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Kd4amg
| | Posted on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 9:46 pm: | 
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I know with cell phones being used ALMOST nationwide, tht CB channel 9 is not used like it used to be... does any one still monitor it ? It does not take a college degree...just listen and answer any one call for assistance or highway infor mation ( if you get long winded, please take it to another cb channel )...it can be done mobile or base, with beams or an all-directional...with or with no amplifier...just a willingness to help others is all that is needed...you might be surprised how many folks ask for help in YOUR area and get no responce...( but a lot of folks hollar once or twice and if you aint RIGHT ON THE MIC answering them they leave to another channel)...give it a try for a week or two...might get to HELP some one local or through skip... you just might help save a life !! ( ...oh wow like the fcc is gonna fine you for helping save a life on cb channel 9 for talking over 155 miles and using a 1000 watt amplifier ) the important thing is that you monitor it... keep a phone book handy of emergancy numbers locally and be willing to help...sure you can set the squelch on the radio, just go back and re-set it every now and then..with skip fading in and out...every one wants to HELP every now and then, this is your chance through cb radio. opinions please.... |
ryan
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 12:17 am: |
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all i hear is spanish on it when conditions open up to south america. in the future im thinking of giving channel 9 an enema by re-broadcastion NOAA weather radio. im sure the english speaking robot will get to them sooner or later and they will vacate that freq. |
Tech808
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 12:23 am: |
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Kd4amg,
As far as I know it is no longer a designated Help channel.
It's a good channel for DXing during day and night when skip is rolling. In Illinois here if you want or need help go to 19 as most state police and county police monitor 19.
In the many states I drove in a lot of them had billboards / signs stating what channel to call for help on, but I don't remember any of them listing channel 9 anymore.
Lon
Tech808 |
Username
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 7:23 am: |
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I wonder if police cars equiped with the old K40 have their radios on... Cops have too much to worry answering their 800Mhz trunked radios I think. They don't monitor ch9 in my point of view. A few times I saw a police unit passing by with a CB antenna... I called on 9 "officer are you on? are you there?" ... got nothing but static... no answer. As a far as I know... Radio Shack still makes CB radios with a channel 9 switch so I guess we need to ask FCC if that frequency is still valid for Emergencies. Channel 19 is mainly for truck drivers down here in Florida. I keep my 148-F GTL on it while driving on I-95 ... I hear funny stuff there at times!
73's
Ed / South Florida |
Czar
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 1:19 pm: |
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As far as I know REACT no longer monitors chanel 9 cb in any state.They have REACT teams on frs and gmrs bands but none on cb.I saw some react people at the state fair here last year and asked them if they still monitor channel 9 cb and 2 of them looked at me with a blank stare and said "cb what"!!!! |
Spydrman
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 4:22 pm: |
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The State Police of Ohio still monitor CH-9 so the sign says as you enter the state line.... |
Allagator
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 6:30 pm: |
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I monitor chanel 9 all the time but all the truck drivers yell for me on 19 but im still there if anyone needs help from the 110 to the 89 on I64 in ILL !!!
Im just here to help !!!
but i can still tell the drivers a good joke !!!!
Allagator (Wayne City) Ill |
Xlaxx
| | Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2003 - 9:55 pm: |
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State Troopers in VA have CB radios in their cruisers,... I know, I asked. They are not on 800mHz trunking either. I can hear them on my lil' Bearcat 210 scanner too!
