CB Radio Aid
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If you have a converter for wall to car jack power, you can hook one up in your room and hear crazy stories? 
From my experiences, quite a few people still use them in areas not specifcally covered by cell phone networks - mostly for family communications, though. If out in the fields or off the beaten path and need help, you can reach your house if you have a base unit. For folks that get caught in blizzards, they can also use them to call for assistance.
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Your CB antenna should be minimum just high enough to clear your building. Now for the tech stuff CB modulation is carried over a "wave". You only can get one wave out of your antenna unless you put it ABOVE 75ft then you can get your second wave hence farther/stronger signal. So the answer is yes higher does help but you have to go above 75ft for it to help and good luck with zoning laws. Now you could use a Directional antenna for longer jumps.
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CH09 Police/Medic
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696 Posts
I live in farm country, and we still use CB's quite a bit, Although 'Push To Talk' seems to be making some large inroads into the communications around here.
Since we are in a 'Secondary Market', the cell phone companies don't have overlapping coverage, meaning if one cell tower goes down, we are screwed!
Lots of 'Dead' spots too.
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In the event of mass power loss, like hurricane, tornado, flood, ect.
(and we are in 'Tornado Alley' and just had severe flooding this spring, so it does happen)
The cell phone towers won't operate long on emergency generators simply because no one will be able to get to them to refuel them.
Home or vehicle based CB radios will have limited range, but do well for 'Fill In' communications, and unlike Cellular based communications, you aren't charged by the second and it's much more difficult to track the transmission than with a Cellular phone.
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Correct, Channel 9 is the 'Emergency' channel, but virtually no one monitors it anymore.
Since we are in a 'Secondary Market', the cell phone companies don't have overlapping coverage, meaning if one cell tower goes down, we are screwed!
Lots of 'Dead' spots too.
------------------------------------
In the event of mass power loss, like hurricane, tornado, flood, ect.
(and we are in 'Tornado Alley' and just had severe flooding this spring, so it does happen)
The cell phone towers won't operate long on emergency generators simply because no one will be able to get to them to refuel them.
Home or vehicle based CB radios will have limited range, but do well for 'Fill In' communications, and unlike Cellular based communications, you aren't charged by the second and it's much more difficult to track the transmission than with a Cellular phone.
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Correct, Channel 9 is the 'Emergency' channel, but virtually no one monitors it anymore.
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Cb is great if your near populated areas, interstates, etc. Cell phones are going to be useless if the shtf. Ham radio offers more in the way of reliable communications, greater range, clarity, less bs.
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IMHO CB's are better then GMRS/FMRS Radio's but not as good as HAM Radio. CB's are still good for many local uses . But if you are looking for more comm options look into getting a HAM ( Amateur ) Radio Operator's License.
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In most areas of the usa cb is dead. Some guy with a 29ltd cobra is not going to out talk the 13,000 people with in a four miles radius running converted 10meter to cb radio running 15,000w kickers talking to people back home in Mexico. Cb is wonderful I loved my many years over the road, but abuse has pretty much killed yet another good thing. Kind of like bulletin board Rambos.
CB is good mostly because alot of people have them
On road trips I monitor CB Channel 09 : 27.065 MHz and Channel 19 : 27.185MHz on my scanner for info on road conditions along with GMRS 462.675.
On ham radio I scan 146.52, 146.55 and 146.58 on 2 meters, but I actually do most of my over rthe road chat on 5371.5 on 60 meters or 7255 or 7258 on 40 meters.
On road trips I monitor CB Channel 09 : 27.065 MHz and Channel 19 : 27.185MHz on my scanner for info on road conditions along with GMRS 462.675.
On ham radio I scan 146.52, 146.55 and 146.58 on 2 meters, but I actually do most of my over rthe road chat on 5371.5 on 60 meters or 7255 or 7258 on 40 meters.
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avg is 3 to 5 miles stock. With the right radio/amp/ant/weather/sunspots you could talk around the world not legally mind you but you "could".
CB can be quite useless unless you can contact a trucker to make a call for you. Very few people have base stations or mobile units in many areas. If you live in a cell less area, you might find more usage, but Ch.9 is, sadly, not monitored anywhere as far as I know.
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Most states have an exemption written in for those with an Amateur Radio License that allows for scanners while mobile.
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Actually in some areas Law enforcement still monitors channel 9. In many areas R.E.A.C.T still monitors channel 9 as well. Not as much as say 20 years ago but some.
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