Standard CB or SSB radio? What do you recommend for a newbie?

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by Barricadebouncer, Apr 11, 2022.

  1. Barricadebouncer

    Barricadebouncer Light Load Member

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    Forgive me if this has been asked before. I’m a rookie driver looking to buy a radio. Is there a need for a SSB radio?
     
  2. Antinomian

    Antinomian Road Train Member

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    Not unless you have a Ham license. Truckers use CB and mostly only channel 19.
     
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  3. Timin770

    Timin770 Road Train Member

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    No ham license is required to transmit on cb ssb
     
  4. cuzzin it

    cuzzin it Road Train Member

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    Go with a standard CB. I'm a fan of Cobra 29s.
     
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  5. craig_sez

    craig_sez Road Train Member

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    Seeing op is a new to this stuff,MY SUGGESTION is to keep it simple and do research...
    Most radio manufactures make a radio that failrly simple and plug n play with very little set up needed....
    DO NOT SPEND BIG $ ON A RADIO YET!!!!!

    My suggestion is focus on antenna set up for the car/truck your gonna be useing this radio in..

    Ant type,mount location,coax,stud all make a different in your trans/rec so dont just buy willy nilly....
    Watch some youtube vids and do some reaserch from here and other sites before you buy...When it comes time and you are well verced in antenna set up then you can consider a bigger radio BUT at the same time your gonna be forced to learn more to take advantage of that radio...
    A good antenna set up with a basic radio will do better than a good radio with a crappy antenna set up...
    Good luck and when you have more question ask but at the same time you gotta do the work with a lil study time..
     
  6. Antinomian

    Antinomian Road Train Member

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    ...
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2022
  7. Terlingua

    Terlingua Medium Load Member

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    SSB is really only used for long distance skip communication, which to me isn’t the point of CB radio in a truck. For short range communication with other trucks to find out road conditions or even just chat, any cheap CB will do. If you want to talk long range, get a ham radio.
     
  8. Oxbow

    Oxbow Road Train Member

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    High powered ######## shooting skip have pretty much ruined CBs, at least as far as the typical truck application goes. It's pretty sad when you can't talk across the median to another truck, but you can hear some jerk clear across the country talking incessantly and saying nothing.
     
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  9. TruckerLlew

    TruckerLlew Medium Load Member

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    If you want to use cb as a tool for work? No ssb necessary. If you want to use it for work AND to begin a hobby for entertainment? Go with ssb.
     
  10. Neverready

    Neverready Medium Load Member

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    With the solar cycle on the upswing SSB could be interesting. Go with a simple radio like the uniden 980. Leave it alone, get your antenna system checked and go play. If you decide you like radio as a hobby you can take your time and research radio best for your interest. A great radio with a lousy antenna system will just frustrate you.