CB Radio

Gus1949 · Senior Member

CB Radio

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I have a GME 5watt handheld that I have running/charging in the vehicle 12v full time - which gives me heaps of distance to talk to/with truckies on the road. It also gives me the advantage of having it outside the vehicle for a range of reasons - flexibility.

Others will give you their opinion on either their CB or the 'recommended' units - most units are reliable and worthwhile.

I have not found very much "babble" by truckies these days - except when in the big cities .... I refuse to have it on when in Melbourne for instance.

Legality dictates that mirrors must be fitted when towing and having a rear-view camera fitted will certainly let you see what is 'directly' behind you - more so than mirrors.

However, whilst that will let you see the truckie bearing down at a rate of knots it will not let you advise the driver that you have 'picked him up in ya mirrors' ... and to have a conversation to make any passing manoeuvre safer and more controlled. An excellent outcome for both yourself and the truckie.

Therefore, I find the CB far more advantageous for safety with trucks 'on the road'. It is one thing to see them - and another thing to influence the safety and stress of passing situations.

Maybe the best world would be both - a CB and rear-view camera

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Monday 29th of February 2016 11:47:09 AM

Phil C · Guru

I have to agree with John, our CB has saved a few "hairy" moments on the road with truckies. BTW most of them appreciate the safety aspect of the CB. I have mirrors and a camera, wouldn't be shout them.

Cheers

KFT · Guru

I have to agree with Rocky and also Phil

We have an older 40 channel unit which is a Uniden with the controls on the hand piece so the main unit can be mounted out of the way.

When traveling some of the back roads in Aus and even some of the highways radio contact with approaching road trains and oversize loads is very beneficial to you and your van. With oversize loads I always call the pilot vehicle and ask "how wide mate" so if I need to get right off the road I have the time to find a good spot to do that.

when travelling the development roads you need to hear the road trains call as they approach one lane bridges so you have time to stop and get out of the way.

Other than that I have a couple of times called other vanners to advise they have a hatch open or a pop top that has come unclipped. I would hope if I had an issue someone would call me and let me know.

I would not travel without one these days but like others I tend to turn it off in cities and large towns. I have a couple of times asked the locals for the best place to get fuel or a feed and they are usually happy to advise.

hope that helps

Frank

Olley46 · Guru

I am with KFT, PHIL and Rocky I have a GME TX3100. 80 channel, I would rather be without a steering wheel than without the CB one of the most important accessories with caravanning like the others say being in touch with the good old truckie does wonders,it is handy having a steering wheel to, I also have a camera on the rear of the van as well.

Lance C

Bevandy2 · Senior Member

Agree with all of the above.
We have a GME built into the dash of the Falcon, mic. hanging near my left hand on the dash, always left on Ch40, and turn it off in the cities if the chit chat gets too annoying.

Never had a problem with the big guys, let them know you see the Big Mack in the mirror, and will slow down as they come alongside.

Never use Ch40 for a chat with other vanners, that annoys everyone, but a great safety feature for the open road.

We once heard a truckie abuse the heck out of a caravanner near Toowoomba, (busy area) the van apparently was oblivious to the truckie, and was just plain annoying.
That's when a UHF would have soothed the savage beast, (if in fact he was "soothable") so definitely, get a UHF and learn to use it.

Bevan

PS TJM supplied and fitted ours, they know all the lurks.

in transit · Senior Member

I retired about 6 years ago so the following may be a bit out of date but I will offer the following comments.
You would be unlucky to end up with a GME or Uniden CB that caused problems.
Most problems are with the mic (dropped on the floor and stood on, or cable problems). As such the radios with all controls on the mic might cost you more over time as well as on Day 1
If you only want to keep the truckies happy, a portable unit should do the trick and then a bit more. I am not sure whether the law treats hand-held CBs like hand-held phones.
For short range work whether you buy a portable with 5W, 2W or 1W shouldn't make any difference. All fixed units are, or used to be 5W.
Good luck.

dirvine · Senior Member

In response to in transit, they are illegal to use when mobile unless you get the newer models which have a mic button on the steering wheel or some models also have a mic and ear piece and are handsfree attached to you. Holding a CB hand held radio unit and even the mic only of a fixed unit is illegal in Victoria. I am a member of a 4WD club and that is the advice we have received from Vic Road and Vic police.

