What kind of cb/walkie-talkie/miscelleneous radio do you use? We just picked up a hand held unit the other day. Why? Because at $44 its dirt cheap, no antennas to mount, no extra hardware to buy, and we can bring from vehicle to vehicle as we need it. Haven't had to use it yet, so I'm not sure how well it works. Though I'm sure it'll be more than adequate for trail use. What is your preference in radios and how do they stack up?

I've owned 2 CBs from Radio Shack. Both have performed well. Both have listed for less than $50. A good Firestik or Wilson 4' antenna is about $25. A bit of coax and your set.

The hand held will not have any range. You will miss more than you will hear.

Rick knows a good CB shop up there, maybe he can chime in.

Brian is right about the range of the hand held CB's. They will work better if you can add a external antenna, but otherwise they dont' do so well.

Keep in mind that CB's are limited to a maximum of 4 watts legally. Pretty much any CB you buy will transmit at 4 watts, so all the difference is in the antenna. 1/4 wave is the way to go. It will out perform any other readily available antenna out there. The downside is that they are friggin long, and can swing around on the trail and hit people, so you really should find a way to tie it down to avoid injuries. Some clubs will not let you run with them because of the potential for injury.

Personally, I run a cobra CB (dont recall the model #), and a 1/4 wave stainless antenna. Works great, within the confines of the CB. In addition, I run a Icom v-8000 2-meter radio. That one will reach out and touch someone. It transmitts at (up to) 75 watts. You need a FCC license to run it, but after you do, you will not want to go back to CB's. The 2-meter band is not nearly as popular as the CB, and you have a ton of frequencies (channels) to choose from. It is not uncommon for one of the groups I run with to do a 3 or 4 day trip with out hearing anyone except those in our group. We can also spread the group out over miles and miles, and still have crystal clear communication (that means no one has to eat any dust, and each of us can wander off to check something out if we want, and not have to worry about getting seperated from the group). It is not uncommon to pick up a repeater and talk with someone a hundred miles away (I had a conversation with someone in San Diego, while I was sitting in front of my garage in San Pedro). I'm tellin 'ya, 2 meter is the way to go.:D

Another example of 2-meter usefullness.....during our last Death Valley trip...one of the families left a day early (his family wanted warm soft beds to sleep in), so we were able to get ahold of someone he knew up in Cerro Gordo, while we were still driving around in Death Valley, they were able to make dinner and lodging arrangements before they headed up there. A CB never would have (legally) been able to accomplish that.

Originally posted by blkTJ
I've owned 2 CBs from Radio Shack. Both have performed well. Both have listed for less than $50. A good Firestik or Wilson 4' antenna is about $25. A bit of coax and your set.

The hand held will not have any range. You will miss more than you will hear.

Rick knows a good CB shop up there, maybe he can chime in.

Thanks Brian. But we already know to buy the CB from Radio Shack. It's just that WE don't have the money to burn for a CB, antenna, and wiring if needed and then mount it. I (Sandra) have had CBs before and I'm trying not to sound rude. But when you don't have the money you settle for second best. And for trail wise we don't need a whole lot of range to begin with, right? :) The CBs that my family had were with wide range that's because we used them to talk to Truckers to find out travel info. And I totally agree with you that the CBs from Radio Shack are excellent! My family owned 3, but no longer have them. Anyways, we only bought what we could afford right now. Anyone else have opinions on hand held CBs? This is our first hand held CB.

Brian, does the 2-meter transmitt and recieve CB bands as well? Or is this an alternative radio option that everyone would have to purchase?

Originally posted by king4wd2
Thanks Brian. But we already know to buy the CB from Radio Shack. It's just that WE don't have the money to burn for a CB, antenna, and wiring if needed and then mount it. I (Sandra) have had CBs before and I'm trying not to sound rude. But when you don't have the money you settle for second best. And for trail wise we don't need a whole lot of range to begin with, right? :) The CBs that my family had were with wide range that's because we used them to talk to Truckers to find out travel info. And I totally agree with you that the CBs from Radio Shack are excellent! My family owned 3, but no longer have them. Anyways, we only bought what we could afford right now. Anyone else have opinions on hand held CBs? This is our first hand held CB.

look up.:D

Brian, the CB and 2 meter do not transmit on the same bands. You will only be able to talk to other people with a 2 meter tuned to the same freq. Just like with a CB....you can only talk with other people with a CB tuned to the same channel.

