Is CB Radio Dead? Can you use CB Radio in an Emergency?

This is a story about a user of CB Radio, trying to raise someone when his power went out during a storm. I am curious on your thoughts in this situation, so leave your comments below.
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Thanks for watching!
#Hamradio #kc5hwb #hamharder

[@SevenFortyOne]

Not dead here in northern CT. In fact, a buddy of mine gets cheap CB mobile radios, fixes them up and gives them (with antennas and power supplies) to people around town who need them. He also then checks with everyone he knows who has a CB regularly to make sure they are hooked up, working, and the owners know how to use them.

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks Rob, that's a cool thing he's doing

[@therealpreparedhomestead]

I live in the middle of no where and people around here use CB a lot. Most people I’ve talked to about CB said there are more people on it than in years. I think it’s making a big come back.

[@HamRadio2]

Good

[@joelquinn2037]

I'm a police officer in Rochelle Georgia and if I had a CB in my car I would listen but as far as I know none of us listen. I had one in my squad car when I first started 25 years ago

[@HamRadio2]

I think most don't have them anymore

[@johnwilliams-hz6vb]

I am a retired pd. And no pd in my state has had one since about 1996 or so.

[@joelquinn2037]

I actually want one in my current car but just haven't done it. Something funny an officer from Nashville Ga police told me they used channel 9 til the late 80s early 90s.

[@electromech7335]

​@joelquinn2037 get the midland 75-822 and the president new York antenna. Works well no tuning. Midland cb is small and plugs into accessory socket.

[@jmollo55]

NY and Newark area is a large Mexican Spanish speaking gaggle of truck drivers who use cb and speak Spanish only i used to run containers from Syracuse to Newark port and you couldnt get a word in edgewise

[@richiec7602]

Jason, I was big into CB radios in the 70’s. You needed a license at that time: KIT4492 was my call sign. When the FCC no longer required a license, it all went downhill. People were using profanity, arguing, playing songs and just being idiots. Then, people started using extra power and beam antennas. People from two states away would sound like they were next door and step all over you. I gave it up. However, I still have a CB but there is no local traffic. Skip is what you hear on AM and SSB. I got my GMRS license but it is dead in my area. Almost no repeaters in my area and most aren’t open. You have to pay the owner to use it. Well, I recently passed my Technician exam and got my ham radio license (thanks Josh). Repeaters abound here in West Palm Beach, Florida. Plenty of communications here on 2 meter and 70 cm.

[@HunterSkiff]

Hop on KF4LZA in boca raton so I can bully you

[@roachtoasties]

Los Angeles area resident here. I have an old CB radio in my closet. Once in a while I turn it on. I flip through the channels (including ch. 9) to listen and transmit. Nothing. Then it goes back in the closet for another six months. My feeling is, if you're relying on this for an emergency, you're dead. :/

[@nobodysbusiness566]

I think if you put out an emergency call there would be someone listening somewhere that will be hear you, you would be surprised how many just sit on the side of channels sandbagging as well call it. (means just listening) Have a listen on 35 LSB, if your radio has sideband. You should hear people. I can hear you guys from here in Australia a lot of the time.

[@roachtoasties]

@@nobodysbusiness566 Thanks. Next time I pull it out I'll do more than flip through the channels.

[@CelticArmory]

I have a CB and a Ham radio in my personal truck and a CB in my work truck. I rarely ever turn on the CB. Reason? : About all I ever hear (I'm in N.E. Washington) is the crazies in the south pumping thousands of watts stomping on everyone trying to use the radio.

[@Siskiyous6]

The key to using anything in an emergency is your familiarity with it before the emergency, Community has to be cultivated. And competency with tools has to be learned through practice. Your results may vary.

[@Cliff-KI5OPP]

I was going to say the same thing

[@gtretroworld]

CB in the states is far from dead…I’m in the UK and 11m is blowing smoke ATM…Unsure how effective an emergency would be anymore,especially over here…Great video 73’s

[@mr.duckplucker5353]

CB radio is alive and well here in the state of Florida. A very valuable resource. These new generation truckers need to start using them again !!!

[@brandenhughes7176]

Having worked in a regional dispatch center, 14 towns and 1 major city, monitoring CB frequencies isn't something we do.

[@brandenhughes7176]

I'm in Connecticut by the way, sorry.

[@matth7853]

Interesting this topic came up. I used to have a CB radio in my car up until 3 yrs ago when I bought a new one and didn't put it in the new car. It was great to get information from the truckers on accidents and other things. I was just looking at my CB and thinking of putting it back in before I took a road trip to St Louis at the end of the month. I live on the southside of chicago and travel into N/W Indiana a lot. CB is still very active on the expressways. Good video, Thanks

[@dougdaniels]

Any mode/frequency is only as good as having someone on the other end. GMRS is "dead" to me, because no one in my area uses it, even though it's very popular in other areas. Same with CB, same with 220MHz. If you can get friends/family to use it, then it's no longer dead.

