When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

"RedPenguin" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.


First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

On Feb 26, 8:58 am, "JSF" wrote:
"RedPenguin" wrote in message

ups.com...

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

That's what I thought but I figured I would ask anyway. Ham has to be
licensed no? Is it the same cost anywhere in the US?

On Feb 26, 11:48 am, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 26, 8:58 am, "JSF" wrote:



"RedPenguin" wrote in message

oups.com...

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

That's what I thought but I figured I would ask anyway. Ham has to be
licensed no? Is it the same cost anywhere in the US?


Ham radio is probably NOT a good choice for you until you learn a bit
more about radio and electronics. Ham radio requires studying and
tests to gain a license.
CB does not require a license, and you can use it immediately, it is
not at all a waste of time.

I would suggest a CB that also has SSB, and also a good antenna.

Ham radio is fine, but its a whole different animal and can't be
compared to CB.

Ham radio is probably NOT a good choice for you until you learn a bit
more about radio and electronics. Ham radio requires studying and
tests to gain a license.
CB does not require a license, and you can use it immediately, it is
not at all a waste of time.


CB is a good stepping stone. Not all folks that buy a CB even stay in radio.
If you like it then ham is the next step.


I would suggest a CB that also has SSB, and also a good antenna.

Sideband radios are generally better radios overall. It would help if pointers to
"a good antenna" were posted. How about:

o The bigger the better
o Holes instead of magnets
o Center is better then edges


Ham radio is fine, but its a whole different animal and can't be
compared to CB.

But people are still people and you'll get bad apples in every group.

On Feb 27, 1:31 am, "Spikey911usa" wrote:
On Feb 26, 11:48 am, "RedPenguin" wrote:





On Feb 26, 8:58 am, "JSF" wrote:

"RedPenguin" wrote in message

oups.com...

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

That's what I thought but I figured I would ask anyway. Ham has to be
licensed no? Is it the same cost anywhere in the US?

Ham radio is probably NOT a good choice for you until you learn a bit
more about radio and electronics. Ham radio requires studying and
tests to gain a license.
CB does not require a license, and you can use it immediately, it is
not at all a waste of time.

I would suggest a CB that also has SSB, and also a good antenna.

Ham radio is fine, but its a whole different animal and can't be
compared to CB.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That's probably the best thing said in here.

Although it still amazes me how many hams who claim you should use
only the power levels necessarry for communications are the same ones
promoting using more unnecessary power for communications by saying if
you want to talk on the radio to your neighbor down the street, don't
use a half watt frs radio that covers only your neighborhood and lets
people in other cities and neighborhoods in the same city talk also.
Instead, use a cb that covers a twelve cities and prevent people in
ywelve cities from talking just to talk to your neighbor down the
street on the radio. "After all, that's how us hams do it."

Yes, I know that's how you hams do it. I have a radio scanner. I hear
you hams running more power than necessarry for communiccation. I know
you do because I hear you talk on the air about it.

I sure hope the elimination of the morse code requirement helps to get
some actual sensible people into ham radio.

Sure, I'll use a cb to talk to the neighbor down the street if he has
only a cb radio.

But if we both have frs, why should I talk to my neighbor down the
street or next door with four watts of power that covers twelve cities
when only a half of a watt that covers only one mile will do?

I know the bozo hams around here will just be angry that they can't
hear what I'm saying . Well, tough luck. hahhaha.

On Feb 27, 5:29 am, "------------"
wrote:
On Feb 27, 1:31 am, "Spikey911usa" wrote:



On Feb 26, 11:48 am, "RedPenguin" wrote:

On Feb 26, 8:58 am, "JSF" wrote:

"RedPenguin" wrote in message

oups.com...

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

That's what I thought but I figured I would ask anyway. Ham has to be
licensed no? Is it the same cost anywhere in the US?

Ham radio is probably NOT a good choice for you until you learn a bit
more about radio and electronics. Ham radio requires studying and
tests to gain a license.
CB does not require a license, and you can use it immediately, it is
not at all a waste of time.

I would suggest a CB that also has SSB, and also a good antenna.

Ham radio is fine, but its a whole different animal and can't be
compared to CB.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That's probably the best thing said in here.

