I have to run down there in next week and was wondering if it was worth throwing up the antenna to pass the time. Not sure if there's any traffic except for the guys blowing out the channels from 3 states away.
Any CB traffic from Dallas to San Antonio on 35?
- Thread starter amoking
- Start date
I tuned a scanner to the CB channels last week on a trip from Ft Worth to San Marcos...not much! A few truckers chatting as they passed each other but that was it!
SA_tx_88116
Rather listen than stream
Recently I haven’t even been getting the Super Bowl guys, bad conditions?
My son came up to Little Rock and moved me back home to Oklahoma. He brought a little portable setup cb, 470 miles, heard 1 ask for a radio check. He was surprised, I wasn’t.
slowmover
Active Member
I use it for work. 300-days/year, approximately 2,000-hours annually. Direct effect on my health & wealth. To wit:
Quality of gear
Quality of installation
Willingness to get conversation going
Against time of day
Demographic
Route
I can’t remember a time that IH-35 didn’t have radio traffic, but I am willing to open my wallet and take the time to do credit to what HF needs. It’s a constant that I can speak with others that those right around me can’t even hear.
Example: the latest release has better RX in its range than an ICOM 7300.
Example: less than a 5’ antenna (permanent; roof-center; NMO suggested) isn’t worth having. RF Bonding a given.
Example: RF/CMC Choke strongly recommended just as with ultra-clean DC power.
Amateur Mobile Installation
Radio Skip is a problem, discouraging, but not a real barrier.
forums.radioreference.com
Willingness to practice conversation eventually lands on formulas which work.
Knowing when the majority of users (truck drivers) are likely to be on-air, and,
Knowing “where” a truck traffic nexus is located
Etc.
forums.radioreference.com
2024 is not 1989.
.
Quality of gear
Quality of installation
Willingness to get conversation going
Against time of day
Demographic
Route
I can’t remember a time that IH-35 didn’t have radio traffic, but I am willing to open my wallet and take the time to do credit to what HF needs. It’s a constant that I can speak with others that those right around me can’t even hear.
Example: the latest release has better RX in its range than an ICOM 7300.
Example: less than a 5’ antenna (permanent; roof-center; NMO suggested) isn’t worth having. RF Bonding a given.
Example: RF/CMC Choke strongly recommended just as with ultra-clean DC power.
Amateur Mobile Installation
Radio Skip is a problem, discouraging, but not a real barrier.
SKIP Problems in Noise Abatement.
The discourtesy of screwing up AM-19. The understood Truckers Channel. Got 39 to 119 other channels before we consider freeband. The thread is not to whine and moan, but to introduce others new to CB how to deal with Skip overwhelming local comms. The exigencies of the road. Your experience...
Willingness to practice conversation eventually lands on formulas which work.
Knowing when the majority of users (truck drivers) are likely to be on-air, and,
Knowing “where” a truck traffic nexus is located
Etc.
Do truckers still use CB Radios?
I never hear any trucker chit-chat on Ch19, even with two different types of scanners monitoring. As a kid in the 70's, CB radios were cool!
2024 is not 1989.
.
Last edited:
slowmover
Active Member
By one of our contributors using 2024-gear with a VG base station set-up. This video is practically the single one you’ll find which gives accurate audio reproduction.
My mobile wouldn’t have been different to above 90% parked nearby:
A good amount of this is Skip, but not all.
Why aren’t you experiencing same?
This is obtainable — as above — with right gear and right practice.
Just the radio enabled me to remove $700 of gear with a $280 replacement. Revolution inbound started in 2023. Bring the rest up to par.
First Entrant:
forums.radioreference.com
DSP filtration is the radio minimum just as a 5’ antenna is that minimum. Or power from BATT the 12-VDC minimum.
NRC
.
My mobile wouldn’t have been different to above 90% parked nearby:
A good amount of this is Skip, but not all.
Why aren’t you experiencing same?
This is obtainable — as above — with right gear and right practice.
Just the radio enabled me to remove $700 of gear with a $280 replacement. Revolution inbound started in 2023. Bring the rest up to par.
First Entrant:
2023 Best Mobile CB
Via mobile experience as an OTR truck driver. Several thousand hours annual use. Earlier references to the Qixiang factory’s new circuit board elsewhere. Several brands. The above possibly the best known example at present. Paired with the equally new Driver Extreme DRX-9010 External Speaker...
DSP filtration is the radio minimum just as a 5’ antenna is that minimum. Or power from BATT the 12-VDC minimum.
NRC
.
