Why You Should NEVER Install A CB RADIO!

[@Kane6676]

Keep your cb, they will be back. It's basically unregulated , uncensored communication and that's becoming rare these days

[@letitrotfuckit]

Cb radio is now home to a bunch of wierd noisy pirate broadcasters. At least thats what I am hearing.

[@Kane6676]

Radio Pushka K9RUSS you are probably hearing skip rolling in

[@letitrotfuckit]

Uncensored communication is rare nowadays, because of the libtards that are controlling social media and platforms that are supposed to have free speech getting censored. Pirate radio is getting popular. In Arizona there are two local FM pirates and one local CB radio station playing the same music as 87.7 FM(also a pirate) on channel 1 CB radio. Its interesting to listen to them.

[@Kane6676]

Radio Pushka K9RUSS oh man those guys are entertaining

[@letitrotfuckit]

@@Kane6676 yeah, they are fun.

[@ViewThis.]

I once got stuck on a remote high mountain dirt road while doing a K turn. My rear wheels dropped into the ditch and I was stuck for the night. I had a portable CB with antenna, similiar to the one in the video. I called for help, no one answered. I also had a 6 pack of beer, so I drank myself to sleep and someone happened by at dawn and pulled me out. .....Moral of the Story: Always carry a 6 pack of beer for emergencies

[@louieserrano8952]

😂😂😂 thanks for the advice !

[@DonnieDarko727]

Get a ham radio

[@isaaccool3183]

Only if you had a ham radio

[@kishore9249]

I don't drink alcohol , so any other options?

[@isaaccool3183]

@@kishore9249 80% ethanol 20% watter

[@kevincoddington3411]

I am a "back in the day" trucker. I drove in the 90s spent 20 years in the Army then came back to trucking. I was amazed how few truckers had CBs, but there are still a few of us out there. Don't get rid of your CB, we are out there. We may be few and far between, but we are still out there.

[@PrepperStateofMind]

Many truckers have moved to GMRS.

[@kevincoddington3411]

@@PrepperStateofMind I have a GMRS radio in my truck also, but I have never heard any truckers on it. Do you know what channel they run?

[@Kane6676]

I swear there were hundreds of local people on the cb and tons of trucks up until around 1996. Right when people started going on the internet, they slowly but surely abandoned the cb

[@rickvia8435]

@@kevincoddington3411 I have seen where GMRS Channel 20 is used as the unofficial road freq., but I've never heard truckers on GMRS period.

[@sealsniper4206]

Question, do truckers mind if you have a cb in a pickup truck if I’m using it friendly?

[@corymiller3377]

As a trucker I can tell you that they are still used by a lot of trucks. Not nearly as much as back in the day because new drivers don't understand the importance of having them. Having a CB in my rig has saved me more than once from coming around a blind curve on a mountain side and slamming into stop traffic that I could not see ahead.

[@kevykev388]

There's also a ton of drivers for mega carriers who may not even be allowed to have one.

[@kishascape]

It's used for more fun stuff now by locals and base stations :3 screw trucking

[@joeyheiny1269]

Is it helpful when non-truckers have a CB? I drive over mountain passes all the time and have thought about getting one for warning trucks about dead stop traffic and cops and asking for a go ahead to pass since I can't always see around the truck.

[@kenrobinson889]

channel 19 is the channel truck drivers use .

[@wallychambe1587]

@@kenrobinson889 Someone told me that has changed in 2024??

[@Jordan56096]

Some say hes still out there trying to get a simple radio check...

[@PeterMeixllovesdogs]

lmAO RIVVER!!!

[@thedrummersstudiowest7018]

😆👌🏽

[@caplotnik]

Legend of 1 Road.....With Ghost Riders in the Sky playing in background.

[@jack_of_all_trades_master_none]

All he had to do was get a good mag mount antenna and tune the damn thing. Those radios are not bad at all. The issue is they only do about 3 watts and if his SWR was about 2 he was losing 25-30% if his output power. The antenna was the issue here

[@regularfather4708]

Might get farther if he'd watched a couple of KZbin videos before making his. These "hey everyone, come watch me making noob mistakes while trying to film an educational video" videos get tiring. Figure out what the hell you're doing before teaching others!

[@Hairball786]

Been on the radio since I was 9. I'm 48 now. Got 3 base stations and tweaked mobiles in each of my 4 vehicles. It ain't dead, people just don't have as much time or desire anymore. We're still out there.

[@Deadbuck73]

Makes me want to get back on the air...

[@abeldgaf9965]

Keep on duck pluckin you got the blood hound down in the great sand pile

[@HalcyonDaze33]

been a few years years since I've gone on a fox hunt.

[@mr.stonerUDX714]

yep Still out here 40 years

[@michelt4390]

In the neck of the wood, a CB radio is pretty much mandatory if you spend any time on logging roads... otherwise you will get surprised by a logging truck in a curve... not good.

[@briflemn]

Like others have said, when installing a radio transmitter, the antenna needs to be tuned for lowest SWR (at the frequency/channel you use most). That takes a separate meter connected between the radio and the antenna. You adjust it by incrementally adjusting the length of the antenna's top section by loosening that Allen screw and moving the top section up and down till you get the lowest reading possible. A more here is that magnetic base antennas aren't the greatest to start with because they aren't directly connected to a metal surface to establish a strong ground plane. The "booster coil" is not actually a booster. It's adding length to the antenna by sending your signal thru a coil of copper encased in the plastic. This is because radios work best with antennas that are matched according to their wavelength.

[@cheat_steve10]

Important notice: You should tune your Antenna, the screw that locked the top part of the antenna is used to change the length of it, with a SWR meter you tune the length. Because without it the antenna actually radiates some of the tramitting signals back into your radio and of long periodes break it.

[@dennishaldiman6087]

You took the words out of my mouth - a check with a SWR meter is vital to good performance. I would think that anyone working with the installation of a CB would read up a bit prior to using the radio.

[@halfrhovsquared]

Beat me to it. As soon as I saw him drop the whip into the loading coil and lock it in place with the grub-screw, I realised that his SWR is going to be well out and he probably has no idea that he has done anything wrong.

[@Jon-O.]

Yep thanks was going to say same but now don't have to

[@bobpendergraft8422]

Best place to get a cb is a truck stop..... The one you have is pretty much worthless

[@randyaivaz3356]

Was going to mention SWR meter as well. You will transmit with switch in Forward Position, Then the Reverse Position. Your Goal is to have Maximum needle movement, and Minimum Reverse (Reflected) needle movement. If you Turn Squelch to Noise, you can Hear Weaker Signals. Bigger Wires for Power would Help as Well.

[@paceta80]

I have a black 1980 Trans Am. A CB radio is a must have for my situation, lolz.

[@chuckinglobal108]

You wouldn't happen to be in California would you? My moms friend had one in her black Trans Am when I was young. But I'm sure a lot of T/As had them in 'em back then.

[@paceta80]

@@chuckinglobal108 yup, I'm in California.

[@chuckinglobal108]

@@paceta80 northern California?

[@paceta80]

@@chuckinglobal108 yup, from Stockton.

[@mst7511]

I live under the golden state bridge

[@michaellillie4447]

I was big on the CBs back in the 80s and 90s. Then the cell phones happened, and the CB faded out. After been out in the desert and back country recently, I found how useless the cell is. The CB is now going back into my 4x4, and I know I have a range of 20 miles or more with my setup. That is far better than 3 miles of the main road with a cell. Both do have their places and uses.

[@nickquik]

3 miles with a cell? I'm obviously missing something.

[@cactusladysouth1000]

what equipment did you use to get up to 20 miles, I would like to purchase the same or equivalent ?

[@claytonburch5181]

@@cactusladysouth1000 tall antennas can carry a frequency for hundreds of miles

[@lesjones5684]

I still have nine 😂

[@lesjones5684]

My cobra 138xlr will do that 😂

[@melissawolf553]

I'm a trucker. You should go to a truck stop at night (when they're full) and check in.

[@dustoff499]

Yep! And the deals you can get with CD's and DVD's are endless - as is with our local truck stop.

[@iamelvisman68]

I'd check in lol

[@MrTommy001]

Tell them you "ain't got no panties on" . . . Just sayin' . . .

Easy easy! You guys are ruthless! Yes the guy doesn't know what he's talking about but you shouldn't set him up for that kind of abuse. Ouch!

[@BlackKnight-ll8qh]

You work gloryholes don’t you

[@bluesteel5841]

70 years old have always had one in my rig. Nice to have going over mountain passes to get alerts from truck drivers to other truck drivers about wrecks ahead of you. Couple times i broke down and no cell service. Called on cb and gave trucker information what i needed, when he got in cell range he made call for me...

[@marttk.2605]

Also many moons ago started in CB. As a reference I paid the $5.00 for a CB license [ KMV-8672], then they became free. Went from the east coast to the west coast twice in a matter of 3 years , and many road trips in between. Hardly every talked on it . If I needed road contections, police speed traps ahead I already heard it from the truckers. Have a portable hand held I use for travel, next best thing to mounted. Think CB wil be around for a while.