[@jonathanstevey1748]

Same in my area. I live near 2 major highway so cb is hit and miss. Gmrs is dead. Murs is dead. Its pretty much ham bands (vhf/uhf, 30 and 40 meter) or nothing.

[@basspig]

If you're on a CB anywhere in New York state most of the people there speak Spanish it's definitely not Mexico but it's not the United States anymore either.

[@escapefromny2012]

The percentage of Hispanic population on Long Island and general area is about 20%, far from being "most" of the population. I speak some Spanish because I took the time to learn it 50 years ago, so I could communicate with other humans (very hard working blue collar workers), and because I'm not a prejudice idiot. If "most" people in the area speak Spanish it's because they did the same as I did, learned it so they can communicate with the 20% of the population that speaks it naturally. That's a good thing. But if you're a trumper it scares the crap out of you, doesn't it. Ignorance and hate breeds prejudice, bass-pig. Maybe you need to move to Russia.

[@hatchetjackphillips]

None of the law enforcement agencies here in OH monitor ch 9. Some of the State Troopers still have em in their cruisers for escorting oversized loads through the state. Some of the Kentucky State Troopers have em in their cruisers too. Cb is still fairly active where I live in OH.

[@LilRedDog]

OTR driver here: C.B. is, absolutely, not 'dead'. If there is a backup in traffic, we all take part in advising the conditions. And, we (well, pro drivers do) monitor 19 with the squelch up but not so high we could not hear a close driver tell us we have a problem. e.g. Hold-downs are loose/tire is blown/running on a flat. Then we go back to listening to an audio-book.

[@Siskiyous6]

AmRRon's Channel 3 project is rapidly growing here in South Western Oregon. CB is a part of that. The shear number of CB radios will mean the service never dies.

[@TimC0001]

AmRRon ch3 project is very active around south western idaho areas also.

[@redneckwhitehouse5919]

AmRRon's Ch 3 Project - CB Check-in - Illinios Valley, Southern Oregon - Sundays @ 6:30

[@nimroddiaries_]

From my view, he experienced what happens when the dookie and the rotary oscillator collide, and you dont have a plan. Nor have done any prior planning and practicing. Glad he is ok. SW Michigan police do not actively monitor anything but their dispatch frequencies. I say that as a former, LEO and 911 dispatcher. If any do it's the exception, not the rule. Thanks for sharing Jason.

[@WillieJu]

We are a few die hard CB'ers in my city and a few other cities here in South Africa, we are trying to get the hobby alive and active again like in the old days - after all its the great granddad of social media. 😁 But we mostly use SSB and not much going on on AM. Its been deregulated by our airwaves police meaning no more licenses needed. But yeah, the large antennas for home base installations scares of a lot of people. I also use VHF for local comms on the 4x4 offroad frequencies.

[@joysachs9032]

I am a saffer living in Panama and been thinking of getting a CB for emergencies. Just seems daunting because I know nothing about it (except that truckers in the USA use it a lot!!).

[@coldandaloof7166]

As a "SEASONED" Police Officer in Ohio, I remember all our cars and dispatchers monitoring channel 9 in the 90's. I still have one in my car but have to shut ch. 9 down on it down about 10am everyday because the skip is so bad from some ass holes in Mexico that it is impossible to squelch them out. Some jerk down there is running 30k watts and talking nonsense all day, just about as bad as the ass hats on Chan. 6 spouting their stupidity. I usually run a 10m export rig in my personal car and use it for making 10m contacts and freebanding CB radio below the reg 40 channels with a local group of guys to get away from all the noise. They all run base stations with towers and big quad or 5/8 wave verticals antennas. We also don't run 4 watts either lol. But we cover about a 75 mile circle in the central Buckeye. We frequently talk skip across the country and occasionally Europe. 11 and 10m has been wide open lately. Fun times. Gone are the days where every cop had one and every town had a dispatcher on. Even our State Patrol has gone away from it and many posts lost their dispatchers to District dispatch centers.

[@flyfishingwestvirginia]

I am a police officer in West Virginia we do not monitor CB but I do have a dual band mobile ham radio in my patrol vehicle

[@kevlarnegative]

My dad used to have a CB in his van around 20 years ago, I remember going with him and asking people about the roads. Good times. Now everyone uses google maps here, I still think radio is better. My exam is next month, can't wait!

[@HamRadio2]

Good luck!

[@drsysop]

CB is very much in use today as many use the Free Band 25.555 Upper Side Band International calling frequency. Other CB channel areas is 38 Lower Side Band as well & Channel 19 is still in use by our truckers on the interstate. FCC today allows FM on CB & herd many all over on that but FM was used back in the 80's & 90's also on export models. If he herd Spanish on a walkie talkie with rubber duckie antenna in New York City chances are he herd someone in Brooklyn, Bronx or across town in Queens. I use to live on Long Island back in the days State Police did monitor Channel 9 but not anymore. There are also illegal Taxi companies using the CB on channel 1 & also on the Free Band below channel 1 on 26.735 - 26.955.

