Walkie-Talkies or Handheld CBs?

WLDRIDE

WLDRIDE
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SouthCentral Colorado
Does anyone use walkie-talkies when wheeling with a buddy? Have you found some you really like and would recommend? Or, are handheld CBs a better option? Thoughts?
 
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WMFYH4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I've had these ^^ for 2 years and use them while while wandering the desert with a camping bud. No issues, hold a charge for at least 3 days - still had some left - with minimal transmissions. I also used them traveling with family - separate vehicles - to point out sights and basic somms.

For the price and not having to get into licensed radios, they fit the mission. I do have some portable ham sets with helmet speaker/mic setups for riding, but the inexpensive radios above fit for the vehicles.
 
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WMFYH4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I've had these ^^ for 2 years and use them while while wandering the desert with a camping bud. No issues, hold a charge for at least 3 days - still had some left - with minimal transmissions. I also used them traveling with family - separate vehicles - to point out sights and basic somms.

For the price and not having to get into licensed radios, they fit the mission. I do have some portable ham sets with helmet speaker/mic setups for riding, but the inexpensive radios above fit for the vehicles.
Good to know. Those are the exact ones I added to my "Jeep" list on Amazon as a potential choice.
 
I have ones similar to the Midlands above. Except in camo. Mine take a rechargeable battery pack or AA's. Which I find works well for emergencies. You can always recharge AA's or use AA alkaline. Which everyone usually carries someplace in their stuff. If you can only recharge via usb or a charging station that can be limiting. Especially if your Jeep isn't starting. And you don't have a battery back up. KISS = keep it simple stupid. ;)

I also carry a scanner in my Jeep. And a tiny AA operated emergency radio with a shortwave antenna. Just cause I have it. And I can monitor just about anything, tv transmissions, fm/am news/weather, weather channels and thousands more. It also runs off AA's. As do my backup flashlights.

I have rechargeable batteries in high performance flashlights and the like. And solar panels to charge them. But I like to have a basic set of comm tools that can run off straight old AA's. 2 way radios, scanner, emergency radio that is about the size of a deck of cards. So I can carry it with me if on foot. And flashlights that run AA's.

I like to think worst case scenario. And with a vehicle deep in the mountains the chances of getting stranded and having to walk out are not slim.
 
We carry both , The CB's are good if your holding hands out the window, half of the ppl who run with them don't know how to tune them. The second thing that kills their distance is dirt / muddy moisture in the antenna mount. The walkie talkies go much further but not everyone has one, most are running CB's. When we jeep on group runs we use the walkie talkies to talk to the tail gunners and the trail leaders keeps the chatter down on the cb lol and it makes it look like you really have your sh#$ together to the rest of the group.
 
I have ones similar to the Midlands above. Except in camo. Mine take a rechargeable battery pack or AA's. Which I find works well for emergencies. You can always recharge AA's or use AA alkaline. Which everyone usually carries someplace in their stuff. If you can only recharge via usb or a charging station that can be limiting. Especially if your Jeep isn't starting. And you don't have a battery back up. KISS = keep it simple stupid. ;)

I also carry a scanner in my Jeep. And a tiny AA operated emergency radio with a shortwave antenna. Just cause I have it. And I can monitor just about anything, tv transmissions, fm/am news/weather, weather channels and thousands more. It also runs off AA's. As do my backup flashlights.

I have rechargeable batteries in high performance flashlights and the like. And solar panels to charge them. But I like to have a basic set of comm tools that can run off straight old AA's. 2 way radios, scanner, emergency radio that is about the size of a deck of cards. So I can carry it with me if on foot. And flashlights that run AA's.

I like to think worst case scenario. And with a vehicle deep in the mountains the chances of getting stranded and having to walk out are not slim.
Sat Phone and a pre paid card is the answer for that.
 
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I have the DelOrme (now Garmin) InReach. A riding buddy had the Mini during several days in ID. Pairing them to your phone through the EarthMate app allowed us to text with our phone via satellite with no cell coverage available. It helped a few times just to let the home front know all was well.
 
Most of the guys I wheel with have CBs mounted inside the jeep. Very useful on the trail when they're tuned properly

Agreed. I underestimated how useful my mounted CB would be when riding trails with other folks. And for the price of a decent handheld it was cheaper to buy a Uniden 520XL with an antenna and install it in a couple of hours. Tuning it correctly took a little time, but it works great and only set me back about $70.
 
It’s called SWR or standing wave ratio. Adjustments are made to the antenna matching the antenna and the antenna wire to the radio. A poorly adjusted SWR will result in poor performance and if bad enough might damage the radio. A meter is placed in line with the antenna to aid in getting a proper tune.
 
What do you mean by "tuned properly?" I'm a novice and I've never heard of "tuning" a CB radio.

It's a really simple process, there are more than a few writeups on it here, and if I remember correctly the firestick antenna that I bought came with instructions. I ordered a tuner off amazon for maybe $15, and the process took a few minutes. You just have to get someplace wide, flat, and free of obstacles like overhead lines and tall buildings.

I would personally recommend a hard-wired CB, the Uniden 520 has great reviews and is inexpensive and simple to install. There are a few details you have to pay attention to like getting a quality ground and good tune, but there's more than enough info on this forum to help you get it done.