[@JK-dh9sz]

OK,... WHY SHOULD I "NEVER" INSTALL A CB RADIO ??? ...in your case its because you have no idea what you are doing.

[@ralphchrist2655]

Boy got that right.....................

[@isaiahshaffer]

Amen to that, I installed one in my truck, all my friends and I run them, I have great distance and in our area in pa they are still used a lot, I'll park above the highway on occasion just to sit and listen on slow nights for something to do

[@SirDaShadow]

Yup, completely clueless. The squelch is to mute the background noise when the signal coming is too weak or when no one is talking.

[@extreme978]

That was click bait, you should always thumbs down click bait, so they'll stop that crap.

[@airwolf269]

100% correct. Its not a slap it in and turn it on. If people don't know what they are doing then yea don't install CB.

[@truckertavis]

You spent $38 on the whole set up guy, what did you expect??🤦🏻‍♂️

[@tyc7448]

T_Slayer Vlogs thats only 38 for the cb its another 17 for the antenna come on 😂

[@Kingfisher90210]

@@tyc7448 🤣🤣🤣

[@redneck04jeep]

I spent more then 38 just on my cable lol but I pulling all mine out I wana talk roughly 100 miles and the cb world is still alive I'm a a group with 15k people just in the USA and some lives on the west coast and talks to people on the east coast

[@2bituser569]

rednecksniper no way cb reaches coast to coast. That’s Ham radio

[@mathewmue5547]

@@2bituser569 I'm a trucker and have about $1k set up. Even then I can hear the east coast but cannot reply. Look up skip propagation. It can be done. Btw c.b. is a form of ham. Its considered the 11m band

[@ericchapman8956]

There's a Flying J and a Pilot in Spokane, they sell all the CB accessories you need.

[@max98059]

Yes he didn't look very hard at finding a place 🤔🤦

[@braedonphillips2617]

Here in Ferndale too...they have a whole wall of cb radios and parts! Basically any larger truck stop will have CB's

[@bajasoobnut]

Also if you guys have a coastal farm supply or tractor supply there they will have at least a better selection than walmart

[@No_Way633]

We still got 2 raido shacks in Wisconsin and a bunch of strictly cb and ham raido stores

[@PepperandCaseysRV]

damn you guys still have radio shack?! SOB.. lucky. They closed all the west coast ones.

[@rogerxxxxxxx]

Also, get the largest antenna you can install, typically smaller vehicles will have smaller antennas, while larger vehicles will have a larger antenna. Get a firestick, mine being ~24-36 inches long. If you have a garage, get a base spring on the firestick antenna, so the antenna flexes when hitting the top of the garage door. Make sure the antenna is grounded to the metal vehicle/roof, providing an extended ground plane. Then tune the CB/antenna!

[@dangeary2134]

If you can get a whip type antenna like a Wilson 1000 in your vehicle, do so. To find a CB shop, go to truck stops and gibbon with the local truckers. I GUARANTEE you that there is a CB shop out there that services CBS, as the guys that do the logging, dump trucks, and heavy equipment all have CB radios for communication. They are more common than you think. That said… Ten percent of your radio is in the unit, 90% is in the antenna. If you can’t get the standing wave below 1, you lose half your range. Best case? Match the antenna to the vehicle. So, I have to tell you this story for how valuable that sort of thing is. I left a company years back, and I had gifted my prized Wilson 1000 to the owner, along with the radio. I had the units many years prior, and would never get another sweet set. I put that radio and antenna on the truck, even after making a custom mount to get the antenna to work. Had it professionally tuned. The SWR was absolutely perfect. It could reach out over ten miles of big city on FOUR WATTS. While I got really close with that set in other vehicles, nothing could beat this. That’s what I gifted it. I could be miles away from a yard or quarry, and get nearly anyone I needed at the push of the key. if your first antenna doesn’t work, try others, even if the same brand until you get one that performs. I can’t stress this enough!

[@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire]

Back in the mid-70s, I had a 1/4 wave steel whip on the rear bumper of my car... The car was a '69 Pontiac and we had real steal bumpers back then, not the plastic crap that we have these days... Didn't have a garage, carport, or ever have to go into parking garages, so didn't have to worry about it hitting anything... Haven't seen anyone running one of those antennas in at least 40 years, but a quick web search seems to indicate that they are still being made...

[@rogerxxxxxxx]

Grumpy OldMan: I see the 1/4 wave whip antennas infrequently. Full 1/4 wave antennas are out there, usually one or two per county/burrough. Seems most avid CB users will use the Firestiks, which are seemingly oddly referred to as top-loaded antennas, even though the extra wire is wrapped around the full length of semi-flexible fiberglass rod. (I'd just call the Firestiks simply loaded antennas, as the load is distributed evenly.) Firestiks also have an abundance of compatible parts; and with Firestik's apparently good performance record reports, a full 1/4 wave antenna has a further reduced need/market.

[@seeharvester]

@@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire I had one of those on my FJ40 and my pickup. Made my own mounts. Radio Shack stainless steel 102" whip with the spring. Cost about $25 bucks back in the 1990s. They get out big time. I talked from northern Nevada to Dutch Harbor Alaska on a cheap 4 watt Radio Shack CB in the FJ40. Amazing.

[@danieljones2936]

​@@CurmudgeonExtraordinaireI'm still running a 1/4 wave on my 83 dodge pickup that I daily drive.

[@Deadbuck73]

About 30 years ago we had a big group of CBers out there in our area... used to love cruisin and talkin up the air waves... and just a couple days ago I had a customer come in that had a radio on her dash... I asked her about it and it turns out I knew her back then and she never turned her radio off... small world...

[@bloodybillanderson9294]

I still have my original 23 channel cb i had in 1976 i won it in a contest from the denver post i (delivered papers) that radio gave way to a cobra 19 40 channel and i have a uniden radio in my ford pickup and im about to install a cobra 25 ltd in my 73 dodge 4x4 playtoy lol gotta know when those logging trucks are coming downhill at you👍

[@danoakley6538]

Yup, we did that too! 1993 or so.

[@ted6090]

Why you should never install a cb radio ...cuz I could start a fire in your soul

[@bradcollins1762]

Alot of us never shut it off..in 30 years I took 4-5 yrs off of radio, but it's in our blood!

[@Deadbuck73]

@@bradcollins1762 for sure for sure…

[@rebeccarainharrod]

Well, I know this has already been said but I think it's an important point to make. You should really get an SWR meter and check the SWR on your installation. If you're out of spec, you risk doing serious damage to your radio. Also, not that this was done in the video, but also you should never key up your mic. until you have an antenna attached for the same reason. You can damage your radio. You should also ideally wire the power wires straight into your battery, I know from experience that wiring a CB up to the cigarette lighter port can cause awful interference and an annoying whine from your alternator when you accelerate. Just my $0.02

[@purdyboi8078]

1000%!!

[@westtennesseefarming288]

I can tell you cb is definately still alive but no one responds to radio checks. Secondly transmitting without checking the swr can destroy the radio and significantly limit output range.

[@journeyon1983]

I was thinking that too. I call it.... "Rule number one"

[@Johnysoutherner]

If he didn't sound like a joke when "calling for a radio check" I feel like he would have had a few checks in the mail.

[@WackyT08]

Just did a radio check on channel 19 2 days ago in Boulder, CO and got an instant response.

[@GeoDandrew]

Maybe because you didn’t know but before broadcasting, you should have checked the S.W.R. ( Standing-wave ratio (SWR) is a mathematical expression of the non-uniformity of an electromagnetic field (EM field) on a transmission line such as coaxial cable. Usually, SWR is defined as the ratio of the maximum radio-frequency (RF) voltage to the minimum RF voltage along the line. ) This is very important because it can effect your transmission and if the rating is poor, it really can destroy your radio. Also, placement is better under the dashboard because the unit does heat up and your dash gets extra hot from direct sunlight. Going back to the SWR, a 1.1 on Channel 20( which is center of the 11 meter band or C.B. band) and maybe 1.5 to 1.8 on either channel 1 or 40 is ok. The higher the SWR the worse things can get, the lower the better. Looking at just what you have in the video, the antenna can be tuned above the load with the alen key and the upper antenna portion. Start at the bottom and slowly work up. Also should invest in a semi decent Meter that can read the SWR for you.