[@eagledare2008]

Jason, my thoughts is more like if the FCC would get off their duff and clean up Ch 9 on CB Band 27 mhz we wouldn't have this issue here , clean up CB Users and we might have the band free up and usable again

[@marklus406]

CB alive n well for truckers on the highways...

[@NeedleBender785]

A good friend of mine is a Stryker dealer and also sells the Anytone 6666 CB radios. The popularity of CB radio has really skyrocketed over last few years. Stryker is probably the most popular CB radio nowadays.

[@maikerumine]

You just got down! 73

[@NeedleBender785]

@@maikerumine We don’t say that on SSB though. 😂

[@N2ELS.]

Upstate NY near Albany has a few active channels. Not like it was back in the 90's. I just bought a new cb radio just to have for extra communications when traveling.

[@forgottenamericana]

I used to be a dispatcher for a local PD in southern Connecticut. We used to monitor ch9 but in the years I was there the radio was on but the volume was always turned down most of the time because of bleed over from ch6, high power dirty linear guys. In 2001 when the dispatch center was remodeled, the CB radio was taken out and never included in the new design. So for that department they stopped monitoring CB since 2001 and still do not monitor today.

[@smartin23964]

CB radio isn't "dead," but there are several factors that are killing it off. It was most commonly used by truckers in the not so distant past. It's still pretty common in many rural communities, both as an emergency device (channel 9) and just for communication. Mega carriers, large trucking companies, have started disallowing CB radios in their trucks. Partly because it's a "distraction" and partially because their drivers would get harassed for blocking up traffic in the passing lane, because of the company's speed limiters. Add to that the influx of foreign drivers who can't communicate in English, a requirement by the FMCSA, and suddenly CB "traffic" isn't so plentiful anymore. I have ran across some truckers who only turn their radios on when they encounter a backup (which could have been avoided had they had their radios on), telling me they listen to satellite radio or something they don't want CB to interrupt. Anyway, CB isn't dead yet, but I'm concerned with its future. It's an valuable tool for many, like truckers, if they only take a moment to use it. Tune your set, and take time to set it up so that you're no having to hear radio traffic 2 states over during normal use. (Yes, exaggeration to make my point, I knowbthe limits of a legal CB radio range under "normal" weather conditions)

[@briantalley8415]

Ham, GMRS and CB are all tools in my toolbox. CB is largely a dumpster fire up where I am, but maybe it could be useful in a bad situation. My Midland-75-822 is actually pretty useful in a vehicle, but I will look into that antenna you suggested for the shack. Right now, I've got a mag-mount vehicle antenna on two cookie sheets (groundplane) in the attic. It's not ideal.

[@GoonyMclinux]

Just put a dipole in the attic, 1/4 wave per side. Formula is "1234" (1/2 of a dipole is 234 divided by frequency in Mhz), speaker wire is great.

[@frankthetank3342]

Good luck using handheld with rubber ducky. Put up a vertical 1/4 with radials in yard, or half wave on roof, and run more power on the "extra" channels in LSB mode. For emergencies, of course.

[@davidclarke6658]

I was broken down in the bush in the mountains in Victoria, Australia and have a 27mhz SSB CB in the car. Where I was had no mobile phone reception. Fortunately the skip was in and I got hold of a guy in Queensland who made a phone call for me to get assistance. There are still a few people on SSB here. The long distance communication potential of 27mhz keeps people interested as a hobby.

[@glennfink8384]

Still in use in trucking but nothing like it used to be. Most refer to it as the back up radio because most drivers don't turn it on until the are in backed up traffic to ask what's the backup for?

[@HamRadio2]

I've done that

[@Aaron48219]

His "wired" phone was voip, I can almost guarantee it. A hardwired, twisted pair, copper landline doesn't go down unless the local telecom CO goes down. And I agree with the way 11m skip propagates from the southwest.

[@Uncle_Fred]

A lot of places don't even offer traditional landlines anymore. Our system was shut down this year.

[@craigsouthern4793]

I'm a dad with two sons under 10 years old. When they go out and play I communicate with them through CB radios. UK Radio them in for tea or the radio in updating me what they're up to

[@HamRadio2]

Awesome

[@ArkJohn]

I used to read Nat Comm years ago. It helped me decide to get my license. The Beartracker 885 is a hybrid CB/scanner. It's a 40 ch radio that also scans the emergency bands in your area, via GPS, to help keep you abreast of emergencies. There are a lot of trucking companies here in NW AR..... Tyson, George's, Honeysuckle, Walmart...... I know one transfer depot has a constant recording on ch 14 telling all drivers where to check in...... so im sure there's still a few radios out there....... though I have heard a few on 2M that have "gone legit"

[@Leprechaun714]

Long Island, and yes ... Back in the day ,Rodney Dangerfield(actor) commuted back n forth to the city on his cb radio channel 19, around 8 a.m. ,Mon-Fri.. was hysterical bc he must have been traveling in the dynamic of the times. His conversations were brief, but he admitted who he was and laughed at his own jokes.