Even if it could, you would lose much of the advantage of the 2 meter. The lack of power from a CB is what creates the lack of transmission distance. So yes, you would need more than one (preferrably the whole group) to be running the 2-meter for it to be usefull.

Originally posted by goodtimes
Brian is right about the range of the hand held CB's. They will work better if you can add a external antenna, but otherwise they dont' do so well.

But is the hand held good for a range of 15 Jeeps? That is our main question. You say it doesn't do well, but no one has said what the main range is. On our hand held it says 5miles, is it that or less? Will it work for 2miles? That's all we got it for. Thanks.

Originally posted by goodtimes
Brian, the CB and 2 meter do not transmit on the same bands. You will only be able to talk to other people with a 2 meter tuned to the same freq. Just like with a CB....you can only talk with other people with a CB tuned to the same channel.

Even if it could, you would lose much of the advantage of the 2 meter. The lack of power from a CB is what creates the lack of transmission distance. So yes, you would need more than one (preferrably the whole group) to be running the 2-meter for it to be usefull.

understood. that's what i figured. now, if we could just talk everyone in the 4x4 world to ditch their CBs we'd be in buisness.:D

Originally posted by king4wd2
But is the hand held good for a range of 15 Jeeps? That is our main question. You say it doesn't do well, but no one has said what the main range is. On our hand held it says 5miles, is it that or less? Will it work for 2miles? That's all we got it for. Thanks.

100 yds?

all joking aside. I used to have a glass mounted CB antenna. It didn't have a ground plain and didn't transmit or recieve worth a darn.

Originally posted by king4wd2
.... It's just that WE don't have the money to burn for a CB, antenna, and wiring if needed and then mount it. ....

And for trail wise we don't need a whole lot of range to begin with, right? :) ....

Of course you don't have any money...you have a jeep!:D

On the trail you don't need much distance.....but it comes in real handy when guiding (or being guided) to a trail, or when you are having trouble (flat tire, etc) on the way to the trail...you can let people know where you are, and that they should wait a few extra minutes for you. With the hand helds, you can usually attach a external antenna to them. That is something you might consider down the road when you have a few extra bucks around.

Originally posted by blkTJ
[B]100 yds?

If you are LUCKY! With a open top it will be better, but even then, you probably won't be able to talk to anyone more than 50 yards out. One of the SoCal guys I used to run around with (some of you know him...Paul, the guy with the little brown blazer--who recently bought a YJ) used a hand held....we had a hard time talking to him, so we just talked about him instead ( :lol: ). Once he added the external antenna, it was much better.

Originally posted by blkTJ
understood. that's what i figured. now, if we could just talk everyone in the 4x4 world to ditch their CBs we'd be in buisness.

Yup, that is the problem. But people are coming around. A year ago, the group I mentioned earlier only had 2 or 3 2-meter's among the whole group. Now there are about 20 of us with them. We have done trips where we never even turned the CB's on, we ran strictly 2 meters.

Originally posted by goodtimes
Of course you don't have any money...you have a jeep!:D

True! Marvin the Jeep is ours lock, stock and barrel :D The Dodge Neon R/T however, is what we're still paying for :rolleyes:

Originally posted by goodtimes but it comes in real handy when guiding (or being guided) to a trail, or when you are having trouble (flat tire, etc) on the way to the trail...you can let people know where you are, and that they should wait a few extra minutes for you.

Knock on wood, we've never experienced that yet, except for being stuck on a rock on the front differential. They told us to honk the horn then if we had problems. That was when we first got the Jeep and took it to the 1998 Jeep Jamboreee in Big Bear.:D

Originally posted by goodtimes If you are LUCKY! With a open top it will be better, but even then, you probably won't be able to talk to anyone more than 50 yards out. One of the SoCal guys I used to run around with (some of you know him...Paul, the guy with the little brown blazer--who recently bought a YJ) used a hand held....we had a hard time talking to him, so we just talked about him instead ( :lol: ). Once he added the external antenna, it was much better.

