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  1. #1
    Lead Foot
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    Feb 2008
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    KY
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    Default CB on my trip - observations

    Hello, just got back from a 1200 round trip vacation. Took the CB, have been using for a year or two. Usually I have great success with the CB but this time was wierd. Not many traps to report going, but on the way back there were traps like every 100 miles.

    I'd say I got about a 50% report number on the way back. There were 3 in particular - well hidden traps that were never called out anywhere, and plenty of trucks on the highway. The 1st one I thought I was toast - I use trapster also and there were two or three traps marked within a 10 mile or so stretch so (AL) I was doing about 80 (70 psl) - usually run about 90. Came up on this trap in the bushes and he I/O'd me, thankfully I was going about 79-80 and I guess I didnt meet his threshold. However still bummed as there was no report at all from the CB on that one - again lots of trucks on the highway.

    Two more were similar - however they were C/O radar and X50 had no problems picking them up. No report at all on the CB. One last one was around Nashville - hiding in the bushes with I/O but no report from CB.

    Now a few things that I am sure might have caused some of this - I always listen on these trips: baby in the car, so it's down real low but I can hear it. So I dont usually ask for reports every so often like I probably should. Also it was a busy Sat and the radio was very busy with chatter - matter of fact I remember one guy saying he stopped listening to his because there was so much garbage on the radio today. They also always called out a moving patrol car - which was nice but still why call all those out and not the ones in the medians?

    Anyway like I said I usually have great success with the CB but that 1st I/O really bummed me out. However layers of defense sure help - X50, Trapster, live alerts, CB, eyes! Still wont leave home without it - my trip earlier this year the CB itself saved me about 5x. Thanks for any input.

  2. #2
    Radar Fanatic
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    2,961

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    That would happen to me in IN sometimes I would a warning of every cop on 80/90 and then sometimes I wouldn't get anything on the CB and cops would be everywhere. From my experience a CB is a really good countermeasure, but it's not always consistent.

  3. #3
    Radar Fanatic
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    2,150

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    How often did you ask for a bear report?
    I ask about every hundred miles or so, more often if the c.b is quiet.

  4. #4
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    NY
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    11,015

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    With a CB it is of premier importance on how you use it... and what you know.


    What is your CB set-up/combo?

    I think a lot of the problems we see here is individuals simply are not willing to run the squelch low enough, they don't have big radios, don't know exactly what to listen for, or they simply don't have the knowledge to use the radio (specifically when and what to say).

    Generally some combination of those factors is what really gets CB'ers lack of info.

    As with all countermeasures... it is simply a tool, and it will never catch every-trap, but if used correctly... they almost always outshine any RD/Jammer/Trapster/etc by miles on the interstate it trucks are around.
    Last edited by AirMoore; 06-28-2010 at 06:57 PM.

  5. #5
    Radar Fanatic
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    Jul 2005
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    WNY (sometimes)
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    1,566

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    Quote Originally Posted by Super Dave View Post
    Hello, just got back from a 1200 round trip vacation. Took the CB, have been using for a year or two. Usually I have great success with the CB but this time was wierd. Not many traps to report going, but on the way back there were traps like every 100 miles.

    I'd say I got about a 50% report number on the way back. There were 3 in particular - well hidden traps that were never called out anywhere, and plenty of trucks on the highway. The 1st one I thought I was toast - I use trapster also and there were two or three traps marked within a 10 mile or so stretch so (AL) I was doing about 80 (70 psl) - usually run about 90. Came up on this trap in the bushes and he I/O'd me, thankfully I was going about 79-80 and I guess I didnt meet his threshold. However still bummed as there was no report at all from the CB on that one - again lots of trucks on the highway.

    Two more were similar - however they were C/O radar and X50 had no problems picking them up. No report at all on the CB. One last one was around Nashville - hiding in the bushes with I/O but no report from CB.

    Now a few things that I am sure might have caused some of this - I always listen on these trips: baby in the car, so it's down real low but I can hear it. So I dont usually ask for reports every so often like I probably should. Also it was a busy Sat and the radio was very busy with chatter - matter of fact I remember one guy saying he stopped listening to his because there was so much garbage on the radio today. They also always called out a moving patrol car - which was nice but still why call all those out and not the ones in the medians?

    Anyway like I said I usually have great success with the CB but that 1st I/O really bummed me out. However layers of defense sure help - X50, Trapster, live alerts, CB, eyes! Still wont leave home without it - my trip earlier this year the CB itself saved me about 5x. Thanks for any input.

    I had a similar experience earlier this year. On our annual Florida trek I hooked up the cb and expected to hear the usual bear traps. On the way down I noticed far less cb chatter than in the past, with alot of moving and stationary bears not being called out. On the way back north, I didn't hook up my cb (first time in years for a long road trip) and relied only on my V1 and LI setup.

    2 years ago I took a trip out to North Dakota and then into Saskatchewan, and noticed very little cb chatter in the midwest. I thought it might be a regional thing, but this years trip to Florida has me convinced that far less truckers are using the cb as a means to share info.

