Hand Held CB radio?

[Len Amaral]

I didn't know where to post but I was hoping that someone tech savvy would have a recommendation. Can anyone suggest a decent hand held CB radio I could keep in my truck for emergency use. I know there is an adapter for some of these radios where you can take off the rubber duck antenna and hook up a small roof mount.

[Jim Fogle]

Walmart.com offers handhelds by Cobra, Uniden and Midland. All three brands offer one or more models with a BNC mounted removable "rubber ducky" antenna. Walmart.com also offers the Cobra magnetic mount rooftop CB antenna. Here are some links to compare:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Uniden-PRO40 ... o/42793874

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cobra-HHRT50 ... /525981151 Note this unit also has a built-in NOAA weather radio!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Midland-75-8 ... o/10603644

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cobra-HG-A10 ... a/11974008

Truthfully, if it was me I'd buy a used one at a yard sale, flea market or pawn shop before I'd buy new. Here in North Carolina I don't think the highway patrol even have CB radios mounted in their patrol cars to monitor emergency channel 19.

[Len Amaral]

Thank you Jim for the links for the hand held CB radio. Some good deals on Walmart.com. I figure I’ll keep one in the truck to monitor traffic on the interstate.

[Jim Fogle]

Len,

Good luck in your search. Please let us know what you ultimately get and how you are using it.

[Marty Broussard]

Yes, please update us. I’ve been wondering about those but haven’t had time to research them.

[Godfrey Arthur]

Something you might consider is the very inexpensive but featured Baofeng UV-5R.

Yooess Gubbermin has moved to ban these in conus because the bands available are huge.



Huge following on this model and much info on YT.

[Jim Fogle]

The first sentence on the Baofeng UV-5R Wikipedia page says everything why I will not recommend a Baofeng UV-5R:

The BaoFeng UV-5R is a hand-held radio that has been marketed illegally in the United States.

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... vers#UV-5R

I'm sure you posted that suggestion in jest.

[Godfrey Arthur]

The first sentence on the Baofeng UV-5R Wikipedia page says everything why I will not recommend a Baofeng UV-5R:

The BaoFeng UV-5R is a hand-held radio that has been marketed illegally in the United States.

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... vers#UV-5R

In jest? No maybe tongue-in-cheek?

Wikipedia can be re-written to reflect a blanket statement. It wasn't illegal until after 9/30/19. I heard the banning news on the John Moore show with radio expert Tom Berryhill as he has on.

The reason the gov't wants the 5R banned is because it's keyboard programmable. And that unless the 5R is modified (read neutered) to do what it can do now it will be banned for sale as it is/was originally.

Then an update on the ban:

*RFS combination radio.

*UV-5R DUAL BAND (VHF/UHF) ANALOG PORTABLE TWO-WAY RADIO.

*this model covers all the frequency bands including the ham radio frequencies, through commercial bands.

The gov does not want the average user to have that much capability.

I suggest listening to the podcast below. If you're not familiar with John Moore he's an ex-Navy man fought in Nam and was on many radio stations.

Here's the podcast with John and Tom:
https://www.republicbroadcastingarchive ... 19-hour-1/


Granted it is "illegal" NOW but it wasn't until recently.

Lots of people own them in conus.

I wouldn't put too much faith in the Wiki article "stating it was always illegal" because what is written there can be fickle, vague controlled by Wiki themselves to get the response you just gave. So is going out of your home of late. $1000 fine in San Diego I hear.

For SHTF, best to have what you need. If things get messed up I don't think the FCC is going to be looking for anybody!

USD$23 per unit. People buy several of them and put them everywhere, tackle box, back pack, glove compartment. They do work! They are cheap.

Just don't drop them or get them wet.

I have 3 units with the water-proof skin.





check out the BAY:

Don't know if these have been spayed or neutered.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... ie+122+amp

[Jim Fogle]

Godfrey Arthur,

Len asked for suggestions and has received suggestions from you and me. Additionally, I'm sure Len understands there are additional products that are available and as close as an internet search engine.

Thanks you for your suggestion. It is an interesting suggestion.

[Godfrey Arthur]

Godfrey Arthur,

Len asked for suggestions and has received suggestions from you and me. Additionally, I'm sure Len understands there are additional products that are available and as close as an internet search engine.

Thanks you for your suggestion. It is an interesting suggestion.

No problem Jim. Anything to make things easier for the psg guys! I've had the 5R's for some years now.

I also have an old Midland Weather Max Mini 77-116 my brother sent me with the magnet whip antenna.

[Scott Duckworth]

This isn't a bad little CB...

https://www.cobra.com/collections/cb-ra ... ts/c75wxst

As for the Baofeng, it IS NOT a CB. Depending on the FCC Type Certification (95 or 90) it requires an amateur radio license or commercial license to operate. I have both types, an Extra class ham ticket for the Part 95 one, and a letter of authorization from the fire department for the Part 90 one.

[Godfrey Arthur]

This isn't a bad little CB...

https://www.cobra.com/collections/cb-ra ... ts/c75wxst

As for the Baofeng, it IS NOT a CB. Depending on the FCC Type Certification (95 or 90) it requires an amateur radio license or commercial license to operate. I have both types, an Extra class ham ticket for the Part 95 one, and a letter of authorization from the fire department for the Part 90 one.

That's a cute CB there Scott. Me likey!




As far as the Baofeng it's a multi-band communicator, it's portable, CHEEP and if you set up repeater systems can get some distance. If the SHTF, the FEDSMA are going to be monitoring all frequencies. And will most likely be communicating by sat-phones or who knows what else they've got these days. Let's pay attention to this Space Force the Donald launched and the thousands of SATS Musk has been launching. The reason they clamp down on us ordinary users is because they don't want us knowing what they're doing. How many people own scanners and monitor police coms?

Poor man's SAT phone. Comes with a monthly service charge of $20. But again us mere mortal non-elites will suffer there if the shtf and service will be cancelled or out of reach to us.


Then there's the issue of GPS so they will know where you are. Great if you're needing rescue but not if they are tracking you. And these days they send drones!

Not so with a CB or a radio like a Baofeng.

How to power these things is another issue if a Mad Max scenario unfolds.





And at this point to where the goobermin agencies are so out of whack, licenses are the last thing I'm worried about and will worry about them if and ever the sanity comes back!

Letting populations out of jail so they won't get moo shoo achoo, lung pao sicken, winnie the flu, but will arrest your patute and put you in the cell the rapist was using before they let him/her out because you're not wearing a #facediaper?

[Godfrey Arthur]

Something to have as part of your prep/bugout kit is this combination am/fm/sw/noaa radio-flashlight with hand crank for charging things.


Kaito Voyager KA500