CB Radio?

[Gun]

[

Yep, mid '70's it was. I got my first CB in 1976 and licenses had just gone out. CB was really hitting its prime and they couldn't keep up with the apps or enforce it so they just abandoned the idea.

Licenses ended in '83. Mainly because there were too many unlicensed operators.

[norb5150]

you can find peaked and tuned cobra 29s on the cheap now a days if youre looking for a mobile. It wouldn't be a good choice for a backpack though. In all honesty for backpack buy a baofeng and use the ham repeaters if the grid goes down. You wont need a ham license once the shtf. I do highly recommend getting one but again if shtf, no ones coming to issue you a fine for communicating on HAM radio. Buy a few of them off amazon for dirt cheap and they can also be programmed for frs/gmrs

[Bang]

Never know. It's a source of money. With todays 01010101010101 world, they can record, store, and come gitcha later.

[Bellerophon]

you can find peaked and tuned cobra 29s on the cheap now a days if youre looking for a mobile. It wouldn't be a good choice for a backpack though. In all honesty for backpack buy a baofeng and use the ham repeaters if the grid goes down. You wont need a ham license once the shtf. I do highly recommend getting one but again if shtf, no ones coming to issue you a fine for communicating on HAM radio. Buy a few of them off amazon for dirt cheap and they can also be programmed for frs/gmrs

This has been discussed at length at survivalistboards.com.

If the grid truly goes down - then most ham repeaters that a Baofeng will give you access to (2 meter and 70CM) won’t have power. The ones that have emergency generator power will lose that in 24-72 hours.

Keep in mind most Baofeng portables only really give you access to 2 meter and 70 cm ham frrquencies - the VHF/UHF spectrum on these radios covers more but those are the ones mentioned. Those will, most assuredly, be monitored via scanners when the SHTF.

Unless you are able and have the technical understanding to provide and power your own repeater system than Simplex operation will be the primary means of communication - I’d suggest using different channels on VHF and UHF and keeping communications brief and utilizing code words as everyone and their mother will be listening and talking on CB, FRS, GMRS and the Ham bands when SHTF.

[JenniferG]

I remember CB back in the 70's and early 80's and they were good for travelling but then they began to be used for homo hookups and it went downhill from there. I have a portable unit that has an antenna and runs off the cigarette lighter/power port. It works, not the best but it works. I'd be using it for listening rather than transmitting for the most part. I do have a full power CB unit that can be used as a home base if need be but I haven't hooked it up in many years and the antenna I have for it is kind of questionable. I might spring for one of those Baofengs though while they're still pretty inexpensive.

[Gun]

I remember CB back in the 70's and early 80's and they were good for travelling but then they began to be used for homo hookups and it went downhill from there.


.

Wasn't just for homo hookups. Around that time, stopped in a rest area in VA with the family. I stayed up, while the rest of the family snoozed.

Watched semi, after semi pull in, then some bimbo got out of a car and walked to the semi, and got in. 15 minutes or so later, said bimbo exited the cab and went back to her car. Rinse, and repeat.

Probably gifted at the art of humming.

[soberbyker]

I was thinking of picking up a CB radio I can throw in the pick-up or even throw in a back-pack.

Any suggestions?

Itchy, if you are still looking for a CB that could work in a vehicle that you could throw in your back I have one of these: "75-822 PORTABLE/MOBILE CB RADIO" It's not the absolute best mobile or handheld, but it is one unit you can do both with easily and get a decent range with the mag mount antenna. The link below will take you to Midland's page, you can find it cheaper elsewhere, but it has all you need to know plus at the bottom of the page under accessories is a mag mount antenna.




https://midlandusa.com/product/75-822cb-radio/

[God's Country]

What about a decent scanner? I really have no interest in radio coms beyond simple hand held stuff for short distance coms.
What are some of the options? I figure if a scanner can pick up a reasonable amount of chatter at least I can stay informed, without being tempted to chatter away on a radio.

Are there 120v and 12vdc options in one unit?

[Sparks]

Depends who and what you want to listen to and where you are. Quite a few public service agencies have gone to trunked digital systems, sometimes encoded.

Don't know of any that are both 120 & 12. Easiest there would be a 12VDC and a small power supply to give you the 12 DC.

https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/scanners.html Pretty much for reference, Universal is closing down, so they don't have much stock.

[soberbyker]

What about a decent scanner? I really have no interest in radio coms beyond simple hand held stuff for short distance coms.
What are some of the options? I figure if a scanner can pick up a reasonable amount of chatter at least I can stay informed, without being tempted to chatter away on a radio.

Are there 120v and 12vdc options in one unit?

What are you looking to scan? police/fire? and where, will tell you if you can and what type radio to get. A lot of older scanners are becoming useless because of newer technologies like P25 Phase 2 TDMA. Only newer scanners can handle that and some other new types, and they are super expensive. Simple enter a frequency or simple trunked radios can't handle the newer stuff. A lot of police and fire are going with encryption, no legal way to listen in on that. The PSP are going from opensky, which no scanner can receive, to a P25 system that will most likely be encrypted. Scanning as we knew it is dying out, price and privacy are the main culprits. So far my county is still an old non trunking system, but they are being forced to vacate the frequencies they are on by the FCC. Other places like the Philadelphia are P25 Phase 1 which can be picked up by my old scanner (from 2007 I believe) for now but if they go Phase 2 it will not be able to anymore.

Here are a couple links to learn how to pick a scanner:

https://www.zipscanners.com/blogs/le...police-scanner

https://www.scannermaster.com/how_to...nner_a/166.htm


As for the 120/12 you could try something like this: https://www.newegg.com/p/0TH-02R2-00073