Anyone running a CB radio out at their remote cabin?

[billy jack]

I just installed a CB in my 73 CJ5, and am getting kinda hooked on CB's. I was thinking when I get my cabin built that I want to put in a CB radio w/ NOAA WX band out there for emergencies and WX info. I read some Alaskan books and some of the old timers stated that they had radios to communicate between cabins etc. I'm thinking of running a solar panel to a battery to trickle charge it, and run my CB (base station) out from there. Antenna would basically be a long run of solid copper wire ran from outside the cabin, to a tall pine as far as I can get without dying. I'm about 15-20 miles west of Kashwitna/Willow.
Any thoughts or experience?

Billy Jack

[Music Man]

Many years ago everybody had CB but with cell phones no one has them any more. I still can't get good cell service so I'm going back to CB. Already have a tower and antenna, maybe this summer I will get around to installing the CB and kicker in the cabin, already have one in the boat.

[Dirtofak]

I run VHF. Base at the cabin, hand helds in the boat or when remote. I do carry a cell for when it will work.

[MacGyver]

If you use a long wire antenna as a CB antenna you will need a antenna tuner to match the radio to the wire. The tuner will cost you more than a CB antenna and will be less efficient. In the old days people use “HF” radios for communication 2 to 9 mhz they also use long wire antennas are you confusing CB and HF radio?

[MacGyver]

I still can't get good cell service so I'm going back to CB. Already have a tower and antenna, maybe this summer I will get around to installing the CB and kicker in the cabin, already have one in the boat.

Music Man.

Not knowing everything about your location or what you want to do, I think vhf would be a better way to go on your boat as far as cell service there are antenna and amplifiers that solve your problem.

Just giving you something to think about.

[Old John]

I just installed a CB in my 73 CJ5, and am getting kinda hooked on CB's. I was thinking when I get my cabin built that I want to put in a CB radio w/ NOAA WX band out there for emergencies and WX info. I read some Alaskan books and some of the old timers stated that they had radios to communicate between cabins etc. I'm thinking of running a solar panel to a battery to trickle charge it, and run my CB (base station) out from there. Antenna would basically be a long run of solid copper wire ran from outside the cabin, to a tall pine as far as I can get without dying. I'm about 15-20 miles west of Kashwitna/Willow.
Any thoughts or experience?

Billy Jack

BJ
you'd be better off to nail a CB antena to the top of a tall spruce tree close to your cabin... and then an SWR meter would help to tune the antenna to the CB... Some people used to run Chl 8 CB on the Yentna, b ut I think most of them have gone to an antenna for their cell phones.../John

[NRick]

Who are you planning to talk to? If no one else has one anymore they aren't much good. There is cell coverage at our cabin and everyone pretty much uses cell phones to communicate (I say talk, but texting seems to be more popular).

[thehappyalaskan]

out on alexander we still have cb but really only used in the morning for the locals to make sure all are still kicking
so only as a back up for real talk these days i have a smooth talker booster with a little 2 inch antenna under my eves for my cell phone a little spendy
to start but it works no mater when i have called home

[bilder]

You may want to look into ham radio. There is a pretty active ham community in Alaska with lots of 2 meter repeaters in the area, including one on top of Mt. Susitna that covers a pretty wide area.

The test to get the basic license is pretty easy and you can find plenty of practice tests online for free. Just take them till you pass every time and then you will have no problem passing the exam for real. You do not need to know morse code anymore so if you want to move on to the higher classes of license they are pretty easy to get as well.

[billy jack]

out on alexander we still have cb but really only used in the morning for the locals to make sure all are still kicking
so only as a back up for real talk these days i have a smooth talker booster with a little 2 inch antenna under my eves for my cell phone a little spendy
to start but it works no mater when i have called home

How remote is your place, where are you able to get reception, transmissions? I'm not familiar with Alexander area. I'd really just like it for the NOAA WX and the occasional chat. I plan on getting a cheap SW radio so I can tune in and get some good radio stations. My neighbor out there gets about 5 channels on his rabbit ears on his TV and good adio reception on his little SW radio too. I prefer to leave the cell phone off in my backpack unless it is an emergency.

[Mr. Pid]

Lots of CB chatter on the Yentna and Alexander. You can set your watch by it. So much so I got tired of listening to the daily gossip and pitched the CB. Lots of friends still use them for local talk. I still have a 9' CB antenna on the roof. I could talk to friends that were 30 miles away. Problem is anyone else can hear. I didn't like that lack of privacy. A cell phone with a Wilson amp and the correct yagi will work well in most of the Su-Yentna drainage. If you have an old analog yagi and your phone has gotten intermittent, go to Frigid North and get a new digital-optimized antenna.

[Big Bend]

Mr.Pid, What amp unit do you have for your cell?

[Dirtofak]

Maybe it is just me? I really don't like the thought of a cell phone ringing, chirping, playing weird music or even the VHF going crazy when I am at the cabin. I do like being able to contact someone in case of an emergency. I figure that people can walk to the top of the hill or ride their snowmachine 1/2 mile out on the lake if they absolutely have to make a call.

Guys that have to call several times a day or have to spend an hour really annoy me at times. Why did they really come out to the cabin?

Hens..... cackling like hens at times...... just slide your man card across the table!

[fleabittenrat]

Good morning, do yourself a favor, and invest in the proper antenna, you can fry your cb when transmitting, if you dont have an antenna hooked up, or are using an antenna without the correct resistive load. And dont buy a cheap model they would be almost worthless because the range is only a couple miles get something like a Cobra 29 LTD or better.

I just installed a CB in my 73 CJ5, and am getting kinda hooked on CB's. I was thinking when I get my cabin built that I want to put in a CB radio w/ NOAA WX band out there for emergencies and WX info. I read some Alaskan books and some of the old timers stated that they had radios to communicate between cabins etc. I'm thinking of running a solar panel to a battery to trickle charge it, and run my CB (base station) out from there. Antenna would basically be a long run of solid copper wire ran from outside the cabin, to a tall pine as far as I can get without dying. I'm about 15-20 miles west of Kashwitna/Willow.
Any thoughts or experience?

Billy Jack

[Mr. Pid]

Maybe it is just me? I really don't like the thought of a cell phone ringing, chirping, playing weird music or even the VHF going crazy when I am at the cabin. I do like being able to contact someone in case of an emergency. I figure that people can walk to the top of the hill or ride their snowmachine 1/2 mile out on the lake if they absolutely have to make a call.

Guys that have to call several times a day or have to spend an hour really annoy me at times. Why did they really come out to the cabin?

Hens..... cackling like hens at times...... just slide your man card across the table!

My phone has an off switch but a very private number works fine. When my wife stays out by herself for a couple of weeks and the bugs are on the prowl she prefers to sit on the couch when she calls me with her wish list for the weekend. Seems like a simple thing to make my wife more comfortable.