CB Radio vs Marine Radio

[AguaSki]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Now one of my pet peaves has been brought up. I'm all for DSC. But go to a website and look at a marine radio and odds are you will find comments like "with compatible GPS" then no info on what that means.

You need a GPS unit that supports the NMEA 0183 standard. Check your GPS manual to verify this standard is supported. A very basic GPS unit is likely to be compatible. You don't need a fancy marine chart plotter to work with the DSC feature. As an example, I have an old hand held Garmin eTrex Venture connected to my DSC radio. This is pretty much one of the most basic GPS units ever manufactured, but it does support the NMEA 0183 standard. My GPS unit is so basic that it is not in production any more. Similar basic GPS units can be had for under $100. The key to connecting the GPS unit to the VHF radio is getting the correct cable. A quick Google search and I found several online retailers selling cables that fit my old GPS.

 

[JimS123]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Back in the 1970's when you still needed a Marine Radio Station Licence, "everybody" in my area had a CB on the boat. Ray Jefferson made a marine model and Radio Shack sold a marine lay down mount antenna. The USGB Buffalo Station monitored CB, of course that didn't do you much good unless you were in sight of the station. CBs were 1/3 the price of a VHF.

As prices came down, most switched to VHF. I used to have both. A few years ago I turned the old CB on and could't raise another boat, or a car for that matter. CB is totally outdated.

 

[gss036]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

I still have both. The young folks still use CB for road rallies. I think most folks are using cell phones now. I have the telephone number for the local coast guard station if I ever need them. They don't help much except when life is in danger, other wise they ask you would like them to dispatch a tow boat.

 

[mphy98]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

When you get up to the great northwoods... you will be glad you have a marine radio with a large antenna. It carries farther and most now have a emergency beacon with a gps lock one touch feature for emergencies. They are only about a $100.00 bill plus another 70 or so for a good antenna. I value my life more than a buck seventy.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

You realize you are working on a topic that is 6 months old....

 

[cr2k]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

I guess that answers that.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

yes, Bob, but it's an important and timely topic. Let it ride, I say.

Another thing about cellphones--they are very fragile around water. A splash can kill them; a dunk certainly will. Although we use them just fine all the time around here and even in remote areas, we know we can't rely on them. There's a big difference.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

The one thing missing in this thread is called MMSI number
If you have a good VHF radio, have it wired up to your GPS.Good VHF(marine) radios have an emergency button.pull this button and your position will be broadcasted on ALL frequencies until you get in touch with somebody.The mmsi number is an additional beautiful idea.If you have a MMSI number, then the moment you send an emergency signal, somebody will call your home and inform the people there about what is going on.Every boat on open water should have a GPS hooked up to a VHF radio and have a an assigned MMSI number(it is free).
No cb or cell phone has these possibilities.

Just to clarify.

The digital selective calling (DSC) signal gets transmitted on channel 70, not all frequencies.

It's not required to have a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number to send out a distress DSC signal but if you register for one, the Coast Guard will be able to find your identity and emergency contact numbers and a description of the vessel.

 

[HappierWet]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Here is how I look at it.....VHF is the MARINE standard, hopefully this means that the MAJORITY of boaters are using it ( possibly unrealistic ), when using a cellphone ( assuming reception ) you can only call one person at a time, on radio I can call everyone in range at once. Not just emergency services, everyone with a radio on the appropriate channel. Yes, I recognize that some places are more likely to be CB or phone receptive. In MY experience VHF has been the most reliable.

 

[chrispy89]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

can 27mhz marine antenna be used for cb radio?

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

No, as all antenna systems are designed to work at certain frequencies, and the marine band is way out of the cb spectrum.
The marine radio band works around the 156mhz and the CB is 27mhz.

Answer provided by "Yahoo answers"

 

[veritas honus]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

No, as all antenna systems are designed to work at certain frequencies, and the marine band is way out of the cb spectrum.
The marine radio band works around the 156mhz and the CB is 27mhz.

Answer provided by "Yahoo answers"

Hey Bob,
Long time no speak. It's good to run in to you again.
Did you happen to realize that this post is 15 months old?
I do the same thing sometimes. Sometimes it's intentional, for one reason or another, so to speak...
Hope the New Year is treating you well so far!!! Happy New Year!!!

 

[chrispy89]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

No, as all antenna systems are designed to work at certain frequencies, and the marine band is way out of the cb spectrum.
The marine radio band works around the 156mhz and the CB is 27mhz.

