By willowkis - 12 Aug 2007
Hi everyone,I was just wondering if any of you use CB Radios and if so what do you consider to be the best type to buy? Kim :D
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By Toger - 12 Aug 2007
Thats a question I would have asked but you beat me to it:D
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By TJ101 - 12 Aug 2007
Guys, to be honest, try http://www.thunderpole.co.uk/index.htm and one of their starter packs, ran Midlands in the past, all be ok !!
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By willowkis - 12 Aug 2007
Hi Tim, Thanks for the link :) would a license be required for one of these and what channel does everyone use? Kim :)
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By lewis - 12 Aug 2007
Hi, I've used http://www.thunderpole.co.uk/index.htm before and have bought a starter pack from them last year. I'm very happy with it. I got the Team ME-4 radio. I chose that one as it was nice and compact. Nice and loud with a external spearker, it was abit quiet with my TD5 Defender with the engine running without one. Sadly missed but for the better. Thanks Lewis
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By TJ101 - 12 Aug 2007
Kim,, Re Licenses,, Has or about to be phased out for UK CB, !! now where did i put mine ;)Channel use is more or less up to you, we tend to use the mid range channels, the SWR see http://www.thunderpole.co.uk/4x4_what_is_swr.htm tends to be lower their
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By TJ101 - 12 Aug 2007
Ahh, was correct,, the licence went out in Dec 06 see http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/licensing/classes/citizen/information/cbinfosheet.pdf
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By willowkis - 12 Aug 2007
TJ101 (8/12/2007)
Kim,, Re Licenses,, Has or about to be phased out for UK CB, !! now where did i put mine ;) Channel use is more or less up to you, we tend to use the mid range channels, the SWR see http://www.thunderpole.co.uk/4x4_what_is_swr.htm tends to be lower their Thank you Tim, that's very useful information. I wonder how many people will be using them on L2B & Peterborough? Kim :D
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By TJ101 - 12 Aug 2007
Thank you Tim, that's very useful information. I wonder how many people will be using them on L2B & Peterborough? Kim :D No doubt will have mine for L2B
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By lewis - 12 Aug 2007
Hi, Mine will be switched on for L2B run. Lewis
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By willowkis - 13 Aug 2007
Disco Dog (8/12/2007)
Get an 80 Channel, (40 UK, 40 EU) as there is talk of phasing out the UK channels by the end of this decade and a good CB shouls last much longer than that.. E-bay is a good source for both new and used. John Thanks for the info John. Kim :kiss:
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By willowkis - 13 Aug 2007
I've seen this one; any advice greatly appreciated.http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Midland-98-Plus-80-Channel-CB-Radio-WITH-NOISE-KILLER_W0QQitemZ270154252709QQihZ017QQcategoryZ40055QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Kim :cool:
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By TJ101 - 13 Aug 2007
Kim, yep, good set and a reasonable price, you may need a different aerial, as they only give you a "free" mag mounted one, not a lot of use on alloy panels !!
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By Moose - 13 Aug 2007
I bought a Midland multi channel has most of the channels all over europe.Thunderpole antenna on the back. Easy installation, and low SWR, but I ran an extra earth to the chasis to get a better Ground plane, I would reccomend that on alloy vehicles. Glen
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By willowkis - 13 Aug 2007
Thank you both for your replies.Kim :kiss:
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By Toger - 18 Aug 2007
Does anyone use a Booster please?
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By Erasmus - 18 Aug 2007
Tony, what do you mean by a booster? I may be wrong but I think that legally CB's can only output 4W, any more than that and you could be pulled.
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By Moose - 18 Aug 2007
Booster = Burner in the CB jargon, basically an amplifier to boost the output, Thunderpole has them, They tried to sell one to me but I didnt feel I needed a 300 watt output, besides you need a thicker cable too for so much power.
As Erasamus points out there illegal too.
Glen
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By Toger - 18 Aug 2007
Didn't realise they were illegal in the Uk.
wouldn' be much use either if only one person has one.
Why Burner?
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By Erasmus - 18 Aug 2007
Because they "burn" through other peoples signal.Used to have one in the old days, twig mounted on top of a corrugated iron garage as a ground plane with a 400w burner in line, if I turned it up full nobody else in a distance of five miles could use the CB. Ahh those were the days :D
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By Toger - 18 Aug 2007
wow, sounds fun but what would be the point, ah you mean drowned them out when sending but surely it didn't drown them out when you were not in TX...did it?