[@ServiceComputers]

I have to agree. High SWR leads to a high percentage of transmitted power (since you have an AM CB vs a SSB CB is 4 watts). If you have more power coming back to the radio, it's not going up the antenna! Not only that, the excessive heat build-up will DESTROY your Power Amplifier Transistors. Secondly, the smaller an antenna is relative to 1/4 of a wavelength (Ch 19, center frequency, is 27.185 MHz, or 11.028 meters, or 434.17 inches wavelength), the less efficient it is & the more power it turns into heat rather than signal. If you had the traditional long whip style, you wouldn't need that loading coil that you have that tries to match the antenna to the band. Thirdly, mag-mounts are not good for HF, you need to have the other side grounded (like to vehicle chassis). That being said, DO NOT mount it to your luggage rack, this will cause excessive capacitive reactance. If you want to get your rig tuned up to be as good as it can be, stop by a local CB shop or as your local Amateur Radio operator. A lot of us Ham Radio Operators love to help. According to ARRL records, there are 4 ham radio clubs in Spokane, WA: sdxa.org/ www.ewarg.org/ www.kbara.org/ www.vhfclub.org/The first 2 are bound to be the most helpful, as EWARG & KBARA focus on VHF/UHF. -73 de KF5TQN

[@OutlawNix]

My dad was a truck driver for TNT Holland until he passed away in 96. My dad was a woodworker so he created a wooden box that could be placed in the passenger seat. Inside the wooden held the CB radio, Linear Amplifier, and AM/FM Radio including speakers. The box also had a quick disconnect for the power and normal antenna connector's for the CB radio and AM/FM Radio. My dad sold quite a few of those boxes to fellow TNT Holland truck drivers. At that time it was quite common that truck drivers ran Linear Amplifier with their CB radios. I remember going with him on the road when I was a teen. At that time a lot of truck drivers used the CB radio it was nearly nonstop talking. When I got older I pickup a old 70's 40 channel CB base and my grandpa gave me an antenna for it. When I owned it I was able to reach another person with a CB base 20 miles away.

[@NBZW]

I did nearly the same thing when I was on the road, didn’t have all the mentioned accessories, still have the seat desk and CB.

[@Jacques_Merde]

I was doing 60 miles push pull with a linear, with a Cobra GTL with upper and lower... I would get skip and talk with the UK in the middle of a frigid winter night... _20 -30

[@bwtv147]

I want one of those CB's like they have on "The Dukes Of Hazzard". The kind that you can call anybody on any time and they answer immediately with a clear signal.

[@davidallen3158]

From 50 miles away.

[@kleenrite5550]

C.B. & Daisy Duke

[@W-733_KWX]

It's possible only in Hazzard; Bo and Luke have no job and Daisy listens to Boss's CB at her workplace and they are always within a few miles, so within range, with the CB on at all times. This way it works, no problem whatsoever :)

[@nono-mk7jg]

@bwtv147 I want one of those old fashioned BJs Daisey used to give BO And Luke down by the river

[@dalethebelldiver7740]

bwtv147 they all use to be that way. I could receive or transmit up to 24 miles pretty easy and up to 12 miles any time. I think the government screwed up the CB world. There were CB clubs everywhere then it got nasty and mean. Then; it died. Just like the Hindenburg; and ocean liners the government did all that to bring about the next generation of bs.

[@Jason-jd1jv]

As others have said, tune the antenna. Another thing is the power port connection. Using those lighter plugs can cause engine noise. Always straight wire the radio to the battery. When it comes to CB radio, one radio is pretty much as good as another. Sure the Cobra 29 has more features, but using the stock 4 watts, there won't be a huge difference in audio quality or signal strength. For what you are doing, I would suggest going to a truck stop somewhere, pick up a Lil Wil and a cheap SWR meter and learn how to tune your radio. It's not hard but it does take a few minutes. Don't fall for the power trap. I've noticed that a lot of freebanders are all about running power but not only is it illegal, it's pointless for the most part. Most of the SB'ers I listen to have modded their radios to the point of making them not worth listening to. Too much echo (what the hell is that all about anyway), too much splatter causing them to bleed over onto other channels, modulation sucks, etc. Don't over do it. Keep it simple. Leave the mods to the mic holders. I run mine stock, I do have it tuned so that modulation is optimal but other than that I leave it alone. I can find out everything I need to within a 3 or 4 mile range that I can can reliably get out of my rig. That said, do what you do and enjoy the radio time you get. They are super fun and there are plenty of people on even these days. One last thing, if you want to increase your chances of getting a radio check, go to a truck stop and try it. start calling about 5 miles before you get there and pay attention to how far away you are when you start hearing traffic. Good luck and have fun

[@martyham10]

Jason... You make lotsa good points. I hope that people listen to you. I'm a former CB Technician, and I'm 83 now; I have an idea of what we're talking about here. Pay attention to Jason, folks! He's the real thing...

[@Jason-jd1jv]

@@martyham10 Thanks for the kind words. I've noticed a lot of people that run CB like to think they know what they're doing but they could learn a lot. I've been into radio for more years than I care to count and I've made a lot of the same mistakes in my early days. These days, I realize that it doesn't matter how far you can reach if you don't sound good. Besides, screaming across people's televisions, phones or other speakers doesn't make you popular. Please tune your radios properly and for Pete's sake, turn off the echo!

[@doctorartphd6463]

Yes, a truck stop store has all the CB equipment and accessories..... I don't think this guy really did any research, which should tell you something about this video.

[@terrynieman4711]

Can straight wire to battery .esp.if decide to go with amateur radio .or more power .2mor cb..going thru a power port could be asking for trouble . Check rubber boot around steering wheel ot firewall for place to run wire to battery..use two inline fuses .neg.and positive . Loading coul doesnt boost anything !🥲lol. A full wave 108 inch whip for cb is a pain .so use loading coil ..

[@jamescaron6465]

You are 100% correct, the antenna is probably most important part of your system. All the power in the world isn't going to help you if you cannot send or receive so tuning a high quality antenna is essential. Second I would not use the power ports to run the radio, or anything long term. They are not designed to run long term through them and running to the battery, as you say is the best safest method. People need to read your post like a tutorial.

[@grantschroeder3676]

“Can I get a good old fashion radio check” yeah I probably wouldn’t respond either lol

[@rh3309]

I always respond to radio checks whenever possible

[@prepcommsuk]

With whipped cream on top

[@ShieldArc200]

@@prepcommsuk they must have thought u were gay..

[@prepcommsuk]

@@ShieldArc200 what people think is up to them sweetie

[@davidrodden4033]

Don't be an ass.. Go ahead and respond..with a good "old fashioned" SHUT UP STUPID! lol..

[@steveboverie9432]

I had a CB on my Camaro in the mid to late 70's. It was great for travelling on the interstate to find out about speed traps, roving police as well as conversation. This was the time when the speed limit was changed to 55 MPH after being 70vMPH for decades. Going 55 added a lot of time if you were driving between states in the west and using the CB 10 codes there was like playing cat and mouse with the highway patrol. The highway road markers were used to alert where speed traps were. It was fun but by 1980 it started fading in use.

[@ME-qq3gr]

I had a CB in my old van but I think having a good antenna is key. I also used them about 18 years ago when I worked as a motorbike courier. The set up for the motor bike was a hand held one hooked up to a palm pilot that there could send data to via the radio. That thing covered a big city in range. I was thinking about getting one again but I think the best thing is if you can get a group of friends (who often go camping or traveling together) to all get them in their cars (or hand held). This way you can communicate with each other even when there isn't phone signal.

[@johnvrabec9747]

I was big into CB from 1975-1983 or so. Had a talkin' base, and had tons of fun with my CB friends, some who have become life long friends. I used strictly Robyn radios, a D-104 base mic and a 102" whip on the vehicle. I started with Hustler on the car until I got the whip. My buddy at the CB shop he worked at bumped my rigs from 4 to 5 watts, never used a linear. Talked skip to Florida one day, was cool. I remember when we added the channels up to 40 before everyone got new radios, we could talk to people 30 miles away or more at night and the noise level then was nothing. When you unkeyed, it was silence. One of the best times of my life. You were never alone on the road back then.

[@JanoyCresva]

Thats an awesome story.

[@davidchristensen2970]

I was 11 years old in 1976 when my family moved cross country in two vehicles. I went with my dad when he bought the CB radios for both cars. When we got home he told me to install them. So I did. We ended up getting help tuning the antennas, a friend of his had a SWR meter. Although it really wasn’t that complicated, I can’t imagine handing a task like that to an eleven year old kid today.

[@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire]

Still have my old D-104... It's sitting on a bookshelf as decoration though these days... I got started back when we had tube type radios with 3 channel where you had to install crystals for whatever channel you were wanting to use... Back then, we had to have a FCC license to operate a CB and I remember when the price went down to $4...

[@Lollygagger-k4p]

The 102" (8.5ft) stainless whip was a beast. On the left rear of my van bumper, I could point the nose to whatever station I wanted to melt. On the short end of the van, it was still far better than ANY fake coil antenna. They work as well on paper, but in the atmosphere: physical mass Rules. SWR adjustment is essential with any whip type, but more so with a big, powerful wave magnet.

[@hemi5463]

I would never respond to "Can I get an old fashioned radio check with whipped cream on top please"

[@brianzielinski2495]

Yup. That's just awkward

[@johnb6723]

Lol.