[@jefferysmith5921]

LOL!! Love Rodney... When she said I do, I should have asked with who? -- May he rest in peace!

[@jamesweaver2811]

I live in SC and yes CB is alive I talk on mine a good bet have one in my home and one in the car

[@Rusted_Link]

I'm in Florida. 10/09/2023 5:25... I just heard an English speaking man in Seattle and the name Enrique. Heard English and Spanish a like. But primarily Spanish. I think the man was saying "Ham Radio 2.0" is the best!! But my Spanish isn't so good. Du ju cumprinday amigo?

[@bendeleted9155]

I'm doing the research to add a comprehensive CB to my shack now. I've ignored it since the late '70s, but with all the activity on CB I've been seeing and hearing on CB freqs, I now think it's essential to have the capability. Who knows how many CBs in closets would get pressed into service if the Internet went down. I can tell you our local comm centers in my area of NorCal do not monitor it though, and that's for at least 30 years now. With P25, we can all scan each other in the region, but not CB or anything not in the approved fleet. No ability to enter frequencies on the equipment either. Until recently, the K9 units had scanners, but the last scanner I used before P25 came along wouldn't even go CB low.

[@ernestoraices4158]

Those Spanish speaking stations on channel 9 are usually from the Caribbean islands.

[@genestevens7584]

CB is super busy right now. There's local AM and SSB nets in my area.

[@jamesdublin8338]

Here in Michigan REACT monitors CB channel 9 as well as HAM frequencies. I was surprised that they still monitor CB. Guess it's time to break out the old CB radio!

[@chrispierce2942]

Most react stations in the east have gone the way of the dodo sadly

[@threadripper979]

Chicken Band has been completely taken over by goofballs with southern accents and multi-thousand watt linear amplifiers, mostly making incomprehensible comments and throwing tantrums. Other than than that, CB is great.

[@HamRadio2]

LOL, true

[@maikerumine]

Screwballs on splatterboxes. 😂

[@genestevens7584]

No you're totally incorrect

[@dangercloseprotocol]

@@genestevens7584Roger that.

[@StormsRadiosCats]

Yes the Uniden Beartracker 885 is both a CB transceiver and a digital scanner

[@josephveca8954]

I think CB can be of some help during an emergency, for those who are licensed in amateur radio. Another form of non-licensed communication is the FRS radio (Walkie Talkies) short short-range but could be useful in an emergency. Another form of communication is the GMARS radio (another walkie-talkie does require a license, but no test is required for it. In my HOA was have had FRS/GMARS RADIO for emergencies.

[@phillipnelson6076]

I had a CB in my car the last few years before i retired. It was mostly to get traffic info on chamnel 19. Usually it was quiet during rush hours except when there was an accident on the interstate. It was nowhere as busy as the 70s. Occasionally, I'd hear skips from 400 to 700 miles away which were a little confusing until i realized i was hearing about traffic in Ckeveland or Atlanta.

[@lesjones5684]

We need another smokey and the bandit movie 😂😂😂

[@KQ4KXA]

Channel 9 is the main DX station for Costa Rica or another south America country I hear them all the time

[@HamRadio2]

Puerto Rico, I think

[@nobodysbusiness566]

HF and UHF are alive and well in Sydney and along the east cost of Australia and most of us are also hams (Amateur Radio Operators) as well. I'm listening to two locals to me fighting on 35 LSB right now as I'm watching your video. HaHa, in June 2024, one of them has been too the pub and had a little too much. Hahaha,. it's still good for a laugh and most of the people you willl meet are good people. Some of my life long, real life friends are people I would have not normally met as they lived in completely different parts of Sydney to me but due to CB radio we became friends. I'm nearly 60 now and were still in touch with each other online and radio in most cases. However, we are but starting to die off slowly, one by one, just due to age. We used to have a lot of fun back in the late 70's through the eighties and into and into the 90's, most of us ditched radios in the early 90's slowly as we could suddenly do it all at the push of a button using computers, but in recent times many of us have got back into radio and are using it again and I think it is growing at least here in Australia. . It is useful to have in the cars, in my younger years always driving the cheapest shitbox cars I could find ,CB radio saved me a couple of times. This is before mobile phones, I was able to sing out to mates, saying hey come get me im broken down or whatever. The movie Smokey and the Bandit made me want a CB, when we saw it when new at the cinemas. Also, the movie Convoy was from about the same time and possiblibly the Dukes of Hazzard, and Cannonball Run influnced us and I think many others around the world, making CB's very popular at the time.. CB's werei n lots of movies etc. when I think about it back then.