XLAXX |
707
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 1:55 am: |
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The REACT website states that SOME clubs and individuals do still actively monitor ch. 9, in addition to FRS and GMRS, 2m, etc. Of course, that channel is used outside the U.S. as a regular channel, so they put up with lots of noise and probably have it squelched up so high you'd have to break down right outside their shack for them to be able to hear you call. |
Kd4amg
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 8:24 am: |
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...yes there arent as many monitors as there used to be...need frequencies of the GMRS & FRS stuff if you can provide that ... the most aggravating part of monitoring channel 9 ( for me at least ) is : You hear some one ask if any one is monitoring ... you get to the radio as quickly as you can and answer ( possible 10 seconds at the most )..they are GONE...listen to channel 19..hear the same station griping and bellyaching about no answer on channel 9..like we are supposed to sit there with our finger on the mic 24/7...then you are able to tell them to go back to 9 or talk to them there on 19 and help them in what ways you can... the spanish speaking folks arent that bad in north alabama, but i know skip varies even around here... the important thing I try to do is just listen.. and help in what ways I can ( just like you fine folks do ) ..once in a while some truckers ( or 4 wheelers ) will go through talking like any other channel, and you can tell by listening to them they arent trying to bug any one, just ordinery talk.. they fade in and out in 15 - 20 minutes so no big deal...but you might HELP some one just a mile or two away or HELP some one in the next state...so far as the POLICE listening to channel 9, even if the car has a cb antenna on it they are problably are on 19, not 9, and they have enough other things to listen to. They do the BEST they can with what they have to work with. I just listen and help when I can ( just like you folks do )...I need to know the REACT gmrs and frs frequencies they use to program in my scanner, if you can provide that ) |
Tech833
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 10:58 am: |
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REACT is obsolete. The whole purpose of REACT at its inception was to provide a mobile link for assistance. Basically, there were no cell phones at that time (only common carrier mobile phones for those who could afford them) so if someone needed help and there were no pay phones around, you had to walk. REACT provided a link by using CB radios (and ham, etc.) to provide the link between a vehicle and a telephone to assistance. Now that cellular is here and coverage over major highways and cities is so good, there is no need to ask someone on a radio to make a call for you when you can just do it yourself.
I had a heated conversation with one of the surviving REACT club members out here once (at a swap meet) about their practice of monitoring GMRS and ham. My argument was that they are only helping each other and not the general public. CB was something that in the 70's and even the 80's was very widespread and quite 'public'. These days, how many repeater capable GMRS radios do you see the general public carrying? Locally, even in the busy bay area, GMRS is a sort of a club thing. The only assistance calls you hear are 'club' members helping each other. That is fine, but make no mistake- they are NOT helping the general public. I could not convince this poor old man any differently. He had the unshakable idea that the general public would soon 'see the light' and obtain a GMRS license and repeater capable mobile radio (programmed to their repeater of course) so they would have the security of REACT at their disposal. Needless to say, he did not own or apparently ever use a cellular phone.
When I was a child, my first memory of REACT was some really troubled looking old men and women with matching windbreakers covered in patches handing out coffee at a rest stop. A few of them had teeth, but apparently none of them had showered. Also, they had some base station setup with a big chrome microphone making contacts with truck drivers whom they had just seen or were trying to lure into the rest stop. It had a very eerie feeling about it.
REACT was a valuable resource in its day. However, this is the 21st century. We have the internet, cellphones, satellite phones, wireless messaging, trunking and digital radio systems, portable internet and email, call boxes, and best of all, more reliable vehicles. REACT is no longer needed. It still exists as a shell of what it once was and staffed by people who have a soft spot in their hearts for nostalgia, just waiting by whatever radio they choose to monitor, waiting for that one call to come through so they spring into action and feel useful and prove to themselves that their service is still vital to our society as a whole. It is very sad. |
707
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 3:57 pm: |
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"some really troubled looking old men and women with matching windbreakers covered in patches"
That sounds exactly like the last Oklahoma Hamfest I attended. |
Chris142
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 5:10 pm: |
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Is there a special channel on the FRS radios that is an Emergency channel?