[@RobertSmith-yl5mv]

Same

[@SchardtCinematic]

I grew up in the 1970's. My Dad always had a CB Radio in all of his vehicles up into the 80's. Back then they were a life saver due to the emergency channel you could monitor. Plus over hear truckers talk about an accident up ahead. They were well needed for communication. I still have one of my Dads CB Radios out in my shed in a bin along with other stuff of his I kept after he passed away. Today you can use your smart phone for traffic updates and your GPS can even monitor traffic today. But I miss hearing the truckers chatter on the highway.

[@davidbrennan5]

You had a bad experience because you bought cheap gear that can't even talk 1 mile on a good day.

[@benjaminjackson2310]

davidbrennan5 it's not the radio, that radio even though it's cheap is actually a decent radio. I have the same one, and mine gets out at least 20 miles. It's the antenna, it has to be tuned properly. That goes for any cb radio, it's only as good as your antenna

[@davidbrennan5]

@@benjaminjackson2310 Yeah, the Antenna needs to be decent quality and must be tuned to the radio.

[@christophercorso3194]

@@davidbrennan5 tuning the antenna is key

[@shitwagon]

I get me a 4 mile range... lookin for a bigger antenna

[@ross9481]

I had a Cobra sideband radio back in the late ‘70’s, 3X more power and crystal clear reception.

[@benjaminkoll9179]

He dident even tune the antenna

[@joshwarner952]

Benjamin Koll how do you tune antenna

[@benjaminkoll9179]

U use a SWR meter thats the only name for it i know.

[@cameronw6702]

@@benjaminkoll9179 saw this right after I said the same thing lol

[@skinoku]

most mobile antennas are already pre-tuned and work also out of the box

[@davidallen3158]

This is a cheap 4watt Walmart CB. Tuning the antenna isn't necessary. If he buys a real antenna, like a Wilson 2000, then he needs to get it tuned.

[@davidcorbett2195]

"Why you should never install a CB Radio".. more like.. "Why you should never take advice from someone who knows nothing about the topic.".. CB isn't dead, I have one in every vehicle, along with Ham Radio's, There really is not "emergency" frequency / channel. There is more traffic on some other channels, if you're serious look into Sideband.. Antenna is everything, and getting it properly tuned can keep you from blowing up the radio..

[@derekfuller1161]

Pretty much hit it on the head!

[@greybeard804]

yup

[@Lowang_Productions]

73's from K4AZW

[@stephaniecurlee6936]

@@Lowang_Productions 73's KM4CNY

[@randystull1502]

emergency is channel 9 as local law enforcement listen to it. 19 is typically truckers

[@skvltdmedia]

Had a cross-coutry trip last year and CB's saved our hides with absolutely zero cell crevice, so a tuned antenna works absolute wonders when in a convoy.

[@jamesblake6943]

Why should I not install a cb in my vehicle ?? That was never answered !!

[@marieloveless9279]

It was answered at the end of the video... Read the final text.

[@tasmanmcmillan1777]

Marie Loveless why? Because he didn’t have the correct channel? He had a tiny ass Ariel which wouldn’t be more than 3db. A good UHF with 80 Channels instead of 40 would have been even better. Where I live, the national open road radio channel is UHF 40. Bolted onto my bullbar I have an 8 and a 6 decibel antenna. On flat terrain, I can get around 100km (60 miles) coverage, and yes, it is very busy on that channel, even when the next town is 1000km away. This guy is just useless.

[@Munky332]

Also doesn't help he bought the cheapest garbage radio, no SSB, no clarifier... I've run a few different radios lately, most guys are on SSB around here. seems like the only ones on full AM are just kids that bought toy radios like this piece of trash here. You don't have to spend a ton to get a decent radio, get a used on on ebay or at a flea market, you can get ones that are only a few years old that are good enough. Also, I assume this dude lives in the US... There is no UHF CB here. The closest thing would be GMRS, which technically requires a license, or FRS which is super limited in output power and thus limits range (off the top of my head, I wanna say its like 1/2 watt max on some channels 2w on others). IE the typically "bubblepack" shit radio "walkie talkie" you get at Walmart or whatever bigbox store. I do have my GMRS license, and with the license the limit for me is now 50w, I've made contacts a good 30 miles away simplex, but terrain is limiting, so I usually use a repeater. Most guys aren't using GMRS with high outputs and licenses though, most are using either 70cm or 2m HAM bands (illegally or not), or like I said CB on SSB.

[@sniperdoug1969]

Tasman McMillan umm wgaf that your running a 500 to 1000 dollar system. From the start this fella states that he is new to the game. Maybe he doesn’t want to slap down the kind of money or time that you have invested in your rig. For the casual user what he has will get him started. In a few months/ years who knows. Maybe he’ll be a C. B. God like you are. Hanging around all the truck stops wishing you could afford the attention of the new latino lot lizard. Getting in your 1977 Ford F-150 with Rusted craiger mag tires. Or are you one of those guys who has his HAM radio call digits as their personalized license plate? With an 80 foot tower in your back yard? Funny thing is. I don’t ever recall this guy once saying his dick was bigger than yours. You just proved it was by bashing a newbie for no reason.

[@tasmanmcmillan1777]

sniperdoug1969 the beginners pack is a cheap $60radio and $50 antenna. Here there isn’t anything cheaper, but to have quality you need to spend a bit of money. With that 3decibel he’d need a The transmitter to be within 1-2km. And no, I have a $2000 comms set up.

[@Sky1]

When I was a kid, I was into CB pretty heavy. A lot of my friends had them and we used to all meet up and talk at night. It was a blast. Met a lot of girls from the radio. Nowadays it is pretty quiet, all it takes is a small group to start using them, it will attract more people.

[@earthgirl7267]

Actually, that cheapo cb works great with a nice mic upgrade, and a good antenna. I purchased this cb for my hubby's truck a few years ago. Works very well.

[@kcst0rm]

A K40 fiber whip, a "Sweet 16" under the seat and a Echo Power Mic.... ahhh the good ole days!

[@adamn7516]

@@kcst0rm I've got 2 1980's era K40 steel whips with the quick disconnect base sitting in my attic along with a Firestik fiberglass whip.

[@ShortArmStrongArm]

Every Spokane truck stop: “You’ll never guess who sells professional-level CBs…”

[@mar-a-lagofbibug8833]

Exactly...lots of cb equipment at some truck stops.

[@tonyrowland9216]

CORBA/ President/ Petro/ Flying j etc. Money grab.

[@scottyb68]

Usually any large truck stop will have a garage a truck wash and a CB shop. Always check with the local truck stop.

[@talibanParade]

There's a Flying J at Spokane.

[@forgedabouted]

It's getting more and more rare! Sad it would be smart for drivers even in cars to still use cbs

[@TexanUSMC8089]

@@talibanParade Every Flying J will have a CB shop.

[@floater89]

I know the Loves near me has a large selection of cbs

[@forgedabouted]

@@TexanUSMC8089 yeah some do.

[@maj.d.sasterhikes9884]

Wow, a Cobra 19. The most cheepass CB out there. It's so bad that I once called for a radio check on one and when someone answered me they said to get rid of that Cobra 19 and get a real radio!

[@campcooking1690]

OK he told you he didn't want to spend a lot of money on his first radio which makes complete since seeing as how he could've shorted the whole thing by soldering that plug on wrong

[@joshuazufelt1448]

I used the Cobra 19 in my old Ranger. It worked great because of the size. I tore out the ash tray and mounted this in its place. It was the only one I could find that was small enough to work. I had a nice dual antenna setup that was tuned professionally. I had terrific range and with an external speaker I never had any complaints about how it was receiving

[@jackmaree6122]

@@joshuazufelt1448 that was his problem. He had no way to test that antenna after he put it together. you have to make sure the you adjust the antenna, not just drop in the radiator and screw in the set screw. That could burn up the final transistors.

[@Tractors_Trucks_And_Pups]

@@campcooking1690 if ya really want to...make a whole new connection for it

[@campcooking1690]

Karl Schneider well he might’ve been a fool 🤷🏿‍♀️🤷🏿‍♀️🤷🏿‍♀️

[@douglasbollinger3626]

I'm not trying to put you down, but your types of videos are the types I can't stand to watch to a certain degree. I've been using cb's and ham/amateur radios for a long time. I started out with cb's in the 1980's and then got into ham radio in 1994. Your first cb video, that antenna is junk, sorry to be blunt. Nobody answered you and I'll tell you why --- they couldn't hear you because of that antenna. Only people a very short distance away would be able to hear you using that antenna. Before you make videos knocking the hobby, please learn about the equipment, how it works, tuning swr's and how to talk on it! In one of your videos you say, "With whip creme on top"....really? You will not get answered by most people on the cb making comments like that and other people will make perverted comments or jokes thinking you are what cb'ers call a, "good buddy". I know you started your videos to help show people how to install everything, which I think is great, but you were too quick to say you took a long trip and nobody would talk to you on the radio. With that antenna, again, nobody could hear you so of course nobody will answer. I'm glad to see in the other video you got a better antenna! Anyone getting into cb...the antenna definitely makes a difference!! Anyway, I hope you are figuring out how cb works. CB can be fun and sometimes you can talk a very long ways on it using ssb/"skip". I'm one of the rare ham radio operators that admits I still have a cb and I always will. I listen to/talk to truck drivers on road trips all the time with it. Maybe when you get good at cb you can get friends with cb's over and play a "fox hunt" game using the signal meters to track down a transmitter, sort of like hide-n-seek. If you get into ham radio it'll be neat when you can hear someone in Alaska talking to someone in Florida or even greater distances than that. Have fun with the hobby, but please don't discourage the hobby. Radios and what they do are amazing! They're even used in emergencies to communicate when emergency services cannot, weather spotters, weather nets, contacts contests. They even use ham radio to talk on satellites and to the International Space Station to talk with astronauts who talk to elementary schools, boy/girl scout troops on Earth. Have fun!!

