CB Radio Chat & Scanner Radio Apps

[Ωhm]

Has anyone tried using these phone Apps before? Thinking of taking a road trip a was wondering about the CB radio app. 

[Eagle]

Why not just buy a CB radio? They aren't expensive, and you don't need a top-of-the line unit for a road trip.

 

Also consider that many states have laws prohibiting the use of cell phones when driving, but CB radios are still largely not addressed..

[johnj92131]

Just another thought:  Take a look at hand held wakie-talkies.  They have the advantage of being able to use when you are not in the car and some of them have good range.

[87Warrior]

Maybe you would be interested in something like SDR Touch since you are only wanting to listen. You could potentially hear much more than the 11m CB band. I find CB to be worthless on road trips unless passing by a big city. http://sdrtouch.com

 

I have a tuner/antenna to use SDR Touch, but my ancient Android won't connect to it so I haven't tried to use SDR Touch yet. My primary goal with this set up was to visually scan the 1m and 70cm ham band while on the road or in a new area.

[HOrnbrod]

CB radio use is just about over and out these days, steadily declining since the early 90's. Only a few long-haul truckers left is about all that use it anymore. All there is to hear in most areas now is the sound of silence.

[jeeppapa]

Sure can help when your on a long trip. Saved my butt in wicked snow storm one night. Saved me again when I got hit and rolled a car in Texas. Been thinking about putting one back in my Jeep for those long trips. It breaks up the boredom of trips between KC and LA. I'm sure it's dated technology but I still like them. We use them allot in the desert here in CA.

 

 

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[Eagle]

It does depend on what you want to get out of it. Here in the northeast, the truckers still us CB, so it's useful to know where the radar traps are, as well as accidents and delays down the road. Plus if you're driving at night and getting sleepy, often you can find a similarly sleepy trucker who's willing to talk to a 4-wheeler just to help him stay awake. But for reaching out long distances (meaning more than 5 or 10 miles, depending on terrain), ham is much better.

[87Warrior]

I've all but abandoned CB yet still have a handheld and magnetic antenna to use for trail runs where a CB is required. Sometimes I'll even tune the CB to 17 during harvest and listen to the farmers talk with the grain elevator... A $15 ham license and $40 for a Baofeng handheld radio lets me reach somebody nearly anywhere across Kansas thanks to an awesome linked repeater system. My wife appreciates being able to keep track of me via APRS when I head out to Colorado for a week or so of exploration.

[Ωhm]

We got a great big 10-4 here, good buddies. Seems like I'll fall back on my Radio Shack DX-390 World Band portable radio. At least I'll be able to listen while flying down the road. Was thinking the phone app would allow me 2 way conversations, if it was simple, but the only thing I know about phone apps is that I hate them. Too old. If its not real simple, I get all mixed up.

[whowey]

I have the scanner radio app and being an amateur radio operator I also have echolink. Both are kind of cool, but really eat up data.

 

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[johnj92131]

We got a great big 10-4 here, good buddies. Seems like I'll fall back on my Radio Shack DX-390 World Band portable radio. At least I'll be able to listen while flying down the road. Was thinking the phone app would allow me 2 way conversations, if it was simple, but the only thing I know about phone apps is that I hate them. Too old. If its not real simple, I get all mixed up.

 

Recall trying to use my old Sony ICF-2010 portable all band radio in the car - too much ignition noise to make it useful.  The built in whip antenna was also not very sensitive in the car.

[jeeppapa]

I've got 3 cb but there really isn't a great place to mount the thing. But I guess under the dash, drives, side above my R leg. Anybody done that if so how did it work out. That would be so low it seams like it would really take my eyes off the road. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated don't mean to highjack the thread.

 

 

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[87Warrior]

I've got 3 cb but there really isn't a great place to mount the thing. But I guess under the dash, drives, side above my R leg. Anybody done that if so how did it work out. That would be so low it seams like it would really take my eyes off the road. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated don't mean to highjack the thread.

I had a Uniden 510 in that same spot. I removed it because I would kick the back of the radio anytime I wore boots and it was hard to hear with the downward facing speaker. Replaced the Uniden with an all-in-one Midland 75-822 and use it whenever a CB required.

[jeeppapa]

Thanks Warrior thats good info.

 

 

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