cb radio for beginners
Beginner CBer. What do I need to get started?
I was just wondering if anyone can help me with CB.
I would like to purchase a CB radio for my vehicle, and also one for my home (for communication between vehicle and home).
I was wondering, what would I need to purchase for the vehicle, and what items for the home? Would any CB mobile radio work for the car? And would any CB base radio work for home?
Do the CB mobile radios run on the lighter plug in a car? Do the CB base radios run through a regular wall jack?
Will I need to purchase an extra antenna for the vehicle?
Thanks! I am really new to this, and it is confusing me already!
Ok, if you are planning on having the radio in the car and the house simultaneously, then you can probably go ahead and buy two identical radios.
The radios you get will most likely be set up to operate on DC, most likely 13.8 volts, like you’d use in the car.
You can get a regulated power supply, but be sure it is rated to supply enough current in amps to operate on transmit. The current drain for the radio is rated at receive and transmit, usually the drain for receive will be much less than for transmit. At a maximum of output of 4 -5 watts, the difference won’t be as dramatic as it is for a ham transceiver, but the transmit phase will draw more current than the receive phase.
This will allow you to power a radio intended for use in the car, in your home. They all come with mobile mounting brackets, what I do with my ham transceiver that I use in the house, is to attach the bracket upside down, so it provides a stand that the radio rests on.
For a base antenna, I would suggest a ground plane. These are about 9 feet long, with 9 foot radials (4) extending from the base. This can be mounted on a mast, about 20 feet would probably be ok, if the mast is bracketed to your house. This kind of an antenna is called a vertical.
Without getting too “inside baseball” a 9 foot antenna on these frequencies is 1/4 wavelength. The purpose of the 9 foot radials is to provide a counterpoise to the radiator (the part sticking up is the radiator) and give you effectively a half wavelength.
For your car, a magnatopper will probably do the trick. Its a vertical, with a loading coil at the base, to make it work without being 9 feet long. It’s called a magnatopper because it has a magnet at the base, which effectively uses the metal of the roof of your car as a groundplane.
Now, to reduce engine noise on the radio, you should probably connect the power leads for your radio in the car, directly to the battery. Running them through a cigarette lighter cord is possible, but there is a problem with static. Noise is a much bigger factor at these frequencies than at VHF frequencies. Think of it as how much static you get on your AM radio in the car, as compared to the FM radio in the car.
For someone who is just starting out, I recommend asking the people you buy the radios and antennas from for a recommendation on a good installer. I know at Best Buy, they have people for this, but there are also companies that do electronic installations in cars and trucks found in the yellow pages.
If you try Yahoo Local, you may also be able to find an installer who has been reviewed by your neighbors.
I wish you good luck. I’ve been a ham for the last 41 years, and the last time I used a CB was probably in the late 70s, but what I’ve told you is applicable to two way radios of all kinds. Actually, most of the ham gear these days is solid state, and requires a separate power supply, so we have more in common than many hams would like to admit.
There is an old prejudice about CB operators in the ham community, which I hope will someday disappear. I prefer to think of the people who use scanners, CBs and Short Wave radios as fellow radio enthusiasts, and encourage them to expand their interest into this hobby I’ve had for most of my life.
Ask lots of questions, before you buy, and even after, and enjoy the radios.