Is there a booster for receiving signals do you know please?
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By Erasmus - 18 Aug 2007
No, only drowned everyone else out when the mike was keyed.The only way to improve the reception is to get a bigger aerial, how far away do you want to be to receive?
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By Toger - 18 Aug 2007
I have found that CB distance of signal is very short when there are trees about so I was interested in boosting the outgoing signal to overcome the natural obstacles that are hurdles to CB coverage.I see that it is possible to boost one's outgoing signal albeit illegaly, which aint worth doing as I see the fines about £2k (reading old news about CB prosecutions) The down side of boosters in real terms then is you all have to have one otherwidse you just get to shout loudest. It sounds like increasing the height of a mobile areial would be no good if said foiliage turned it into a lethal weapon. I imagine a proper radio like the hams use would also be illegal and probably costly? An intersting subject for a complete novice like myself though:D
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By Moose - 19 Aug 2007
There is always a trade off, 27 Mhz is not the best frequency for DXing or long range broad casts.
A high mounted antenna, with a good ground plane is a good start, or getting the antenna up on high ground is the best solution.
The Radio ham's use long antennas with a tuner unit to match the antenna perfect to that frequnce, CB has one setting, for all the channels and it aint perfect for all of them but good enough.
In my army days we had the possibility to use a 50 watt setting, but that would not guarantee that you would contact the guy over the hill, but you would send all the information to Ivan.
Glen
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By Toger - 19 Aug 2007
50 watt.I have only seen 40 watt sets for sale. did ivan receive or jam you by the way? Seeing as the g4's had fm radio's (did they have cb) is the club goingto have a cb policy (channel,make etc) by the way please or will it have an fm policy?
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By Moose - 19 Aug 2007
I would suggest CB, as its universal channel wise 4X4 = 16 in both UK and CEPT when abroad.
Ivan is always listening:w00t:
Glen
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By Erasmus - 20 Aug 2007
Toger (8/19/2007)
Seeing as the g4's had fm radio's (did they have cb) is the club goingto have a cb policy (channel,make etc) by the way please or will it have an fm policy?Tony, the radio's used on the challenge were 40 channel Vertex Standard VX2000 VHF units with a Sigma Wireless MC150 aerial, more info here You need a license to use these though.
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By Toger - 20 Aug 2007
Thanks for the URL.Is it still the City And Guilds AR exams do you know please?
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By willowkis - 2 Sep 2007
I have purchased a Midland 48+ Multi CB radio, I'm having problems picking up signals, I'm using a thunderpole aerial, I've changed the setting from EU to UK - any advice would be greatly appreciated.Has anyone got an SWR meter and a patch lead I could borrow? Kim :w00t:
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By Moose - 2 Sep 2007
Got a SWR meter here, but its along drive:)
To be serious, did you run an extra earth to the antenna ?
Alu alloy does not give a great ground plane !
Have you adjusted the squelch ?
Have you turned the volume up ?
Do you have somebody else with a CB available to try and talk to you ?
I used a Thunderpole orbitor and guttermount and the SWR was 1.1 without any kind of adjustment needed.
Glen
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By willowkis - 2 Sep 2007
cold_n_wet (9/2/2007)
Got a SWR meter here, but its along drive:)
To be serious, did you run an extra earth to the antenna ?
Alu alloy does not give a great ground plane !
Have you adjusted the squelch ?
Have you turned the volume up ?
Do you have somebody else with a CB available to try and talk to you ?
I used a Thunderpole orbitor and guttermount and the SWR was 1.1 without any kind of adjustment needed.
Glen
Hi Glen, Thanks for replying, some excellent points. Is the extra earth connected to the bracket? Unfortunately I don't know anyone with a CB to test it:( Kim :ermm:
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By Erasmus - 3 Sep 2007
Kim,
Where have you mounted the aerial?
Did you reuse the aerial lead that was in the car from the challenge?
I mounted my aerial in the same point as the original challenge one and used the lead that was already there. Took me ages to get it working as there was a bad connection in the existing lead.
I have an SWR meter and patch lead and can also check the aerial lead for you, question is where to sort it out?
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By Toger - 3 Sep 2007
where was the original mounting please mark?