Okay that totally confused me. With the top down it will be better, but only 50 yards? If you're lucky? Then again, I'm might sound a bit sexist, but this woman is usually confused :D Usually I'm the one that's suppose to confuse Tom (king4wd), or at least, that's my job as his wife! :D:D:D:D:D

I have a couple of handhelds from RatShack I picked up on a clearance sale lark. They are OK for about 100 meters or so, outside of the vehicle.

Once you are inside the tub of your Jeep, forget it. You might be able to get across 50 meters. Even worse, you won't be able to hear what others are transmitting on account of the crappy rubber ducky "antenna".

The fact of the matter is that CB's are pretty much all the same now electronically. The big performance improvement is in the antenna. You won't be able to hear much without a tall, tuned antenna, even if you have a "foot-warmer".

As hams say, "You can't work, what you can't receive."

Listen to the very fine advice above and shell out the 30 bucks for an inexpensive external whip with a BNC adapter for your handheld.

Heck if you want one for free, just PM me as I have a RS 21-972 (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F008%5F009%5F005%5F001&product%5Fid=21%2D972) lying around.
http://www.radioshack.com/images/ProductCatalog/ProductImage/21/21-972.jpg
It needs a new run of coax as the insulation is worn through. That might cost you ~$10 for a short run of RG58 plus a couple of bucks for the BNC or PL connector, whichever you decide to terminate it with.

My big concern is theft. In my neighborhood you leave nothing in the vehicle you can't afford to replace. I wish they would come up with a detachable face CB like my CD player. I also have to be able to disconnect the antenna. I am just waiting for the day my radio antenna gets yanked off. (The one on my 280Z got used as a crack pipe. Found it laying on the ground next to the car.)

The other thing is where do you mount it? Jeeps have strange flat dashes. Not like the New Beetle where you have enough room for an entire home entertainment center. Seriously...you can plop your laptop up there and watch movies.

My CB is mounted to an existing screw under the dash and I've wired it so I can take it out when I'm not wheeling. I'll take some pictures when I get a chance.

Originally posted by blkTJ
My CB is mounted to an existing screw under the dash and I've wired it so I can take it out when I'm not wheeling. I'll take some pictures when I get a chance.

Our problem is trying to figure out where to install the actual antenna if we get the bigger unit. We have the Kargomaster Congo Cage that takes up our corners. My husband Tom will post later when I'm done the details as to what he needs to say or ask, okay. :D Thanks so far for all the advice.

Originally posted by blkTJ
My CB is mounted to an existing screw under the dash and I've wired it so I can take it out when I'm not wheeling. I'll take some pictures when I get a chance.

I like that idea...could you show me how to do it? Not too bad at handling wiring.

Originally posted by goodtimes
[1/4 wave is the way to go. It will out perform any other readily available antenna out there. The downside is that they are friggin long, and can swing around on the trail and hit people, so you really should find a way to tie it down to avoid injuries. [/B]
I'm sure 1/4 wave is best (1/4by 1/2 wave are the dimensions for radar waveguide). However by my calculations, at approximately 29Mhz, a 1/4 wave antenna would be about 8.5 feet long:eek: CA4WD regs limit antenna length to 4.6 feet. So we need 56inches or shorter to be legal. My main concern was getting a functional radio in the short term. Eventually I'll mount an antenna most likely on the rear bumper. Right now my weenie cordless drill isn't up to that task:D I see the need for a good antenna, but in my experience, a properly connected and grounded small antenna will outperform a poorly connected or grounded larger antenna. Ick, this is getting to much like work:D

