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In-Truck Communication (2-way & CB)

AZShooter

AZShooter

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jul 26, 2012
Posts
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Location
Tempe, Arizona
All,

Thank you in advance for your experience and advice...

Does anyone have or know of a CB radio that can mount in-truck and also have 2-way capabilities? My rig is used for both communication on trail rides, as well as hunting where I would want to communicate with fellow hunters in the field who are carrying portable 2-way radios.

Currently I carry a hand-held CB in the glove box and a hand held 2-way in the field jacket. Is there any way to mount a single unit that does it all? Does this exist? It would be nice to have the PA function and weather channels as well just for funzies.

Let me know and thank you again!

Jason
 
I've never seen such a thing, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I wonder if there's a regulatory issue. The FRS (Family Radio Service) is a relatively recent (mid 90's I believe) set of frequencies typically used for recreation and business use. It is vastly different in the frequency range than CB. While neither require a license, the FCC is funny about things, as evidenced by those intereference stickers on everything that generates or is affected by radio signals.

It may also be a practicality issue, since the vastly different frequencies basically necessitates a very wide-band transceiver, or two separate transceivers, adding additional expense for what there is probably not a lot of demand for.
 
If it existed it would likely use 2 different antennas, which makes the integration less useful. I think the first question is whether you can get a "wired-in" type of FRS radio.
 
why won't the CB work for all needs? I'm confused.

Base unit in the truck and hand held unit in the hunting jacket.
 
cybrfire said:
why won't the CB work for all needs? I'm confused.

Base unit in the truck and hand held unit in the hunting jacket.
Click to expand...

You bring up an excellent point. Traditionally all the boys have been using 2-ways in the field....I guess it's because they are a bit smaller, lighter and less noisy.

I might just do 2 units in the truck....I was looking on ebay and you can get some used police type in-car 2-ways for cheap. Then, I could mount a CB next to it....plenty of room....and wire a little PA speaker under the hood.
 
You may get a lot of feedback and squealing if the radios are too close to each other...we used to use walkie-talkies as an intercom between two moving vehicles on the highway sometimes,and when the other vehicle was right next to ours,the radios would just squeal and howl until they were about 30 feet apart when you'd transmit,the other person would only hear the howl or squealing..if the CB had an RF gain switch you might be able to turn the sensitivity down enough to allow it to work..
 
cybrfire said:
why won't the CB work for all needs? I'm confused.

Base unit in the truck and hand held unit in the hunting jacket.
Click to expand...

FRS is more modern, and doesn't suffer from feedback and interference issues common to the CB technology and frequencies. It's also less likely for the FRS bands to suffer from crowding. Really the only reason to use CB is because it's been a communication standard for decades and is widely used.

If you're just looking to communicate with a few people, FRS makes more sense. CB gives you the option to contact more people and access emergency and weather channells. I'd carry a 2 way and keep the CB, and since they use different frequencies, no worries about squealing radios being next to each other.
 
A well installed CB can talk over many miles. In real use FRS handheld have hardly any range. Maybe you can get an external tuned antenna for FRS and get good range from your vehicle, but you still might not hear the other guys with 1/2 watt and 2" antenna.
 
Blue85 said:
A well installed CB can talk over many miles. In real use FRS handheld have hardly any range. Maybe you can get an external tuned antenna for FRS and get good range from your vehicle, but you still might not hear the other guys with 1/2 watt and 2" antenna.
Click to expand...


that was my thinking. I've played around with the FRS and they just never seemed to reach very far at all. Besides the emergency capabilities of the CB.

I don't know about you guys and where you live, around here, its damn near private communication. Nobody really uses CB's anymore. (I know its not private.)
 
for putting a CB in the Blazer, what is "the" big daddy of all time CB radio? Classic or new? What do you look for (must have features)?
 
There are lots of good CB's out there,the ones most truckers liked best in the 70's and 80's were probably the Cobra 148 GTL that has single sideband..most were modified for "upper and lower" channels or "peaked" for more transmitting power...

A lot of other good brands from the past were Midland,Uniden "President" series...and Royce,Roberts,Pace,even the lowly Realistic radio shack ones were pretty good---features that are desireable are a noise blanker switch,RF gain control,a PA function for external speaker..
I have an old Midland in my van that you can change channels by pushing two buttons on the microphone which was handy...

Last time I turned the CB base I have in my room on,I thought the antenna was dissconnected--but it wasn't--there was maybe 3 channels that had any activity on them--I guess since cell phones became popular,the CB has been pretty much forgotten...now one is actually useable!..there isn't 500 people trying to talk over each other like before..
 
A lot of what makes a CB work well is investing in a good antenna and properly tuning the standing wave ratio (SWR). Even a good radio isn't going to work well with a cheap antenna, and if you don't tune it right, at best it doesn't work well, and at worst it can burn up your radio.
 
I had a Cobra 18WXSTII with the weather channels. It worked good other than needing a perfect antenna tune to use the Sound Tracker feature. I use 102" whips though so I don't have to worry about the tuning as long as my ground is good.

I have a Uniden 505 now in my K5 and a PC78 Uniden and a Icom 2m ham radio to put in my crew cab once I get brave enough to put an antenna on it.

I went with the 505 because I got it cheap and the K5 spends all summer without a top and it won't cost me an arm and leg if it gets stolen or fried. The Cobra 19(whatever) you can get for about $25 at Wal-Mart is a good one too. It has the rf gain where the 505 doesn't.
 
The RF gain helps a lot if your communicating with another CB'r thats close by,like in the truck behind or next to you--you can turn it way down,to cut down on feedback...but it effectively kills any signals further away than that from being received also,unfortunately..so you might be able to talk to your buddy in the truck behind you,but you might not hear any smokey reports made by other CBrs up the road ..
 
yeah SSB gives you way more range since regular AM wastes most of the power on the carrier (which has no information) but your buddies have to be set up for it too.
 
would be nice to get the weather channels
 
Why not do it right and get into HAM radio? The radios are much more powerful than CB or GMRS/FRS. You can get your license by paying $15 to take the tech exam (you must pass), and well reviewed hand held radios made by Baofeng can be had for approx $40 on Amazon. Add in a magnetic mount and antenna for another $60, and you have a nice way to integrate it into your vehicle, and increase your communication distance by having an exterior mounted antenna.

http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5RA...UTF8&qid=1409765314&sr=8-1&keywords=ham+radio
 
For us preparing to be trailready in our K5s what is needed CBwise? I've heard of unlocked ones with extra channels and stuff, antennas, etc but not sure where to start
 
paratrooper307 said:
A lot of what makes a CB work well is investing in a good antenna and properly tuning the standing wave ratio (SWR). Even a good radio isn't going to work well with a cheap antenna, and if you don't tune it right, at best it doesn't work well, and at worst it can burn up your radio.
Click to expand...

So radio noobness here but why couldnt the frame/body of the car be the antenna? Isnt the job of the antenna to be as big, wide, and tall as possible to grab signal?
 
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