# Anyone ever use a CB radio (maybe for avoiding cops)?



## JonW (Jan 6, 2002)

I just finished reading a book called "A Speeder's Guide to Avoiding Tickets." Some people on the board here recommended it. It's a pretty goofy book and I'm not sure it was worth the time to read. In addition to a radar detector (which I already have), the author suggested getting a CB radio to listen to the chatter from the cops in the area and you'll know where they have speed traps. Ummm, OK. But I wonder if it would be an amusing thing to have along on long roadtrips. Something to listen to and pass the hours by. Like most BMW drivers, I couldn't imagine mounting an antenna on my car (or even a bumper sticker, for goodness sake!  ). But I was just curious if I were to spend $50 or $100 on a cheap CB radio toy it might provide some amusement while taking those long trips. And maybe help avoid a speed trap.

Although I did grow up in the 70's, I managed to escape the CB craze of the time. Unfortunately, I was unable to avoid corduroys and bell bottoms. :bigpimp: Thanks Mom and Dad.


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## ronrich (Apr 11, 2002)

We had a CB growing up. We had a big long whip antenna on the back of the olds....  I don't know about listening to cops but the truckers will give you some headsup to where the traps are.


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## MikeW (Dec 20, 2001)

I think that still works. The truckers still use them, and keep an eye out.



ronrich said:


> We had a CB growing up. We had a big long whip antenna on the back of the olds....  I don't know about listening to cops but the truckers will give you some headsup to where the traps are.


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## teamdfl (Sep 24, 2002)

I used to use a hand held walkie-talkie style CB from Radio Shack on long car trips with good results. When a few buddies and I went Myrtle Beach, SC from NJ in 3 separate cars, I even bought a magnetic base antenna for the trunklid of the Acura I was driving to increase my range a bit. We had significantly more range that family band (i.e. Motorola Talkabout) radios and got the occasional state police revenue trap warning by listening to the truckers.


Ed


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## johnlew (Dec 25, 2001)

Uh, breaker 1-9, we got a mounty at exit 128. Watch yer back door. Roger. :rofl: Those were the days. Fun talking with the truckers.


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## PABS (Apr 3, 2003)

hey what's your 20 good buddy...watch them double nickels :rofl:


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## Cowboy Bebop (May 17, 2003)

:rofl: good numbers to ya, we down we gone we bye bye.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

Truckers can be very helpful. :thumbup: We had one when I was younger.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

To clarify, the police may monitor CB in some areas to allow them to respond to calls for help, they do NOT normally talk on them.

Although in the old days a few were known to give false "All Clear" reports to lure people into a speed trap.

What you want to monitor the police is a scanner. And nowdays you need a pretty good one as many police departments are using 800 MHz turnked systems. WHich are like cell phones in that they work over a number of frequencies and hop around. 

You need a scanner that can follow the skipping.

There have been some threads on listening systems.


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## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

I just think it would be ugly in the car, but would work


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

The Roadstergal said:


> Truckers can be very helpful. :thumbup: We had one when I was younger.


We had a CB radio, not a trucker. :banghead:


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## joema (Aug 28, 2002)

The newer UHF FM FRS radios were intended to replace traditional CB (which is AM or SSB). From a technology standpoint they're far superior, but I don't know if truckers use them. I think the FRS design precludes adding an amplifier or external antenna (which was the FCC's intent) -- there's no external antenna connection.

For more info see http://www.frsradios.com/ or do a Google Search on "frs radios".

Besides 2-way radios your best bet is probably a mobile police scanner.

Uniden used to make one shaped like a radar detector called the BCT-10. You could probably find one somewhere:

http://www.strongsignals.net/access/content/rr_bct-10.html

Here's a scanner with similar functionality:

http://www.uniden.com/productpop/00_productpop.cfm?prd_code=BCT7


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## Chaaaosss (Feb 9, 2003)

The Roadstergal said:


> We had a CB radio, not a trucker. :banghead:


Dammit. I was just going to post something about having to feed them.


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## JonW (Jan 6, 2002)

Pinecone said:


> To clarify, the police may monitor CB in some areas to allow them to respond to calls for help, they do NOT normally talk on them.
> 
> Although in the old days a few were known to give false "All Clear" reports to lure people into a speed trap.
> 
> ...


