Whats a good brand but dosnt cost 200 bucks ? also nice range, I dont know much about them but I wanna be able to talk to people about 290 miles away :)


Looking at some that running 80 bucks with cashback rebates

 

The only way to get that kind of milage in a truck will be a ham radio and you need a special license for that. Or you can do it with a really high antenna mounted on a big hill. You won't get 290 miles outta something in your truck. And for a good radio at a good price look into Cobra radios. Even the cheaper ones work pretty good as long as you have a properly tuned antenna. Thats just the brand I prefer tho but uniden, and midland make decent radios too.

 

^^ I agree you will not get that much distance. Also i have had best experiences with cobra radios IMO they make the best CBs

 

whats the radius distance on most of the average 1s

 

Line of sight. If you cant see them, you cant talk to them. Thats a general rule of course, but its pretty much correct.

Cobra. Hands down for quality.

 

There are quite a few CB radio makers out there and while COBRA did have a good name at one time..... now a days their quality and workmanship leave much to be desired !!!! Unless you are purchasing an older (<98) Cobra radio; I would stay away from Cobra....
Uniden makes a GOOD quality radio where you get what you pay for !!!!
If you are wanting the maximum talking distance.... Invest in a quality antenna such as a Wilson 1000..... You can purchase a Wilson 1000 for $60 and still have $140 for a nice Uniden PC 68 or 78.
A quality Radio with a poor quality antenna makes an below average station, but a good quality antenna with a average radio makes a an above average station....
Remember.... The antenna make the station....
Purchasing a SSB (Single Side Band) radio such as the older Cobra 148 GTL or Uniden Grant LT and a Wilson 1000 will allow you to talk several hundred miles under the right conditions....

OR 4x4

 

I have a Cobra 29 NW WX ST paid 129$ i love it has the NOAA weather station on it luminated face i just plain love it.. i was able to talk to my buddie about 5 miles out with me in a forrest sometimes when im on the highway i hear truckers up to 30 miles away it varies from place to place what time of day too...

also just don't buy a nice cb and not back it up with a good antena or antenas im running a dual firestick setup with 4' antenas

 

Dont know what your talking about OR, have you seen the new Cobra's? Like the real radios, not the ones that they sell at walmart (if they do). I have a newer one (00' +) and it is much higher quality than any other radio I have seen, and I have seen a lot of them (all my wheeling buddies have differant ones)

1000's of miles huh... Thats funny. How can 4watts transmitt thousands of miles? Unless you've got a linier amplifier that wont be the case. With a good antenna you should get a mile or two with nothing to interfer with the signal.

 

just dont get a radio shack brand, mine lasted 3 months then died, I have a cobra

 

I had a cobra that just recently died. It was a 18wxst II. I liked it and I'm pretty sure what killed it was not being mounted and bouncing around in my cab. It has a tendency to skip channels now. I am gonna be purchasing the cobra nw wx st in the next couple of days. Cobra still makes quality stuff.

 

Radio Shack, undoubtably like any other maker, has a wide array of offerings. Some work just fine. I have a set of RS hand-held style CBs that date back to the late 80's. I bought them second-hand at a pawn shop when I was in HS (mid 90's). Here we are in 2005 and they are still going strong.

I'm sure some Cobras are crap too.. and others are great.

 

well sometimes there is like a skip ive talked to people like 15 miles away but it has only happend 2 times ever since then its about a 1-4 mile range

 

I have a corba one from walmart.

It cost about $50 and does everything i need it to do.

I was once talking to a guy about 7-8 mile away from me and i was in the dead center of a city (buildings everywhere) On the expressway i get better.

Not to bad for $50
I really only need 1-2 miles since everyone who i talk to is right behind me.

 

i have a motorola in the truck it gets unreal distance..use it on the highways but its about 900$

 

With all this discussion about the quality of CB radios, prices, and distance you can talk....
IF you want UNLIMITED talking distance for minimal investment.... GO HAM !!!!
Spend some time studying online and read the Ham License book and then take your Ham Technicians Test ($5).
Once you have your TICKET (technician); you can purchase an inexpensive used 2 meter radio ($75) with a 5/8 wave magnet mount antenna ($25) and talk as far as you want !!!

OR 4x4

 

My new Cobra 29 with night watch just came in the mail on friday. I can't wait to get it hooked up. Itz gonna look real good in the fiberglass center console I built for it.

 

Mmm, then have a great time talking to yourself because you're the only one you know w/ a license or tranciever..

Although I'm surprised FRS or the other thing (GRMS?!) isn't more popular w/ off-roaders. Guess the expression "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" applies..

 

The problems with FRS and GMRS are that by FCC regulation they are required to have a non-removeable antenna which means that you can't mount an antenna on the roof to avoid the signal being lost inside the cab. Also, nobody makes a mobile (vehicle mounted) FRS radio anymore. Radio Shack had one in the past where they built the transmitter into the magnetic mount antenna base to comply with the FCC. It never caught on so they stopped making it.

 

Guess using 2 meter radios must be a WEST COAST thing....
I know A LOT of off roaders that have Ham licenses....
Most of the serious Off Roaders that I have observed including the vehicles used in the BAJA races.... have 2 meter radios...
The difference between the 11 meter (AM) and 2 meter (FM); is that talking on FM is MUCH quieter without all the hash and trash from the locals and truckers and you can talk much further due to the use of repeaters......

OR 4x4

 

How much does it cost to get a ham liscense? I'm just curious. I want a CB for my truck but its on the back burner for more pressing mods.

 

If you study ONLINE... www.qrz.com/testing.html this will cost you nothing..., but it will cost you $5 (at least locally here in San Diego) to take the test for the Technicians license. This license allows you to talk on frequencies above 50 Mhz; 2 meter is 144-148 Mhz.

 

I didn't know that Tom. I guess that explains it.

The FCC rule seems kinda dumb if you ask me.. But then, my CB ain't broke either..
I know 0.. Well, okay, I know Tom and John, but that's it. And I've only ridden w/ them once. They had CBs as well. That's how they talked to the rest of us. Nearly all of us had CBs..

 

you can get a portable CB on eBay for less than $10

 

Actually, I don't have a 2m yet because I'm going on Thursday to take the test and the cost is $14. If you're good and study enough to take all of the written tests plus the morse code test, it can all be done for the same $14. I'm going to do just the technician test right now and I'll worry about the rest later.

 

I passed the HAM test about 6 months ago. Cost me 15$, did it through a local club. Still don't have a radio of my own yet though :(...


I don't know any off roaders around here that have Ham licenses, if I did I might be more motivated to get a radio.

~Josh