As far as I am concerned all CBs are more or less the same.  The all have
4W maximum output.  So, a decent CB goes down to physical size and
features.  Some have the 162MHz weather channels built in so this could be
important.  Other CBs have USB and LSB or Upper and Lower Side Bands.  This
is more for the "serious" CBer as these channels tend to go farther.

Personally I would invest in a HAM Radio licence.  The Basic licence ( REAL
simple to get ) allows you the 6m bands (54MHz) and up.  There is a lot of
traffic on the 2M band (144MHz) and 70cm bands (440MHz).  Also, most radios
have 50W output and can be modified to transmit out of band (If the
occasion arises).  This is especially useful when traveling forestry roads
where they are radio controlled.  My radio (a dual band I-COM W2A
144/440MHz) has the police, forestry, HAM, and common truck frequencys
programmed in.  I find this way more useful for conversation and
information than all the cussing on the CB frequencies.  The ultimate setup
would be a multiband "HF" radio that wil transmit and recieve from 500KHz
(below AM Radio) to 174MHz.  This covers all HAM, commercial and CB bands.
This radio (Icom 706 MKII) is about $1600 Canadian but I would consider it
the ultimate (you must have your HAM licence for this one!) as you could
communicate to all corners of the world.

VE7PBS

At 00:04 11/17/98 +0000, Eric Pickering wrote:
>Folks,
>        What makes one CB better (and more $) than another?  Is that $40
Maxxon
>CB going to do the same job as that $120 jobby?  I don't want to spend a
>whole lot but I don't want a piece a junk either.  Any suggestions?  My
>dad has an old (don't know the name but it is probably 15 years old)
>silver faced CB with only 23 channels.  I'll pretty much only use 9 and
>19, will that one work well?  Certainly the antenna is very important
>and I've spent the time and money on it (except tuning in which is the
>next How To question).
>
>THanks,
>Eric
>
>

-- David Marshall                                    --
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