GMRS, FRS Radios vs. CB Radios

[buckman]

Do either the GMRS, FRS radios share any of the same frequencies as the CB radio? If not do any truckers use these bands?

[wc5b]

NO, they are actually WAY far apart. CB works in the 27Mhz range. It is also AM. Amplitude modulated. This is the reason there is so much static and awful noise. This is why people spend money on echo, reverb, and big mic's. The more noise you make, the more power out.

FRS and GMRS is in the UHF and FM (like FM in your stereo, no matter how much you yell, its still so many watts out.) in the spectrum upwards of 400Mhz. FRS is actually nestled in between GMRS channels. GMRS is a business band. The only people you would communicate with, is any other company trucks you also licensed for to use the equipment. FRS on the other hand is a very low power walkie talkie system. Its used for families camping or maybe shopping. You may hear activity on it while traveling around camping areas, but thats about it. I have not heard of any truck drivers using it. Even if its technically legal, its not what it was designed for. It was actually designed to prevent it. The equipment you will find for it is not capable of having even 1 watt of power and its not capable of having external antennas.

If your looking for a better option, look into Ham Radio. Its awesome. Lots of truckers use everything from local chat on 144Mhz and even send out GPS data to each other, but also HF from 1-30MHz which is not only capable of the entire U.S. lower 48, but the entire world! I know of many freqs. truckers hang out. And its not restricted to truckers, you can talk to people from ALL walks of life while the tires turn down the road. Some examples I have talked to have been King Hussein (not Saddam) and even the shuttle and international space station. The biggest difference is you will not hear "bear reports" and it is a family friendly environment 99.9% of the time. You WILL meet good friends and you WILL have other truckers to talk too.

Your best source may be guys like me though, just float me a message with your email and I can give you more info. OH, and if you have heard of it, but thought you needed to know Morse Code! Thats GONE! You don't need to know it like I did, even for the highest license class.

[buckman]

Thanks for the info wc. This answers my question, I was looking for a portable handheld radio that would not need an auxiliary exterior antenna for decent reception. I was wanting something that would have truckers reports for road conditions, traffic & of course those nasty cops looking for easy money.

[wc5b]

Originally Posted by buckman

Thanks for the info wc. This answers my question, I was looking for a portable handheld radio that would not need an auxiliary exterior antenna for decent reception. I was wanting something that would have truckers reports for road conditions, traffic & of course those nasty cops looking for easy money.

Then I hope you realize that they are not the answer. There is just no truckers using them to talk too. I would just look into a handheld emergency CB if your looking for something without a external antenna. And I did not suggest this if your a truck driver or in curtain states
, but there are some great little scanners out there that would cover channel 19 and also even detect the constant handheld radios that state troopers use to give you about a 2-3 mile heads up without radar detection. Of course you would not be able to transmit, they do pick up channel 19 Farly well with a wire antenna along the dash.

[RENORCR]

An "Uniden Bearcat BCT8 Scanner" works plenty good with the supplied wire antenna. The Bear Track warning does warn you. If a Bear is within a 3 mile radius.