[@derekvargason]

I’m a ham radio operator and live in Alaska, I have had cb radios in my rigs in Alaska and hear a some local talk but not a ton of action on the channels. Right now I’m working in Easton Washington has a heavy equipment mechanic and found that when I turn my cb on in my mechanics truck during the day I find all kinds of channels have people yelling and shouting into the mic over and over again, playing music, and even stating that they are in states far away from me. I’m sure they are using amplifiers but it’s definitely not dead. End up having to squelch out channels to hear our local construction communications

[@jimh3858]

This is an issue I believe I have commented on before. The Spanish conversation you are referring to is a known fact that Hispanic truck drivers have self designated channel 9 as "their" channel. Speaking from direct experience and monitoring, this is a known issue here in the Northeast. When you buy a new CB radio and it happens to have an "Emergency" button, it will take you to channel 9. I have in the past cut into the non-English conversation and politely asked if there was anyone that needed assistance or an emergency. I only heard non-English responses that I did not understand and explained that this is a channel for emergencies or roadside assistance. So much for respect and understanding of your privilege's. ;) As always thank you for sharing useful and important information.

[@bassangler73]

They probably are illegal as well

[@black75powder]

I have no doubt the Spanish that he heard was either South American or central American skywave propagation(skip). I have experimented with different antennas on 11 m handhelds. The rubber ducky is the worst transmit range. The only way somebody could’ve heard him on that while he was in his house would have been to have been less than a few houses away. There’s still a handful of guys in my area the talk on CB. Although I still have a heart for CB. I’m glad I’m at Ham now.

[@saltire546]

Cb has had a reasurgance here in the uk .Covid im sure helped with folks cooked up in the house and whilst looking in the loft came across old cb gear and fired it up .Lots of USA stations dx ing and coming in 7/9 into the uk mostly east coast stations and of course the superbowl channel is always interesting just stuggle a bit understanding them folks from the south.

[@Aaron48219]

That Radio Shack "Archer" on the far right was a 49mhz walkie talkie. Had some when I was a kid. Would listen to all the neighbors cordless phones on them. Mrs. Grendel had many spicy conversations with not Mr. Grendel.

[@dangercloseprotocol]

Yes Sir. 49 Meg’s could be very interesting to monitor. Specially if you lived in a highly populated area.

[@tbo2341]

I am in Southeast Central Indiana live around here CB is still well alive around here there's a group of us talked about every single night and we enjoy it more than talking on the Midwest link repeater system on gmrs.

[@Screamingtut]

Jason, FYI, Queens, NYC has a lot of Hispanic people. I lived in Queens till 1982. & had CB in 1968, & up to 1978. when I use it the NYC PD did monitored channel 9 but I do not know what they do now.

[@HamRadio2]

There are hispanic people everywhere but usually they aren't on Ch9

[@2326TX]

@@HamRadio2 down here in Texas, they are all over CH9.

[@HamRadio2]

Last time I had the CB on, there was hardly any activity at all

[@robbiestewart1984]

During the Keilira bushfire on NYE 2019 and subsequent Blackford/Avenue Range bushfire in 2021 I utilized 27 MHz radio to broadcast road closures on ch 8 and 11 so truck drivers who were running both UHF and AM CB were aware of closed roads as result of both bushfires Plus i also included 27 MHz cb radio as a contingency system as part of my final undergraduate in emergency management assignment which ultimately seen me get a distinction passing grade also learnt that my father used AM channel 9 during the 1982/1983 fire season just before Ash Wednesday to report fires and other emergencies I don't think CB is dead just more of a contingency plan should brown stuff hit the fan

[@HamRadio2]

Yep, agreed

[@NatComMag]

We're a little behind, but thanks for sharing our story from National Communications Magazine with your viewers. We enjoyed reading all the comments.

[@SeaMonkey137]

Your response is largely what I give when my GMRS-loving offroad friends talk of CB being dead. I keep one on trips mainly to monitor the truckers talking about highway conditions. Never tried ch 9, but I know our local HP used to monitor it. Not sure if they still do but I will follow up out of curiosity. I think the shear number of pro truckers still using CB makes it relevant for traveling. And those guys are in no hurry to hand the government $35 just for the privilege of buying new radios/antennas to use a repeater.

[@lescobrandon3047]

I’m retired from Nassau County PD. Back in the CB days, if we had anyone listening to CB, they were probably in radio headquarters. Personally, I had a CB in my own 2-seat Honda and kept it on channel 9. I only transmitted it once when my wife and I were traveling upstate NY to notify an 18 wheeler had smoke coming out of a trailer wheel. The driver did answer and acknowledge me. That was it. Now I have a hand-held “President Randy II FCC” in my car but have not used it much.

