Do I need a CB?
JK Jedi
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 0
From: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
It works as well as a CB should. The Firestik is a very good antenna; I was able to adjust the SWR to 1.6:1 or less across the band; close to 1:1 in the middle of the band. I know there are a lot of die hard CB fans here but 4 watts of AM has serious limitations. I don't look at CB as a reliable means of emergency communications but it works well enough when you want to talk to others in your group along the trail. However, get little distance between you and your group and you can kiss your communications good-bye.
I have been a licensed HAM since 1983 and with just a hand held and 5 watts of power I am seldom out of repeater range regardless of where I go. Add a high gain antenna and a 50 watt mobile rig and simplex range increases drastically and even more repeaters come within range.
If you don’t want to make a permanent CB installation (with the expectation of the antenna) I think the Midland hand held tapped into 12V’s of Jeep battery power mated to the FireStik is about as good a 4 watts of CB can get.
I have been a licensed HAM since 1983 and with just a hand held and 5 watts of power I am seldom out of repeater range regardless of where I go. Add a high gain antenna and a 50 watt mobile rig and simplex range increases drastically and even more repeaters come within range.
If you don’t want to make a permanent CB installation (with the expectation of the antenna) I think the Midland hand held tapped into 12V’s of Jeep battery power mated to the FireStik is about as good a 4 watts of CB can get.
