What’s a good radio to get?

It wouldn't be DOT that would care, it would be FCC. To get a HAM license you have to take a test. In doing so and passing the test, your information is submitted to the feds and you receive a call sign to use. Every time you key the mic for the first time with HAM radio you have to use your personal identifier. The DOT doesn't care about your radio, no. I never said they did.

A call on CB for a radio check:

"Breaker one-nine, can I get a radio check?"

The same call in 2 meter HAM:

"This is KE5RKK, can I get a radio check out on the K5RBB repeater?"

You're actually not supposed to transmit "in the blind" on HAM but everyone does it.

I can't get any range out of CB no matter what. But I've talked over 75 miles on 20 watts on 2 meters hitting a repeater 35 miles away to someone who was 40 miles on the OTHER side of the repeater.

HAM radio is fun as hell. Bunch of nerds to talk to who eat this stuff up LOL

 

Other HAM operators would. There are a few truckers who use HAM radio and millions of people who use it nationwide. The problem is that its frequency specific to different areas. You don't have a "channel 19" for HAM.

You asked how to get max range. I told you to change bands. CB won't give you max range no matter what you do if you're going to run legal power. 4 watts won't make it happen unless you're enjoying a sunspot cycle.

 

There is no "truckers line."

You need to go online and program the radio for known repeaters in your area. This sounds difficult, but they have files you can copy and paste into your HAM radio software that you have for your laptop and plug in your radio and program it like that. I can drive all over my state and my HAM radio is always scanning all the repeaters for an active one. I don't have to do anything.

For example, a repeater might cover an area 50 miles across. That means to use it, you'd need to program your radio for its frequency and PLL tone. But if you keep driving and drive away from it, you'll need to know the frequency of the repeaters ahead of you so you can continue to talk.

2 meters is not usually used for direct 2 way communications like CB is. It CAN be, but that's not where it shines. 2 meters has been used to communicate with the ISS at if flies over. You can hit the ISS with a 5 watt handitalkie on 2 meters.

Just get you a good CB antenna, tune it properly, and hook it to a nice radio. That's all you can do. There is your max range on CB.

 

All this information is good, but I don't think Brianjr will be able to understand it all. This isn't a put down, but he's still struggling on (even with all the good advice given him) how to use a CB radio. I don't even know if he did the bonding on his truck yet. He can't expect to get any decent distance out of his CB radio without the proper prep work being done, especially on these new plastic type trucks.

 

It's not hard, but it helps if you know a ham operator already to help you. These people are referred to as Elmers. Here's a link that explains the process.

How to Get Your Ham Radio License in 3 Simple Steps

You won't be able to talk to truckers on the ham bands like you do the CB band. But if you want to talk across several states, it's the way to go.