A bit of CB Radio info.

[Neale]

Just had this info sent through channels at work and thought it would be of interest to some. It's stuff I didn't know.  Enjoy.

[ST2UP]

All good info 

The issue mentioned with the "toy" UHF CB's becomes very relevant at Xmas time, parents purchase these cheap "walkie talkie" radios for the kids to play with in the back yard for $49 a pair.

They bombarded the airwaves and local repeaters until the radio break or they lose interest.


 

[Neale]

Agree. Probably an area they could tighten things up on a tad. By the way, have a mate inthe Police fraternity that is after some info on roads up your way. Mind if I put him in touch. His name is Mal Brown.

[ST2UP]

Go for it 

[saaz]

I have a little 80 channel Jcar cb, great for carrying around on trips or testing out the comms system on the bike (or others bikes)

[Sabie]

I think the wattage also comes into play. Most hand helps are 5 watt and don't need to be licensed. The toy radios are less than 1 watt.

A 25watt commercial radio will need to be licensed.

I could be wrong, it's been a while since I worked in this field. Dale and Bikebear would be able to put us straight.

[Brock]

A 25 Watt commercial radio cant legally be used on the CB band as the max power permitted is 5 watts, even if the radio can be programmed to only use 5 watts, as it can be altered it cant be used.

[Sabie]

Thanks Brock, the work radio's we had were 25 watt radio's UHF and VHF and HF was being installed when I left. We used Motorola's 838 and 338's which were being phased out and Simoco SRP9100's were being widely used. Of course there all hand helds.

Mobile radios where a bit of a mixture of Taits, Philips and Simococ's. But all new vehicles from 2009 were to have simoco's installed which meant the taits and Philips would eventually be phased out as vehicles were replaced.

As I said I think I've forgotten most of the radio stuff, like cross linking and setting mobile repeaters  blah blah blah...  Must have been in a previous life.

[Brock]

Ah, now using them for repeaters is a different story, and there is some sort of licence available for that use, but as I never went into that side of things, I'm not very up on the details. As for the reserved channels for data use?? Ive never ever heard of them being used, and cant really see the point.

[Sabie]

All that I mentioned in the previous post dealt with the Qld Government Fire Service.

[ST2UP]

Sectrum Managment Agency (or what ever they are called this week) designated Ch.22 and 23 for data use only some years ago......try and Tx with the PTT on a current model UHFCB, you just get an error tone.

We set a few UHF CB's up years ago for cow cockies to turn on/off pumps in the pump shed by selcall from the house or other radios about the farm......worked very well and saved considerable time.   


 

[DaleMcLean]

SPectrum Managment Agency (or what ever they are called this week) designated Ch.22 and 23 for data use only some years ago......try and Tx with the PTT on a current model UHFCB, you just get an error tone.

Yep UNLESS you have an imported cheapie (illegal) that does TX OK and then wonder why your mates cant talk back to you 
Had that a few times, with those not RX ing thinking something was wrong with their radio/system  \


Coming home last week, as its still school holidays, ther were some kids with "toys" chatting about crap on 29