What CB Channel?

Channel 19. Breaker one nine.....

I've heard a couple of others are in use a little bit but by far Channel 19 is the truckers channel. There are others like 17 in some places, but 19 is pretty universal. 9 is the emergency channel, monitored by some state troopers.

You should make sure to tune your antenna for minimum SWR. A good SWR meter will also show you power of your radio. I installed my antenna and tuned it down to 1.4:1 and my radio, barefoot, puts out about 12-14 watts. I have no idea why or how. I bought it brand new and have ALWAYS had good radio reports on it, saying I sound like a 200 dollar radio when I paid a whopping 25 dollars for it. I will say at 12.6v it puts out 3.8 watts, but crank up that APU and get the voltage to 13.6 and it puts out about 12-14.

 

In California, I gave up trying to figure out what channel most run in a given area. Channel preference is all over the place so I leave it on 19 and enjoy the quiet.

 

California is a UN Camp.

 

I think the spanish channel is 17 in SoCal, thats why 19 is quiet except at the TA in Ontario.

 

19 is the norm for us out here, between ourselves.

May be a bit quite most of the time, as use seems to have really gone way of the dinasour. Most times, you'll hear nothing but bull & #####ing when you do hear something.

But, will hold you in good staid to keep it on for situations you will run into.

Invaluable for accident situations to see what is going on up ahead of you & what lanes "might" be open. Warn others coming behind you of a hazard to avoid by surprise (Traffic coming to a complete stop at mile marker ?? Slow it down.....). May want to try to rustle up someone coming from other direction to see what road conditions are up ahead of where you are going in inclimental weather. Also, most importantly, if something comes up or happens with your truck/trailer you are unaware of & need to know .... you may just get a heads up from a fellow road warrior. Could be lights out, anything......Or even,(Dude, do you know your trailer brakes are on fire.....? Usually no response & full blown fire at bottom of mountain. LOL). Seen it too many times.

If you are bored & have a radio that can operated on what is called "side band" (lower & upper sides of the normal channels) .... & atmospheric conditions are conducive to radio wave propagation (sometimes couple times a day).... you can talk all over the entire country & world.

Keep that sucker on, whether you actually use it or not. There will come a time you will be glad you did.

Most of the old timers out here always have it on. They just don't participate in the crap that it has become. You WILL, however, hear them when it counts.

Peace & keep it safe.

 

As old and outdated the technology, it still gives drivers a heads up to pileups...bad weather and occasionally sounds from the ladies of the road.

 

You betcha, brother.......

 

19 on the road solo, 22 if following company traffic. For the most part, mine stays off all the time, unless it appears that there is a traffic situation or I’m bored and the satellite radio isn’t putting out like it should be.

 

Mine stays on all the time, I use the squelch to make it quiet, Close by transmissions get through in case someone is saying something I need to hear. Wouldn't be without it......!!! Ch.-19