CB radio - does it still exist/anyone got and use one?

[bcadou]

I used to use it a lot while I was a kid in my dad's car (in France... I m French). Main use overthere is to warn other drivers about speed camera and police.

Anyways, could you please advice me the best CB available now, for my needs?

I cant use an outside antenna (TVR, all fiberglass anyways).
I need to be able to use it both in the UK and French motorways (do we all use the same frequency?)
I need to be able to use it in London as well (busy frequencies?)
Obviously, the longest range, the better

I saw you were mentioning the Vertex one for example, but maybe you can advise me the best one to fit my needs?

thank you

[K50 DEL]

bcadou said:

I used to use it a lot while I was a kid in my dad's car (in France... I m French). Main use overthere is to warn other drivers about speed camera and police.

Anyways, could you please advice me the best CB available now, for my needs?

I cant use an outside antenna (TVR, all fiberglass anyways).
I need to be able to use it both in the UK and French motorways (do we all use the same frequency?)
I need to be able to use it in London as well (busy frequencies?)
Obviously, the longest range, the better

I saw you were mentioning the Vertex one for example, but maybe you can advise me the best one to fit my needs?

thank you

The UK always has to be different, hence we use different frequencies to mainland Europe (CB27/81 in the UK and CEPT in Europe)
This isn't the issue it once was however as there are plenty of 80 channel rigs about nowadays.

As you cannot use an external antenna, try a Maycom AH-27 or a Midland Alan 42
These are both handheld, full 4 watt 80 channel CBs

[Morningside]

Dave_ST220 said:

Was there a name for the devices that would be beep each time you closed the mic? Always wished i had one of those. Remember talking to someone in Europe once, can't remember where though, CB, arhh, it was all good fun

Roger Beep. The Amstrad 901(?) had one as standard as did some sidebanders. The annoying ones were 5 tone or even 10 tone.

Or if you were one of the posh gits you had a 'K-Tone' (like me).

[Zad]

Morningside said:

Roger Beep. The Amstrad 901(?) had one as standard as did some sidebanders. The annoying ones were 5 tone or even 10 tone.

That would be me then

They weren't cheap to buy, but they were pretty easy to make, a couple of 555 ICs and a 4017 plus a relay. Mine was set up as a Morse letter. Dad had a similar one which just went Vweeeep. We didn't need to put a call out to each other, just clicked the PTT button. We also made a pair of absolutely cracking speech compressors, knocked the K40 mic into a cocked hat. They made a huge difference at the limit of readability (which is most of the time with CB).

That Colt Black Shadow up there was the absolute Dog's Danglies! If someone had one, people would go round just to see it. The iPhone 4 of it's day.

[sadako]

K50 DEL said:

bcadou said:

I used to use it a lot while I was a kid in my dad's car (in France... I m French). Main use overthere is to warn other drivers about speed camera and police.

Anyways, could you please advice me the best CB available now, for my needs?

I cant use an outside antenna (TVR, all fiberglass anyways).
I need to be able to use it both in the UK and French motorways (do we all use the same frequency?)
I need to be able to use it in London as well (busy frequencies?)
Obviously, the longest range, the better

I saw you were mentioning the Vertex one for example, but maybe you can advise me the best one to fit my needs?

thank you

The UK always has to be different, hence we use different frequencies to mainland Europe (CB27/81 in the UK and CEPT in Europe)
This isn't the issue it once was however as there are plenty of 80 channel rigs about nowadays.

As you cannot use an external antenna, try a Maycom AH-27 or a Midland Alan 42
These are both handheld, full 4 watt 80 channel CBs

Actually you can use an external aerial but you will require a mount with an artificial ground plane. You can find them if you google for them and I am planning to get one for the smart as I am having ground plane issues with it.

[Zompie]

In November 2011, CB Radio in the UK will have been legal for 30 years! I have been on CB since 1981 although in the last 10 years or so (after doing my RAE and morse test) I have spent more time on the Amateur Bands (people actually still use the HAM bands). I get the impression, that as with Amateur (HAM) radio, a lot of people have forgotten about the existence of CB (or never actually knew about it in the first place).

It would be good to see a come back of CB in the UK, even if just for a short while to celebrate it's 30th birthday! If anyone is interested in organising a "30 Years of CB Radio in the UK" on air event - please get in touch!

73

Zompie (M0VOX)

[Lionsden]

Breaker Breaker any taker? I bought myself one last weekend. Picked it up at a carboot sale, it's an old 80's rotel 240, cost me all of £15 with a magmount springer ariel. I just had to fit a 12v socket to it, I got it for greenlaning and pay & plays. I'm suprised to see how well used they are up here. I've been recommending my Mrs and her mother get one each, they only live half a mile away but are on the phone to each other 24-7.