03_Troopy · Guru

In NSW at least (and probably other states) The rules for mobile phones etc does not include CB radios or other two way radios

mobile phone does not include a CB radio or any other two-way radio.

Mobile Phones:

Section 300, para (4)

pomme · Senior Member

dirvine wrote:
In response to in transit, they are illegal to use when mobile unless you get the newer models which have a mic button on the steering wheel or some models also have a mic and ear piece and are handsfree attached to you. Holding a CB hand held radio unit and even the mic only of a fixed unit is illegal in Victoria. I am a member of a 4WD club and that is the advice we have received from Vic Road and Vic police.

I am sorry to tell you this but CB radio has never been illegal, what you were told is misinformation. regulation is mobile phone NOT including CB or two way radio, i just looked it up to make sure and is still currant.

Pomme.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

confuse OH dear ... here it all goes again. If the regulations are searched, it is stated that the use of a CB in a vehicle - while moving - is not illegal.

confuse cry I want to one day get some damned sense from the legislators and authorities.

Dirvine, would you please contact those representatives of VicRoads and VicPolice who addressed your 4X4 Club to provide a link or reference on which they base their advice. Surely the trucks, emergency vehicles and scores of other vehicles, cannot continue to drive around illegally.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_reg/arr210/s300.html

http://www.keepyoureyesontheroad.org.au/pages/NSW-laws

http://www.police.act.gov.au/roads-and-traffic/use-of-mobile-phones/faqs-on-mobile-phone-use

it states within the above sites - "mobile phone" does not include a CB radio or any other two-way radio;"

or -

"I've heard two-way radios can still be used, is that true?

Yes, the term 'mobile phone' does not include a CB radio or any other two-way radio."

Cheers - John

pomme · Senior Member

Doubled Sorry 03 TROOPY.
Pomme.

Tony Bev · Guru

Hello Gus1949

I purchased a new (to me) second hand motorhome, without a CB radio
For my shakedown cruise, in the local area, I obtained two el-cheapo (half watt) hand held 80 channel CB radios, as a friend accompanying me also did not have a CB radio.
We travelled at least a dozen car lengths apart, and at times with traffic getting in between us, we would have been at least half a kilometre apart. We had no problems communicating, providing that we were in sight of each other.

I have still not installed a fixed CB radio, (I will eventually). Others have advised what make they have
My theory is that the truckies will have to be close enough to read my name, in order for the communications to be recognised, as coming from me, and not someone else.

Perhaps you could have a fixed CB radio for when you are on country roads, where you can spot the truckies many kilometres behind you.
You could also have a hand held one, of short range, when you are on frequently used roads, if as you say, you do not wish to listen to the truckies babble.

My motorhome came with a rear view camera. I do not use it while driving, as I find that my mirrors are good enough
The people I purchased the vehicle from, told me that they used the camera all the time, whether they were driving or reversing

Gus1949 · Senior Member

Thank you everyone for the feedback however my question has not been answered. "Looking on the internet there is a wide range of units and pricing for both the cb's and aerials and not much info to help the uninformed choose a suitable set up." Can anyone help?

03_Troopy · Guru

Gus1949 wrote:
Thank you everyone for the feedback however my question has not been answered. "Looking on the internet there is a wide range of units and pricing for both the cb's and aerials and not much info to help the uninformed choose a suitable set up." Can anyone help?By the sound of it
By the sound of it, just a basic model brand name one would suit you. GME make good radios and the salesperson can advise on which ariel to go with it. If you want a cheapy, go with Oricom.