[@jeffmitchell841]

I'm thinking of getting into ham radio, I started on CB too. Still have a few units running. Any tips? I live in an apartment complex that won't allow a permanent antenna. So I was thinking of maybe getting something like the military uses. You stick the bracket part in the ground, mount the antenna to it, attach the coax, and off you go. There's a really good video on here about it. What are your thoughts? 73!

[@douglasbollinger3626]

@@jeffmitchell841 Hi, Jeff! Ham is a great hobby if you do get into it. There's a lot ham radio operators do (and can do) that most people don't realize. Are you looking to use local ham repeaters or are you looking at stuff like HF bands which let you talk long distances? Are you in a city with a few ham repeaters?

[@douglasbollinger3626]

@@jeffmitchell841 I do have some ideas for radios, antennas and things...just waiting to hear back from you. I hope you're well.

[@jeffmitchell841]

@@douglasbollinger3626 I'm thinking of starting local, but I would eventually like to talk to places like Japan and Australia. That would be really cool. I've talked quite a bit of skip on my Cobra 25 with no amp, and my radio on low power.

[@ldbrush9941]

Using Amateur Radio for local(ish) comms is good and requires at least a Technician license which is not all that complex. To use voice for long haul you will need either a General or Extra license. A huge amount of your questions will be answered if you can get into a clubs license class. There are a couple online as well. As one of my college professors used to say "learn the material, do not study just to pass the exam". Also, unlike the 'fellow' who made the video. Do not use a cigarette lighter or the like for a power supply. Wire communication equipment directly to the battery. 73 de K7KIT

[@jimroscovius]

I had a CB radio in my cars in the mid and late '70s. Had a lot of fun talking to other drivers and truckers not to mention my older brother who had one. We had a base station at home.

[@kieths1]

CB radio traffic has gone down in recent decades, and many of those who do need a radio have opted for the low cost handheld FRS/GMRS radios which run in FM mode (quiet/less static), rather than the CB, which runs AM mode (or SSB) and is much more "noisy". About 15 years ago, I purchased an antenna very similar to the one you showed for a long haul road trip (the only thing available in Walmart at the time). The when adjusting, the best SWR I could get on any one channel was 1.6:1 (the goal SWR is 1.0:1, with higher being increasingly bad for the radio transmitter and about 3.0:1 giving smoke). This antenna gave me a range of about 1.5~2 miles. I later bought the Lil Wil antenna (the economy magnetic model by Wilson) and though the SWR and bandwidth were somewhat better, it's range was an unremarkable 2 miles. If you want to "stick with" a magnetic base antenna (a pun?), I'd go with the Wilson 1000 (or better, the Wilson 5000 if you want the best range, and aren't worried about a height of about 6.5 ft). I've seen a Wilson 5000 work a range of 15 miles in good conditions, and much further when skip conditions are right (Wilson 5000 is a 5/8 wave antenna, and doesn't waste as much signal going up to the sky). Is it worth getting a CB? CB can be fun, and they're still pretty active in some parts of the country. Some higher end CB's include not only AM, but also SSB (single sibeband) which has more range - but can only talk in this mode with others who have SSB. I can't recommend relying on CB for an emergency, but on a long drive and for occasional contacts and conversations, a CB can help keep a person more alert, and as you said, it can be fun.

[@AmericanExplorer]

I used to be a CB'er in the '70's and there used to be many people on the air. Since cell phones didn't exist, you could help anytime day or night. It was one big social club too. Truckers used to be on channel 10, but voluntarily moved to 19 because of interference to channel 9, the emergency channel. The best place to get a radio is either online or at a truck stop. Other than Walmart, virtually no one else stocks them any longer, and it's hard to find an electronics store now that might have them. The antenna is not a good one. It will not receive very well nor transmit very far. A cheap radio with a good antenna will outperform an expensive radio with a cheap antenna every time. I've seen it many times. A permanently mounted antenna is the best since a good ground is important, but there are good magnet mounts out there since you're only going to use it for trips. The antenna also needs to be tuned with an SWR (standing wave ratio) meter. If the SWR is too high, it will cut your transmit range. A radio shop can tune it for you. There may be more than one reason you didn't get a response for your radio check. The antenna might be one. You may not have been transmitting very far. CB radios are limited to four watts output. Their output is normally around three and a half watts, some as low as three. If your SWR was on the high side, it would cut your range further. CB'ers have always frowned upon radio checks. There may have been others in range that heard, but didn't reply. There are also far fewer people on CB than their used to be. Truckers are about it and you don't see anywhere near the number of CB antennas on trucks as you used to. Cell phones, radar detectors, and GPS units have taken their place.

[@bcwest619]

I had a decent CB and antenna in my Ranger in the mid-90's. It worked out well a few times. That was before cell phones were a thing a lot of people had, so it was nice to know I could call for help if I had a problem. I used it some to chat with truckers on road trips, but mostly it was about the security of knowing I could call for assistance.

[@marzsit9833]

there is still a lot of land in the western states with no cell coverage, so ham or cb or satphone is it. cb is the cheapest and easiest option due to no license requirement.

[@diamondtiara2062]

CB is limited range and sensitive to electrical interference in areas with a lot of power lines and buildings. Best to use in rural areas and for trail riding which is what I use it for. I usually always install a CB in my trucks and it does indeed get used. Some folks have unrealistic expectations about distance and such. Always helps if you got a friend that has one too.

[@Heavy_Monkey_Arms]

CB tag was fun to do with a friend out in the country while working in the fields or going between fields.

[@davidsandy5917]

The limited range can be a good thing. Typically, it is about 4 miles. If you are traveling that is enough and you don't get conversations that don't apply to you.

[@pipedreams57]

I had one of those Walmart antennas. They were not worth bringing home. I got the Wilson "Little Will" and done a fine tune job on it with a good SWR meter and it works great. You may have damaged the radio by not setting the SWR before trying to talk with it. Also a radio that scans channels would have been a better choice. Lots of people don't use channel 19 .

[@johncherish7610]

Yes back in a day the local CB club channel I belonged to was 14 as the call frequency then you shifted to a quieter channel for rag chews

[@mattcollins712]

Throw that antenna out. Get a wilson little wil for 40 bucks. I run that on my f150 and can reach out very nicely.

[@WOWayne325]

Tuning his normal antenna will help... I have a lil will and a Wilson 1000... They really are needed when pushing some power...

[@BOB12349307]

yes i have a wilson in my car

[@Johnysoutherner]

Despite the magnet mount used he will find it difficult or impossible to achieve a required RF ground through the factory paint so tuning would not likely produce results below 1:8-2:0. From years of watching people attempt to use these rust sticks called antennas its often reported that the stinger element is to short to reach 11 meters properly. The antenna is just a rebadged Chinese design sold also buy other names/brands.

[@TwitchRadio]

Omg.... You did sooooooo many worng things but I'm just going to say good try being new to the hobby... I've been on the radio for a very very very.. Long time.. And I can point out ton of stuff.. But please.. Oooo. Please if your ever in the Tacoma Seattle area plzzzzzzzzzzzz let me tune, that radio... OMG... You don't know what your missing out on.. But if I need to nint pick...... 1st problem..... Antenna is everything... Get a good antenna and tune it..... And no Walmart antennas will not work good.. Go to a truck stop.. And being I'm in WA.. I know you have a shit ton in Spokane WA... 2.. The radio out of the box will sound like crap.. Thoes truckers you talk about in your video.. They have tuned radio or most of them do.. Look at bells cb if you can't do it yourself... 3.... The mic sucks out of the box.. And modulation is everything on the 11 meter band.. (cb radio).. Get a good mic.. And for that one I recommend the Red Devil by ascetic.. 4... You will never ever get to max power using a cigarette lighter plug in.. Ever!!!!!... 4.. When. Talking on the radio.. Don't sound like that bro... Im a old school military trucker and I would never come back to that lol... Just saying.. Not trying to. Be mean, and enjoy your videos here and there.. But. On cb radio there are up times and down times..... Shoot I've talked fome here in Tacoma wa to Australia Greenland Texas Connecticut just to name a few on a daily basis.. Only using like 30 watts of power.. And that radio out of the box is like maybe if your lucky 3 watts. And with that antenna.. Your lucky to talk 3 miles. Lol.. There is a science behind it that's all I'm trying to say if anything check out some of my videos on my KZbin channel just type in twitch radio you'll find me good luck in your Ventures have a good day

[@rocknrolljesus3197]

Johnathan Dewitt lol. Still working on that incorrect capacitance vs paint theory?