[@escapefromny2012]

I use to live in the area of Belt Pkwy (western Nassau County, Long Island, NY) for more than 30 years, and from what I've been told by friends and family and local police I personally know, CB is no longer guaranteed to be monitored by police there. They can if they want to, but they have to ask permission to put a cb radio in their police car and pay for it themselves. They have state troopers, county police, and town/city police in this general area, and each town pd might be different, but I'm told county and state pd no longer monitor cb as a rule. I think that's asinine.

[@scottwiseman8015]

I'm in Dallas Texas, and Spanish speaking CB operations are very prevalent on Channel 9. These operators don't care that they're on the EMG channel as there is no respect for any English only speaking person who might be needing help. It's true that they have their own rules. The FFC doesn't mean CRAP to them.

[@steveburnham5073]

I've got a Uniden 980 with SSB, used it and got the Super Bowl channel. I use it as a base station.

[@Andy2e0ree]

No it’s alive and kicking

[@SocialistDistancing]

Coincidentally, i helped two stations in distress, over skip. Back in the day, i used to monitor channel 9, because nobody else was. Twice i assisted stations in distress (before cellphones). One station was in the next province (I'm in Saskatchewan Canada). The other was a fishing boat off the coast of Oregon. I recently purchased a president Lincoln 2, and did the 11m mod. This radio will be in my vehicle. Truckers still us cb radio, and if you're on the highway, they can be a good source of information and road conditions. I also have ranger 2995dx, because it also has 11m band. A friend is also getting his radio back up and running, after years off the air. Times are sketchy, and its good to have alternative means of communication.

[@DominicMazoch]

40 uears ago children used to get low powedCB handis. And there was Radio Shack. Children were exposed to two way radio. Today, FRS could be that exposure mode. Actually, yhe SE Texas Amateur Club gave the Ukrainian Catholic Church a pair of FRS radios to but in an Easter Basket for children. The basket was raffled off. Children, parents, snd parish loved it. In fact the radios increased intetrst in that basket.

[@ramonbennett8416]

Comms that work are good if they work and other people have one. Radio buddies and friends have to have a plan.

[@mrmetaldetectorist]

Late to comment. I hear people on my CB sometimes they can hear me. I did try to use ch9 (when I left my phone home😢). When I stopped for an accident, I witnessed. No one was monitoring it here in San Diego, CA. This black Jack 88

[@kleinbiker1]

This dude REALLY needed to report the power outage! 99% chance that if your power is out then lots of others are out too and the power company already knows, so just simmer down.

[@HamRadio2]

True

[@rEdf196]

Believe it or not, here in west coast Canada, Our local Canadian Tire big box store sells a new Cobra mobile roadside 12volt cigarette plugin emergency AM CB radio, with 14 inch rubber duck antenna "In 2024". Personally the very idea of a buying a new roadside AM CB E-radio today is laughable at best, especially in my area since CB use here is almost nonexistent aside from a few scattered SSB DX/skip enthusiasts like myself. Im sure the store never sold a single CB E-radio in the last 3 years. In my case, during an emergency, I would say using channel 38 (when the skip is down) , even with an AM only rig, there might be somebody there unlike other CB channels including channel 9. Over here using SSB mode is a must.

[@PalmettoNDN]

I'm a sheriff's deputy in South Carolina and I'm not aware of any agency monitoring channel 9.

[@extreme978]

No cops I've ever seen monitor channel 9. They are on channel 19. I've tried to contact police, being a trucker, and traveling all over. No states I've seen monitor channel 9.

[@jefferysmith5921]

I seems that GMRS is well suited for off road, or RV, or convoy type situations. I was tuned to channel 19 in on a road trip and did not hear anything on GMRS the entire trip. I am seeing UT videos with folks with similar experiences. With GMRS having an FM signal and shorter range it would seem to fit off roaders really well. What I am looking for is a radio that can be used to keep up with conditions on a road trip. Starting to think maybe CB is the answer. Last time I was on CB there were only 23 channels and you needed a license to transmit, so it has been a while. As far as during a total loss of comms situation I do have a GMRS radio and license to transmit. I have a shortwave radio receiver. And, I have a ham radio handheld, no license as of yet but at least I can listen. We moved into a new house... after I retire I am thinking of setting up a few antennas in the attic. Maybe a big long wire for the shortwave radio receiver.

[@EFFbriskethead]

in a way its more viable than ham, for instance we had an ice storm and many people lost power, well i did not lose power and had some backup heaters, i lent them out to complete strangers and they gave them back when power returned. the ham ppl locally were doing basically the same thing too.