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18′ CB RADIO ANTENNA CO-PHASE COAX CABLE ~TERMINATOR~ HERMETICALLY CONNECTOR NEW $14.99 |
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COBRA FULL FEATURED DELUXE CB RADIO 1 Year manufacturer warranty $120.00 |
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CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 748 – 12.2900 MHZ 12290 KC ALAN $3.98 |
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CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 2013 – 11.2750 MHZ 11275 KC TEW $3.98 |
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CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 2306 – 11.4500 MHZ 11450 KC Alan $3.98 |
|
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CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1595 – 8.83666 MHZ 8836.66 KC CH-1R S15L $3.98 |
|
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METROTEK MUSTANG II CB Radio $125.00 |
|
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CB/Ham Radio mounts for 03-09 Dodge Ram Trucks $55.00 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal – 1633 – 28.8750 MHZ – 28875 KC – HC-6/U .050 Pins $4.00 |
|
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VINTAGE CLARION HANDIE 12 VOLTS DC POWER PACK W/ BOOSTER ANTENNA CB RADIO PART $6.00 |
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SEARS 23 CB TRANSCIEVER 23 CHANNEL RADIO $26.99 |
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Prominent MS-24 23CH Mobile Transceiver CB Radio PA with Microphone $9.99 |
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Astatic 1104C CB BASE STATION TRANSCEIVER MICROPHONE DESK VINTAGE RADIO GREEN $30.00 |
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Colt Black Shadow 40 Channel CB Base Station Transceiver Equipment Parts Radio $35.00 |
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Courier 23 Channel 12 CB PA Tube Base Station Radio Transceiver Astatic 525 MIC $25.00 |
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CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1383 – 7.8917 MHZ 7891.7 KC CR-6B/U (FT-243 TYPE) $3.98 |
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CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1637 – 11.8500 MHZ 11850 KC N.K.D. $3.98 |
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MIDLAND 1001Z CLASSIC 40CH COMPACT MOBILE CB RADIO ** FREE US SHIPPING ** $34.95 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 775 – 27.1350 MHZ – 27135 KC CH-15T A20W $3.98 |
|
|
FULL CD CB HAM radio MODS Easy tune ups add extra Chans $9.99 |
|
|
VINTAGE CB RADIO RADIO OWNERS GUIDE MANUAL TEABERRY STALKER XX $9.99 |
|
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VINTAGE CB RADIO RADIO OWNERS GUIDE MANUAL KRIS XL 50 $9.99 |
|
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VINTAGE CB RADIO RADIO OWNERS MANUAL TRC 462 REALISTIC $9.99 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1640 – 32.9000 MHZ 32900 KC ALAN $3.98 |
|
|
Astatic D104-M6B Ham/CB radio Transceiver mic/microphone $39.75 |
|
|
ProComm PT99, Proton Base Station CB Radio Antenna NEW $64.00 |
|
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Cobra Radio Model 20 Plus CB Radio Plus20 with Mic NO RESERVE – SHIPS SAME DAY $9.99 |
|
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vintage SHARP CB-800 12V CB RADIO 23 CHANNELS citizens band transceiver COMPLETE $12.50 |
|
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COBRA 29LTD FULL FEATURED DELUXE CB RADIO $102.21 |
|
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MIDLAND 1001Z 40CH CB RADIO $37.81 |
|
|
NOS ~Sears~SWR/Field Strength Meter For CB 2-Way Radio….model 526.35760600 $12.99 |
|
|
Hand Mic Speaker Midland CB Radio 75 501 785 786 822 $18.99 |
|
|
Midland Ready Rescue Emergency CB 40 Channel 2-Way Radio 77-810 **GREAT** $10.00 |
|
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CB RADIO NOISE TOY OF “Close Encounters ” 126 $19.95 |
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Cobra 25LTD Classic CB Radio **NEW** $83.10 |
NAB 2011, Coachella, Tribeca Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, London Sci-Fi & Fatastic Film, are Highlights in April’
A one of a kind arts festival is underway at the New School for Social Research in New York City through April 8. The theme of the festival is “Noir”, a cinematic style of shadowy expressiveness that had its heyday in the 1930s and 1940s, and how its influence has penetrated areas ranging from fashion design to fine art, graphic art to fiction. An exploration of the genre and its present day adaptations is done through a presentation of iconic films, hard-boiled storytelling, graphic art, and illustration.
Celebrating its 10th Anniversary April 6-9, the 2011 Florida Music Festival & Conference showcases live music, film and visual arts within the cultural community of downtown Orlando, The keynote interview for this year’s conference features Melvin Benn of Festival Republic on creating a successful live music event or festival. In an April 9 panel, Aaron Ford, Grooveshark, Alex Ewen, Media/Label, David McKenna, Bonded Records/Film, Jeffrey Hanson, Silent Majority Group, and David Beame, Beame & Mencher, LLP, discuss “The Business of Music.” All conference speakers will be available to all performing artists and registered music companies or aspiring music industry students to network with, post conference and throughout the weekend.
