CB or FRS?
- Thread starter fishEH
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4x4junkie
Explorer
'nother vote for CB here.
A good quality CB unit (Cobra 25-LTD and Uniden PRO-510XL are two examples) with a 5-foot or longer antenna mounted up high should be able to communicate 10 miles with another unit similarly-equipped. (30-50 miles is not out of the question either, though conditions typically have to be above average for those distances).
You do have to take some care when selecting and installing a CB unit in your vehicle though. Cheap inexpensive radios (excepting for the Uniden above) and short untuned antennas mounted below the roof are not likely to give you clear communications with any range.
FRS does have the advantage when it comes to being about the simplest and cheapest you can get though. Put some batteries in them, hand them out and you're all in touch. Good clear audio is also almost a given too (though some units with their small speakers can be short on volume). But like said, their little fixed antennas with few options severely limits their range, which is their biggest downfall.
A stronger antenna mount and/or a spring so the antenna can deflect if a branch hits it should eliminate that issue.
A good quality CB unit (Cobra 25-LTD and Uniden PRO-510XL are two examples) with a 5-foot or longer antenna mounted up high should be able to communicate 10 miles with another unit similarly-equipped. (30-50 miles is not out of the question either, though conditions typically have to be above average for those distances).
You do have to take some care when selecting and installing a CB unit in your vehicle though. Cheap inexpensive radios (excepting for the Uniden above) and short untuned antennas mounted below the roof are not likely to give you clear communications with any range.
FRS does have the advantage when it comes to being about the simplest and cheapest you can get though. Put some batteries in them, hand them out and you're all in touch. Good clear audio is also almost a given too (though some units with their small speakers can be short on volume). But like said, their little fixed antennas with few options severely limits their range, which is their biggest downfall.
A stronger antenna mount and/or a spring so the antenna can deflect if a branch hits it should eliminate that issue.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
Sorry, I have to laugh a bit at this. CB has the same effective range as a well thrown rock. If you are considering your radio a survival tool, then you need at HAM radio. They are $50 these days, and the test is super easy. It's a no brainer.
craig333
Expedition Leader
Range is an interesting issue. I've gotten more than ten miles with frs (mountain top to lake) and well over 25 miles with cb, but of course those are the exceptions not the rule. Ham is certainly superior range wise most of the time. For safety I'd still carry hand and cb. In the pre cell phone days fire lookouts would monitor ch 11 and 9. Used it to get a tow truck once. Seems to have disappeared now. Still you have truckers (not as much as the old days either), loggers, four wheelers and even sometimes some skip. Can't do that with 2m.
I've been pleased to find that even when I'm in canyons, low lying areas etc, more often than not I can hit a repeater somewhere. Only been a couple spots in remote areas of SE Oregon and NW Nevada where I've been unable to hit a repeater. Really happy to hit a repeater from Antelope Lake. No cell phone coverage there and we have a lot of old guys on that trip. Surprised me since the repeater wasn't on a surrounding peak but on a ridge much further away. Keep that repeater book with you, never know when might have to try an unfamiliar one.
I've been pleased to find that even when I'm in canyons, low lying areas etc, more often than not I can hit a repeater somewhere. Only been a couple spots in remote areas of SE Oregon and NW Nevada where I've been unable to hit a repeater. Really happy to hit a repeater from Antelope Lake. No cell phone coverage there and we have a lot of old guys on that trip. Surprised me since the repeater wasn't on a surrounding peak but on a ridge much further away. Keep that repeater book with you, never know when might have to try an unfamiliar one.
This guy could. How much do you want to bet he can throw a football over those mountains? If only coach would have left him in...
stioc
Expedition Leader
I was on the fence about HAM because I never took the time to understand it or experience it up close but after passing the test and finally getting to use it on the first trip about a year ago I can't believe I almost ignored it. Of course range (especially with the repeater networks) is a big differentiator but to me what's even better is the audio quality. I always have trouble understanding people on radios with all the static and clatter but with the HAM it's the difference between a poorly tuned AM channel and a crisp FM channel. To me the two weeks of studying was worth it.
As for FRS and CB. I have both but unless I'm traveling with others who use CB (most guys I go with are HAMs) I leave it at home and bring FRS more for backup and kids.
As for FRS and CB. I have both but unless I'm traveling with others who use CB (most guys I go with are HAMs) I leave it at home and bring FRS more for backup and kids.
4x4junkie
Explorer
That is exactly why I made a specific point to emphasize getting a good quality radio and antenna in my previous post. Cheap, low-quality CB equipment is all over the place (you can buy said junk at Wal-Mart of all places
)... A good radio and antenna makes an easy 150% or better improvement over the garbled boxy-sounding audio that is typical with sub-$60 (and most handheld) CB radios. The better (longer) antenna is also what gets the transmitted signal up out of the static better (and is usually better able to receive it too). If people would quit cheaping out on their communications gear, issues like that would be a lot less common.