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By Erasmus - 3 Sep 2007
On mine it was at the front of the roof rack, just behind where the Plaque bracket is.
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By Toger - 3 Sep 2007
Thank you.
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By Emon - 3 Sep 2007
Kim,If you are at Peterborough at the weekend, have a look at the way its mounted on my 110. I found this location for the CB and the aerial a good fit. Also out of all the factors affecting reception/transmission, the biggest seems to be the quality and the surface area of the earth - to make the most of your 4watts. Cheers.
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By willowkis - 3 Sep 2007
Erasmus (9/3/2007)
Kim,
Where have you mounted the aerial?
Did you reuse the aerial lead that was in the car from the challenge?
I mounted my aerial in the same point as the original challenge one and used the lead that was already there. Took me ages to get it working as there was a bad connection in the existing lead.
I have an SWR meter and patch lead and can also check the aerial lead for you, question is where to sort it out?Hi Mark, Thank you for replying. We used a new lead. Are you coming to Peterborough or L2B? If so, would it be possible for you to bring your meter and patch lead? Kim :)
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By willowkis - 3 Sep 2007
Tango (Emon) (9/3/2007)
Kim, If you are at Peterborough at the weekend, have a look at the way its mounted on my 110. I found this location for the CB and the aerial a good fit. Also out of all the factors affecting reception/transmission, the biggest seems to be the quality and the surface area of the earth - to make the most of your 4watts. Cheers. Hello Emon, Thank you for replying. Yes, I will definately be at Peterborough arriving Friday night and staying the whole weekend :D I will take a look at yours. So far we have picked up a German and Polish transmission! Kim :D
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By lewis - 3 Sep 2007
Hi,Iv'e got a SWR meter in the back of the D3. I'll will be at the Peterborough show Friday to Sunday. What day or days are you coming. Lewis
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By willowkis - 3 Sep 2007
lew (9/3/2007)
Hi, Iv'e got a SWR meter in the back of the D3. I'll will be at the Peterborough show Friday to Sunday. What day or days are you coming. Lewis Hi Lewis, Thank you:kiss: I'll be there from Friday evening and staying all weekend. So you'll be G4 Lewis on C4....:D Kim :D
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By lewis - 3 Sep 2007
Hi,G4 Lewis is fine. Should be arriving at showground 2.00 - 3.00pm. Are you using your new G4 tent at the show once you have collected it. Lewis
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By willowkis - 3 Sep 2007
lew (9/3/2007)
Hi, G4 Lewis is fine. Should be arriving at showground 2.00 - 3.00pm. Are you using your new G4 tent at the show once you have collected it. Lewis Sorry, forgot G4 Zebedee for you :D No, I won't be using the G4 Tent, I won't be able to collect it in time to use as I won't be arriving until late on Friday :crying: and I'm having a Howling Moon Rooftent fitted on Saturday morning, but it will be in use on the L2B Run. :D Kim :D
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By lewis - 3 Sep 2007
Hi,There will be a little orange village at L2B .:cool: I know that, Willowkis Superlighttr Lewis TJ101 Are camping. Who else is camping the night? Lewis
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By Emon - 3 Sep 2007
Hi Lewis,Looks like you will be running around with the SWR meter this weekend. Although I have had no problems with my set up, I would still like to know the efficiency of the system. Where is the queue? Regards,
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By willowkis - 3 Sep 2007
Tango (Emon) (9/3/2007)
Hi Lewis, Where is the queue? Regards, Behind me.....:D:D:D Kim :hehe::hehe::hehe:
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By Superlightr - 11 Sep 2007
lew (9/3/2007)
Hi, There will be a little orange village at L2B .:cool: I know that, Willowkis Superlighttr Lewis TJ101 Are camping. Who else is camping the night? Lewis unfortunatly I will be letting the side down by not having a G4 tent or even an orange tent - just a big blue thing for the wife and kids! Lewis are you happy if I drop back the DVD's and Book you lent me at the L2B? If you want them sooner let me know and I will do it on my travels around Sussex.
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By Superlightr - 11 Sep 2007
although my 2yr old girls both know what a G4 is and have been trained to shout 'G4' whenever they see the G4. They will be excited at seeing so many others!
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By lewis - 11 Sep 2007
Hi,The dvd's and the book I can wait until L2B, I won't need them for a while. Hope you enjoyed them. Lewis
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