[royce]

If you havent used Sideband you are missing out on a whole side of CB!

Yep Upper and Lower are the single sides so somebody can be on 20 lower and you on 20 upper and not hear each other

I would imagine youd be able to get some nice half wave base antennas and masts over there to get it up high, I used to have a setup that would make TV's stop working if the antenna was below the TV antenna so I had to get it up high

[fritter]

The tandy should be fine for the car. Use AM for the short range car to car stuff and ssb for the longer distances.

As Royce mentioned, get your home base antenna up as high and clear of any trees, roofs etc as possible and it'll do a grand job.

[skyman]

Since I have so many Standard AM CB's laying around, and the one SSB Tandy I will see if I can find a good base to setup.

I will use the SSB rig in the Sierra for wheeling(and hook up the linear), and install the Roosevelt presidents in the DD's for in town. Since the CB traffic has dropped off quite a bit I am hoping I will get good use out of them.

My house is in a good spot on the west end of town, my block is on a little rise. We don't have a view, but from the roof I can see the mountains I wheel, and most of town.

Aside from that I would really like to try and shoot some skip from the top of the mountains again. Makign contacts from 2000 miles away can be a bit of fun.

[royce]

the linear might work better from home, it will certainly hear a car better with a big antenna so the extra power out might help the cars hear back.

Geez if some decent skip gets going I might have to drag my gear out and try for a CQ with skyman

[Rusho]

On a side note...what is a 'GOOD' hand held unit? I would rather spend some decent dollars on a unit I can take between a couple of cars. Any thouhts?

[MacDaddy]

Rusho wrote:

On a side note...what is a 'GOOD' hand held unit? I would rather spend some decent dollars on a unit I can take between a couple of cars. Any thouhts?

Depends what distance/transmit power you want... and if you want a basic model, or intermediate, or all the bells and whistles... and most important, how much you want to spend... some of them can be alot more expensive that an in car model... have a look thru ebay, and get an idea of cost and features and range...

I have an in car unit, and a couple of 1Watt Oricom hand helds...

[Rusho]

I want the best of everything Macbear. Preferably under $500. Any ideas what I should look at?

[royce]

Rusho wrote:

I want the best of everything Macbear. Preferably under $500. Any ideas what I should look at?

You can get jsut as good inside in a handheld as an in car unit but trying to use em and hook up external antennas and power neatly sucks

You could get this
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php ... ts_id=2670
and other mounts for other cars (I am assuming you are looking to swap between Coily and Playdo)
but its still going to have shit hanging out of it everywhere, you need to try and mount it where you can see it with all the cable hanging out etc

or this
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php ... ts_id=2765

With an extra antenna, radio mount and power lead setup in both cars so you just swap them over

Then you can compliment it with a cheap handheld that doesn't matter if it falls out the window so much

[MacDaddy]

royce wrote:

Rusho wrote:

I want the best of everything Macbear. Preferably under $500. Any ideas what I should look at?

You can get jsut as good inside in a handheld as an in car unit but trying to use em and hook up external antennas and power neatly sucks

You could get this
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php ... ts_id=2670
and other mounts for other cars (I am assuming you are looking to swap between Coily and Playdo)
but its still going to have shit hanging out of it everywhere, you need to try and mount it where you can see it with all the cable hanging out etc

or this
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php ... ts_id=2765

With an extra antenna, radio mount and power lead setup in both cars so you just swap them over

Then you can compliment it with a cheap handheld that doesn't matter if it falls out the window so much

You beat me to it, i was just looking in Prestige...

Very few of them have 80Ch yet, but are programmable for 80Ch, if thats something you were looking at...

This one has 80Ch -
Icom 80Ch
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php ... x&cPath=34

But, go here and have a look around -
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/

[skyman]

royce wrote:

the linear might work better from home, it will certainly hear a car better with a big antenna so the extra power out might help the cars hear back.

You know, I tend to think you are right, I have never used a linear from home. Years back I could get all over the states ad a few countries I could to understand...All for the vehicle.

I had a 75 watt linear (RX/TX gain, the teddy Roosevelt president (Didn't even know about ssb), and a 12' steel whip. I just assumed it would be better out of the vehicle. Now that I think about it, having a big antenna hiked up o the roof with a liear qwould probably hear better ad transmit farther. I was just thinking the extra power would help me out of the canyons and such.

royce wrote:

Geez if some decent skip gets going I might have to drag my gear out and try for a CQ with skyman

Now that would rock

I must have stumbled on the CB hey day. Back when I was using it all the time there were 309 or so local CB'ers ad I could talk skip anytime I got near a hill or rise. We used them in between our personal cars at work too. Seems like everyone had a CB back then.

The digital cell phones came of age and they got so quiet I never install it in my next rig.

If I can get some decent Skip going Rocye, I will let you know and you'll have to drag out your old stuff.

I wish I would have never sold the old linear I had, it was good old one.

[Sixes350]

Can't believe this thread has gone all 10-3.

My present setup is the Icom IC-400 pro. Awesome unit due to ease of programming (with cable and software). It also carries the Milspec tag so it it rugged. 80 channel plus over 40 user programmable channels (receive and transmit). It has a front speaker and comes with a DIN kit. Speaker is good quality and does not distort with high volume. They have a large heat sink at the rear and will handle 25w (illegal without commercial licence). I picked mine up for around $400 2 years ago and have ordered a new unit for the Jimny to mount under the stereo. All I need now is a SSB 27MHz to install (does anyone have a good one they want to sell???)

