Lack of CB shops

[bluebandit834]

I have noticed something reading through this forum. There is a general lack of good repair shops in many areas. How would a guy make his business known to truckers everywhere? A person cant advertise here or anywhere it seems. The truck stops don't have tack boards anymore. Any ideas? Where did you guys read / find out about all these other places?

[bluebandit834]

The only reason I was asking this question is because I know for a fact there isn't a CB shop within a 100 mile radius of my location and I have the expertise to offer such a service. (No not a clip the diode out hack it up service, I do professional work.) Just wanted some opinions from you guys about ways to get the word out before I decide to move forward with this. Any ideas are highly appreciated!

[bigjoel]

Maybe there isn't as big a market for CB's anymore.

Satallite radio is big now, plus cellphones, bluetooth, etc.

[jessejamesdallas]

The only reason I was asking this question is because I know for a fact there isn't a CB shop within a 100 mile radius of my location and I have the expertise to offer such a service. (No not a clip the diode out hack it up service, I do professional work.) Just wanted some opinions from you guys about ways to get the word out before I decide to move forward with this. Any ideas are highly appreciated!

There are several other "CB Forums" that will let you advertise your shop on their site for a small fee...Or donation to the Forum.

This site your on is just a small segment of the Truckers Report Forum which is why they don't have advertising.

If you Google CB Forums you can find allot of other sites where you could have your shop listed...Go where the "CB'ers" hang-out! There is still a huge Market for CB Radios and gear, and specially guys who actually know how to repair, tweak and peak without butchering...

Internet CB Shops are probably the best way to go now day's...Day's where there was a dozen CB Shops in every town died out with the 70's.

[bluebandit834]

There's not a market left on a local level. Cell phones have pretty much destroyed the local CB club around here and in a lot of cities. The CB shops disappeared with them. The last one we had here in the inland northwest was on sprague in Spokane and it closed several years ago. Imtec i think was the name and the tech was good too. However, Truckers still use their cbs for just about everything they used to and good techs are few and far between. Also, to spice up the business, a guy could fix computers out of the same shop. Lots of drivers have laptops. (Lightbulb!)

[jessejamesdallas]

There's not a market left on a local level. Cell phones have pretty much destroyed the local CB club around here and in a lot of cities. The CB shops disappeared with them. The last one we had here in the inland northwest was on sprague in Spokane and it closed several years ago. Imtec i think was the name and the tech was good too. However, Truckers still use their cbs for just about everything they used to and good techs are few and far between. Also, to spice up the business, a guy could fix computers out of the same shop. Lots of drivers have laptops. (Lightbulb!)

Maybe not on a local level...Thats why you need to think more on a National Level! Have people mail or ship the radios to you for repair or whatever...You don't even need a store front, you can work out of your garage or I even remember one shop that worked out of a motel room for years. There is one guy on one of the Forums who has his shop in the back of his Van, and is highly successful at it...

In the Dallas area apparently there's still a fairly good market for CB Shops, because there is still over a dozen I can think of right off the top of my head here that do enough business that usually if you need repair work done, you have to leave your radio and come back in a day or two...One shop even offers loaner's while yours is in the shop.

[KE5WDP]

A friend of mine does radio work and builds amps as a hobby, but has made good money cuz he does quality work. He used to advertise on the internetz. Also has a reputation from some keydowns. He lives way out in some would say "middle of nowhere" in central Texas. But he is known nationwide.

[WA4GCH]

ALSO .....

In 1977 a radio cost $120 about $300 in todays money the same radio today is $59.

[Eaton18]

I don't think there's a CB/Radio shop within a few hundreds miles of here, hasn't been in about 25 yrs. The local Radio Shacks stopped stocking them a few years ago, and the only place to buy one is from a truck stop, then your choices are limited to mainly Cobra or Cobra, maybe a Uniden.

[mike5511]

I've got contact with an excellent technician. He does have customers that ship their the radios to him for repair and service. He doesn't advertise however, so his customers are all long time customers, or those who have heard of him by word of mouth. I posted the below on another thread about him. I have known him for about 10 years or so now and he is very good and a honest man and his prices are very fair.



"We are discussing putting an address out there where drivers can send their radios in (or anybody) and receive quality work and service, (all work warrantied) at a fair price with guaranteed results, and quick turn around time. No crazy mods or hack jobs that end up shortening the life of your radio or sounding like crap over the air. He's got all the necessary equipment and knows how to use it, (Calibrated Generator, two Tektronix 100 MHZ Digital Storage Oscilloscopes, Service Monitor, Flukes, Etc..) and about 40 years experience!" (I listed the equipment because you don't see this stuff in those shops that hack your radio up and got all their knowledge on a "how to" thread off the internet!!!)