I hear a lot of truckers on 9 round here. |
Kd4amg
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 8:19 pm: |
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All of the USA is not covered with celluler telephone coverage, and satellite links, etc. Even with the maps showing this cell phone tower covers this area, there are still "holes " in its coverage area, which vary even during the course of the day/night. Towers do lose power, or phone lines get cut, and the list is endless of possible things a "modern state - of - the - art " system might break down from. Every one does not want or need a cellular telephone. Along comes the old cb radio, commonly available to the general public,relatively in expensive to buy, no licence required, no problem with installing it in your vehicle ( 3 minutes or less ) and you have a complete communication system. Sure it has its flaws, but it IS better than nothing. FRS radios are ok, but with very limited range and I dont know any thing about the G M R S system ( I do admit it when I dont know about something ). But if / when you can. monitor channel 9 , you might go through 6 months of hearing nothing but folks speaking spanish, or bleedover from another channel nearby, but patience and the willing ness to HELP can over come it all. I aint trying to put any ones system of communication down, just attempting in a simple FORUM to inspire others to monitor cb channel 9 when they have nothing special going on, dont let it interrupt your day, just monitor it when you can. I am still interested in knowing more about the G M R S system and the frequencies it uses, etc...can you tell me of a web site that tells me about it ? |
Tech808
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 8:34 pm: |
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Kd4amg,
Try these two links below for information on GMRS and FRS Radio's and Band plans, & Rules/Regulations.
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/generalmobile/operations/
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/family/
Hope this helps.
Lon
Tech808 |
kd4amg
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 10:28 pm: |
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Thanks tech 808 ...i checked out both sites, and now will program them into my trusty old bearcat scanner and see what I can hear here in the north Alabama area, possibly hearing folks from as far away as memphis, Tennessee to Atlanta Georgia, Nashville,Tennessee to Birmingham Alabama under good conditions ...i aint trying to stir up problems, just encouraging folks to monitor cb channel 9... |
Radiodude
| | Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2003 - 10:56 pm: |
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I listen to 9 all the time when I am not at work!! I still think that it has its place!! |
bruce
| | Posted on Monday, June 16, 2003 - 4:39 am: |
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Ch9 is still a good idea too bad there are thoes who chose to abuse it. Here in Tampa we had a group of people who openly used it even when REACT was monitoring it .....no comprendy.....played like they were out of country even with a Tampa FCC office REACT got zero support. Its never bad to have one frequency in every band that is know as a emergency calling channel its too bad there will always be thoes who feel the need to disobay laws no mater who might get hurt. |
Kd4amg
| | Posted on Sunday, July 06, 2003 - 8:12 am: |
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so far this FOURTH OF JULY weekend, I have been able to help in 2 seperate incidents ( all via skip ) ... both were "ralay " situations where the skip kept locals from talking, but allowed SKIP stations to relay the message... one was in Missouri near Jefferson City, I relayed messages from a base to a mobile with a flat tire to get help on the fourth of july... and the second time was late last night some where near the delaware border with d c... man had motor problems and could not hear a LOUD base less then 20 miles away, so I assisted in that situation to get him some help....all you have to do is LISTEN and be willing to help, you might help some one a mile away from you or a thousand miles away from you...you might not do nothing for 6 weeks and in 2 hours help 3 folks out. I KNOW you all want to help others, in what ever small way you can, this is soo easy and only requires your cb radio & a telephone |
Arcangelny
| | Posted on Sunday, July 06, 2003 - 12:44 pm: |
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Back in '76 I had a Hygain V on the boat with a 100 Watt kicker. Heards distress call fromm a boat on fire about a mile out... Coast guard couldn't hear thew boat. I was closer and had a pre-amp, so i acted as a relay. Fire came under control but the coast guard still had to go get him.
Nowadays around here the Arab community uses 9 as a home channel. The FCC, nor anyone else for that matter, doesn't seem to care. They speak some middle eastern dialect and don't know if they even speak english. They certainly don't seem to be monitoring for emergencies.
I live in NYC. Worked 2 blocks from WTC and was there when it happened. Walked home to Queens covered with white powder... We had offices in the WTC also, but were "lucky". We only lost 2 people. So yes I am pissed off about this, but may be biased. Still it's annoying. Especially since the rest of the band is empty here in N.Y.