Originally posted by king4wd
I'm sure 1/4 wave is best (1/4by 1/2 wave are the dimensions for radar waveguide). However by my calculations, at approximately 29Mhz, a 1/4 wave antenna would be about 8.5 feet long:eek: CA4WD regs limit antenna length to 4.6 feet. So we need 56inches or shorter to be legal. My main concern was getting a functional radio in the short term. Eventually I'll mount an antenna most likely on the rear bumper. Right now my weenie cordless drill isn't up to that task:D I see the need for a good antenna, but in my experience, a properly connected and grounded small antenna will outperform a poorly connected or grounded larger antenna. Ick, this is getting to much like work:D

The problem with 1/4 and 1/2 wave radio is that if you're not carefull, your vehicle ends-up looking like Wagner's (Inspector Gadget's) "Lunar Lander" (Tom knows who I'm talking about). A decent CB works fine for those of us that don't need to talk from state-to-state while wheeling. I got a Midland radio on sale at Walmart for $29.99, and wired it to a good antenna, and it works really well. I was using a hand-held Cobra model HH-22, and I had to climb out of the Willys and stand in the bed, or on the roof if I wanted to talk to anyone. Another disadvantage of the hand-held model is that I was constantly having to retrieve it from the floor boards.

Tom, you should exchange your hand-held for a regular CB radio. I've got a spare Fire Stick antenna I'll give you if you need it...

Originally posted by king4wd
I'm sure 1/4 wave is best (1/4by 1/2 wave are the dimensions for radar waveguide). However by my calculations, at approximately 29Mhz, a 1/4 wave antenna would be about 8.5 feet long:eek: CA4WD regs limit antenna length to 4.6 feet. So we need 56inches or shorter to be legal.

Yup. They are long as hell, but also work better than the short ones. That is not to say that the shorter antennas suck, because they don't.

CA4WD regs say 56 inches, other clubs say 48, and others have different limits and requirements. I chose to run the 108" antenna for a reason, and it fits my needs, despite what some club decided was appropriate. What I did to help with the "trail bystander" injury problem (which is why some clubs put limits on antenna length--and for the record, I have no complaint about a club instituting such a rule) is to mount the antenna low on the rear quarter, then secure it to the soft top above and to the rear of the side window with a plastic buckle and some nylon webbing. This leaves about 4.5 feet of free standing antenna. So only the top 4 - 5 feet is free to swing around. This essentially makes it as safe as a shorter antenna, but keeps the effectiveness of the longer antenna.

Now for a quick explaination as to why I went to the longer antenna. The first antenna I installed was a 3' fiberglass whip. I installed and tuned it one afternoon with the top down. It worked great--until I put the top up. Then the SWR went so high that the radio would not transmit! So, I talked to the local radio shop about my problem. Their suggestion was to mount a longer antenna, so that it stuck up above the jeep more. So I tried a 4' fiberglass whip. This time I installed and tuned with the top up. It worked *OK*, but the SWR was still high (~2.5), but when I dropped the top, I had to re-tune it. Then when I put the top up, I had to tune it again.....so that wasn't working, and was getting expensive buying antennas that wouldn't work. So I said heck with it, bought the 108" stainless whip, and now I get a SWR of ~1.3, with the top up or down, doesn't matter.

Anyway, I'm done rambling now. But I will offer this suggestion. Mount what ever antenna you get as high as you can. If you have a roof rack, I would put it there. Get it up above the top of the jeep, and use 18' of cable, even if you have to loosely loop the extra somewhere in the jeep, 18' is best.

Originally posted by qwiksilver
I like that idea...could you show me how to do it? Not too bad at handling wiring.

O.K., here ya go.

The first picture is under the dash on the passenger side. You can see there is a screw there that I've mounted the CB bracket to. The antenna coax is easily removable. The power lead has a plug spliced into it. You can find them at Radio shack.

mount/wires (http://groups.msn.com/myTJpics/miscpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=362)

the next pic is the plug at the back of the CB.

CB (http://groups.msn.com/myTJpics/miscpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=364)

Finally, here is a pic of the fuse block where I got the power source. I bought an "add-a-circuit" from auto zone and plugged it into the radio fuse slot. This way the power is switched with the ignition.

power (http://groups.msn.com/myTJpics/miscpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=363)

hope this helps.:8 :yay:

Originally posted by blkTJ
O.K., here ya go.