Bevandy2 · Senior Member

Gus,
I mentioned somewhere above, TJM supply and install UHF radio's, phone them, talk to them, they are the experts and will give you what advice you need, they are 4WD people, and have all the info.
Forget the internet, deal with real people! They advised us on which aerial we needed for the trips we do, ie across the Barkly, so try them.

They supplied and installed for us, no complaints, sometimes it's best to spend some money and get a job done properly.

03_Troopy · Guru

Bevandy2 wrote:
Gus,
I mentioned somewhere above, TJM supply and install UHF radio's, phone them, talk to them, they are the experts and will give you what advice you need, they are 4WD people, and have all the info.
Forget the internet, deal with real people! They advised us on which aerial we needed for the trips we do, ie across the Barkly, so try them.

They supplied and installed for us, no complaints, sometimes it's best to spend some money and get a job done properly.

In that case you're better off going to a comms specialist outlet, rather than rely on the guys at a 4WD outlet knowing their stuff.

The Phantom · Guru

Gus1949 wrote:
I am looking on info regarding CB radios and have searched the site but very little info here and quite old. We travel anywhere in Aus but 99% on the black top so the ability of the unit to work in remote areas not important. Want to be able to avoid being a nuisance to truckies and pick up any useful info that may be floating about the airways in relation to traffic conditions etc. Looking on the internet there is a wide range of units and pricing for both the cb's and aerials and not much info to help the uninformed choose a suitable set up.
I understand the most useful info comes from the truckies channel but is it a pain in the butt listening to their babble as you drive? Would a rear view camera on the van be a better option for keeping an eye out for traffic behind?

Gus, CB/UHF radios will work in remote areas. In fact they will work anywhere. The trick is for there to be someone else with one in your vicinity that will talk to you.

The Phantom

OutbackMK · Senior Member

The antenna is critical for in-car units. Some will have screw on aerials so you can obtain a 4watt gain for hilly country 6watt for general purpose and 9watt for wide open spaces.
Get a hand held and a in-car for best usage (the other half gives directions when backing the van etc with the handheld)
I have a lifted 4WD so my antenna is set to be the same height as the roof rack so it becomes and early warning device for overhead clearance.

in transit · Senior Member

Brian and Nada, I agree with your comments about different antenna for different terrain but I think you meant dB, not watts. I have also found that if you use an antenna as a "clearance meter" stainless steel ones are better than fibreglass, and both need to be very close to the front of the vehicle to provide any useful info.

Hylife · Guru

If you don't want to fit an in-car unit then get a handheld. A 3 to 5 watt handheld will suffice if all you want is some blacktop coverage and to communicate with truckies etc.
On the flat expect up to 30km coverage from a 5watt handheld but remember that radio signals in the 477 megahertz range don't go around corners, it is generally line of sight so hills etc will block your signal. So too will the van behind you attenuate your rearward coverage but you'll still get a couple of km coverage rearwards.

At 477Mhz the full wave antenna legnth is only 62cm so a helical wound rubber ducky antenna gets almost the same coverage as a whip antenna mounted on a bullbar.
Without getting into technical stuff, a roof mounted antenna is the most efficient as the roof acts as a ground plane for better efficiency.

What I have.

A $120 5 watt 80 channel handheld from Jaycar with a screw-off removable antenna that does indeed give me about 30km coverage in the flat outback.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/Communication-Equipment/Transceivers/UHF-Handsets-%26-Accessories/5W-80-Channel-UHF-Transceiver/p/JD1065
For an emergency situation when I would want extended coverage I also have stashed away in the van boot a screw in adaptor fitted to the end of some quality coax fitted to a roof magnet mount to which I screw on a pre-tuned whip. Testing this has given me up to almost 50km transmit range and brings in signals from over that distance which of course I can't talk back to.

I also have a $25 pair of 500mw Oricom baby handheld units which is useful when backing the van (swmbo takes one and guides me in). Surprisingly these units allowed me to talk to swmbo all the way to the top when I climbed 'the rock' and she sat it out at the bottom.