Years ago, when I was a teen we had the Ridgewood Area Mobile Patrol (RAM) As I remember they were REACT affiliated. That was in the turbulent 70's here in New York. Don't believe anything like that is around anymore. |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, July 06, 2003 - 2:31 pm: |
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to monitor 9 out here you would need 10kw and a laser 500. |
Kd4amg
| | Posted on Sunday, July 06, 2003 - 11:52 pm: |
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so do you have a complete station TAZ ? lol |
Matt
| | Posted on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 10:44 pm: |
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In the City of "Hampton" Va. The local police monitor Ch 36!This program started in the mid 80s! However it seems to still be pretty reliable.Last year me and the wife were returning home at around 1:00 AM, and there was a person laying in the road! I called on 36 and i got a responce intantly! Police arrived in 5 mins! As far as channel 9 goes,its a waste! Just bleedover from a local group on 11! And alot of skip! Channel 19 would be a best bet!
BTW! Just found this board! Its really well run! |
Tech808
| | Posted on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 10:50 pm: |
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Matt,
Welcome to the COPPER Forum. 
Hope you enjoy it!
Lon
Tech808 |
Matt1955
| | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2003 - 7:48 pm: |
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Thanks for the welcome Tech808! Seems to be good people here! So I registered! Hope I can add to the Forum! |
738
| | Posted on Monday, July 14, 2003 - 8:56 am: |
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Hope this is not redundant I did not read all the posts. Some police do monitor Ch 9 depents where you are. In addtion to that I know that at least in Connecticut and here in Las vegas that those Samaritan Vans that help people on the Highway do monitor Ch 9.
73 |
Kd4amg
| | Posted on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 4:48 pm: |
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...sitting here listening to channel 9 , music being played over it ( again )...skip is coming from the Oregon / Washington / Idaho area on other channels ....sure hope some one does not mind playing music and jamming a emergency frequency ( a federal offence ), even if it is just a cb channel...but then those kind of folks cant read any way |
bruce
| | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2003 - 9:05 am: |
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Ch9 has no monitoring here in west central florida
The local REACT boys went GMRS in the 80's. At there peak they had there own moter home with generators even a crank up tower mounted on the roof .... all long gone at least 20 years. Ch 9 is emergency only over most of the world as far away as austraila but that has never stoped thoes who feel the law dosn't apply to them. I wonder how they would react if some yo-yo was using ch 9 and cost someone they know his LIFE .... common its only one channel i dont think thats to big a price to pay for some added safety ...even with c-phones. Speaking of c-phones My brother took has 2 meter radio and cphone into canada and there are many places his phone was dead but with 50 watts he was never out of range of at least ONE 2 meter repeater. Here in florida ill bet you are never out of range of at least one trucker even if our react is too bussy up on 462.675. Just my opinion. |
Bullet
| | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:25 pm: |
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their is a local here in madison indiana that still monitors ch9. he has his car all stickered up with the react logo's and call sign ect.
ive noticed him on the air about 5-6 years ago. i thought 9 was dead as did most of us locals as we never heard anyone on it.
were having a hard time talking so we dropped down to 9 to say what we had to say and out of nowere he dug into our butts like a pitbull on a steak.
he was abit anal about it but we all understand the reason for react and chose another ch to finish our conversation. |
Sarge
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 03, 2003 - 5:25 pm: |
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Contrary to what Tech 808 said, CB channel 9 is still restricted by FCC Rules & Regulations to only emergency communications and traveler assistance.
I checked the FCC website and looked at the current version of Part 95. The rule restricting channel 9 useage is 95.407 (b), otherwise known as CB rule No. 7. The wording is the same as it always has been.
That being said, in many rural areas of the country you have a far better chance of contacting someone on channel 19 due to the numbers of people using it. Channel 9 might be dead, but a trucker might hear you on channel 19, so it pays to try both.
I agree that once REACT moved off of CB radio their entire reason for existing vanished. It's bizarre how they still claim to be effective when only talking amongst themselves on GMRS. |
FREEBANDER
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 1:47 pm: |
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IF I'M IN THE SHOP I WILL SOME TIMES PUT THE RADIO ON CHANNEL 9 JUST IN CASE SOME ONE NEEDS HELP AROUND GREENSBORO, NC
FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BANDEEEEEEEEEEEEEER |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 2:41 pm: |
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Western NY state around Olean and Hornell (I-86 formerly NY route 17) the state boys still (as of the 1990s) monitor ch 9 and 19 but if any of you have been in that are it is some of the most remote country in that part of the state! |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 9:37 pm: |
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I thought I would put in my two cents about REACT.
