Hi all
How come nobody is using cb’s anymore, I only ever see the odd truck with a twig fitted and never hear anyone on, it used to be Handy for traffic warnings or let each other know when there was a speed trap or checkpoint open.
I know going past some places you tend to get idiots playing music or just keying up for no reason.
Mind I do sit on 19 so maybe there is a truck channel I don’t know about
Bear
I have one on 19 all the time, but then if we’re all sitting listening, and nobody is actually putting out any calls, it doesn’t matter how many if us have got them 
CBs are not hands free,and would more than likely come under the same rules as mobile phones. Plus,as I understand it, on some EU compliant radios SSB is legal on certain frequencies,could be they are being used.
Simply by taking the easy Amateur Foundation Licence Test, allows 2mtr and 70cms usage giving a bigger distance coverage than the poor 4/5 miles than CB`s
lolipop:
CBs are not hands free,and would more than likely come under the same rules as mobile phones. Plus,as I understand it, on some EU compliant radios SSB is legal on certain frequencies,could be they are being used.
Simply by taking the easy Amateur Foundation Licence Test, allows 2mtr and 70cms usage giving a bigger distance coverage than the poor 4/5 miles than CB`s
First of all it is still legal to use CBs whilst driving along with all other 2 way radios.
Secondly if your CB only gets 4/5 miles then you’ve got serious issues with your installation - without hills in the way it should be able to do 20-30 miles with the legal 4W. That actually ties in well with why CBs are really no longer used in trucks. Your average truck now has pretty much nowhere you can install an antenna and have it work worth a ■■■■. It used to be really easy 10 years ago as cabs were lower with a nice flat metal roof. Some manufacturers do offer CB antenna mounts/antennas as an option but where they place them on the cab its obvious not one single person with even half a clue about radio communications was involved in the decision.
Bear21:
Hi all
How come nobody is using cb’s anymore, I only ever see the odd truck with a twig fitted and never hear anyone on, it used to be Handy for traffic warnings or let each other know when there was a speed trap or checkpoint open.
I know going past some places you tend to get idiots playing music or just keying up for no reason.
Mind I do sit on 19 so maybe there is a truck channel I don’t know about
Bear
CBs are popular with tipper drivers and quarry operators.
So if you live near or drive by a fleet of quarry drivers you’d be able to listen and get bored with their chit chat.
Most have their own running channels and you’re right.
It’s lonely on channel 19.
sat navs, tighter rules too many numpties. all reasons i stopped using mine.
Steve66:
CBs are popular with tipper drivers and quarry operators.
So if you live near or drive by a fleet of quarry drivers you’d be able to listen and get bored with their chit chat.
Most have their own running channels and you’re right.
It’s lonely on channel 19.
Are you saying that “Carrot Cruncher FM” (Ch 5 around Oxfordshire) is not to your taste? 
Come on Steve, what about such gems as “load of muck for the tip, Doug,” or “type 1 recycled when it’s my turn please Doug” do not interest you?
Muckaway:
Steve66:
CBs are popular with tipper drivers and quarry operators.
So if you live near or drive by a fleet of quarry drivers you’d be able to listen and get bored with their chit chat.
Most have their own running channels and you’re right.
It’s lonely on channel 19.Are you saying that “Carrot Cruncher FM” (Ch 5 around Oxfordshire) is not to your taste?
Come on Steve, what about such gems as “load of muck for the tip, Doug,” or “type 1 recycled when it’s my turn please Doug” do not interest you?
If it was in depth conversations like the ones you mentioned Nathan it would be more interesting 
Conor:
lolipop:
CBs are not hands free,and would more than likely come under the same rules as mobile phones. Plus,as I understand it, on some EU compliant radios SSB is legal on certain frequencies,could be they are being used.
Simply by taking the easy Amateur Foundation Licence Test, allows 2mtr and 70cms usage giving a bigger distance coverage than the poor 4/5 miles than CB`sFirst of all it is still legal to use CBs whilst driving along with all other 2 way radios.
Secondly if your CB only gets 4/5 miles then you’ve got serious issues with your installation - without hills in the way it should be able to do 20-30 miles with the legal 4W. That actually ties in well with why CBs are really no longer used in trucks. Your average truck now has pretty much nowhere you can install an antenna and have it work worth a ■■■■. It used to be really easy 10 years ago as cabs were lower with a nice flat metal roof. Some manufacturers do offer CB antenna mounts/antennas as an option but where they place them on the cab its obvious not one single person with even half a clue about radio communications was involved in the decision.
You are right Conor.
CBs are legal to use and won’t be banned.
I’ve used the mic when the police were near and have never been stopped.
Apparently it’s legal because the police use radios whilst driving.
So ban us and they’d get banned too.
Allegedly.
From memory, the mobile phone law covers certain frequency bands only - the ones used by mobiles, so cb falls outside of this legislation. If you were concentrating on the cb rather than your driving, or if uncle bill thought you were, they’ve got other legislation they can nab you on.
Anyone remember when they were banned from quarries when blasting was being carried out? Raf Brize ban them because they’re menat to interfere with communications. Funny though that the ■■■ offenders sat watching the aircraft and writing down plane numbers have them in their battered old 4x4s and a Hercules hasn’t landed on them (shame, PITA those anoraks are )
Range has got poor with modern trucks, a crude mag mount/stinger on the exhaust pipe bracket used to have much more range than I’ve had since. I did this because the truck was a Foden, others tried those ground plane brackets on the wing mirrors. Right load of crap they were, usually got broken on bushes and trees.
The best range I’ve had was probably about 7 or 8 miles, mag mount on the roof of a loading shovel. I parked on top of a stockpile one day near Witney and could hear drivers talking in Ardley quarry up near J10 M40.
I still use mine…
I am a licenced ham and the use of two way radio outside of the mobile frequencies is definitely allowed.
I don’t buy into the whole idea that it’s legal because the police use radios - it wouldn’t be very difficult to have a law that said only emergency services could use radios whilst driving due example.
My cousin got fined for using a hand held mike in Leominster whilst driving an artic. Hands free microphones are available. I used a voice activated one for years.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3251725.stm
It’s an old link but I hope it’s worked.
If you regularly use the A75/77 roads in Scotland chances are you’ll have a CB!!!
Big Truck:
If you regularly use the A75/77 roads in Scotland chances are you’ll have a CB!!!
…or 2[emoji6]
not allowed them at DHL…always had one in my quarry days,you needed one and they were great fun…unless you were going to/coming back from a job stuck with the quarry bore droning on! 
carryfast-yeti:
not allowed them at DHL…always had one in my quarry days,you needed one and they were great fun…unless you were going to/coming back from a job stuck with the quarry bore droning on!
Just key them out or talk over them.
Dave the Renegade:
My cousin got fined for using a hand held mike in Leominster whilst driving an artic.
No he didn’t. He got charged with driving without due care and attention.