[@farmertyler8087]

They probably don’t respond to ur radio checks Bc they’re too busy cringing

[@curtisbarnhill5905]

Get you a good antenna. In the service truck I had the little Cobra 19. With Wilson. 4 foot. The SWR was set ( 1.1 ) It got out good. Good antenna And setting the SWR. Is a must

[@harlandlester4849]

Just stumbled across this. Good job on the video. If you want to get an answer almost every time (according to radio traffic) just ask for a 10:36 (Correct time) and they’ll key up on one another to tell you what time it is! Lol. Don’t give up on it. As a 30 year long haul veteran the CB has literally saved my life and the lives of others more times than I care to count. Happy motoring!✌️😎

[@jeffp5673]

It's not as popular as back in the day, but still a useful tool. May need the antenna tuned for poor best performance. Good luck with traveling.

[@riverregionrebz]

CBs still live. But truckers know who the "noobs" are just from their voice and dont respond lol

[@jeremytart639]

I thought I was gonna have to say it.

[@brickson98m]

That’s true as hell. Never got a response when I was brand new on CB, but then after I was talking to some local guys getting used to it and learning the lingo, I get more responses from random trucks while cruising down the I

[@alf8916]

Come on now! (in annoying hick voice)

[@MTKRAILROAD]

"10-4 This is rubber ducky please respond big bird" "10-4 rubber ducky go ahead" "10-4 big bird I'm going to kill myself "10-4 rubber ducky I'm going to kill myself too" It takes a few years but its easy to master with a bit of practice. You just gotta be out there every day speaking it as if that's the only language you know.

[@MTKRAILROAD]

@TUFF10-4 This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

[@drsnooz8112]

Well hey, let me thank you for putting up this video and getting flamed mercilessly for it here in the comments. I've learned a TON them! LOL

[@travisa2563]

Dr Snooz the most underrated comment on here.

[@ImaginaryCyborg]

Umm...with a video named "Why you should never install a CB radio" I expected to see some secret health hazards these radios have, or some law violated. Instead, I see a guy who's beginning his CB career, not being very successful at it, and not knowing much about CB radios either, other than installing. This video seems more like a personal opinion more than anything. Given enough time, he would have learned to properly choose and set up his equipment, along with the understanding of the radio/antenna's functioning and effective range. Nobody, in his right mind, expects you to know everything about this right off the bat. Some criticism is appropriate, but many indeed seem to be stuck up buttholes.

[@brendakeiffer4039]

I had the FCC (1976) ie. Uncle Charlie & Independence Va. REAC. Tell me leave the freq. My Hy Gain 2 had an inbuilt Amplifier not visable like a foot Warmer so get good stuff except for a amusement park communicator

[@evilfluff6634]

Go to a TA truck stop have a Pro install a good one Now you have to set the radio to the antenna. And CBs will work when the cell networks is dead. Truck driver if they are on the CB they are on 19. And 9 is emergency only.

[@williamlowry9585]

you have to set the radio to the antenna. LMAO never heard of such and I have been tuning antennas for over 30yrs you DON'T set a radio.

[@ronrice2249]

I've had CB radios in my cars in years past. Never had a problem. My favorite mobile unit was a Teaberry 5x5, 40 channel. All you get now is 23 channels. I wired it to the heater fuse. Back in the 70s everynody had a CB. I got mine at Radio Shack.

[@mediabear]

the best thing about these units is the PA function anyway. just run a cable to a cheap horn speaker under the hood and extend the range of your voice by 150bd or so :)

[@tdsuddreth]

That reminds me of my first time on a CB. Drivers don't usually respond to radio checks. However if you wait until you hear a conversation you can sometimes chime in. Or you could ask about road conditions ahead and see what comes back.

[@marcushennings9513]

Even when I had one decades ago it was off because of all the political, racist ranting and rarely any helpful info.

[@rogerreaney8637]

Many people have mentioned to you "SWR" (Standing Wave Ratio). This means that your antenna needs to be tuned to your radio. This is important because if its not you could end up burning up the components. Improper tuning can result in only part of your voice (signal) leaving your cb and the other part not leaving. This could not only damage the finals but also your voice not being heard well. You either need someone to adjust your antenna or you'll need to buy an SWR METER and do it yourself. You can't just put the top part in and tighten the screw. With proper tuning you will need to move the top part up or down and recheck the swr until you get a good swr. The lower the swr the better performance. btw some cb radios have a swr meter built into them already. You could potentially have a top of the line antenna but if you fail to tune it with an swr meter you will get poor results. It is true that a good antenna is also iimportant. I hope this helps you and not make it seem more complicated. Good luck!

[@lzjranchshiawathahideoutby254]

You just made a great argument for me to get one. I don't want to be "looking" constantly for an open channel. If CBs aren't being used anymore that's exactly the open frequency I'd like to go. Thanks!

[@45AMT]

In my 25 + year experience even a crappy radio will do well with a good antenna. There are still some die hard CBers out there but it's definitely not what it use to be even 10 years ago.

[@swingdaddy2126]

i second this. 4 watts on a properly tuned radio and antenna will get out plenty. when a friend or whomever asks me about getting a setup the first thing i tell them is get a good antenna with a good ground and quality feed line, then pick out a radio. if your antenna and feed line are crap everything else is gonna suffer.

[@cyclotechtwister1997]

Joshua Jahr - Lol, a quality antenna you say.......I run a 1985 wire coat hanger attached to a scrap piece of metal rod. My swrs are below a 1.5 and audio clear as glass....These young guys don't know the good stuff, Yep yep.

[@rocknrolljesus3197]

the real puzzleman the good old days! My first new radio wasnt as old - a solid state 23 channel cobra packed with crystals - but the fun was there for sure. Years later my first "factory made" base antenna - an avanti astroplane. Contrary to a few 'experts' in these comments we shot a lot of skip on that small setup. My love of electronics has been with me ever since that old cobra radio.

[@dakkadakka9189]

@@cyclotechtwister1997 well I believe you have a qaulity antenna your swr is near perfect and you have good audio, its all a guy can really ask for

[@tomsmith8781]

Remember Lafayette!?!

[@jasenklems1225]

Question why didnt you go to a truck stop to purchase your cb radio

[@nkm901]

You're crazy, that would be like going to a liquor store to buy liquor 😏

[@simahe1252]

Yea

[@freenachos8830]

I thought that's we're I could eat and shower?

[@Thebarbariantruckershow]

Someone just said truck stops are were you go to buy trucks..lmao🤣 I hope he knows you buy semi trucks at a truck dealer and for truckstop prices on CB's isn't that bad on pricing etc. I'm a trucker fyi. You should go to pilot and pick you up a cobra 29 for 99$ and you antenna kit should cost about 30-35$

[@CoasterChris]

And a few lot lizards

[@Mentorcase]

Looks like your creepiness comes over on radio as well, "with whipped cream on top" I wouldn't answer to that either.

[@HalcyonDaze33]

When asking for a bear report isn't what you expected.

[@GusgusA1]

I wouldn't answer with that language either

[@deanhaggerstrom149]

I just recently retired from 42 years of truck driving and have always had a CB in my truck. But in the last 10 years or so, rarely had it on. Still have one and keep it in my pickup.

[@deanhaggerstrom149]

Captain MikHugz yeah brother, I agree with you. There are still many good people that still use them. I used to use mine at those companies that would call you when it was your turn to load/unload. Now I use it when we caravan using multiple vehicles and for storms when phones and cell towers are down. Going to set up a small home base to keep in touch with family in case of hurricanes. To me they still have value. I have been using them sense the early 70's and most likely will always be part of my life.

[@arizonadroner5164]

I only turn mine on when I am at a place that wants to call me to load or unload while I am at their facility.

[@cup_and_cone]

@Captain MikHugz - Smart phones and mobile data happened. You can learn more about a traffic situation or upcoming stops on your smartphone than you can with a CB.

