New to CB radio

[Guest cookoff013]

Ive just got some stuff on order. 

thought i`d start something new.

anyone else partake?

#over

[Rob85]

Used to have one in my car with a massive lairy aerial as a good way of communicating with my mates when we were driving somewhere. Or when I was bored I would go up somewhere high and see what I could hear from other places. Managed to listen in on a conversation with a long distance lorry driver who was in Luxembourg!! Think with the atmospherics and good weather I could receive but my signal was too weak to transmit. Back then you still needed a licence, think mine is up in the attic somewhere and you were given your own individual callsigns, from memory I think mine was H5DJ... Hotel 5 Delta Juliett.

As far as I remember a friend of mine who was a police officer told us at the time you could legally use them when driving as it was a one way transmission device. I'm going to have to go check my old set out and see if it works now!!

[Guest cookoff013]

it might be the old uk frequencys. there is also european frequency, and individual countrys. 

 

[DUNKS]

I thought CB radio died years ago. Saw a thread on another forum a while ago where a guy tried for days to get a reply.

 Best of luck.

Used to listen in when on holiday in Canada years ago. Guys bouncing signals right across the state. That was very interesting. Some families out in the boonies it was their only means of communication.

Edited June 3, 2020 by DUNKS

[Flyboy1950]

Still got a load of stuff in my garage that hasn't been used in years.  Used to get as much height as possible in the Mendip hills and once had a return chat to a guy who said he was in Russia. Pretty good for a car roof areal and a 4 watt rig.

When Mr Thatchers govt decided that the UK had to be FM and not the American AM and a licence had to be purchased, it effectively killed it

Didn't think many were still using it these days as mobiles are now so cheap, you can talk/see world wide and be secure.

FB

[snow white]

Used to have a midland 3001 before they brought out license nearly every body packed up when license came in as no fun then

[Wingman]

I started my radio career with AM CB back in the 80's so have had dozens of rigs and setups over the years.  I now have an amateur radio license so dont dabble in CB these days but stick to operating digital modes on VHF/UHF and of course HF.  I did stick a CB in my 4x4 a few years ago as we setup a 4x4 Response crew up in the village when the weather was very bad but dont have one now.

Principles are all the same though so feel free to ping me if you want any help setting it up. Did you buy a SWR meter?  You'll need one to properly setup the antenna system you can damage the radio if the SWR (standing wave ratio) is too high!

[Guest cookoff013]

i`ll borrow a swr meter. but i`ll have to get one anyway.

 

[Wingman]

You just need a cheap one, loads on Ebay

[Papercase]

I use handheld CB pretty often on site work to communicate with plant operators. I pick up signals at home from other users with burners in the county, in 2014 used to get loads of transmissions coming over from the USA related to the solar radiation or something

[mgsontour]

It used to be good fun, as above people used to be mad on it. . . . . I've given thought but recon WhatsApp is the same but better as it's free to use with no barriers and totally secure

[Centrepin]

I had one in my lorry for years, one in my Land Rover for off roading/shooting, still have a spare in the garage.

My son and his mates all have them in the shooting wagons for long distance, like here to Scotland travelling in convoy, and legal to use driving.

I use hand held sets whenever I go shooting with my son. Cheap, easy to stash and not expensive if they get wet or lost. Better than reading a text (have to  change glasses) and quicker than a phone. Transmit over about 2 miles so we can keep in touch if shooting different fields or he goes walk about and puts something up coming my way.

4 channels on the hand held, 120 on the vehicles. Useful tool.

Unfortunately you get resident idiots who want to jump in and insult or just swear profusely so be prepared to move channels to avoid them.

[redial]

I didn't realise they were still going.

There was also Scanners that were popular for a short time. They picked up cell phones and aircraft crew conversations.

Edited June 3, 2020 by redial

[Raja Clavata]

What's wrong with WhatsApp or Telegram?

[stumfelter]

One niner for a copy good buddy....

[Dougy]

I dont think you get anywhere near as far as the old 27mhz and i think dependent on weather, i had one years ago with an amp, got me into some trouble, and as my dad worked for the GPO at the time it wasnt the accepted topic in the house.

[old'un]

23 minutes ago, stumfelter said:

One niner for a copy good buddy....

I thought it was ‘one four for a copy’   

[mossy835]

we had them in the combines and tractors,

[Imperfection]

Had one in my yoof back in the early 80's which were a lot of fun at the time, but i guess mobile phone apps do much better.

A friend bought two few years ago and sat in his truck in the fens (dead flat)-not a whisper.

[London Best]

Carrier pigeon.

At least when it’s knackered/out of fashion you can eat it!

[defender]

I've got loads of cb's and amateur radio gear (took exam in 1998) there are a few people on near me on cb some good, some bad I've been using it since the early 80's.

I keep saying I won't buy anymore cb's but then one comes along that's cheap and there I go again I know phones are easier but I like radio.

[stumfelter]

2 hours ago, old'un said:

I thought it was ‘one four for a copy’   

I seem to remember both but I don't know why? Was one here and one in the US?

[defender]

1 hour ago, stumfelter said:

I seem to remember both but I don't know why? Was one here and one in the US?

19 was supposed to be mobile and 14 home base but it varied by area, now it seems to be single channel (19) with loads of power to get over each other and expensive amateur hf sets as a status symbol🙄

[Opossum]

I thought 19 was the emergency channel? I had them in two of my SUV's for convoy-ing with friends. It was an old Rotel model from the 80's with a proper coffin mic. Still have the mic holder hanging from my sun visor to remember the good old days (of five years ago :D)

[Vince Green]

Is It still necessary to cultivate a fake Southern States accent and call everybody "Good Buddy"?