Handheld CB

[Countryboy]

Is there any handheld cb radios out there about the size of the GRS radios nowdays. Looking to carry one on my atv so I can talk to the base at home when I am out. It needs to be able to talk only about 5-10 miles.

[Sandbagger]

Apr 19, 2013 0:00:33 GMT -5 Countryboy said:

Is there any handheld cb radios out there about the size of the GRS radios nowdays. Looking to carry one on my atv so I can talk to the base at home when I am out. It needs to be able to talk only about 5-10 miles.

Based on your requirements, I'd say that you won't find anything. Most modern hand-held CB radios are equipped with shortened "rubber duck" style antennas and are styled similar to ham HT tranceivers. The shortened antenna really kills the range potential of these radios to around 2 miles or less. Attaching a center-loaded telescopic antenna (~4-5' in length), will greatly improve range to the point where you could make 5 - 10 miles if you are on good ground and the conditions are right. Since the CB band is subject to atmospheric noise, skip and localized interference, your actual range will likely be much less than it would be under optimum conditions.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's theoretically possible to make a contact 10 miles away, but you would need to use a long and cumbersome antenna, hope that the channel is quiet, and you're not stuck in a ditch at the bottom of a valley.

You might do better on the MURS band. A 2 watt 150 Mhz radio can easily do 10 - 20 miles line of sight. You will still have to deal with greatly reduced range potential in low-lying areas, but channel noise and interference will be considerably less. The rubber duck style antennas for those radios are much closer to a full quarter wave at VHF frequencies, so loss will also be much less than it would at CB frequencies.

[cbrown]

Or you could get your GMRS license and use a repeater.