Although it still amazes me how many hams who claim you should use
only the power levels necessarry for communications are the same ones
promoting using more unnecessary power for communications by saying if
you want to talk on the radio to your neighbor down the street, don't
use a half watt frs radio that covers only your neighborhood and lets
people in other cities and neighborhoods in the same city talk also.
Instead, use a cb that covers a twelve cities and prevent people in
ywelve cities from talking just to talk to your neighbor down the
street on the radio. "After all, that's how us hams do it."

Yes, I know that's how you hams do it. I have a radio scanner. I hear
you hams running more power than necessarry for communiccation. I know
you do because I hear you talk on the air about it.

I sure hope the elimination of the morse code requirement helps to get
some actual sensible people into ham radio.

Sure, I'll use a cb to talk to the neighbor down the street if he has
only a cb radio.

But if we both have frs, why should I talk to my neighbor down the
street or next door with four watts of power that covers twelve cities
when only a half of a watt that covers only one mile will do?

I know the bozo hams around here will just be angry that they can't
hear what I'm saying . Well, tough luck. hahhaha.


You are right with many points...

I am a Ham myself, I got into Ham radio after many years of fun on
CB.

Don't be fooled into believing that Ham radio is a perfect world, its
not. You have many pirate stations, over powered rigs, and obnoxious
people. You may not notice this as much because it is spread out over
many bands.

FRS is great, but Cb is probably still more popular for the masses
and rag chewing...Nothing wrong with FRS for local stuff.... GMRS is
neat because they do have repeaters, but you must buy a license...

On Feb 27, 7:18 am, "Spikey911usa" wrote:
On Feb 27, 5:29 am, "------------"
wrote:



On Feb 27, 1:31 am, "Spikey911usa" wrote:

On Feb 26, 11:48 am, "RedPenguin" wrote:

On Feb 26, 8:58 am, "JSF" wrote:

"RedPenguin" wrote in message

oups.com...

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

That's what I thought but I figured I would ask anyway. Ham has to be
licensed no? Is it the same cost anywhere in the US?

Ham radio is probably NOT a good choice for you until you learn a bit
more about radio and electronics. Ham radio requires studying and
tests to gain a license.
CB does not require a license, and you can use it immediately, it is
not at all a waste of time.

I would suggest a CB that also has SSB, and also a good antenna.

Ham radio is fine, but its a whole different animal and can't be
compared to CB.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That's probably the best thing said in here.

Although it still amazes me how many hams who claim you should use
only the power levels necessarry for communications are the same ones
promoting using more unnecessary power for communications by saying if
you want to talk on the radio to your neighbor down the street, don't
use a half watt frs radio that covers only your neighborhood and lets
people in other cities and neighborhoods in the same city talk also.
Instead, use a cb that covers a twelve cities and prevent people in
ywelve cities from talking just to talk to your neighbor down the
street on the radio. "After all, that's how us hams do it."

Yes, I know that's how you hams do it. I have a radio scanner. I hear
you hams running more power than necessarry for communiccation. I know
you do because I hear you talk on the air about it.

I sure hope the elimination of the morse code requirement helps to get
some actual sensible people into ham radio.

Sure, I'll use a cb to talk to the neighbor down the street if he has
only a cb radio.

But if we both have frs, why should I talk to my neighbor down the
street or next door with four watts of power that covers twelve cities
when only a half of a watt that covers only one mile will do?

I know the bozo hams around here will just be angry that they can't
hear what I'm saying . Well, tough luck. hahhaha.

You are right with many points...

I am a Ham myself, I got into Ham radio after many years of fun on
CB.

Don't be fooled into believing that Ham radio is a perfect world, its
not. You have many pirate stations, over powered rigs, and obnoxious
people. You may not notice this as much because it is spread out over
many bands.

FRS is great, but Cb is probably still more popular for the masses
and rag chewing...Nothing wrong with FRS for local stuff.... GMRS is
neat because they do have repeaters, but you must buy a license...

Thank you all for your posts. I learned a lot more about Ham and
radios now I believe. You guys/gals are right, I think I should try
out with CB or something first, because I don't really want to buy a
license and all that kinda stuff right now. To the guy/gal that said
he/she had a radio scanner, I swear radio scanning probably will never
die, it's just too amazing what you can hear on them. People swearing
on CB and people at fast food restaurant clerk frequencies insulting
customers and other stuff. I know some people here might saw scanners
are more important for police, fire, and EMS but believe me, since I
live in a city and surrounding cities that have almost no good
emergency traffic other then maybe some kids breaking windows with
rocks, no bank robberies or stuff like that, it's kinda fun to hear
stuff like fast-food and CB.

