rwg3 wrote:I was riding with a friend last week who had just acquired a used truck that came with a CB radio. It has been 30 years since I used one and I was interested in listening to the current usage. Wow, lots more channels and lots of inane commentary ( at least that hasn't changed). On some channels there was one or two people who seemed to have extraordinarily powerful broadcast capabilities with a range covering several states. Have the rules changed to allow these powerful units or are these fixed base units that broadcast on the same channels? Inquiring mind wants to know?
The rules haven't changed all that much. The problem is the FCC no longer actively enforces the rules. Consequently you have a few overpowered and obnoxious blithering idiots making a worse mess of the band without worry of fines or equipment seizure. Used to enjoy some good conversations with some good people but now it's only useful at night when the "skip" dies down. When I quit driving a couple of years ago sometimes it was difficult to hear another driver a half mile from you during the daytime.