[@DominoStorm1]

And keep that bad boy in you’re truck till the day you leave this life

[@leightonboster3332]

9 is emergency, 19 is semi frequency. I listen to 19 when I see pile ups to see if I should exit. Very helpful almost better than gps... I never take though

[@waynepfremmer9921]

My dad had a cb radio on his chevy blazer in the 80s found his antenna stuffed back in my grandpas shop. Radio was long gone. So I hopped on marketplace and found a hy-range cb radio. Works great. Best setup I could want. I put it in my 1997 chevy Tahoe 1500. If you’ve got an old antenna and an old truck, you’ve gotta have an old radio

[@royfrye2871]

I was just the opposite. When my dad passed 10 yrs ago he had a 90s model Midland 40 channel, never taken out of the box. Went to a Truck stop and bought a set of antennas and mounted them on the roll bar of my pickup, radio was amazing, loved talking on the skip to people everywhere

[@Robalo844]

videos like this kill the best emergency communication

[@LeoNardo-be6yh]

I’m a truck driver and a proper radio will run you $80-$100 at a truck stop. Cobra is a good brand, but that little one won’t get you much range. A Cobra 29 LTD Classic will do you well for around $100.

[@LeoNardo-be6yh]

Oh...you’re already done with your trip. Yeah the smartphone was the death of the CB.

[@akbychoice]

Leo Nardo phones still don’t allow you to broadcast to many close by al at once. Many pileups happen because people don’t communicate on a CB like they once did.CB doesn’t have a monthly bill, it usually works when cell towers aren’t in range. Black ice, white out conditions, dust storms, hail or even a bridge collapse or accidents happen in an instant, cell phone isn’t going to help in an instant. More accidents happen now due to cell phones.

[@ckryegrass11]

yessir and then pay $20 at any CB shop at a truck stop to peak it out. It allows it to have more power and then you put a little more fire in that wire!!! Now to really talk loud you get yourself a Galaxy DX98VHP!!! You get that switched over to CB (Citizen Band) and "sing" proud.

[@rocknrolljesus3197]

ckryegrass11 a 20.00 truck stop modulation limiter clip 'hack job' will help out a lot ....if you like it to distort beyond recognition.

[@loctite222ms]

All the legal radios are limited to 4 watts. Everything else being equal it will have the same range no matter how much it costs.

[@rfi-cryptolab4251]

I would run one on road trips in the early 2000's and just listen to the truckers on 19. Lot of garbage talk, but was handy for accident reports as well as speed traps. Also, there was no cell service in the mountains of WV so it was a possible solution to communications if I needed one. Today, I just run Waze but if I went somewhere really rural I'd probably bring a radio.

[@golf-n-guns]

The last time I had and used a CB in my vehicles was 1992. It had saved me a few times while on the side of the road. I got my first cell phone in 1994 and ditched CBs in my cars. With that said, I have my ham radio license and still believe radios are still useful.

[@DannyAllen10271966]

Its really amazing just how little people know about cb's giving out info with no clue what the hell they are talking about....

[@elixeroflife]

Danny Allen its not a shocker to me, ever been a a cb/ham forum?? XD XD XD

[@Caeser194]

Exactly.As a driver at one time you could get info,now its just quite or jerks being tools.But having a radio has saved my ass.many a time

[@goofygal27]

LOL. Don't get me started....'Gotta get them ess double U arrrrrs up around 2 or more, that means you're putting out 2x the power'..uhh. ...no.. that's not how any of that works.... 'You can extend your coax with speaker wire, just twist one wire to the outside'.... (Head explodes)....

[@sdm115]

Welcome to KZbin. Where everyone is experts in everything.

[@LA-ph6hh]

Joyride....and that didn't end well lol

[@dgearwar]

never just hook up the cb to the antenna for the first time till you match the antenna to the radio . you want the swr down to 1.2 or close one one as you get .

[@brandonkoff]

I just came across your video. Yeah, it's unfortunate that the CB has mostly died out. A lot of it depends on what part of the country you're in. Also if there is a really bad traffic backup these new generation truck drivers will turn on their CBs and try to figure out what's going on. You also might hear a little chatter in truck stops. I wish there was some way to get the CB brought back to life. It's an awesome tool when people utilize it. Keep on trying man, they can be really fun when you find clusters of people on them.

[@keithvernonlewis9403]

Welcome brother, I began my CB adventure in 1976 by installing my very first C.B. in my 1966 Chevy Impala..... I was 18 and getting ready to heading off to the United States Air Force, my handle was Idaho eagle and it turns out we were neighbors as I was from the St Maries Idaho area..... Have fun there and have a little bit of more FUN by trying out Skip conditions are right.... On the side and monitoring, Idaho Eagle

[@philc.9280]

As a old timer CB user in past days you'll need an SWR meter to maximize the output of the radio. It will help you raise or lower that little whip antenna a fraction of an inch to gain maximum output. Those magnetic antenna's as you alluded are not the best ones. It's been decades since I used my CB radio collecting dust in my garage as cell phones and low cost walkie talkies have taken over most communications.

[@JREACHER1954]

I run cb radios in all my vehicles. It's not what it used to be some 40 years ago in the day and age of Smokey and the Bandit but I keep mine tuned to 19 while traveling. Granted not much small talk during the day but comes in handy when there is a situation on the road or needing directions. But even directions are a thing of the past with the technology that's now available to everyone. It's still fun as you get an occasional "breaker" to give a shout out to.

[@Richdelacruz2000]

Tune in next week, when we explain why you should never buy Crack....

[@JK-dh9sz]

Richard Delacruz. ....then the following week with "why you shouldn't say.... can you give me a good old fashioned _____ with whipped cream on top," to his cell mate. 😁😱

[@tomschweikert9537]

@@JK-dh9sz put that cream on this

[@tyy8523]

thanks Dick!

[@Nelsoh_]

Learned a lot from the comments. Got a pro 520xl uniden. So many things I need to fix and adjust and redo also need a SWR. I’m a beginner but I love listening to conversations on the road plus I’ll be making a drive from PNW to lower AL. 24 hours. Over 2k miles. I’d like to have some communication or hear from people. :) I know I’ve done something wrong. I’ll admit that! Thank you to the comment section for the extra info. Helped a beginner like me :) ❤

[@fishonkz996]

Here in Western Washington State some area logging roads require you to have a CB radio in your vehicle before access. Even for the log roads not requiring a CB it's a good idea to have it. When entering the road you announce your location so the trucks coming down know you're there and hopefully avoid getting hit or ran off the road! All log truck drivers still use a CB here so if you need help someone will hear you.

[@macgyver5108]

Interesting, never heard of that. I must not go down any active logging roads?

[@SamuelF.L.Witmer]

god, I miss mine. I had the same one in my Camaro which was my first car. I loved driving around using it.

[@nealfarenbaugh9048]

I'm a trucker 1 you never use CB with out tuning it to antenna it will damage cb and 2 go to any loves petrol truck stops for everything cb

[@cyclotechtwister1997]

Neal Farenbaugh - Lol, yea if you want to pay out the ass for cheap gear.... You're a Trucker, ROFLMAO who starts a sentence like that but a wanna be local Scab Driver....Please go buy a Book on How To be a Man.......Lol...

[@shawnjarman9860]

Cyclo TeChTwIsTeR agreed! Loves truck stop for CB’s that funny

[@thomasthreatt]

Never by CB from a truck stop go to A CB shop you got no idea what you're talking about

[@douglassalley9117]

CB shops are very rare now days I've been out of CB for 15 years or more. Due to the lack of "CB shops", truck stops/travel centers etc. or on line, if you do your own research. It was nice to see a recent video about the old CB radios. However, antennas will make or break the performance of a radio rather it be a cheap cobra 19 or a several hundred dollar 10/11 meter ham rig, that use to be illegal back in the good old days actually anything over 5 watts was illegal....lol

[@corby404]

You don't tune a radio to the antenna, you tune the antenna to the vehicle.

[@edsherlock4087]

I'm impressed by your ability to correctly solder the power leads! Heating the connection, THEN apply solder to the opposite side! YES!! And using heat shrink with a hot air gun...no cigarette lighter, and no duct tape or masking tape!!

[@xXGizmoXisXcoolXx]

This guys qualifications... “I’ve seen plenty of videos on KZbin”.

[@WD-zk6fg]

An all too common occurrence these days I am afraid.

[@bongodave13]

Sounds like one of those people who tell you the election was stolen. Don't ask them how they know. They don't.

[@purdyboi8078]

Yep. Then goes on here & tells everyone 'not to buy one'

[@codyworley5623]

I'm a driver, I use mine all the time. I'd say a good radio is vital to those on the road all the time. Even if you aren't a driver get a radio in your car. There are a lot of drivers out there that would like someone to talk to.

[@mciver47]

Works better if you are in a convoy with friends that have them. The days of random talking maybe be gone, but using them with friends is cool.

[@bongodave13]

If you're in any kind of driving club; Jeeps, sports cars, whatever, a little radio with a decent, tuned antenna works great to talk to your fellow drivers.

[@DJBrianAZ]

I just retired from 20 years as a trucker. I rarely had my cb on...except in icey conditions and during accidents/road construction backups to find out what lane I needed to be in, in which case CBs are extremely helpful. Any other times I had my cb off as I prefer to listen to music.

