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Don't bother with CB radio. You can generally modify ham equipment to disable the logic that prevents transmitting on the CB frequencies -- it's right around 10

Don't bother with CB radio. You can generally modify ham equipment to disable the logic that prevents transmitting on the CB frequencies -- it's right around 10M, so the 3MHz-30MHz (known as HF) equipment is perfectly capable of transmitting there, and in the case of an emergency, you'll have a lot of practice and familiarity with your tools that you wouldn't otherwise have. Not to mention that ham equipment is simply technically superior: vastly better receivers, and 100W of output means both hearing someone far away and also being able to make sure they hear you. CB equipment is stuck in the 70s and legally limited to something like 4W. This is technically not legal, but when SHTF you're not going to find anyone coming after you for it. Join a local ham radio club, get licensed, it's the last hobby you'll ever have. There are so many things to do in ham radio.

saul_goodman 5y ago
I'm in agreement to get a ham license in addition to doing CB. However, I don't recommend modding your HF rig to do CB. Ham radios often have weak modulation so your CB-mars-modded HF ham radio will probably not sound as good on the CB band as a real CB. Also, if you want to join in on all the CB fun you may want to add some fun things to your rig and a full size CB will have a lot more room inside inside for extra boards than a ham radio.
sliken 5y ago
Can't say I agree with modifying a ham radio for CB. It's illegal, and the high power of ham radios can basically act as a denial of service to a large area of CB users. Ham radio folks try to police themselves, and if you are regularly abusing the regulation they might well decide to track you down and report you to the FCC. Yes, this is a relatively common activity for hams, triangulation of a moving target can be challenging.... and fun. Emergency prep is all about practice, so get your equipment, learn the equipment, learn how to use it well, and meet friends and communicate with them often. Sure various hacks will let various radios use frequencies they weren't intended for (FRS, GMRS, marine, CB, emergency frequencies, etc), and anything goes in a real emergency. However you should stay legal when there's not an emergency. Don't be the ass bragging about their 1000 watt CB setup and blasting across large areas to a bunch of people who can't even reply back to you at their legal power levels. The RF frequencies are a valuable and limited resource and the rules exist for the benefit of the community.
- nickysielicki 5y ago
  > ... anything goes in a real emergency. However you should stay legal when there's not an emergency. I'm in full agreement, and I failed to emphasize/make that point. I figured it went without saying.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
Johnny555 5y ago
Legitimate CB's are so cheap, I don't know why you'd take any legal risk in modifying ham equipment. As a licensed amateur you face more legal liability than a non-ham since you can't say that you didn't know any better. 100W of output means both hearing someone far away and also being able to make sure they hear you. CB is generally "line of sight" - you don't need 100W of power to reach someone 10 miles away. I have no trouble reaching a repeater 10 - 15 miles away with my 5W VHF handheld. You can get skip communications from much farther away but instead of trying to skip your CB signals hundreds of miles away and hope that someone there has a CB and is doing the same thing... you'd be better off using an amateur HF transceiver when you're likely to find another skilled amateur operator on an HF calling frequency. This is technically not legal, but when SHTF you're not going to find anyone coming after you for it. It's not just "technically not legal", it's 100% not legal, except in case of emergency, in which case I think you can use any radio to send a distress call, whether type certified for the frequency or not. But you want to know that your equipment works, right? So you've got to be using it today if you're going to know that it's working when SHTF?

saul_goodman 5y ago

I'm in agreement to get a ham license in addition to doing CB. However, I don't recommend modding your HF rig to do CB. Ham radios often have weak modulation so your CB-mars-modded HF ham radio will probably not sound as good on the CB band as a real CB. Also, if you want to join in on all the CB fun you may want to add some fun things to your rig and a full size CB will have a lot more room inside inside for extra boards than a ham radio.

sliken 5y ago

Can't say I agree with modifying a ham radio for CB. It's illegal, and the high power of ham radios can basically act as a denial of service to a large area of CB users. Ham radio folks try to police themselves, and if you are regularly abusing the regulation they might well decide to track you down and report you to the FCC. Yes, this is a relatively common activity for hams, triangulation of a moving target can be challenging.... and fun. Emergency prep is all about practice, so get your equipment, learn the equipment, learn how to use it well, and meet friends and communicate with them often. Sure various hacks will let various radios use frequencies they weren't intended for (FRS, GMRS, marine, CB, emergency frequencies, etc), and anything goes in a real emergency. However you should stay legal when there's not an emergency. Don't be the ass bragging about their 1000 watt CB setup and blasting across large areas to a bunch of people who can't even reply back to you at their legal power levels. The RF frequencies are a valuable and limited resource and the rules exist for the benefit of the community.

nickysielicki 5y ago
> ... anything goes in a real emergency. However you should stay legal when there's not an emergency. I'm in full agreement, and I failed to emphasize/make that point. I figured it went without saying.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

Johnny555 5y ago

Legitimate CB's are so cheap, I don't know why you'd take any legal risk in modifying ham equipment. As a licensed amateur you face more legal liability than a non-ham since you can't say that you didn't know any better. 100W of output means both hearing someone far away and also being able to make sure they hear you. CB is generally "line of sight" - you don't need 100W of power to reach someone 10 miles away. I have no trouble reaching a repeater 10 - 15 miles away with my 5W VHF handheld. You can get skip communications from much farther away but instead of trying to skip your CB signals hundreds of miles away and hope that someone there has a CB and is doing the same thing... you'd be better off using an amateur HF transceiver when you're likely to find another skilled amateur operator on an HF calling frequency. This is technically not legal, but when SHTF you're not going to find anyone coming after you for it. It's not just "technically not legal", it's 100% not legal, except in case of emergency, in which case I think you can use any radio to send a distress call, whether type certified for the frequency or not. But you want to know that your equipment works, right? So you've got to be using it today if you're going to know that it's working when SHTF?