On Feb 27, 7:18 am, "Spikey911usa" wrote:
On Feb 27, 5:29 am, "------------"
wrote:





On Feb 27, 1:31 am, "Spikey911usa" wrote:

On Feb 26, 11:48 am, "RedPenguin" wrote:

On Feb 26, 8:58 am, "JSF" wrote:

"RedPenguin" wrote in message

oups.com...

On Feb 25, 9:37 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
When you select a CB radio, is there any thing you should be looking
out for? I know that some people just chat with CBs that are not
businesses. Can any CB radio really do, or do you need something
special? I am just getting into CB radio, I am not an expert, so I do
not want to pay $500 for a radio, that I may not use much, because
there is barely to no CB activity where I live, I would have to
travel. Do they make portable CB radios?

Is the MIDLAND 75-785 7-Watt/40-Channel Portable CB Radio a good one?
When I searched for portables, I found this one on tons of websites.
Also, it's one of the easiest for me to get.

First find out why you need a CB, is it for the road so you can here the
reports, or just rig chewing. CB is OK but why waste time in it, go for the
real radio world, Ham radio with much better audio quality and allot more
choices in bands.

That's what I thought but I figured I would ask anyway. Ham has to be
licensed no? Is it the same cost anywhere in the US?

Ham radio is probably NOT a good choice for you until you learn a bit
more about radio and electronics. Ham radio requires studying and
tests to gain a license.
CB does not require a license, and you can use it immediately, it is
not at all a waste of time.

I would suggest a CB that also has SSB, and also a good antenna.

Ham radio is fine, but its a whole different animal and can't be
compared to CB.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That's probably the best thing said in here.

Although it still amazes me how many hams who claim you should use
only the power levels necessarry for communications are the same ones
promoting using more unnecessary power for communications by saying if
you want to talk on the radio to your neighbor down the street, don't
use a half watt frs radio that covers only your neighborhood and lets
people in other cities and neighborhoods in the same city talk also.
Instead, use a cb that covers a twelve cities and prevent people in
ywelve cities from talking just to talk to your neighbor down the
street on the radio. "After all, that's how us hams do it."

Yes, I know that's how you hams do it. I have a radio scanner. I hear
you hams running more power than necessarry for communiccation. I know
you do because I hear you talk on the air about it.

I sure hope the elimination of the morse code requirement helps to get
some actual sensible people into ham radio.

Sure, I'll use a cb to talk to the neighbor down the street if he has
only a cb radio.

But if we both have frs, why should I talk to my neighbor down the
street or next door with four watts of power that covers twelve cities
when only a half of a watt that covers only one mile will do?

I know the bozo hams around here will just be angry that they can't
...

I am a Ham myself, I got into Ham radio after many years of fun on
CB.

Don't be fooled into believing that Ham radio is a perfect world, its
not. You have many pirate stations, over powered rigs, and obnoxious
people. You may not notice this as much because it is spread out over
many bands.

FRS is great, but Cb is probably still more popular for the masses
and rag chewing...Nothing wrong with FRS for local stuff.... GMRS is
neat because they do have repeaters, but you must buy a license...- Hide quoted text -

Finally, a ham with some sense. If only the ones around here were like
that.

I know some would say "just use the telephone or just walk over to
your neighbor's house".

Well, I'm not about to trudge four acres in nine feet deep of snow in
the middle of winter just to get to the house next door to tell my
neighbor something.

And my neighbor doesn't have a phone. It was disconnected because she
couldn't afford it. (That was a regular landline phone, so she can't
afford a cell phon either with the prices they charge).

And she doesn't have a cb. But she does or did have a frs radio.
At least she did a few years ago.

She doesn't know I've heard her on it since I never used it to contact
her, yet.

And besides, I remember in the 70's and 80's, a lot of people thinking
the cb was preferrable since it didn't tie up the phone lines.

There was even an episode of The Donna Reed Show in the 50's where the
dad comes home and really angrily chews out Mary for tieing up the
phone line.

The CB at that time, (late 1970's and early to mid 1980's) was more
like an old-fashioned party line without the lines.

I'm not sure how it is around here today, but I'm about to find out.