[@charlesjames1442]

I bought a Midland 75-822 and the Midland magnetic antenna for it, several years back. All of the electronics, the display and the controls are included in the hand-held control unit, so no installation is needed to have a fully functional cb. Just plug it in to a 12v. power jack, screw on the antenna connector and you’re up and running. It’s no powerhouse but with the external antenna I’m good for a consistent 3-4 mile radius - enough for local traffic and weather info. Having all the controls in one hand is nice, once you get used to it, and I really like having the local national weather service broadcast available too. My ham radio enthusiast neighbor set the SWR for me; it was almost perfect out of the box. On long road-trips I feel naked without it.

[@Jeeptalkshow]

The biggest problem with the CB is the noise. AM is horrible and when signals are coming in from hundreds of miles away from scores of people transmitting the noise is that much worse. CB's were big on the highway to give the location of speed traps and some traffic information. This helped the truckers make better time. Now days your GPS app will give you more accurate road conditions, and there is even an app that will alert you to where the police are. If you're interested in 2 way radio I really recommend having a look at HAM radio. Also with that CB antenna the top stinger is adjustable. That means you need a SWR meter and adjust the overall length of the antenna to achieve the best match. 1:1 is the best, but anything up to 1.7:1 is fine. This will help you be heard, and improve your receive.

[@ohmyadventure61]

CB Radios are still a great companion. If you are doing convoy trips with another car they are useful, but with today's technology UHF radios are more compact, more powerful, and less power consuming. I would like to see CB radios make a comeback. In my home town, as kids, we ran around with them in our cars. Lots of fun nights as playing CB Hide and Seek in our cars. There was also a few armature radio guys in our home town that always had their ears on. I remember the one guy that would read the news paper over CB channel 22 and on his Ham radio. The good old days.

[@TruckDriverJustin]

The only people that communicate now days (truckers) are Log trucks & Flatbed trucks, others are rare to have a cb Tanker trucks, DryVan/Reefer. Oversize haulers run a radio. From video ch 9 is a emergency ch it does work some police have that ch9 frequency on there scanner, this setup in video can talk or listen a good 2-4 miles depends on terrain. As for buying a good cb visit Bellcbshop website over in Florida, good antennas for mobile visit Stargun website Troy Tullos in Florence Mississippi. PS we don't all do the breaker 1-9 talk, just key up and talk ask for people handle name

[@mikehannahs]

I love my cb radio, I grew up around it as a kid, back then it was booming on every channel, not so much anymore but truckers still talk some, I talk with them often when I’m out taking a long trip on the road, they definitely don’t talk much like they use to, where I live cb is dead other than the truckers passing through, now when skip starts coming in that’s a whole different ballgame, I hear every channel going, talking skip is fun

[@jasonlitz2907]

Why you should never click bait a video.

[@randywolfe44]

Let's just say "Good buddy" doesn't mean what it use to.

[@living4christ]

Its dirty filthy shame that it means something vile now.

[@randywolfe44]

@@living4christ Agreed!

[@hdmf0481]

Lmao

[@bwtv147]

Even back in the 70's most drivers didn't want to be called "good buddy".

[@scottmorris4914]

Finding a CB radio, just stop at any truck stop - Pilot, Flying J, Petro, Travel America, etc. The antenna you have is an Omnidirectional antenna, it sends out signals in all directions. So you do not have to be on the highway to talk with someone. The question is used to cut off the static when no one is talking. So, go to your channel selected, thurn the squelch all the way down. When no one is talking, turn it up to when the static disappears. Then when someone talks, it will “break” squelch and you should hear them talking. Channel 9 is for emergencies.

[@alien_menace971]

This video made me laugh, what a dope. I got into CB's back in the early '70s. When I first got into it I had to pay for my FCC license for the CB and also I was just starting in on r/c flying and I had to pay for an FCC license on that also. I stopped using it around 1990.

[@ross9481]

David M Exactly! Me to, the licensing fee from what I remember was $10. Since we lived out of town the best purchase I made was a Cobra 32 sideband with a 6’ whip antennae, 3X the power and crystal clear conversation from Kitchener to Toronto. Interesting, I also flew an RC plane and now fly a TyphoonH drone. Anywho XM455018 out!

[@MrTommy001]

@@ross9481 KEZ 2744 was my 1970's CB license. Wish I still had that paper. Would look good on my wall. Ha.

[@HerrP58]

Those were the good old days. Back in high school in the 70s I hung out with a friend who ham radio'ed in his basement. Pulled in some good comms from far away. No need for internet or smart phones.

[@DakFink]

Cobra 29 series is the STANDARD baseline for Cb Radios. There are other better and far worse. The radio in the video is marginal at Best. 1100 mile road trip to where and what route? If it wasn't all on the interstate less likely chance to get responses. Time of day plays a roll as well. A lot of factors. Most all truckers still have CB's in their trucks, now whether they use them or when? different story.

[@NoMoreRadioMyths]

With any radio transmitter it's all about the antenna. That antenna you got there is probably about 15 percent efficient, which means you are actually radiating about a half watt. That won't get you too far. A full size antenna is always best and for CB that would be a 8.5 foot whip, which is a full quarter wave.

[@Vulpine407]

My friends and I went to game conventions (Origins, GenCon, DragonCon) in a convoy of two or three vehicles so we didn't have to cram together during the nineties. Since cell phones were temperamental and obnoxiously expensive (due to roaming charges), not to mention that cell coverage wasn't very good yet -so we used CB radios to keep in contact. With proper antennae trimming and signal boosting we could easily keep in contact up to five miles apart. (Less, in the mountains, of course.) Truckers were very helpful, chatting away about problems on the interstate ahead, saving us tons of time.

[@raymon760]

Ch4 and 14 are used for off-roadin I believe. I would suggest “upgrading” to a cobra 29. It’s a nice cheap radio for a beginner. Plus having WX (weather) is nice. There is a lot that goes into a CB, I took mine to Bells CB shop and had it peaked, tuned, and antenna calibrated. Bells CB has a KZbin channel and you can find some info there if his channel is still up. Also look up skipping

[@GunsandGearNetwork]

Lots of good info in the comments below. Don't expect a CB radio to be like your local chat room on the internet with lots of activity and people responding back and forth. CB has limited range except under skip conditions and then it can reach thousands of miles. A quality antenna and correct SWR is key to peak performance. The CB you have is decent for trail riding or in a convoy with your friends going camping. Like others have said a Cobra 29 Classic, President Mc Kinnley, etc are much better off the shelf radios. People get CB radios with the wrong expectations and causes them to be disappointed. CB is not always like you see in the movies where every time they pick up the mic the Bandit or Snowman responds. Go out to an interstate area or near a truck stop and get on channel 19 and do some radio checks. Tell them you are testing a new radio and would like a radio check. Then ask their location (whats your 20) and see how it does. This is only after you have done an SWR check to make sure it is correct so you do not damage your radio.

[@masaallen1009]

Guns and Gear Network that little bullshit Cobra he has isn't going to pick up any skip you need to pretty serious radio for that. And as far as the big fancy antennas I always run a 3-foot Francis with my Galaxy 35 and I can get out 15 miles.

[@RandoWisLuL]

second. My 29 classic goes miles.

[@Johnysoutherner]

Won't pick up skip you say? Funny, my cheap SDR dongle & a coat hanger picks it up just fine. As for the 19, it has ears too but getting back is a different story....but it is possible. Still, here you are with a decent radio & one of the crappiest helical wound brand antennas out there. Yea, upgrade to a real antenna & then maybe you can brag about your knowledge of DX reception & range capabilities.

[@bruceforster3709]

I will DEFINITELY take issue with your statement that you need 100 watts or ore to talk skip. CB is in the 11 Meter Band, or 27 Mhz. 10 Meter Ham is right next door at 28 Mhz. I have used both bands and the type accepted radios for each. With a sideband CB on 10 Watts, I have talked from Salem Oregon to Pennsylvania. On a little 5 Watt SSB Yaesu Ham rig on 28 Mhz, I have talked from Portland OR to Spain on FIVE WATTS! I'm a licensed Ham Operator & an Engineer. You do NOT know what you are talking about!

[@rocknrolljesus3197]

Masa Allen 15 miles from a galaxy 35? Is that a handheld radio?

[@edwinkirchgessner7206]

Channel 9 is THE emergency channel. Channel 19 is what almost all truckers hang on. I love listening to the drivers and what all they have to say.

[@davidjohnson2884]

You can adjust your CB by changing and tuning the antenna, and finding a better hand mic. Also talk to some truckers that still use a CB. They can tell you how to get the most out of your CB. Also you can talk to experienced ham radio operators and they can tell you how to adjust and modify it as well.

[@SladesVWBeetle]

I miss having a CB radio. When I was younger it was a blast

[@eduardootero2953]

Nice video. You have to check your SWR, like most people are commenting. I would suggest the next CB radio you get make sure it has automatic noise limiter noise blanker switch/ capable. That will cut out a lot of engine noise and static on the band. That's all I got. 73 Big Buddy!