Now in its 28th year, the 2011 French Quarter Festival highlights New Orleans’ signature music, food, and culture within the historic neighborhood. French Quarter Festival was first produced in 1984 as a way to bring residents back to the Quarter. Today, 18 stages throughout the festival celebrate local music and represent every genre from traditional and contemporary jazz to R & B, New Orleans funk, brass bands, folk, gospel, latin, zydeco, classical and international. In other festival attractions, New Orleans’ restaurants, create the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch” in Jackson Square, the Old U.S. Mint and Woldenberg Riverfront Park during festival weekend; Satchmo SummerFest hosts ‘Red Bean Alley’ with Satchmo inspired dishes and local cuisine. Only local restaurants are invited to participate in these festivals. French Quarter Festival runs April 7-10.
Palm Beach Women’s International Film Festival, April 7-10, premieres as a new women’s film event in Florida, attracting women filmmakers and visitors from around the world. A festival highlight includes the US Premiere of “Finding Kind”, a documentary about the “mean girl” phenomenon, which has been covered extensively in national media lately. The film will screen on Sunday, April 10 at Muvico in Cityplace, followed by a panel on school bullying from leading area experts including the School District of Palm Beach County and the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.
Hollywood based FirstGlance Film Fest accepts all genres and screens feature length, feature documentaries, short narratives, shorts too (under 10 minutes), mini-docs, student shorts, graduate student shorts, music videos, animation and webisode pilots. Filmmakers of both short and feature films taking part in the festival are offered theatrical distribution through the festival’s new relationship with a Las Vegas theatre chain and distributor offering PPV and VOD after the theatrical run. During the festival’s run of April 8-10, After Parties will allow filmmakers to mix and mingle and hold informal Q & A with fellow filmmakers and audience members.
Over 85 years ago, Thomas Meighan was a famous hollywood silent movie star of the twenties. In 1919, he hit stardom in one of his best known films at the time, “The Miracle Man”, but unfortunately due to film deterioration it has disintegrated into small fragments over time. Thomas Meighan dreamed of making New Port Richey the Hollywood of the South. The Thomas Meighan Project will premiere the first film festival in the New Port Richey area, April 9-17, by showcasing film, video and animation shorts as a tribute to Meighan’s vision. Today, Meighan’s most recognizable role is in the film, “Male and Female”, directed by one of Hollywood’s legendary directors, Cecile B. Demille. The Thomas Meighan Project in association with the Richey Suncoast Theater will present the return of the “2011 Black Maria Film Festival.”
The Delray Beach Film Festival has become the Downtown Boca Film Festival (DBFF) based in Boca Raton, yet remains a non-profit 501 (c-3) organization dedicated to providing the local community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films from around the world. This year festival screenings are from April 9-17 and include a program of student shorts and Xtreme sports video. In addition to offering films that might not otherwise be released theatrically in the USA, DBFF provides a unique cultural experience with events like Casino Night in Old Hollywood, benefitting Planet Hope, set for opening night, the Reel to Runway fashion show on April 11, as well as educational programs and forums for exploring the future of cinema.
NAB 2011, the annual digital media industry event held in Las Vegas, this year from April 9-14, is typically attended by media, entertainment and communications professionals focused on the next generation of video and audio content across multiple platforms — television, radios and computers to phones, the big screen. In sessions planned for April 12, Gordon H. Smith, President and CEO, National Association of Broadcasters, presents the “State of the Broadcast Industry Address”, and Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS, sits down with Gordon Smith to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing broadcasters and the broadcast medium today. The NAB Education Foundation in partnership with the Broadcast Education Association and Pinkslipmixers.com hosts its annual spring Career Day during the NAB Show. Academy Award-Winning film director James Cameron will keynote the NAB Show.
The London Independent Film Festival will be held this year from April 14-25. It is committed to the independent filmmaker by giving special attention to films by first and second time directors, film produced with budgets under £100,000, and quality films that, for whatever reason, are unlikely to receive distribution through other channels.
