Yep, that's what I use the delete button for. ;-)
As a user of both types or radios, you may be confusing the readers of this topic. Sure... I would like to think there is good in every single person who may answer a call for help on any radio. IMHO the percentage of helpful people that will answer a call to action is less on CB. Forget the national calling channels, I am talking about anyone who will hear a distress call.
Ham radio operators by nature are more mentally prepared to assist another in need. Isn't it what MOST amateur radio operators train for? Have you not participated in some kind of field day, or similar emergency preparedness exercise?
Technology has changed! If you want road conditions, delay times, rest stop locations, gas stations. You can buy a cheap GPS device for $129.00 and not worry if the person on the CB (IF they answer) will give you honest answers, or send you prank information, or just plain put the hammer down on you.
Radio communications is meant for enjoyment, not to depend your life on. Certainly if no cell phone signals were available, a ham radio could be the next thing you reach for. Certainly if a person answers you on a ham radio, most likely you will get some kind of assistance. I am not saying CB folks will not provide good help, it's just the percentage of true action will be with ham operators.
Come on now... your comment about programming a radio while driving down the road is bogust. You know you are suppose to pull over to the side of the road to do those things. That's if you didin't use the ARRL repeater CD guide to download to your radio, mapping out your planned route ahead of time. Yes, there is such capabilities! Point and click on a map, pull up every listed repeater, choose major cities, or everything in between and upload to your radio. Since you are an amateur radio operator you knew that already. ;-) Sorry, just looked you haven't bought new equipment since you have your trusty TM-721. Time for an update, or at least browse the new technology available.
"Pete" must be an alias, it's not what you use for your call sign.
pete42 wrote:cuyeda wrote:I just wanted to add that there were no intentions of hijacking this thread. I just wanted to associate real people to the hobby. The question asked, to CB or not to CB... and hopefully the conclusion would be to try ham radio.
Just how does Ham radio help me find out why the traffic ahead has stopped, or where's the next rest stop located?
Ham radio is useless when trying to find out information going down the road.
ever try to look up a repeater while going down the road?
does it have normal offset or do you need a tone
as for 144.20 or 146.52 you can CQ all you want and 99% of the time no one will answer because no one monitors those frequencies. I don't do you?
I have a CB radio in my truck with a mag-mount antenna I also have a Ken wood 144/440 FM dual band TM-721A with a diamond dual band antenna.
now if I want to talk to someone in my local Ham radio club great but for trips I use CB.
"Oh and by the way, there are ways to modify a ham radio to access the CB frequencies, but that is a different topic."
on my Yaesu HF rig if you open it up it has a switch that allows out of band tx and rx which is great for using on the sailboat or talking 500 watts on the CB with amp.
edit I just read my own post I come off conformational sorry not my intent
I love my ham radios yes I said radios if you don't have at least three what's the use. again sorry if I came off conformational. Pete
KB8EMD