As most say, yes it is dead. But I thought I would tell a little story.
In 1991 I thought I would join REACT as it was in action in my county and a couple others.
I thought I could help out because my mobile and base where BIG radios and high tech.
I go to the head honcho's house for REACT and he had me sworn in (I'm laughing my butt off now thinking about it) and also fitted me for uniforms. Black pants and white shirt. Black shoes.
I went to a couple of meetings where there were quite a few people who were also members.
As 707 said, they were troubled looking individuals. I doubt most of them owned a tooth brush.
The only thing I liked about the meeting was they had a local cb shop owner there with a display or new Texas Star amps for sale.
I actually put on the uniform once, looked in the mirror and said to myself, " I look like some kind of Jethro Bodine cop wannabee".
I took off the uniform, washed it and sent it back to the head man with a brief explanation as to why I was no longer interested in being a REACT member.
I know these people mean well and I commend them for their service, but I was embarrased to be with them. Some of them smelled bad. When they found out I was a mechanic most of them ask me to work on their cars. I thought "Work on them?" Heck, these need to be in the salvage yard. Of course I did not say that.
I got the feeling they had never accomplished much in life and this was about as useful and a fit for society as they could be.
I felt sorry for one guy especially. His name was Leon and was nice as anyone could be. But he was a Mud-Duck. So I thought I would brighten his day.
I had a old StarDuster laying around and an old 80 watt tube amp. I cleaned up the antenna with a SOS pad, bought a new mast pipe, gathered up some good extra coax and bee lined to his house out in the boon docks.
We got the antenna up fairly quick. With his mast pipe plus what I brought we had him up every bit of 60 feet versus his previous 15 feet.
Everything was hooked up and he was really getting out big time. He talked to all his good buddies and they all complimented his new-found loud radio that was really kicking out audio and signal.
I got ready to leave and he said, "I don't know how I am ever going to pay you for this, you know I am on disability".
I smiled and told him it was a gift. he owed me nothing.
I could not believe his reaction. This man of about 50 something started to cry. I ask him what was the matter and he said that was about the nicest thing anyone has done for him.
Heck, then I got all choked up and just patted him on the back and left. It felt good to brighten his day.
What seemed like almost useless second rate equipment to me was considered fantastic to him.
He was so proud of that. He loved that little tube linear.
It was touching to hear him talk on the radio. He had a new attitude on life and especially radio.
He sounded so proud when he keyed up...
It is amazing to think that something that small can mean so much to some people.
I am not blowing my horn here, I just wanted to share this story.
Heck, if I had the money to spare, I would buy top of the line everything for guys like that just to see that smile.
It makes a guy feel good to do good to others.
Maybe the next time someone has a second rate piece of equipment, if you can spare it, maybe a unfortunate person may get years of enjoyment out of it.
That's just my opinion,
Kattracker  |
RCI 2990
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 2:42 am: |
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That was a good story Kat...
Its good to see you decided to stay on the forum..
e |
Hornet168ky
| | Posted on Sunday, October 26, 2003 - 10:11 pm: |
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I am a truck driver and from my stand point, channel 19 would be your most helpful channel mainly because most people when in there 4 wheeler and have a CB usually have it on 19 anyways, if you would happen to have trouble why go and search channel 9 when you are already on a channel that could get you help quicker than making a cell phone call anyways. As for police monitoring CB it is usually channel 19 around here,North Eastern Kentucky and Southern Ohio.
Hornet168KY/
CEF#219 |
Allagator
| | Posted on Friday, October 31, 2003 - 7:11 pm: |
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Well Hornet if you dont have any power how are you ever going to get out on 19 and most of the time 9 is dead around here !!!!! but if you got 500 watts yea you can get some help on 19 !!!!
just my dime worth !!!!
Allagator |
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