kinds of other stuff like broadcast radio AM and FM as well as shortwave. With HF you can talk around the world, but some times you just want to talk to the guy right behind you. You just have to watch you powr levels to keep it legal and to not damage anyone's equipment. (Yes you can do that including your own. )

The test are easy now that you don't have to know Morris Code. And all the questions are available for study. I usedhttps://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com when I studied for my general license. You only have to pass. The difference in operating privileges for the guy who just passed and the guys who ased thevtest are exactly the same.

If you run with a group that is geared up to one type of radio than that is the place to start. They all have their pluses and minuses. My experience has been that I much prefer traveling with a goupe that can talk to each other. Not that we talk all along the way but it nice to know some one has pulled over to take a.... picture and will catch up instead of stopping everyone to see if they will catch up or if we need to figure out how to get someone turned around on a two tracked self to see what had happened to the missing party.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

This thread needs pictures.....

 

[KD7WCD]

Nice! Do you take these tubs on the trail with you?

 

[Mad Garden Gnome]

This thread needs pictures.....

ooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......................I just picked up my first boat anchor. I have a Hallicrafters that is waiting for repair also.

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Tagging for later reading.....I am looking into HAM.

 

[hardtrailz]

I have a CB mounted in the rig and carry one or two portable spares for trail use. I literally do not knowanyone that does HAM personally so I never have been properly introduced to it. I have read plenty and via a lot of survival fiction, I think I "need" one, but can not actually justify the money for something that would likely get used so infrequently.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Nice! Do you take these tubs on the trail with you?

Ha...

I've been hording tubes for decades. I have more......

Vintage guitar amps use them, heck GOOD new ones do too......

 

[KD7WCD]

I have a CB mounted in the rig and carry one or two portable spares for trail use. I literally do not knowanyone that does HAM personally so I never have been properly introduced to it. I have read plenty and via a lot of survival fiction, I think I "need" one, but can not actually justify the money for something that would likely get used so infrequently.

You can do a lot of impressive stuff with HAM Radio but it is no fun if you don't have anyone to talk to.

 

[WUzombies]

You can do a lot of impressive stuff with HAM Radio but it is no fun if you don't have anyone to talk to.

I'm not involved with the local HAM club but use it frequently with my friends while on adventure. CB is for on the highway use generally as all of the people I camp with who use radios are licensed HAMS. For the times that we have people in our groups that aren't we flip over to a couple of GMRS frequencies we all programmed into the mounted rigs and Baofeng spares we all have.

 

[Lars]

The only right answer is all of the above.

Pictured:

• 2m/70cm FM (Ham) Middle, under stereo
• 11m AM (CB) Left near steering weel
• HF 160-10m (Ham) Center, near arm rest

 

[KD7WCD]

The only right answer is all of the above.

Pictured:

• 2m/70cm FM (Ham) Middle, under stereo
• 11m AM (CB) Left near steering weel
• HF 160-10m (Ham) Center, near arm rest

Nice farm you go going there.

Is that a 4x4 ham stick I see in the back window?

 

[Lars]

Nice farm you go going there.

Is that a 4x4 ham stick I see in the back window?

Yes, I'm also a member of 4x4 Ham. :)

 

[VCeXpedition]

Do I need to know more about 4x4 HAM?...

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Lars]

Perhaps, It's a forum focused on.... You guessed it.... Hams with 4x4s :)

http://www.4x4ham.com/

 

[TreXTerra]

I am a lowly Technician, but I run both a ham and a CB.

My CB is a Cobra C 75 WX ST, which has served me very well. It has a remote amp that is easy to tuck away and the slightly chunky mic hold all your controls. Many of the people I wheel with don't have a ham license, so the CB is great for short-range communication and keeping the group together. When we are all in a cloud of dust we use it to call out oncoming traffic, road hazards, and so forth. Throw in a small hand-held CB and it is handy for spotters too. It's rather inexpensive and the convenience of not dealing with terrible FRS that can't reach from one end of a convoy to another is very nice.

My ham was purchased used for a few hundred. It is an ICOM IC-V8000 2M set with transmitting power up to 75W driving power to a 1M whip antenna mounted on the driver's side of the hood. I would have liked a dual-band set, but I couldn't afford one at the time and this got me on most the repeaters in my area. I honestly don't use the ham very much, partially because I have an issue with it blowing out the squelch on the CB whenever both are being used. I am relocating the CB antenna soon to try to mitigate that. I also ordered a band filter, but the guy never shipped it. If anyone with more experience in vehicle-mounted ham and CB systems could point me in the right direction to get an appropriate band filter for the CB, I would really appreciate the help

Once a year the XTerra club gets together and does a run on the old Pony Express Route and we can get rather spread out due to dust and the capabilities of different rigs. We will usually put one of the few ham-equipped rigs up front and another as "sweep" to make sure everyone hits all the right turn offs and we don't lose anyone due to a mechanical or accident.

