RD + CB ?

[Gearhead Jim]

I've been running a good RD for many years, my car also has a CB because our car club uses them to talk back and forth on road trips.
On a few solo trips I've tried listening to ch 19 while on the Interstates, hoping to get warnings about speed traps ahead. Instead, all I hear is garbage from truckers with very large mouths, very small brains, and waaay too much time on their hands. Has the Smokie information gone over to a different channel? Is there any way to get good info on CB?
BTW, I don't have sideband on my radio.
Thanks.

[bkrell]

I hear all my reports on 19. When I've got the CB on, I have no need for the RD. It's better than arrows when someone shouts out "Got a bear off the shoulder eastbound at the 33!" But yes, you have to suffer through all the other trucker talk.

[Gearhead Jim]

My gripe is that even after listening to all the trucker talk, I still don't get any information. Last time I tried it about a year ago, in a couple of hours I ran past 3 patrol cars (2 stationary, 1 moving) and nobody said a word.

[Bananafish]

My gripe is that even after listening to all the trucker talk, I still don't get any information. Last time I tried it about a year ago, in a couple of hours I ran past 3 patrol cars (2 stationary, 1 moving) and nobody said a word.

It's because you're in illinois. The traffic is too bad or truckers are too afraid to speed. In Illinois I've never heard a bear report. Cross over to IN and MI where the truckers are reckless and go 75+ and they call out every smokie.

[Motor On]

You don't hear much around the Chicago suburbs but pass joliet on a weekday and it's a whole different story.

There is no guarantee, every day is a different mix of people in different moods with different priorities.

Keep it on 19, since you've got it already, all it takes is one save to make it worth it.

[supercowpowers]

Is there any way to get good info on CB?

Try asking for it. I've never had to do it myself, but "[N|S|E|W]bound, whatcha leavin' behind you?" usually gets a response if anyone is actually around to hear it. Better yet, if you see a bear, call it out. If anyone coming from the opposite direction has seen anything, they'll usually be friendly enough to return your favor.

It could be that your area is just so bad that even if you ask you'd just get walked on by someone explaining why they're really not a good buddy or why they're unhappy about the changing political climate (in nicer words), and then I couldn't blame you for just turning it off.

The CB around here is about 80% effective for spotting the bears, and it usually only fails at night when they hide very well or there just isn't any traffic at all. It is a good countermeasure with the right group of people using it.

[FoolishOne]

I actually have been very lucky with my CB and would imagine 90%+ of bears get called out.

I have noticed that:
1. you get jack-crap at night.
2. once somebody does it, it usually breaks the ice.

As cow said, once someone calls one out, someone usually responds with "Thanks driver. You're clear to the 168." or something. Its sort of safety in numbers. Nobody wants to be the only one to spill the beans. (Hence why most drivers at night throw out an open-ended "Eastbound?" so they know someone is listening.)

[fire65]

I have found that if you have a CB that doesn't sound like crap and you talk like you know what you are doing the truckers respond well. I mainly run in OK and TX, New Mexico was ok also.

[Gearhead Jim]

Road trip coming up soon, I'll try your suggestions.
Thanks!

[REBinc]

Nobody called out the 2 cops on 57 coming down here on Sunday.