Does anyone use CB?

[OpSec]

There are too many variables to be accurate, trees etc tend to absorb signals and reduce range, buildings can have strange effects, some will block signals, others might reflect or channel signals giving improved range. I don't think I'd trust hand helds over more than a couple of miles, mobiles or home rigs will generally have better antennas and power supplies and could be good for about 15-20 miles or so. Height will always help, get as high as you can for better range.

[John1788]

Thanks for the info.I have 4 Midland LTX110's that have around a 1Mile urban range so was looking at CB's as a option but will hang on if theres not much difference.Was only looking at using them within our own group so prob still Ideal for our use.

[vespanutuk]

ive got a midland CB, the strange thing that made me buy it were it is in a leather pouch with a battery pack which you can put 10AA batterys into and a very long telescopic aerial and belt clip, cost me £10and works great, I have walked around with it on my belt and used it while out, yes it looks abit weird but it would be good incase mobile netwroks went down and you needed to contact local people.
you can remove the aerial and simply unclip the power cord and pouch and its a basic cb that you can then connect to your car which I have also done.

[newtonweir]

Well, well, well, this has been a long time coming...

OFCOM have given the green light to harmonising UK CB.

They have just released this statement, and maybe this will see a nostalgia fuelled renaissance in CB :
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binari ... tement.pdf

Basically the rules are changing so that CB'ers are no longer limited to a channelized 4W FM system. From July 2014, AM and double and single sidebands will be available.

This is good because AM signals are more readable over greater distances than FM signals of the same power (all things being equal).
Being able to put 12W into a single sideband will boost range to useful distances.

Be interesting to see if a lot of older breakers blow the dust off their grey/import rigs, or whether those that enjoyed the 934MHz band will be tempted on to HF. I might have a dabble meself.

Regards,
S.

[Malthouse]

CB was starting to make a come back, the changes next year will only boost that.

[lee3]

Is there a CB channel agreed on by preppers to monitor? I drive around with mine on but rarely hear anyone and change channels every now and again if there's an agreed one I'd leave it on there!

[Malthouse]

Sadly not, 9 and 14 are the calling channels generally but in built up areas they are bogged down with people singing/whistling just because they are bored(ing).

[lee3]

Have bought a cheap pair of PMRs only used them to test them out but have noticed they were full of idle chatter! Is there any radio savvy people here that could agree channels for CB and PMR to monitor? Possibly ham frequency's too?

[Malthouse]

I am certainly radio savvy, being a licensed engineer

PMR446 is tricky, it would be much better to go down the route suggested in the Emergency Communications threads and have a private frequency (no reason why the kit can't do PMR as well). But some radio buffs like to chat on channel 8 at 8pm, especially on the 8th of the month.

With CB, wait for the additional channels and AM options to kick in and see what becomes practical.

In terms of other bands, there is a somewhat universal SHTF frequency of 146.420. Which is below the maritime band, but above the aviation band. A vast variety of equipment can work that frequency.

The mountain rescue web site has some good stuff about using maritime in the event of an emergency, they sight three frequencies as worth a go.

As per the comms thread, it all depends what you want to achieve really. But I am very happy to register a private business frequency for UKP members, once we know what the most useful set up is.

[Steveo82]

I am certainly radio savvy, being a licensed engineer

PMR446 is tricky, it would be much better to go down the route suggested in the Emergency Communications threads and have a private frequency (no reason why the kit can't do PMR as well). But some radio buffs like to chat on channel 8 at 8pm, especially on the 8th of the month.

With CB, wait for the additional channels and AM options to kick in and see what becomes practical.

In terms of other bands, there is a somewhat universal SHTF frequency of 146.420. Which is below the maritime band, but above the aviation band. A vast variety of equipment can work that frequency.

The mountain rescue web site has some good stuff about using maritime in the event of an emergency, they sight three frequencies as worth a go.

As per the comms thread, it all depends what you want to achieve really. But I am very happy to register a private business frequency for UKP members, once we know what the most useful set up is.

That could work really well, I asked how many users of ham we had as this could be a vital way of comms in shtf scenarios. There was another thread on night time disasters and this could cover that as well. Will watch this closely