Here's how I have my ICOM mounted:

Since it gets a bit of sun, I made a sun shade out of aluminum, which I painted with a textured Rustoleum that is pretty close to the color of the dashboard. There is enough room for the cooling fan to keep the air moving and keep the radio of getting too hot. One of the reasons I picked this radio was because it had a fan.

 

[Mad Garden Gnome]

Here's how I have my ICOM mounted:

Since it gets a bit of sun, I made a sun shade out of aluminum, which I painted with a textured Rustoleum that is pretty close to the color of the dashboard. There is enough room for the cooling fan to keep the air moving and keep the radio of getting too hot. One of the reasons I picked this radio was because it had a fan.

Very nice and clean install.

 

[Lars]

Once a year the XTerra club gets together and does a run on the old Pony Express Route and we can get rather spread out due to dust and the capabilities of different rigs. We will usually put one of the few ham-equipped rigs up front and another as "sweep" to make sure everyone hits all the right turn offs and we don't lose anyone due to a mechanical or accident.

That's exactly what we do in the Heart of Texas Off Road Club when Keith (W5UPQ) and I (W9ZEB) are both attending. He leads and I sweep.

What you said about having a CB because most the guys you off road with don't have Ham Licenses, is the only reason I have a CB in my truck as well. Although last Thursday when half of central Texas was under water, it turned out Ch.19 came in handy with truck drivers being able to tell me exactly where the road I was on went under water, keeping me from sitting in stop and go traffic for an extra two hours needlessly, since I was going to have to turn around anyway.

I honestly think if you can have both, you should. Better to have a 2m radio and never need it, than need one and not have it.
As for the SQL, and your 2M blowing out the receive on your CB.

1. Get the antennas at least 2m away from each other.
2. Order a Low Pass Filter (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamacc/3142.html) and put it in-line with the CB antenna
3. Ground EVERYTHING

 

[TreXTerra]

Thank you. An XTerra forum member salvaged another one of those change trays from a wrecked Frontier for me. I removed mine and put it in storage, then chopped up the salvaged part to run the power, co-ax, and drilled holes for mounting.

I did have to do some trimming on the plastic under that tray, but no one will ever see it. The Dremel tool earned it's keep with that install. I'm rather pleased with the results, but I do eventually want to completely rewire all my accessories to run off two circuit breakers - one that will have power pulling front the battery all the time and one that will only have power when the ignition is on. I'm holding off on that until I can install a dual-battery setup and get everything pre-wired for roof lights.

 

[TreXTerra]

That's exactly what we do in the Heart of Texas Off Road Club when Keith (W5UPQ) and I (W9ZEB) are both attending. He leads and I sweep.

What you said about having a CB because most the guys you off road with don't have Ham Licenses, is the only reason I have a CB in my truck as well. Although last Thursday when half of central Texas was under water, it turned out Ch.19 came in handy with truck drivers being able to tell me exactly where the road I was on went under water, keeping me from sitting in stop and go traffic for an extra two hours needlessly, since I was going to have to turn around anyway.

I honestly think if you can have both, you should. Better to have a 2m radio and never need it, than need one and not have it.
As for the SQL, and your 2M blowing out the receive on your CB.

1. Get the antennas at least 2m away from each other.
2. Order a Low Pass Filter (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamacc/3142.html) and put it in-line with the CB antenna
3. Ground EVERYTHING

Thanks for that link, I'm ordering one now. The ham antenna is on the hood and the CB is on the tire swing. Before anyone says it, yes, I know the tire swing is a terrible spot to mount an antenna, but I didn't know better at the time. In a few weeks I'm getting a new roof rack and the CB antenna will be moved to the roof where it will be much happier with a better ground plane.

 

[Lars]

...I do eventually want to completely rewire all my accessories to run off two circuit breakers - one that will have power pulling front the battery all the time and one that will only have power when the ignition is on. I'm holding off on that until I can install a dual-battery setup and get everything pre-wired for roof lights.

This is under the center console, next to the automatic shifter.

4AWG power and Ground, fused with 100A fuses at the battery. The four outputs each run a radio.

1. Anytone CB
2. Kenwood TM-D700 (VHF/UHF)
3. Kenwood TS-480Sat (HF)
4. Byonics MicroTrak RTG (APRS)

I'm going to be picking up a Blue Sea Systems 12 circuit fuse panel to manage my accessories, however the radios are unlikely to be changed. The only other option I've considered is an NSA box from Trail Toys. which gives me 8 circuits under the hood, with an RF remote control. Either way the radios are keeping their 4awg feed.