Realistic TRC-412 Emergency CB

It's an emergency CB radio! How ingenious! Guess who bought one? ME!!!

A Cool Idea or A Paperweight?

If you ask me, the 1980s were full of some pretty cool stuff. From single board personal computers like the C64, gaming systems like the NES, to all the ham radios that were released that decade - the 1980s were pretty cool. And hey - the Yamaha DX7 sounded REALLY nice too!!!

With the heyday of CB radio in the 70s and the addition of 40 channels up from 23 in 1977, everyone had to have a CB, including in the car. However for some, it was just for emergencies rather than recreation, meaning that installing a pretty, shiny Cobra was rather unnecessary. So many folks purchased radios you could hide away in your trunk or glove box, only to be used for emergencies when you needed it.

In theory, this seems pretty cool too! eBay is LITTERED with these portable rigs, but it kind of made me wonder why. Not only has CB been phased out by cell phones and services like OnStar, but it's just old technology - no one needs it in the car anymore.

But you've got to wonder - what does CB sound like on a road trip? Can you actually talk to truckers while driving on Interstate? Well I bought one of these little guys just for that purpose! Above is a Realistic TRC-412, made sometime around the turn of the decade in 1988 (Realistic is RadioShack, FYI). Tons of these things were made, and I got a steal of a deal on it, costing me less than $20, plus free shipping from Vegas.

Initial Thoughts

From the photos, this radio looked like it was stored in a lightly used condition. It comes with a 12V cord, a mag mount antenna, and its original case. The antenna is terminated via an RCA jack, but you can buy modernized SO239 to RCA jacks if you want to use a rather permanent installation.

This model does not have an external mic or headphone jack, but that's more than alright. When there's highway noise, it won't matter anyway. Instead of having a squelch label, RS decided to put "Receiving Range." This is a fully-featured 40 channel CB that should put out around 4W reliably.

I bought this radio with the thought of taking CB on the road with me when I travel, particularly to North Dakota. I live in the Midwest, so CB is more than alive where I'm at in the nation. Now in my town, that's a different story, despite the fact that my house is no more than a stone's throw from MO Highway 71.

Unboxing, Use, and Mini Review

Last night I unboxed the radio and set it up to use, driving around various areas to test it out. Included was the radio itself, the mag mount antenna base, the screw-in antenna, the 12V adapter, and the instruction booklet. Since it was night, I didn't expect much, and I was right. However, the radio is quite sensitive to vehicular electronics such as the alternator, which can be fixed using some electronics knowledge

I sent out a few breaker breakers on Channel 14 but got no reply. Not really surprised, as my community's CB population is close to zero. However, I did like the feel of it in my hand - it wasn't really as bulky or awkward to use as I was expecting. 

The antenna, as practical as it is, really isn't the best performer. I have yet to connect it to the NanoVNA to see how it performs. The main antenna itself is telescopic and stands about 3 feet fully extended. The owner's manual even says not to use it if you're driving - oops. Guess it won't withstand highway speeds.

Regardless, this was a great purchase from eBay and I am 100% satisfied with it. I think it will make an excellent travel companion for my annual northernmost trips.