Coachella, the anticipated annual music festival, April 15-17, set in the California Desert features many genres of music including alternative rock, indie, and electronic music. The event has several stages/tents set-up throughout the (camping) grounds, each playing live music continuously. From April 16–18 of the 2010 festival, Coachella drew a reported over 75,000 spectators each day. The festival also features interesting installation art and sculptures. Most of the pieces are interactive, and provide entertainment and eye candy for attendees walking throughout the Polo grounds. 2011 will introduce a new high security wristband that must always be worn and will be scanned at various checkpoints and upon entry to camping and festival grounds.
The Tribeca Film Festival in New York happens April 20 through May 1. As in past years, the Festival incorporates into its format the ESPN Sports Film Festival. Also in years past, the 2011 Family Festival Street Fair repeats again, this year on April 30 from 10 am to 6 pm. “The Union,” Cameron Crowe’s new documentary, chronicling the musical collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell, opens the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. And in the Tribeca Talks series, “After the Movie” post-screening dialogue with filmmakers, will be mixed with free events like “Industry”, that reviews issues that matter to today’s filmmakers such as the future of film distribution, stretching a production budget, how visual style affects genre, the challenges of documentary, and more. Established in 2003 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, Tribeca Enterprises currently operates a network of branded entertainment businesses including the Tribeca Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival International, Tribeca Cinemas and Tribeca Film, a distribution initiative.
The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival opens at the Castro Theatre April 21 for a screening of “Beginners”, and then shifts to the after party to enjoy culinary delights from local restaurants, sophisticated cocktails as well as dancing. The Festival’s Midnight Awards on April 23 have been created to honor a dynamic young American actor and actress entering the prime of their careers — the ceremony is crafted as a late night awards ceremony and cocktail reception featuring food and drinks, DJ entertainment, film clips and remarks by special guests. The April 28 Film Society Awards Night is an anticipated black-tie gala event benefitting SFFS Youth Education fund. The evening honors this year’s directing, acting and screenwriting award recipients with peer tributes and career highlights, and features a special tribute to George Gund III. The “Centerpiece” of this year’s Festival is an event that features an edgy new film by an emerging director, followed by a chic lounge party at the CLIFT’s Velvet Room, featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the latest beats. On closing night, May 5, mix and mingle with a movie-loving crowd at The Factory. Dance to music inspired by the Closing Night film and feast on hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.
At London’s ninth International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film, there is the regular film programming of shorts, features, documentaries and world premieres, then there will be a featured series of talks, such as special-effects masterclasses, and debates on genre literature, film and TV. The festival, running April 23 – May 2, will also expand their ‘Science Fact’ stream with demonstrations, lectures and debate – under the banner SCI-FI-LONDON: LAB. A regular fixture at the Festival, the all-nighters offer three very different programmes of movies that run from around midnight until sunrise: an anime programme taking releases right to the big screen rather than DVD; the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 program; a themed programme of either sci-fi or horror classics. All attendees are given goody bags, ice-cream, a ample supply of caffeine (Red Bull, coffee and tea) throughout the night and breakfast at daybreak.
At ASCAP’s “I Create Music” Expo, there will be panels for all three days and live musical events each evening. To kick things off, there will be a pre-EXPO Networking event on Wednesday night, April 27. Lindsey Buckingham will be presented with the ASCAP Golden Note Award. Immediately following the presentation, Buckingham will be interviewed by Sara Bareilles focusing on his career as a songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, member of Fleetwood Mac and a solo artist. Marco Beltrami and Wes Craven, Scream 4, will discuss their collaboration in influencing the modern horror genre experience. And new this year, panelists in the film and TV industry lead a “Film & TV Scoring Feedback” session in which pre-submitted attendees’ composition and/or scores are played and analyzed constructively.
The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. A look ahead into May event dates will help you prepare for: the Florida Music Festival and Conference, in Orlando, Tribeca Film Festival, in New York; National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 2011, in Las Vegas, London Independent Film Festival, in London, the San Francisco International Film Festival, in San Francisco, to list only a few upcoming events in advance. Past videos from the monthly video news summary are archived on the Free Home Video Showcase section of The Actor’s Checklist.
