CB channel use for chasers?

[jason kissam]

I met a chaser (from Alabama) in Eastern Colorado one year while chasing a series of storms. we both had a CB radio and he mentioned something about chasers using a certain channel while in the field. I cant remember what channel it was. is there a preferred channel every one uses? (that isnt a HAM operator)

if i remember right at least 10 different groups were on that series.

any thoughts?

 

[Nick Parker]

Well, I mostly run on channel 19 due to the fact you can get traffic/police info from 18 wheelers. Most anyone that has one will start off here and then if you need a quiet channel, you just move to an agreed one.

 

[Brandon Sullivan]

Edit: Channel Correction

My guess is channel 9.. As it used to be called the "emergency Channel" I know it is not in use here, but they used to have a group of people who monitored channel 8. And I know some officials moinitor.. I know our local police station has a base cb antenna up

 

[Rob Herman]

I think 9 was the emergency channel.

 

[Mikel Shively]

I have never heard of a "storm chasers channel" on the CB. I have one in my chase vehicle, but only use it to talk to truckers. To use it around storms is nearly impossible because of the static, so if I need to talk to someone, I just use the trusty cell phone.

 

[jason kissam]

thanks for the input, i think it was like 36 or 38 i cant remember who it was, but at least a dozen chasers were on that channel all day. who knows?

 

[Dan Robinson]

The only times I've used the CB is in a convoy with other chasers, at which time we chose our own channel (whichever one wasn't already being used by someone else). Unlike hams, most CBs don't have any range to communicate with anyone farther than 1/4 mile in front of and behind you. They're really only useful in a small convoy as an alternative to FRS radios.

Channel 9 is the emergency channel, but it's anybody's guess who is monitoring that these days, if anyone. Even if a cop car could receive a channel 9 transmission, he'd need to be 1/4 mile away from you to get it. Channel 19 (the truckers' channel) can be useful if you find yourself in a traffic jam, as the truckers coming the other way will tell you what's ahead, which lane to get in to, etc. Other than that, channel 19 is usually a pretty annoying cesspool of truckers' trash talk that you really don't want to hear all day on a long drive.

 

[jason kissam]

i know the 9 and 19 thing.. must have been just a channel everyone was on that day. how hard is it to obtain a HAM Lic?

 

[John Diel]

Getting your Amateur Radio License depends on you and how well you can answer the test questions. Some on here can take the exam and pass with flying colors without opening the book. Others (Me! ) have trouble in certain portions of the exam.

Find out where you local Amateur Radio Club meets and talk with them. They will be more than happy to help you obtain your license.

 

[Jesse Risley]

you can buy books that contain all the test questions, and you can study them and learn them.. The test consists of only 35 questions. No big deal. You will like it alot more for emergency communications

 

[jason kissam]

thanks, i looked up info that was in the "im a ham again" post and found classes and testing sites near my town. thanks again for all the info. stormtrack rocks!