Answer provided by "Yahoo answers"

i am talking marine 27mhz
this is the antenna that i haver been looking at http://www.justboating.com.au/25m-S...se_p3CFF20AE-4868-4E92-BF6F-FE8B0FDB9C50.html

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

I am not familiar with the rules for radios and frequencies in Australia so I do not know the answer.

 

[produceguy]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

This is the antena that was on my boat when I bought it. I hooked up a cb radio to it and it does nothing. So I use the cb as a pa now. I know now that in the water you need a marine radio. I wish I would of found Iboats before I bought our boat.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

can 27mhz marine antenna be used for cb radio?

Hey Bob,
Long time no speak. It's good to run in to you again.
Did you happen to realize that this post is 15 months old?
I do the same thing sometimes. Sometimes it's intentional, for one reason or another, so to speak...
Hope the New Year is treating you well so far!!! Happy New Year!!!

I knew it was an old thread, but the previous Poster, Chrispy, had a current question as related to an antenna. It deserved an answer, so I furnished one. He may not have known how to start a thread, or just used this one as he was already there looking for the answer.

Hey to you and Lippy, as I am sure he is lurking out there following you around looking for interesting posts to comment on. Have a happy.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Hey Bob,
Long time no speak. It's good to run in to you again.
Did you happen to realize that this post is 15 months old?
I do the same thing sometimes. Sometimes it's intentional, for one reason or another, so to speak...
Hope the New Year is treating you well so far!!! Happy New Year!!!

can 27mhz marine antenna be used for cb radio?

i am talking marine 27mhz
this is the antenna that i haver been looking at http://www.justboating.com.au/25m-S...se_p3CFF20AE-4868-4E92-BF6F-FE8B0FDB9C50.html

On the face of it, it appears to fit the spec. required, but there is very little information furnished by the manufacturer. If I were interested I would contact a local distributor of either the antenna or CB radios and ask them.

I know people use CB's on their boats, but I also know that a CB requires a "ground plane" for their antennas, and that you should not cut the cable as the SWR can be adversely affected.

In addition, to maximize performance, a CB antenna must be no greater than 1.5:1, and ideally a 1.1:1. This is achieved, on land, by adjusting the length of the antenna whip. Can't do that on a fiberglass whip.

Good luck on your research.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Yes the Marine 27 MHz antenna will work for your CB just fine as Bob mentioned its always a good idea to check it out for proper performance, or check it with a VSWR meter. By calling it a "Marine" Antenna its probably built better and designed to operate with little or no ground plane. There is no difference between Marine Frequencies and ground Frequencies only between Analog and Digital. The CB Band is between 25 Mhz and 32 MHZ so its not uncommon for vendor's to sell an antenna right in the middle of the Band.

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Yes the Marine 27 MHz antenna will work for your CB just fine as Bob mentioned its always a good idea to check it out for proper performance, or check it with a VSWR meter. By calling it a "Marine" Antenna its probably built better and designed to operate with little or no ground plane. There is no difference between Marine Frequencies and ground Frequencies only between Analog and Digital. The CB Band is between 25 Mhz and 32 MHZ so its not uncommon for vendor's to sell an antenna right in the middle of the Band.

Hey Lippy! My only concern with the mentioned antenna is that what little information I found indicated it had a SWR of 2:1. In the old days this was unacceptable, and probably 2would have resulted in the antenna being thrown out.

Of course, these were land based CB's, and times change, but if I could do better than that, I would not bother with mounting one. Course, everyone is different, and I am an old timer who still remembers $.25 @ gal. gas. (But couldn't afford a fill up even then.)

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: CB Radio vs Marine Radio

Well now we don't use 1.5:1 or 2:1 anymore so we have a terminology issue, what I am looking for is the Gain of the antenna, which if the SWR says 2:1 should mean that antenna is a 3 db gain antenna and should be pretty good, and if that antenna claims a 2:1 SWR its probably the gain not the actual performance of the antenna once installed since theres no way to test it until it is installed which is what I believe you are talking about, Now anything more then 10% VSWR is out of spec on commercial and government radio so if you have 300W out of the radio, no more then 30 watts reflected VSWR is acceptable, carry this down to CB Radios which are less then 5 Watts(legally) so I would expect no more then .5 watts reflected. The use of VSWR meters is the ultimate test of an antenna system in fact I don't know a radio tech that doesn't have one and I have two in my truck because I have to deal with the Rocky Mountains(Rough Roads) and have the Government as my customer so I have to measure twice to make sure I am getting proper readings, and I am not a tech but after 25 years in the business I do more then most techs do but a simple certified VSWR meter is a heck of alot cheaper then the $60,000 Service Monitors the techs use, I can't afford to replace those monthly.

Clear as mud?

Good to see you too Bob!