The first picture is under the dash on the passenger side. You can see there is a screw there that I've mounted the CB bracket to. The antenna coax is easily removable. The power lead has a plug spliced into it. You can find them at Radio shack.

the next pic is the plug at the back of the CB.

Finally, here is a pic of the fuse block where I got the power source. I bought an "add-a-circuit" from auto zone and plugged it into the radio fuse slot. This way the power is switched with the ignition.


hope this helps.:8 :yay:

I saved the pics to the hard drive. Thanks. :D I like how it mounted right up without cutting or drilling. I hate cutting and drilling a vehicle and avoid it when I can.

I can go to Radio Shack...show them the photos and get what I need. I have spliced wires before. With a new radio there should be some sort of instructions as well.

Ah, one place where there would need to be drilling...the antenna. The magnetic mounts frequently get knocked off. I am hoping I can get one that unscrews and can be stored.

Thanks Brian...you're a big help. :D

Thanks to EVERYONE'S advice! We went out and bought an external antenna for our hand held. We mounted it to our rack! We put the rack on just in case for the fires up here. We put the antenna on and PRESTO we have a tremendous range now!! Thanks Erik, Brian, and whoever else!! Like I have said before, I have never owned a hand held before, so wasn't use to the lack of range! Great!!

Thanks for the info, gang :D I picked up a 48" whip, a truck mirror mount, 20' of RG-58 and a pl-259/bnc adapter. I can't go through drive-throughs or parking garages now, but my wife was picking up I-15 truck traffic from the house- about 4.5 -5 mile range (with no terrain). This is still with the handheld as a base unit.

Originally posted by qwiksilver


Ah, one place where there would need to be drilling...the antenna. The magnetic mounts frequently get knocked off. I am hoping I can get one that unscrews and can be stored.



something like this?

http://www.valcoelectronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=VE&Product_Code=K1A&Category_Code=0043

you should also get a spring to help take some of the stress off of the antenna mount.

speaking of mounts (how's that for a smooth segue ;) ), here's one option: http://www.firestik.com/Instl-Art/ss-jx3.htm you do have to drill 2 holes, but they're hidden and the mount is very low-profile. you'll be able to run the antenna lead through an existing hole in the firewall.

Originally posted by cbremer
something like this?

http://www.valcoelectronics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=VE&Product_Code=K1A&Category_Code=0043

you should also get a spring to help take some of the stress off of the antenna mount.

speaking of mounts (how's that for a smooth segue ;) ), here's one option: http://www.firestik.com/Instl-Art/ss-jx3.htm you do have to drill 2 holes, but they're hidden and the mount is very low-profile. you'll be able to run the antenna lead through an existing hole in the firewall.

Thanks...I cut and pasted this into my notes. With all these notes...I should be able to get something together. :D

We field tested the handheld radio- vehicle antenna lash up the other day at Stoddard Valley. The set up worked great:D Thanks to the advice presented here we were talking with substantial range, as well as picking up some profane truckers on the freeway:D

Thanks to Brian I am up and talking with a sweet little unit under the dash. I have a 3 foot Firestick in the back and the mounting looks so good on the back of the Jeep. :D :D :D

I have a friend who is interested in the hand held idea. She and I follow each other to campsites and she wants to be able to talk to me on the freeway without resorting to cell phones. She's an actress and is a little low on the cash flow. What model did you get?

no problem, for pizza like that I'd do just about anything...:D

Originally posted by qwiksilver
I have a friend who is interested in the hand held idea. She and I follow each other to campsites and she wants to be able to talk to me on the freeway without resorting to cell phones. She's an actress and is a little low on the cash flow. What model did you get?

We got a Maxon 40 Channel CB Transceiver (HCB - 10C), it was on sale for $40 at Wal Mart. I know, I know you don't shop at Wal Mart. Check into Radio Shack. Just make sure your friend gets an external antenna for her hand held to boost the range of the hand held even the short range sucks! Trust me.