About the Author
The Actor’s Checklist is a web resource to provide news, information and exposure to professionals in the media and entertainment industry.
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18′ CB RADIO ANTENNA CO-PHASE COAX CABLE ~TERMINATOR~ HERMETICALLY CONNECTOR NEW $14.99 |
|
|
COBRA FULL FEATURED DELUXE CB RADIO 1 Year manufacturer warranty $120.00 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 748 – 12.2900 MHZ 12290 KC ALAN $3.98 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 2013 – 11.2750 MHZ 11275 KC TEW $3.98 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 2306 – 11.4500 MHZ 11450 KC Alan $3.98 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1595 – 8.83666 MHZ 8836.66 KC CH-1R S15L $3.98 |
|
|
METROTEK MUSTANG II CB Radio $125.00 |
|
|
CB/Ham Radio mounts for 03-09 Dodge Ram Trucks $55.00 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal – 1633 – 28.8750 MHZ – 28875 KC – HC-6/U .050 Pins $4.00 |
|
|
VINTAGE CLARION HANDIE 12 VOLTS DC POWER PACK W/ BOOSTER ANTENNA CB RADIO PART $6.00 |
|
|
SEARS 23 CB TRANSCIEVER 23 CHANNEL RADIO $26.99 |
|
|
Prominent MS-24 23CH Mobile Transceiver CB Radio PA with Microphone $9.99 |
|
|
Astatic 1104C CB BASE STATION TRANSCEIVER MICROPHONE DESK VINTAGE RADIO GREEN $30.00 |
|
|
Colt Black Shadow 40 Channel CB Base Station Transceiver Equipment Parts Radio $35.00 |
|
|
Courier 23 Channel 12 CB PA Tube Base Station Radio Transceiver Astatic 525 MIC $25.00 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1383 – 7.8917 MHZ 7891.7 KC CR-6B/U (FT-243 TYPE) $3.98 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1637 – 11.8500 MHZ 11850 KC N.K.D. $3.98 |
|
|
MIDLAND 1001Z CLASSIC 40CH COMPACT MOBILE CB RADIO ** FREE US SHIPPING ** $34.95 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 775 – 27.1350 MHZ – 27135 KC CH-15T A20W $3.98 |
|
|
FULL CD CB HAM radio MODS Easy tune ups add extra Chans $9.99 |
|
|
VINTAGE CB RADIO RADIO OWNERS GUIDE MANUAL TEABERRY STALKER XX $9.99 |
|
|
VINTAGE CB RADIO RADIO OWNERS GUIDE MANUAL KRIS XL 50 $9.99 |
|
|
VINTAGE CB RADIO RADIO OWNERS MANUAL TRC 462 REALISTIC $9.99 |
|
|
CB or Ham Radio Crystal Holder 1640 – 32.9000 MHZ 32900 KC ALAN $3.98 |
|
|
Astatic D104-M6B Ham/CB radio Transceiver mic/microphone $39.75 |
|
|
ProComm PT99, Proton Base Station CB Radio Antenna NEW $64.00 |
|
|
Cobra Radio Model 20 Plus CB Radio Plus20 with Mic NO RESERVE – SHIPS SAME DAY $9.99 |
|
|
vintage SHARP CB-800 12V CB RADIO 23 CHANNELS citizens band transceiver COMPLETE $12.50 |
|
|
COBRA 29LTD FULL FEATURED DELUXE CB RADIO $102.21 |
|
|
MIDLAND 1001Z 40CH CB RADIO $37.81 |
|
|
NOS ~Sears~SWR/Field Strength Meter For CB 2-Way Radio….model 526.35760600 $12.99 |
|
|
Hand Mic Speaker Midland CB Radio 75 501 785 786 822 $18.99 |
|
|
Midland Ready Rescue Emergency CB 40 Channel 2-Way Radio 77-810 **GREAT** $10.00 |
|
|
CB RADIO NOISE TOY OF “Close Encounters ” 126 $19.95 |
|
|
Cobra 25LTD Classic CB Radio **NEW** $83.10 |