Now don't get me wrong... I am in full agreement that the audio with FM-modulated rigs usually has the edge in quality (and the squelch circuits are better), however the difference becomes pretty minor if you compare good quality equipment for both bands. I know this because I also have both myself.
I know there's a joke in there somewhere... Not being an avid football fan though, I guess I'm not able to put a name to that face. lol :snorkel:
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Chili
Explorer
I think that CB and FRS both have their place. CB is nice for the superior range over the FRS, and for highway travel (communicating with truckers and whatnot). FRS is nice because of the low initial cost and can be taken with you outside of the vehicle.
We take FRS radios with us when camping with the kids so that when they want to do a little exploring we can stay in touch in areas without cell service. I also like them because we have 4, so when traveling convoy style I can hand out extras to others in the group that don't have any, and no CB. The range has actually improved a lot on them of the last 10 years.
We take FRS radios with us when camping with the kids so that when they want to do a little exploring we can stay in touch in areas without cell service. I also like them because we have 4, so when traveling convoy style I can hand out extras to others in the group that don't have any, and no CB. The range has actually improved a lot on them of the last 10 years.
Chili
Explorer
The pic and quote is from Napoleon Dynamite (movie).
stioc
Expedition Leader
That is exactly why I made a specific point to emphasize getting a good quality radio and antenna in my previous post. Cheap, low-quality CB equipment is all over the place (you can buy said junk at Wal-Mart of all places
If people would quit cheaping out on their communications gear, issues like that would be a lot less common.
Now don't get me wrong... I am in full agreement that the audio with FM-modulated rigs usually has the edge in quality (and the squelch circuits are better), however the difference becomes pretty minor if you compare good quality equipment for both bands. I know this because I also have both myself.
I know there's a joke in there somewhere... Not being an avid football fan though, I guess I'm not able to put a name to that face. lol :snorkel:
Funny you say that and I'm in agreement to an extent but my CB cost me over $120 with the Wilson mag-mount antenna yet my handheld HAM radio BaoFeng UV5R was $49.99 on Amazon
I have another friend (who posts here but not too often) who also dropped some coin on getting a good CB system, tuned with SWR etc then went HAM and never looked back.Funny you say that and I'm in agreement to an extent but my CB cost me over $120 with the Wilson mag-mount antenna yet my handheld HAM radio BaoFeng UV5R was $49.99 on Amazon
Sound information. I use probably a similar CB setup with a Cobra everything in the handset radio and a Wilson 1000 magmount antenna. Reliably 5 miles, sometimes 2 miles in hindered signal areas and occasionally out to 10 miles when things are perfect. When with a larger group, I am prone to just staying on the group channel since there's quite a bit of chatter. When solo or with a small group I will probably be scanning all 40 channels.
For CB and probably Ham, spend your $$$ on the antenna first. A good antenna properly tuned with an average radio will radically out perform a Cadillac level radio with a crappy antenna or even average antenna. I strongly recommend a steel whip antenna over fiberglass both for durability and performance.
Regarding FRS, FRS is erratic in performance and if you're into club runs many or most clubs have a mandatory requirement for CB. Regarding Ham, the range is a big positive and the lessor chance of there being someone close to hear you is a negative.
4x4junkie
Explorer
Funny you say that and I'm in agreement to an extent but my CB cost me over $120 with the Wilson mag-mount antenna yet my handheld HAM radio BaoFeng UV5R was $49.99 on Amazon
Well... I'll admit it's true only one or two people in a group having a good radio doesn't help much everyone else's inability to hear each other.
If you can get everyone in your own group to switch over to ham units, then certainly that's great. No doubt, ham offers up some things CBs typically don't (repeaters for example). It's well-established though not everyone in every group is going to have the inclination to commit days or weeks studying technical and legal stuff (and paying a testing fee) just to talk to the next vehicle up when they can do the same without all of that using a CB radio... All the formalities of ham (together with the fact your call sign is an open window about who you are, where you live, etc.) is also a turnoff for some people.
I think encouraging people to skip buying the cheapest equipment and then (if needed) tutoring them a little on how to maximize it's performance would be much more productive in getting people hearing each other than all the CB bashing that takes place on this and other forums (not accusing you of it, just saying in general... some of it borders on childish even). All that does is contribute to the problem. No one helping anyone means fewer people will realize what it is that is preventing them from being heard (too small antenna, antenna mounted too low/blocked by the vehicle's roof or cab, and/or is poorly grounded/mounted on something non-metallic are the usual things I find when someone's CB rig isn't working up to par).
If you can find a 2m ham repeater, there's a pretty good chance someone would be monitoring it. CB's popularity isn't exactly what it was 20-30 years ago (you can blame cell phones and to some extent the internet for that). Though of course having both at your disposal should an emergency arise is better than having just one or the other, as there are some communities that still do have very active CB populations (which could be the case in Trav0302's area).
Ah, that explains it. (haven't seen it).