[@geraldscott4302]

Out on the highway, yes. At home, no. I do a lot of long distance driving, now in a car, and CB is alive and well as far as truckers go. All AM, channel 19, plus many different trucking companies have other channels they use. If you are on the highway, and don't act like a jerk, you can almost always find a trucker. Just remember they are working, and unless it is a life and death emergency, they may not be able to help you. Most company drivers are not allowed to. You might be able to get one to call 911 for you if you are out of cell phone range. Channel 9 is a no go. I am also a general class amateur, and keep a 2 meter radio in the car, but don't enjoy using it when driving. Too complicated and too many rules. I also have an expensive HF radio, but recently got myself a CB SSB base station, made a few "modifications" to it, and actually enjoy using that more than amateur HF. I can almost never find anyone on AM from home, all of my contacts are on SSB. I'm in AZ U.S., and most of my contacts seem to be in the South Pacific. Australia, New Zealand, Occasionally Hawaii, and a number of South Pacific islands. Too far away for local help. I've never used GMRS. I used to use FRS on the job. Its max range is usually less than 1/4 mile, way less in a city. I used it from the ground to a roof or attic, very close range, but where two people were separated by a wall or ceiling and could not communicate directly. Worthless for emergency help. Your best bet for emergency help at home would be a 2 meter amateur radio, and of course if the power is out, you will need a power source. I keep a fully charged 12V marine battery around, and for a long power outage, a gas powered generator. If it's a true emergency, you don't need an amateur license to use an amateur radio. But they are easy to get. Just PLEASE don't get a Baof**k.

[@MisterBigDave]

9 has been full of interference from “those stations” for quite a while. But with FM now there’s plenty of space to get on a channel and use.

[@inthewind3458]

Up to about 10 years ago there were signs up in Ohio that said State Police monitor channel 9. I dont think they do anymore....

[@matthew.tamasco]

Surprised he did not reach anyone on GMRS. The NYC area has a ton of coverage, repeaters and commercial users on GMRS. He would also do well to get a HAM license as the area is full of very active repeaters that are monitored 24/7.

[@PaulGriffith]

I have a CB but it is not hooked up. Their might still be law enforcement in rural areas of Louisiana that still monitor 9, but with the addition of laptop computers in patrol cars, and the proliferation of cell phones in the population, I have not seen any CBs in police cars in the metro areas.

[@proximap2151]

CB is not dead in my area/ Pacific NW! Most of my family has used cb for many many years!

[@2326TX]

If you want an amateur license, get one. If you are not able to get a license (no testing locally to you) then get an export radio. Stay off the 10 and 12 meter frequencies, unless it is an emergency. With the export you'll have the entire 11 m band, not just the 40 channels. Plus, HF is the only true long range comms. Yes, amateur vhf/uhf and gmrs has long range with repeaters, but that is dependent on third-party logistics that is out of your control. HF on the other hand is true over the horizon point to point communications. Look at the anytone at-5555 or the new radioddity (can't recall its model number (might be the qt60)

[@HamRadio2]

No such thing as "no testing local to you" anymore since most testing is done online.

[@2326TX]

@@HamRadio2 well, I did it 38 years ago and had to drive two hours away to Houston. So if it is online now,,, then by all means anyone interested can get it. To be honest, I see no need for it now days. Export CB can give the average person all the comms they may need in an emergency and with the 11m band they can get all the practice and familiarity they need. Hell, they can even use apps like rattle gram to send messages over hf/vhf/uhf if they desire.

[@HamRadio2]

Export CB has 2 Ham bands. There's dozens more.

[@TruckStopPaul]

As far as Law Enforcement using CB here in Ohio. A lot of Ohio Highway Patrol units have CB's in their cars but I don't think many use them. And they really don't monitor Channel 9. They tend to listen to Channel 19, especially the ones dedicated to Mobile Scales. As far as CB base station antennas go, A-99 or Proton PT-99's are both good. I have a PT-99 with a ground plane kit on mine. But I have also learned how to make 1/2 wave Dipole antennas for 11 meter. My go to for talking DX is using mine horizontal. I do great on skip but only about to 4 to 5 miles away using it for local conversations.

[@5stardave]

The auther also didn't state whether he checked every channel to see if anyone is on. In the San Francisco East Bay Area there are still people on their CBS. There are a lot of local non-english conversations with no CB etiquette. That being said there are plenty of English speakers with no etiquette either.

[@lesjones5684]

I’m back on after I met my wife 😢40 years ago 😢😢😢

[@DominicMazoch]

Seems 18 wheelers are not using it as much. I do not see antennae in rigs. And I will listen on my ham rigs on C19 and hear nothing. And I live about 1)4 Mile from I45 here in Houston. And Jason you drive that to Galveston, so you know how truck heavy that is Note: I listen on ham rigs. They are not mod to transmit!😊

[@Siskiyous6]

Most truckers run @ 2M, they have commercial radios there companies buy with commercial frequencies, and they are unlocked so the drivers use a variety of frequencies in the 2M allocations. A fair number run APRS through them, sometimes at the Ham frequency, and at other times through their commercial frequencies just for their company. I have a Kenwood Tk-7360 KF and it's owner's manual shows you can do SMS with it on commercial frequencies from one Kenwood to another.

[@maikerumine]

Get the MARRS mod and you will be all set!