Last edited:
BaLa
Member
I am a trucker in the area. CB is always on 19.
Occasional Convos
Some Pilot and or Oversize type stuff
Bunch of Junk/skip and radio warriors.
I think that pretty much sums it up.
I drive Oversize without Pilots.
It's gonna be hit or miss.
I wouldn't bother with CB myself.
Occasional Convos
Some Pilot and or Oversize type stuff
Bunch of Junk/skip and radio warriors.
I think that pretty much sums it up.
I drive Oversize without Pilots.
It's gonna be hit or miss.
I wouldn't bother with CB myself.
slowmover
Active Member
Obsolete-design radio gear compounded by less than ideal installation.
I’ve had more than ten years of using DSP (amateur gear) to cut thru the noise to hear that of which you’re unaware is present. Nationally, not just Texas.
Latest gear is a revelation. I’ve removed $700 worth in favor of this type. This example is EZ fit. Get an antenna to 14’ clearance (SIRIO 5000 3/8 on 44” shaft if a fleet truck), and you’ll find that opinions can be just as obsolete as outmoded gear.
(New Version) ANYTONE 6666 Pro
IH35 isn’t ever going to be as busy on AM-19 as IH-80 thru Pennsylvania despite similar truck traffic volume.
But you’ll hear that you’ve never heard before. Was always present, but your current radio rig can’t filter it adequately.
.
Last edited:
BaLa
Member
I saw that.Obsolete-design radio gear compounded by less than ideal installation.
I’ve had more than ten years of using DSP (amateur gear) to cut thru the noise to hear that of which you’re unaware is present. Nationally, not just Texas.
Latest gear is a revelation. I’ve removed $700 worth in favor of this type. This example is EZ fit. Get an antenna to 14’ clearance (SIRIO 5000 3/8 on 44” shaft if a fleet truck), and you’ll find that opinions can be just as obsolete as outmoded gear.
(New Version) ANYTONE 6666 Pro
IH35 isn’t ever going to be as busy on AM-19 as IH-80 thru Pennsylvania despite similar truck traffic volume.
But you’ll hear that you’ve never heard before. Was always present, but your current radio rig can’t filter it adequately.
.
But for me and most of my Co Workers.
We are using company provided CBs and Equipment. If it needs replacing Amazon is not an option.
I bought 1 CB in my life and unlikely I will ever buy another one.
btw. How do you get around the 4 Watt Max on CB Freqs? (except 12/SSB).
Or just blasting everyone with the 80 Watts.
billpritjr
Member
thanks for the info
always wondered why truckers didnt adopt "mobile rig" hard mount GMRS/FRS for highway chit char. Seems it would be much better than CB
slowmover
Active Member
And the trip result was?
.
.
Drove it again yesterday. Up in Dallas there was some chatter because of pending road closures and some of the drivers were talking about that on 19. Down around Temple and south of San Antonio on 35, 19 slightly busy again. Definitely not 'old school' busy. Lot of Mexican drivers talking on 12. 17 was quiet. No skip or super bowl traffic whatsoever.
slowmover
Active Member
Thanks
I was out today from W of FTW on IH-20 into the city. Could hear a former co-worker at 10-15/miles on 27.185 still running OTR (BIG radio . . but he couldn’t hear me, so a waste of watts on his part).
Listened to locals working construction (loads assigned) without the irritations of Skip quite a few miles. What DSP brings as it doesn’t fade away too soon or get buried under noise.
Heard a complaint it ain’t the old days as no heads-up re a construction delay at the IH-30 split. The ones equipped with radios — of a quality can hear and get heard — need only speak up. Passivity didn’t get things started in 1974 (when the 55 came in).
IH35 ain’t got enough Texans, that’s for sure.
World’s worst roundtrip commute, IMO, is Detroit to Laredo and back again. It’s weird on any highway to see so many trucks and get so few responses. OTOH, in several hours of errands-running round-trip today — 1100 to 1400 — I wasn’t ever without chatter. (Didn’t change channel). Skip for maybe 5”.
This is with 7’ rooftop antenna. Gotta have 5’ minimum best I can tell, not just NRC. The 3’ & 4’ antennas don’t cut it.
Complaining it ain’t 1989 shows how much Hollywood shaped expectations. Soon as first the 55, then the 65 went away, is how & why AM-19 faded. Cell phones come later.
Any state where truck limit is 70 is quieter than the ones where they can’t. The Midwest is exception due to number of O/O making a decent living, comparatively. Same for High Plains certain times of the year on non-US Highways just with a much lower population density (except cattle haulers).