    J/

  6. #6
    Banned
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    Oct 2009
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    USA
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    2,534

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    Every time I see a trap I call it out for the next 10 miles or so when I see a truck coming the other direction. 95% of the time they reciprocate and let me know what's behind them. If I haven't heard a bear report in a while I'll wait until I see trucks coming the other way and will ask them for a report after letting them know how it looks behind me. I make sure I remember the mile marker of the last LEO or DOT I see. They really appreciate it. Last week on a trip to/from Alabama they showed their appreciation for "the guy in the F250 with ears" and called out for me to get a long distance report for me. I get out about 5 miles, sometimes less sometimes more but they have better radio/antenna rigs so they really helped me out (a stretch of construction ahead with an LEO on the side).

    I also hand out weather reports. On the way back we hit a stretch where I could have sworn we hit the edge of a tornado. The rain suddenly went horizontal and visibility went from hundreds of feet to under 25 in mere seconds. Wind was bad, jostling my truck and the big rigs all over. Really scary! I was surprised no one ended up in a ditch or worse. I let the trucks coming the other way know they were in for some nasty weather.

  7. #7
    Lead Foot
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    KY
    Posts
    418

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    Hey guys - thank you for your very informative replies. I have the bare bones Cobra Ultra I think it's called and the bare bones Wal Mart mag mount antenna. I have been looking at the recent threads on the NMO mount and Anetex type setup antennas I really like the look of those and I know the right antenna will drastically improve my range / setup.

    No, again I dont ask for a lot of reports (I know - a no no I need to give as well as receive). I need to ask about every 50-100 miles. I will start doing that, and I like what Chariot said on giving my report 1st then asking - seems simple I never did that before. Duh on me.

    It's an OK setup I only use it on long trips but I definetly need the new antenna. I've read enough to know thats the key.

    I know when used properly it is equal to or better than a detector! Thanks for the help!

  8. #8
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    NY
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    11,015

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    Quote Originally Posted by Super Dave View Post
    Hey guys - thank you for your very informative replies. I have the bare bones Cobra Ultra I think it's called and the bare bones Wal Mart mag mount antenna.
    There it is right there. The BOLD part is critical. As long as the CB is in good working order the 'trim' should be of no consequence regarding RX capabilities. You need to ditch the Wally-World Antenna and get something real. I always suggest a Wilson 1K or 5K if you can swing them over all other antennas (besides the 102 obviously). If not I bet a Lil' Wil' would be margins better than the Wally-World unit.




    Quote Originally Posted by Super Dave View Post
    No, again I dont ask for a lot of reports (I know - a no no I need to give as well as receive). I need to ask about every 50-100 miles. I will start doing that, and I like what Chariot said on giving my report 1st then asking - seems simple I never did that before. Duh on me.
    Yeah, how you use the mic is even more important than how often you do though. If you don't sound like a trucker, often times the airwaves will go silent on 19, and locals will channel-hop. Every once in awhile you get a few who will team up with you to keep the backdoor closed... even if they know you are a 4-wheeler. Generally American-trucks and older folks (read: ~35+) ... have a better go at it as well as far as 4-wheelers are concerned.

    Having a big radio and a solid power mic helps too... almost all truckers have these.

  9. #9
    Advanced Member
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    Oct 2009
    Location
    Santa Cruz California
    Posts
    3,648

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    Out west you usually need to chat up the drivers, but not bug the crap out of them calling every 10 minutes. Very few of them are going over the speed limit enough to get tagged, so they rarely share bear info with one another. I've driven from SLC Utah to SF California like 50 times round trip (really lost count awhile ago) and I rarely see a trucker pulled over. Most of the LEOs who are parked, running I/O do not even bother to ping the trucks, so they do not even qualify as a rabbit.

    The best way to get trucker info is to offer up some of your own first - whether they need it or not.

    Most of those guys are so bored they love some temporary chat. I got stuck in a big construction traffic jam on I-80 near the Cal-Nev state line a couple of weeks ago. The Truckee River runs next to the road, and we were all talking/gawking about "the rack on that blonde" who was rafting down the river.

    And yes, the Wally antenna is junk. Had one for 2 days and tossed it for LilWil which works pretty good up to 5-6 miles (transmit) and reception up to 10 in the country.


    2010 Honda Civic Sedan
    Cobra 19 DX IV CB
    Wilson Lil Wil
    Uniden BCT15X Scanner
    Garmin Nuvi 1300
    Saves: More than I can count

  10. #10
    Experienced
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    undercover in NY
    Posts
    230

    Default Re: CB on my trip - observations

    I agree with airmoore- I never appreciated the importance until I got my first good antenna, a Wilson 1000, then a 5000, and now my laird (which is a compromise, but worth it to me for the install)
    When i had the amp, I would ask for bear checks, but now I don't bother. Even with my inconsistant CB results, I still consider it a great countermeasure.

 

 

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