[@ralphnunn3]

Be carefull, Jason. Don't run afoul of any copyright laws by showing a clip from an article on a website behind a paywall. Other than that, very thought-provoking post. Thanks for sharing.

[@stuartlent2645]

Sorry, but when SHTF I am going to use any means that gets my signal through. In Oregon we used to see State Police and some County Sheriffs had CB antennas on their cars. You don't see that anymore. Even REACT has not been seen for awhile. They used to give out coffee at rest areas for donations to stay alive. Ham radio seems to be the only game in town. With Mesh it is the new big thing in Emergency Communications in Ham Radio. Problem is it is designed for large scale emergencies and not for stuck along the road with a dead vehicle. Cell phones are great if your near a tower. Yet most of my emergencies have always been in places where radio signals just don't seem to be. The thinking now is that you have to get yourself out of danger. All this high tech equipment and your best bet is self rescue. At least CB was an inexpensive method to get help. Now we have cell phones and they are only as good as your nearest cell tower.

[@Rusted_Link]

885 is a transceiver, I have one. So does KJ4YZI. It's an awesome scanner and CB radio!

[@SuperCapsfan101]

Hi, Jason. Here in MD, I’m not aware of the police monitoring channel 9. They used to, back in the 70’s. 73, Mike K3CXG

[@EmperorMingg]

I didn’t think that Channel 9 was still monitored. Back in the 80s (in the UK 🇬🇧), it was group of community volunteers called REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams) that monitored & relayed info to law enforcement. In fact, it’s not that the police didn’t care but AM CB was outlawed in the UK for most of its heyday and the cops would bust people with them, until FM CB was legalised in ‘81. And what’s more, Ch.9 is not just for emergencies but looks like it’s used for local info too

[@Kansacan]

From what i can hear listening in Houston, Channel 9 is the Spanish version of Channel 6; everyone is just trying to overpower the next guy

[@HamRadio2]

Seems right

[@brentchristians9888]

In Peoria county and the State of Illinois the changes in radio communication have made it very unlikely that emergency services (police, fire, and ambulance) would hve a CB in their moible equipment or base station. Other than another citzen, the only persons who may be monitoring channel 9 are a Radio Amiture Civil Emergency Services (RACES) operator or emergency management agency .

[@bobgrob4]

cb still alive and well in my area. Lots of open channels. I do wish people would shoot skip and the breeze in another channel than 19. That is being inconsiderate of others. Especially truckers that depend on 19 for valuable info. safety related stuff etc... The good part, not every car has a cb anymore which is heaven for the real cb fans and the truckers. People talk when they have something worth saying more these days. Or....get off 19 if you want to chew the fat.

[@jimz508]

One of the questions I have is what's going on with FM CB have yet to hear any FM in my immediate area

[@HamRadio2]

I've never heard any activity either.

[@mcdeadsquirrel]

In a true emergency, everything is on the table. All rules and regs come 2nd. Only in a true emergency where life, limb, or property is on the line. And, if one doesn't know what is meant by this, they probably did not get past the Third grade anyway.

[@longrider42]

I have a 40 channel Realistic CB Walkie Talkie. and it puts out 5 watts. So who ever that guy heard on channel 9, they where most likely putting out way more power then legal. Back in the day, even on a good day of skip. I'd be lucky to hit some one 10 miles away. And only if I was on top of a hill. CB radio could be useful. But only if others are listening. I am now a Licensed Ham Radio operator, and we have a net every Sunday night to test equipment and readiness.

[@jj2me]

A good question for CB Radio Show and Tell on Facebook. 50k members there 🙂

[@Adamdaj]

CB Radio for Emergencies, why not? Then again, I don't think many States still have CBs in their State Police Vehicles as they once did back in the late 60s and 1970s. Man, I know most of that CB jargon is mostly used in old movies, such Smokey and the Bandit or HIGH BALLIN' . On serious note, I do believe CB Radios still have use an emergency. Especially, with Frequency Modulation approved, signals may seem a little stronger then on AM. I would expect 4 watt CB AM or FM to exceed 15-mile mark with Good Antenna system. FRS / GMRS BP radios won't come close on simplex.

[@oliverw.douglas285]

Sadly, the days of any public safety agency, monitoring CB Ch-9 are +30-years behind us. Marine Ch-16 would be a better possibility, in & around the Great Lakes, or perhaps on the east or west coast.

[@HamRadio2]

It was less than 30 years ago that cops were monitoring Ch9 here but they don't anymore

[@oliverw.douglas285]

@@HamRadio2 I suspect it varies depending on the location & the agency. As a kid, I remember some state troopers having CB Radios in their cruisers, but that was over 30-years ago in our area. At one time, our local ESDA Post had a CB Radio on Ch-09, a Marine Radio on Ch-16, & a 2-meter radio on 5-2. The head honcho was a ham & in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Sadly, when he passed all of that stuff was pulled out of the ESDA Post, and that was in the late 1990's.