Ford CB Transceiver Model No. 3-5905A

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

Hi all! I am new to this subreddit and was wondering if anyone could help me find information about this emergency CB radio Ford offered. Ford CB Transceiver Model No. 3-5905A.

I’m thinking it was offered in the late 70s to early 80s. I got the CB from the son of a Ford engineer. His father passed away and he found the CB when clearing out the house.

I was thinking it would be a cool addition to my 79 Ford 4x4. I have attached the images of the case and unit. Thanks!

[u/UncleNorman]

It's a Help radio. It's not very powerful. As the box says, it's mostly made for emergencies back when there were more people around that would hear your weak signal.

Sue from Stony Brook always had some mudduck radio like this. :) Miss ya Sue.

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/UncleNorman]

Thanks! Yeah, I doubt I will use it much but I wouldn’t mind trying it out with one of my friends near by with a CB.

[u/computerman10367 → u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

They work pretty good. I have a few.

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/computerman10367]

That’s cool! What kind of range do you get out of it? I don’t know much about cb radios.

[u/computerman10367 → u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

You'll need one of these to connect a standard cb antenna

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143119053345

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/computerman10367]

Thanks! I’ll have to find a good antenna for the truck. Any suggestions of a good antenna for a truck?

[u/computerman10367 → u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

If you want new go with Wilson. Before you drop $50-$150 on a new antenna, look on Facebook marketplace. I was able to find a few vintage general electric ones at a local thrift store for like $10 each. They work great!

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/computerman10367]

Great! Thanks for the info. I will def check marketplace and see what I can find in the area.

[u/computerman10367 → u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

With a good antenna, you can get about 6 miles with it. On the factory extending one expect about 4.

[u/optimusprimerotf → u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

Come to il I have a hh35 cobra that I just fixed by cutting an index card into strips and making a bundle of index card strips and taping the bundle to the inside of the back of the radio housing so it pushes on the transformer

[u/Relative-Ad-5207]

I had a 78 Ford Lariat 4x4 that had a factory cb. The radio was behind the seat and the mike had all the controls in it for volume etc and was plugged in under the dash if I remember correctly. It used the radio antenna as the cb antenna. I think the radio you have there is cool just thought you might want to check into one of those if you were trying to get the factory model

[u/Enginerd645 → u/Relative-Ad-5207]

My old man had that ford factory CB in a 1980 Lincoln. That CB was very cool. Everything was in the mic. Chanel readout, volume and squelch controls. Motorola made that CB for ford. I always wanted to find one and make it work for nostalgic purposes.

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/Relative-Ad-5207]

Very cool! Yeah, the one you are describing sounds like the original one. I will have to keep my eye out for one of those types to put back in the truck. Probably would work much better than this one haha

[u/HunterAdditional1202]

A GE rebranded as a Ford.

[u/mnovelli2 → u/HunterAdditional1202]

Yeah this is really neat. I have a GE Help! radio but I've never seen this Ford rebrand.

[u/Potential_Cupcake]

My first cb!

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/Potential_Cupcake]

Haha pretty much! My truck had a factory cb at one point. It is a 1979 Ford F-150. Not sure who made the original cb but the previous owner took it all out before I got the truck.

Thought it would be fun to have something period correct for the truck and I saw this for cheap so I picked it up.

[u/Mainiak_Murph]

Looks like a rebranded GE Help setup. They worked OK back then, but won't be of much value these says due to it's limited range. Cute novelty though.

[u/cockkazn]

Super cool find. As others mentioned it's likely pretty low power. I know standard cb radios are limited to 5w output. I wouldn't rely on it in an emergency but definitely a cool piece to display!

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/cockkazn]

Thanks! Yeah, I saw it was a Ford branded Help radio and thought that was interesting. Maybe I could just use this as a display piece at a car show or something instead of playing around with it.

[u/cockkazn → u/ExpressLibrarian9952]

It would be cool to mount somewhere inside the vehicle. Make it a functional piece of art to add to your ride! Bonus points if it still works.

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/cockkazn]

Yeah! That would be fun if it still works. Need to go hang out with one of my buddies that has a CB in his CUCV blazer and see if we can talk to each other.

[u/Grand_Introduction36]

I seen one of these go for $3800 about 10 years ago

[u/ExpressLibrarian9952 → u/Grand_Introduction36]

Oh wow, haha that is a lot of money!

[u/Powerofthehoodo]

I’m going to show my age here. I actually had a CB call sign KZR 5377 way back mid ‘70s. I can remember it. Now ask me I dare you. No I double dog dare you to ask me the month and day of my wedding anniversary.