Where to buy a CB radio?

[alidansma]

My husband wants a CB radio that will plug into the cigarette lighter in the truck.
Can anyone give recommendations of a good brand, model and where to buy it? Thanks so much!
~ali

[yarncat]

I bought a CB many years ago at Radio Shack (there is one in Phelan in the Stater Bros shopping center).  I don't recall the brand, sorry.  It plugged into the cigarette lighter and worked really well.  Also check out the Pilot truck stop off of the 15 freeway near Main St. They have all kinds of neat electronics for vehicles.

[Chesslike]

Not sure how long you are willing to wait, but just to let you know, the Wrightwood Communications Group is having a ham radio and electronics swap meet on Saturday, May 29, 2010 between the banks and at the community center here in town. I bet some CB equipment is bound to be for sale.

[Wrightwood]

Thanks Bob for letting people know about the 1st High Dessert  & Mountain Electronic, Ham, Computer & Tool Swap Meet.

It will be limited to electronics, ham radio, computer equipment & tools so if you are looking for Blue Blocker sunglasses you won't find them on May 29 

Seller spaces for the 1 day event will be between $10 and $20 each.

If you have electronics, ham radio, computer equipment & tools to sell send me a PM to reserve a space. Spaces will be limited but the potential buyers on Memorial Weekend is unlimited.

The Wrightwood Communications Group will also host a special fund-raising book sale.

[RennMan]

For the past three years (and this year as well) I've been travelling between California and Kansas for a music festival.

The first year I had a Cobra 19DX IV 40 channel CB in the truck, with a Larsen NMO-27C antenna/NMO-MMR magnet mount on the roof.

What I found on I-40 was enlightening, to say the least.  At least on that trip, I found CB channel 19 (interstate truckers) to be completely unregulated, vulgar, bigoted and basically not a happy place.  Granted, this was not the case everywhere, and some of the other channels seemed to be OK, when I could actually pick up a signal.

The second year I had my 2 meter rig in the truck, and was able to pick up repeaters through 70-80% of the journey.  Last year I was able to run both amateur and CB radios in the vehicle, and the CB radio was not utilized nearly as much as the 2 meter rig.  I will most likely run the amateur/CB pair again this year.

All this is to say that if you are thinking about getting a CB radio for occasional use, you may want to think about going to the next level instead, and getting an amateur licence, and a handheld 2 meter radio.  For a bit more money you get a much more capable system, and since amateur radio is more highly regulated by the FCC, I doubt you would hear the same language I heard on the CB airwaves.

N4MAN

[alidansma]

Thanks guys.
He is going on a trip mid-May so he was hoping to get one in the near future, but he might head up to the Swap Meet afterwards anyhow. The CB will just be for chatting with his buddies on the trail, but thanks RennMan for the tip since the 9 year old will be travelling with him and we have just about zero experience with any type of radio (besides FM)
We would like to learn more about the other types of radio. I am sure it would be interesting and fun for the kid too, so maybe the swap would be handy for some other useful stuff.
Should we wear T-shirts that say "Uninitiated" on them so you can spot us in the crowd?

[SkierBob]

If you're looking for a CB check ebay. 

[c._smith]

From what you are saying, I belive Radio Shack will do just fine. I have had one for nearly 18 years in my Jeep and it is still working just fine.  You can get a mag mount or permanent mount antenna there as well.

Smitty

[kn3ick]

Matt,
 I have heard some licensed amateur radio operators that was or that are still on 11 meters say some rather interesting words on the air on amateur radio. There is a group from down in Hemet that are on 70cm that are really bad!! When I say bad I mean bad!! These guys where brave enough to setup a repeater on a certain frequency that the group that I belong to in the LA, Orange, and the Inland Empire areas then they where saying words that I wouldn't repeat. I finally told them that they are interfering with a coordinated repeater in LA and that hushed them up.