Edited by Lionsden on Wednesday 20th April 16:24

Edited by Lionsden on Wednesday 20th April 16:24

[Morningside]

Well here on the east coast I can tell you that all 80 channels are dead.

Although I should fire up the sidebander.


Great shame and I think it should be pushed to come back again. I think there was a small group running packet on mid band a while back.

Talking about echo boxes etc. How about this? This would make you very popular
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdZMAvEPpd0

Although I must admit I did have a witchstick warbler. My friend had a mealos (sp?) box.

[Stinkfoot]

Dog Star said:

Indeed - I copped off with this really fat 21 year old lass off a council estate who had a kid. I was 15. I was still like a dog with two dicks though.

Funnily enough I've got the self same CB (an Amstrad CB901 from 1983) set up in the garage since a couple of months ago (no aerial yet though) hooked up to a 12V supply along with a rather spiffy Realistic amp/equalizer to play my iPod through. All still working complete with LEDs. Looks cool!

Sorry about the thread resurrection but I used to have that exact Realistic Amp installed in my Stag as well as an Audioline CB. It was a superb set up and its great to see a pic of it. I recently picked up a nice cb set up at a local auction hence the search !

Edited by Stinkfoot on Friday 15th March 19:38

[Loose Chippings]

ZOLLAR said:

Not too sure about that as the offence is driving whilst using a handheld device (or something along those lines) im guessing a walkie talkie would fall into that category.

Edited by ZOLLAR on Wednesday 23 June 17:07

Seems a bit double standards that you can use a CB on the move but not a mobile phone. Still a handheld device that could distract the driver. (Not that I agree with using a mobile on the move without hands free)

[*Al*]

Kentish said:

I hooked up with one or two girls using CB when I was younger.

Went for an "eyeball" and then a bit more

I met my now wife of nearly 23 years at a CB 'eyeball', my wife was the friend of another female CBer i was meeting lol. Ah the good old days!

With atomospheric 'skip' i managed to talk to someone on the Isle of Skye from my bedroom in Swindon.

[s p a c e m a n]

Ah I miss having a reason to use a CB, all of the tippers use them around here and a lot of the other locals run them too. It used to be a case of who had the most power on CH21 as there would never be a quite moment and the 2 channels either side would always be busy, I haven't plugged mine in for about 3 years now. If I was on top of the Dartford bridge and had the burner on I could shout at people going up the M4

[mph1977]

Eggman said:

NinjaPower said:

Programmed in the licence free PMR446 channels and away we went.

Don't get caught! PMR is limited to 500mW, and iirc the types of radio you're allowed are very closely specified. The penalties are potentially quite significant.

Not sure how many people actually get 'done', but would imagine that if a policeman stopped you thinking you were using a mobile it could turn into something worse.

especially when UKGeneral / PMR light licences are so easy to obtain and let you legit use the 4 or 5 w of PMR sets

IIRC Ofcom have the power to seize ALL radio and communication equipment from someone if they find one none compliant item including your telly, walkman and mobile phone ...

[Art0ir]

I've wanted one for ages but have never bothered going about it. An I right in thinking an 80 channel is set is all I really need? They're very popular at rallies which is what I'm interested in really.

[markmullen]

I've got one on my expedition truck, as a backup comms set. Quite handy for getting traffic updates on motorways.

[donk r8]

Those were the days used to have a President sideband unit with a K40 mag mount on the boot of my mirafiori back in 1980. Lived in North Devon then and as young farmers we used them all the time, lost intrest when it changed to fm..........got me thinking now though...

[mph1977]

27 MHz is a poor choice of frequency but the european CB systems ended up there because of the US 27 MHz allocation ... the Aussies have a better allocation 400 ish MHZ and they are allowed community repeaters on it as well .

it's a shame 446 is so hobbled as 4w into decent sets wit hte option of mag mounts would be great for local CB and if they allowed repeaters as well - look at what the 70 cm ham types do ...

[arfur daley]

14 for a mic check

[Art0ir]

Well I'm picking up an unwanted present tomorrow in the form of a Midland Alan 78 Plus Multi and have bought a Sirio Hypower 4000 & mag mount on eBay.

Let's see if anyone local is still using

[James_N]

My old man has one in his truck. He only uses it when running with someone. There used to be too many aholes with homebases pratting around on them, especially through Birmingham. People pissing around and talking st on them. Totally pointless.

I can see how they can still be useful for offroading / rallies though