Heard, “31 Head, Load 804”, at one point today — may have been Skip as I can’t think of a beef processor near to where I was on IH-820.
This map applies as to what’s closest to local money-making. Explains what traffic is likely to be heard. Oil trucks or log haulers. Car parts or construction. Long distance or remote rural deliveries.
Skip on AM-19 has been so difficult (paid malefactors) the past few years that locals of my acquaintance across the state report that the use of other channels is now a thing. Jump 2-3 channels out to check from 0500 to 1400.
AM-19 always busiest before 0800.
.
I was out today from W of FTW on IH-20 into the city. Could hear a former co-worker at 10-15/miles on 27.185 still running OTR (BIG radio . . but he couldn’t hear me, so a waste of watts on his part).
Listened to locals working construction (loads assigned) without the irritations of Skip quite a few miles. What DSP brings as it doesn’t fade away too soon or get buried under noise.
Heard a complaint it ain’t the old days as no heads-up re a construction delay at the IH-30 split. The ones equipped with radios — of a quality can hear and get heard — need only speak up. Passivity didn’t get things started in 1974 (when the 55 came in).
IH35 ain’t got enough Texans, that’s for sure.
World’s worst roundtrip commute, IMO, is Detroit to Laredo and back again. It’s weird on any highway to see so many trucks and get so few responses. OTOH, in several hours of errands-running round-trip today — 1100 to 1400 — I wasn’t ever without chatter. (Didn’t change channel). Skip for maybe 5”.
This is with 7’ rooftop antenna. Gotta have 5’ minimum best I can tell, not just NRC. The 3’ & 4’ antennas don’t cut it.
Complaining it ain’t 1989 shows how much Hollywood shaped expectations. Soon as first the 55, then the 65 went away, is how & why AM-19 faded. Cell phones come later.
Any state where truck limit is 70 is quieter than the ones where they can’t. The Midwest is exception due to number of O/O making a decent living, comparatively. Same for High Plains certain times of the year on non-US Highways just with a much lower population density (except cattle haulers).
Heard, “31 Head, Load 804”, at one point today — may have been Skip as I can’t think of a beef processor near to where I was on IH-820.
This map applies as to what’s closest to local money-making. Explains what traffic is likely to be heard. Oil trucks or log haulers. Car parts or construction. Long distance or remote rural deliveries.
Skip on AM-19 has been so difficult (paid malefactors) the past few years that locals of my acquaintance across the state report that the use of other channels is now a thing. Jump 2-3 channels out to check from 0500 to 1400.
AM-19 always busiest before 0800.
.
Last edited:
TXDispatcher1
Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2021
- Messages
- 96
It's a shame, really. I'm an old CB'er from the mid 70's. I made longtime friends that I met on the CB. In the 80's we had Traffic Central in Houston that worked on Ch. 11 that provided traffic information to local radio and TV stations that we could give input to. I was Unit 501. Back then I could drive my car right up to the coast in San Leon and right when I got next to the water, the conditions were amazing. I could even talk to folks in Alaska. For some reason being right next to the water vastly improved the radio range, reception and transmission.
Even in the early 90's my ex and I went to Austin and we easily got directions for where we needed to go by bumping someone on Ch. 19. My next door neighbor in the early 2000's had a CB in his truck and had a few friends he would talk to, and when he keyed his mike it would bleed over into my stereo.
I think all those days are gone forever, and to me it's sad. People just have their heads buried in these awful smartphone 24 hours a day. Instead of getting on Ch. 19 to get directions, they'll just gawk at google maps, even if it sends them to the wrong place or they're going down the street to the grocery store, and no need for REACT, since they can just call 911 on their cellphones (I have one, but not a smartphone). I'm not saying all that's bad, but the net result of all this is that people talk to each other less and less. I guess that's progress.
Even in the early 90's my ex and I went to Austin and we easily got directions for where we needed to go by bumping someone on Ch. 19. My next door neighbor in the early 2000's had a CB in his truck and had a few friends he would talk to, and when he keyed his mike it would bleed over into my stereo.
I think all those days are gone forever, and to me it's sad. People just have their heads buried in these awful smartphone 24 hours a day. Instead of getting on Ch. 19 to get directions, they'll just gawk at google maps, even if it sends them to the wrong place or they're going down the street to the grocery store, and no need for REACT, since they can just call 911 on their cellphones (I have one, but not a smartphone). I'm not saying all that's bad, but the net result of all this is that people talk to each other less and less. I guess that's progress.
Similar threads
