CB or VHF?

I would go the CB route. Most Jeep groups you would go with or run into have CBs. I do carry two VHFs, incase someone in our group breaks his CB and is unable to communicate with us. They are small cheap and handy to have.
 
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Despite its limitations, CB remains is the most common means of radio communication for offroaders. A Uniden Pro520XL is all the radio you need, mated with Firestik coax, stud mount and antenna. rightchannelradios.com is a good online source with many tech articles, however recently I have been patronizing wearecb.com, which is located in Oregon - prices are good, as is service.

I also have a 2m ham radio in my jeep. Ham communications are superior to CB, but one must have a license and hams are a small minority of the offroading population which limits utility for inter-group communications.
 
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Despite its limitations, CB remains is the most common means of radio communication for offroaders. A Uniden Pro520XL is all the radio you need, mated with Firestik coax, stud mount and antenna. rightchannelradios.com is a good online source with many tech articles. Recently I began patronizing wearecb.com - Prices are good, as is service.

I also have a 2m ham radio in my jeep. Ham communications are superior to CB, but one must have a license and hams are a small minority the offroading population which limits utility for inter-group communications.
Well said. I get all my CB stuff from Right Channel also. Great customer support!
 
Around here, we have all converted to VHF radios. I have two CBs that haven't been used in quite some time actually. If you are looking for a cheap one, let me know.
 
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Getting what your local Jeep/Off-Road clubs use is always a good idea, and that should certainly be your first pick.

But in terms of price/performance, Ham radios beat CBs by a mile — or by many miles. A typical CB radio has a 4W transmitter, but even cheap handheld Ham radios have 8W transmitters (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAULSOK/?tag=wranglerorg-20).

If you're ever out on your own and out of cell phone coverage, a CB radio isn't going to go very far. But even a cheap Ham radio has a good chance of reaching a local repeater, and then your odds of getting in touch with someone are much better. Even in remote, mountainous terrain, I've been able to communicate more than 25 miles with a cheap handheld Ham radio.

So, I say, go for both.
 
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I bought a cheap Baofeng VHF for around $30, the usb cord for $10 and programmed it using free software to the RR frequencies to keep in my tool bag when wheeling. Our club uses both depending on the group out, that handheld works great.
 
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I am looking to add a Ham radio for my Jeep. I am taking a class to get my licence in a few months. What radio do people like for their jeep
 
For a starter radio, it's hard to beat one of the cheap Chinese ones. Baofeng has a model that's less than $25: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/?tag=wranglerorg-20. That will get you going and give you something to work with so you can think about what you want for a mobile rig.

I went for the version with more transmit power: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAULSOK/?tag=wranglerorg-20. I've been happy enough with it that I haven't felt the need to rush into getting something nicer.

That said, these Chinese radios aren't exactly easy to use, and the quality is questionable. You definitely need a USB programming cable to configure them: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP0I474/?tag=wranglerorg-20. And you need to spend some time actually reading the manual to figure the thing out.

I think the Kenwood 2M radio is pretty popular for off-roaders around here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007470C0A/?tag=wranglerorg-20. Yaesu and Icom have comparable models that are a little more expensive. I'm holding out for a nice dual-band Icom rig with GPS, but the nicer radios get expensive.
 
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I have the Kenwood TM-281A 2m ham radio linked above. I also have a Uniden Pro520XL CB.

They are pictured below on a Arizona Rocky Road overhead radio mount.

2m Ham & CB on Arizona Rocky Road Mount.jpg
 
are handheld units not as popular ?
I've seen more handhelds than mobile units on the trails here. I also hear a lot of people using handhelds for conversation on the local repeaters.

So handhelds are definitely popular.

On the other hand, there's a lot of Ham radio traffic by commuters, and they're almost all using mobile units like the Kenwood @Mr. Bills has.

Other than organized trail runs, the only people I ever hear on CB are random tweakers.
 
I made my decision, I just sent away for my HAM radio study guide. Twenty years ago I was on the verge of getting my license, but cell phones arrived and I forgot about it!
 
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I made my decision, I just sent away for my HAM radio study guide. Twenty years ago I was on the verge of getting my lisense, but cell phones arrived and I forgot about it!

I've been kicking around the idea of getting a HAM license the past year but technical stuff tend to make my eyes glaze over. Keep us updated, this thread has already got me motivated to get my rear moving and get a study guide!
 
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I've been kicking around the idea of getting a HAM license the past year but technical stuff tend to make my eyes glaze over. Keep us updated, this thread has already got me motivated to get my rear moving and get a study guide!

There are also several websites with ham licensing practice exams available at no charge. The study guides will teach you the basics of radio theory and the FCC ham rules, but repeating the the practice exams until you recognize the questions and answers will probably do more to get you ready for the test. The question pool for the Technician license changed on 7/1/18 so make sure you are practicing with the tests using the current questions.
 
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There are also several websites with ham licensing practice exams available at no charge. The study guides will teach you the basics of radio theory and the FCC ham rules, but repeating the the practice exams until you recognize the questions and answers will probably do more to get you ready for the test. The question pool for the Technician license changed on 7/1/18 so make sure you are practicing with the tests using the current questions.

Thank you! I was not aware of that and will look into it :)