CB radios.

[Kenny kustom]

Antenna placement class C?

[Dmorrow]

If you really want to communicate on the air. Get your ham license. ( you don't have to know Morse code anymore) You can get a tech license and you talk on 2m and 70cm. The expense is more but you don't have to deal with filthy talk. The cost would be about $15 to take the ham test and about $150 for a radio. If you end up having fun with it you can upgrade your license and gear and start talking to folks around the globe at the campsite.


Duff
N5RDM

[FFred]

Ham radio is great hobby , but for traffic info , finding out about the delays , not many folks will be in a 20 mile backup with Ham gear.

Some folks use CB radio as a tool, not as a hobby toy.

[timfromma]

I can do all that plus tons more on my smartphone and no license is required.

[Forester Fred]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

Antenna placement class C?

I got a fender mount for the antenna and put it on the driver's side of the nose. I don't remember the brand or where I got it but it looks like this:


It's worked really well on the road for getting traffic jam info that Waze didn't have. 70mph and it doesn't hit the nose of the coach. The fiberglass antenna is stiff enough that it only bends a little.

[Dmorrow]

Originally Posted by FFred

Ham radio is great hobby , but for traffic info , finding out about the delays , not many folks will be in a 20 mile backup with Ham gear.

Some folks use CB radio as a tool, not as a hobby toy.

I use my 2m as a tool as well and I don't have to listen to men talking about nasty things. I use mine for traffic info and I'm a storm spotter with the NWS Fort Worth. It's not just for play my friend, but hey if your good with dirty talking truckers over modulating and using illegal power more fun to you Sir. FCC doesn't regulate like it used to. Have a good one.

[Dmorrow]

Originally Posted by timfromma

I can do all that plus tons more on my smartphone and no license is required.

True

[sgtlm17]

Your options for class C antenna are roof or side mount on coach itself. Either way running the wire may be a little work

[K7TNT]

[Dmorrow]

Originally Posted by Forester Fred

I got a fender mount for the antenna and put it on the driver's side of the nose. I don't remember the brand or where I got it but it looks like this:


It's worked really well on the road for getting traffic jam info that Waze didn't have. 70mph and it doesn't hit the nose of the coach. The fiberglass antenna is stiff enough that it only bends a little.

Forester Fred good option.
That's a firestick brand cable with firering. I believe the mounts are vehicle specific. Those are good mounts and cables and the installation would be easy. The one downside to a firering is you can overtighten it on the stud and it will not function properly. Like a compressed disc in the human back!

[Forester Fred]

Originally Posted by sgtlm17

Your options for class C antenna are roof or side mount on coach itself. Either way running the wire may be a little work

That's why I went with the fender mount. It works, maybe not as well as mounting the antenna in the middle of the roof. But, I don't want to drill any holes in the body of the coach and try to figure out how to run the coax. From the fender through the firewall up to where I mounted the CB was about an hour job total. I only ended up with a couple small holes inside the fender lip for the mounting screws rather than a hole in the coach for water to get in.

[Forester Fred]

Originally Posted by Dmorrow

Forester Fred good option.
That's a firestick brand cable with firering. I believe the mounts are vehicle specific. Those are good mounts and cables and the installation would be easy. The one downside to a firering is you can overtighten it on the stud and it will not function properly. Like a compressed disc in the human back!

Yup, the directions were very specific about NOT overtightening the mounting ring on the stud. I've had a good deal of experience in my previous life doing and overseeing radio installs so I'm very aware of not using gorilla strength to mount radio gear!

[retired on a mountain]

I was looking to use that type of fender mount for my am/fm radio

[m35a2]

Originally Posted by timfromma

I can do all that plus tons more on my smartphone and no license is required.

If I see you on the road and notice a problem with your rig, how do I let you know on your smartphone?

[KingFisher]

Originally Posted by m35a2

If I see you on the road and notice a problem with your rig, how do I let you know on your smartphone?

Wave your arms like a crazy person, point and yell at his rig as you pass him. And honk the horn a lot.

It worked for me when I guy did it because I left my antenna up.

It worked for another guy when I did it to him because he left his antenna up.

[m35a2]

Originally Posted by KingFisher

Wave your arms like a crazy person, point and yell at his rig as you pass him. And honk the horn a lot.

It worked for me when I guy did it because I left my antenna up.

It worked for another guy when I did it to him because he left his antenna up.

This does sound like a lot more fun! =)

[Keystoner]

The FCC ended CB licenses back in the 70s and I didn't need one to visit Canada. I paid for my CB and antenna once but my smartphone digs into my wallet every month.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Keystoner

The FCC ended CB licenses back in the 70s and I didn't need one to visit Canada. I paid for my CB and antenna once but my smartphone digs into my wallet every month.

The reason the FCC ended CB licenses was mainly because so many OTR drivers failed to get them and you will be lucky if you can transmit/receive anything over 10 miles. Normal consistent range is +/- 5 miles. I won't get into using expensive amplifiers to boost your range so you talk over all others just so you have bragging rights. The drivers close enough to you that might have been able to help in case of trouble couldn't understand what you were saying.


Plus, the likelihood of dropping your CB down by your feet and not being able to retrieve it is impossible.

[Timex]

I use a small Midland with a thru-the-glass mount on my rear window. It suffices for 2-4 miles distance and the truckers will tell you which lane to get in if there is a traffic backup. When the language gets rough, the BOSS doesn't have to say anything, I know to turn it down. The mount has stayed on since the truck was new(12 years ago) and still works great. I don't talk much on it but mainly use it to monitor what's ahead.

[Life is great]

CB's are very handy in traffic, i have 1 in my personal truck for long travels with the TT and i also have 1 in my daily work truck that i'm in for 4-6 hrs daily driving. It has saved me a lot of time sitting in traffic so its worth every penny, and the conversations are pretty amusing.