Interesting- thanks! All I know is what I read in that book. I think the book is about 10-12 years old now. So I guess a CB radio on channel 19 won't help much. If it did tell you where the speed traps were, I thought that might be amusing to have on long road trips- both listen for cops and dial up the other channels to see what other interesting things there are out there going on. Just a $50 or $100 toy, basically.

Maybe a scanner is the way to go if I want to avoid speed traps. But that would only get police broadcasts. Probably not as interesting as being able to listen to all the channels out there. Just a scanner sounds a bit boring, I guess.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

CB can be entertaining, and actually useful.

But a good radar detector would be my first piece, then the scanner, then teh CB.


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## xtremeamerica (Jul 6, 2011)

*Big 10-4*

Up here we use 10-400 or just 400 to report the locations of the Smokey's.

That was the 10 code used by the local public bus there I used to live [before moving in with my fiancee] so the driver could warn each other of speed traps sincde theyh paid there own fines and the bus company didnt reimberse them.

There's also http://speedtrap.org.

[I-81 PA exit 100 & people coming into Pine Grove. Myself (Xtreme America or U. S. A. - 1) and my fiancee (Smart Ass) monitor C.B. 1-9] :thumbup:


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## drrpm (Feb 9, 2010)

If your front door is the white knight you may be in trouble.


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## xtremeamerica (Jul 6, 2011)

drrpm said:


> If your front door is the white knight you may be in trouble.


10-9? WHAT? :dunno:


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## cwsqbm (Aug 4, 2004)

We used to have CBs to communicate amongst vehicles during road trips. Cell phones made them irrelevant.


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## tagheuer (Jun 10, 2004)

I would be careful about driving around with a police scanner in your car...

I think it is illegal in some jurisdictions in Michigan...I remember a while back, 5-10 years ago, there were a group of professional theives driving around committing home invasions...and they had a police scanner and they knew exactly when the call came in, how long it would take them to respond and which roads they were using to arrive at the scene.

It was a pretty big problem, as you can imagine. Some cities passed ordinances banning them in-vehicle.....you can have one at home, but not necessarily in your car.

Not sure if states have laws or what the laws are in your jurisdiction...


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## xtremeamerica (Jul 6, 2011)

tagheuer said:


> I would be careful about driving around with a police scanner in your car...
> 
> I think it is illegal in some jurisdictions in Michigan...I remember a while back, 5-10 years ago, there were a group of professional theives driving around committing home invasions...and they had a police scanner and they knew exactly when the call came in, how long it would take them to respond and which roads they were using to arrive at the scene.
> 
> ...


Dude, we're talking C.B.'s like the Truckers and Speed - Sports Transporter drivers use. Not Police Scanner.


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## ThoreauHD (Feb 27, 2006)

Cb's are very useful on long trips. Truck driver's will do what they can to help you in an emergency, and you'll be alerted to road traps or congestion. They especially like it when women ask for help or a status of certain stretches of highway.

Once you get used to their country/auctioneer manner of speech you can pick up a helluva lot of useful information. Did I mention that they love when women ask for help?


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## gary york (Dec 1, 2010)

get a magnetic antenna and the highest wat unit you can find with scanner
yest you will hear the truckers talk and warn each other
also you can ask advice on prostitudes and best truck-stop food !


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## tagheuer (Jun 10, 2004)

xtremeamerica said:


> Dude, we're talking C.B.'s like the Truckers and Speed - Sports Transporter drivers use. Not Police Scanner.


I know, but others mentioned police scanners.

CBs are worthless, they don't monitor police frequencies, and the OP's goal is to avoid coppers, so...


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## magnumforc (Feb 23, 2011)

Problem with CB's are that you can't hardly talk across the street with all the background noise, especially wuith the solar storms this decade. Plus, so many users now run "power" with illegal linear amplifiers so that makes your radio even more useless unless you also do the same. You can get one and listen, but don't expect to actually get any useful information before the radar or lidar has you pinpointed. With POP and laser, it's really difficult to avoid detection if you're out there running all alone. Even radar detectors don't help much if you're in front of the pack with pulsed or laser. 

Good advice: Stay out of the far left lane. Try and blend with faster traffic. Don't be the leader of the pack. Don't weave in and out. Maintain a low profile. Loud exhausts do bring attention. Take it from someone who really knows and who had 40 years experience chasing people on the highway. (I was an accident investigator and unfortunately many years of my chasing was to get to view what was left after the wreck) 

I love driving fast, and the best book on avoiding speeding tickets won't beat the dumbest cop with the latest laser on a good day!~


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