CB radio's

[octo0072000]

You have to 'do' morse for the foundation licence, but really, it's not 'doing' it...

was it A or B licence morse you had to do with old fashioned key when i looked at doing it
can you not get a licence now without morse

 

[Woody.v8]

I used to have one or two back in the day

 

[octo0072000]

View attachment 76945 I used to have one or two back in the day

just a few then one looks like a uniden home base up there on the top shelf

 

[Woody.v8]

just a few then one looks like a uniden home base up there on the top shelf

Yes it is, It had everything bar a toaster built in.

 

[skotl]

Im intending to do some green laning this year, and on the Landy forums a CB seems a good idea

My only previous experience is one bought for a few quid from a car boot many years ago and connected to an old tv aerial.......

I know a licence is no longer needed and my question is for the basic needs I have, can I just buy a cheap one?

As I know zero about them I would rather new, I like the look of this as I want it discreet as possible

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/CRT-ONE-AM-...-WORLDS-SMALLEST-CB-RADIO-OFFER-/161567585755

Any good? Or do I need to spend more (remember, I'm from Yorkshire )

I know I also need an aerial, but I have that covered

Thanks chaps

Good idea. I'm an in L200 club and we mostly have CBs for when we go off-roading - it's a lonely existence for the one guy who doesn't have a radio.

As far as features, etc are concerned remember that you will be working to the lowest single denominator - there's no point in having SSB, AM, etc if 3 of the other guys don't so, when off-roading. you'll just be picking an empty FM channel (not difficult nowadays - other than off-roaders the only people who still seem to use CBs are minicab firms).

I wouldn't go for a handheld unit, though, it will be thrown all over the cabin. Easier to grab for a wired mic...

I bought all of my kit from these guys; they do complete kits for the beginner; http://www.kcb.co.uk/shop2/

 

[Kayos]

Some great reading, thanks especially @pdg
The meters are nice and cheap and looks simple enough

I am leaning towards making a spare wheel mount, couple of plates and a bit of bent bar, even my fists of ham could manage that, probably run an earth wire back to the body rather than rely on the hinges

 

[the snooper]

No probs.

I wouldn't bother bonding the tailgate to the body, just so long as the tailgate is metal it'll provide plenty of 'ground' for the aerial. (Unlike 'electrics', you don't need an earth return path - the coax deals with that.)

And if there is a problem you'll soon know when you try to match the aerial with swr meter

 

[octo0072000]

Handheld I used to have had optional external mic.

I used to use it on the bike - radio on tank, headset 'built' into helmet, aerial frame mounted on the rear.

As for ham, there's no A or B now, there's foundation, intermediate and advanced and last I saw you have to do them in order (as far as you want to anyway). The morse element is really dead simple - as slow as you like and you're allowed a printout to decode it

thanks for the info

 

[Robotstar5]

Alternatively, do what I did.

Take exams, be allowed to make your own radio kit up to 400w on frequencies people actually use

That's what I did, although I did have to do 12 wpm morse for the A licence.

A couple of my HF radios can push 100W out on CB frequencies but that would be illegal

 

[the snooper]

That's what I did, although I did have to do 12 wpm morse for the A licence.

A couple of my HF radios can push 100W out on CB frequencies but that would be illegal

I used to have boots as the saying went 100w

 

[Robotstar5]

I used to have boots as the saying went 100w

Never had a linear amp, could never justify one for amateur use.

 

[the snooper]

The stock output of one of my HF rigs is 100w...

I have got a 500w linear I built in the loft, one day it might see daylight again.

Thing is, it's all well and good blasting out but if you can't drag the signal in it's all a bit one way.

Very true and atmospherics play a big part

 

[Woody.v8]

There is one or three linear amps (burners) in my earlier post.
I have a 3kw linear that i haven't tried to use yet....Plate and load..Plate and load

 

[the snooper]

There is one or three linear amps (burners) in my earlier post.
I have a 3kw linear that i haven't tried to use yet....Plate and load..Plate and load

3kw nice get the am rig out come good weather and start dx,ing

 

[Woody.v8]

3kw nice get the am rig out come good weather and start dx,ing

Best not people in the next few postcodes may want to watch TV

 

[the snooper]

Should be ok now it's gone digital

Best not people in the next few postcodes may want to watch TV

 

[brightspark]

they play havoc with tannoy systems in works and shops --I should know u can even wipe the ice cream van out playing jingle bellsspecialy with a 100w burner on sideband

 

[the snooper]

All this talk about rigs I might have to get one out and see how dead the airwaves are all I have now is a magmout I did have an 18ft skip master but the elements and wind finished it off and I didn't bother after that as mobile phone had all but finished the craze

 

[Tinbasherdan]

I have a midland 78 am/fm rig in the disco with a 6ft firestik on the front a bar,and which may or may not be hooked to a 150w burner...... Channels are relatively quiet nowadays, although round Manc there's always a load of p*ssheads taking up 19 shouting at each other or playing music. It has fits and starts , occasionally the boy racers discover them and there's ariels everywhere for a few months until the badly swr'd twigs damage the sets, and ten it goes quiet again. There's a Russian station that broadcasts on 4kw ex military equipment, and wipes everything out 2 or 3 channels each side of the one they're using!

Am is pretty fun, I quite often flick mine over if I'm working on it on the drive, and listen to wagon drivers in America chat. I've also worked Italy, Germany, Poland and Russia on top of a big hill, with the skip running.

As for pmr, I wouldn't bother, it's worth chucking a pair in if you're using a winch etc and having a "runner" but for convoy use, a few times we've had people tag on and they're the only ones with a pmr in the group.

 

[octo0072000]

All this talk about rigs I might have to get one out and see how dead the airwaves are all I have now is a magmout I did have an 18ft skip master but the elements and wind finished it off and I didn't bother after that as mobile phone had all but finished the craze

just make a dipole out of a length of co-axial cable 108inchs comes to mind
had one in my flat used as horizontal dipole worked brilliant