My antenna I use on the Jimny is a spring loaded 4.5dB ground independant setup. For the future 27MHz it will be a standard whip for mobile but will be predominantly used as a static setup where the 9' stainless will be put on.

On my Commodore ute I have the "on glass" antenna for local use and have a hard mount that uses a 6dB fibreglass stick. I find this booms out more than enough when I go driving out on the highways.

I have used the newer small GME radios and yeah, they do the job and fit in small places. They are around the $250 mark. I keep my previous model aside so when I dive the trucks at work I can easily hook it up and have comms.

The Vertex radios are also one that I am interested in trying out but I want the commercial type as I can tinker with it.

As for handhelds, IMO Icom all the way but they do cost a few $$$. Last one I had was the IC-40 and had good battery life, plenty of add ons and had 5w output plus the benefit of hooking up an external antenna.

Things to look for with a handheld are output power and what battery power they use. The cheaper units will use AAA or AA batteries so you have to carry these around. Smaller units will only have up to 1 or 2 watts transmit power which is perfectly fine for short range use especially when driving close together on tracks etc. There are some handhelds on eBay that work well.

Antennas-
Ok, first off, you want an ANTENNA and not an AERIAL.
Your CB (Citizen Band) with require an antenna. Your car stereo uses an aerial. Yeah, pedantic I know.

I have used the on glass antennas and these work well, have reasonable range (about 3-5+ km) and are low profile so it does not attract attention that you have a CB on board.

So, What to shop for-
Get a decent base to suit your antenna. Something spring loaded will help protect your investment from trees and vibration. Get good quality coax and connectors as this will minimise your signal loss. Ensure you have good, clean power to your CB (don't forget earth points for the radio and antenna mounting). Some of the bigger radios can draw a few amps and should be hard wired (not via the cigarette plug). Check the info on your radio for power requirements.

I notice that this thread does not have the Channel List (UHF). For those that do not know and want to pick any old channel, attached is a list to give you an idea on what you can / can't use.

Attachment:

80 Channel UHF Information.doc

[atari4x4]

what's your 20 Sixes350?

[Sixes350]

Townsville but currently away with work at the moment. I don't have my home base setup just yet (18' Stationmaster for 27MHz and a 10' UHF). I am chasing a good SSB radio to put into the Jimny so I can DX

[MacDaddy]

Sixes350 wrote:

Townsville but currently away with work at the moment. I don't have my home base setup just yet (18' Stationmaster for 27MHz and a 10' UHF). I am chasing a good SSB radio to put into the Jimny so I can DX

You seem to know a bit about CB transceivers, how much do you know ?
I am also looking for a good AM/SSB 27mhz CB, while UHF is good for short distance, i still like 27mhz CB, i grew up using them...

[Sixes350]

Years ago I used to mod the SSB's for extra channels and also tweak them up for a little more power. I had an oscilloscope and frequency counter plus various other tools. These have since been sold.

I have 3 stationmaster antennas for use around the 27MHz freq's and also a huge 10' self made home base UHF antenna. My 1 good stationmaster and UHF base will be mounted onto to a 40' telescopic mast when I get somewhere to live that will allow it to be put up (currently renting)

I also used to own a Yaesu 757GX and a 101. The 757 was awesome till someone broke in a stole it. The 101 was a monster of a thing and valve driven making for a nice heater for the room in winter This was sold to a local amateur when I was in SA as he could put it to full use.

There are about three of the older 18 channel radios 27MHz radios I still have and four FM92 UHF (2 x ex Police and 2 x Commercial). I need to dig them out and put it all in one spot. I have a SSB in my Commodore Ute and should really pull it out and put it in the Jimny. I have been keeping an eye on the new Uniden Bearcat 980 but have not seen any for sale in Australia. Most of the good SSB's that are for sale are in the USA but trying to ship them here costs a few $$$

[MacDaddy]

Sixes350 wrote:

Years ago I used to mod the SSB's for extra channels and also tweak them up for a little more power. I had an oscilloscope and frequency counter plus various other tools. These have since been sold.

I have 3 stationmaster antennas for use around the 27MHz freq's and also a huge 10' self made home base UHF antenna. My 1 good stationmaster and UHF base will be mounted onto to a 40' telescopic mast when I get somewhere to live that will allow it to be put up (currently renting)

I also used to own a Yaesu 757GX and a 101. The 757 was awesome till someone broke in a stole it. The 101 was a monster of a thing and valve driven making for a nice heater for the room in winter This was sold to a local amateur when I was in SA as he could put it to full use.

There are about three of the older 18 channel radios 27MHz radios I still have and four FM92 UHF (2 x ex Police and 2 x Commercial). I need to dig them out and put it all in one spot. I have a SSB in my Commodore Ute and should really pull it out and put it in the Jimny. I have been keeping an eye on the new Uniden Bearcat 980 but have not seen any for sale in Australia. Most of the good SSB's that are for sale are in the USA but trying to ship them here costs a few $$$

Ahhh ok you would have been handy to know years ago, hehe...
I have an old 23ch Pearce Simpson home base unit, dual power, 12V & 240V, that i am not sure works, but would want to get it modded to 40ch, its similar to this one -

And i have a Pearce and Simpson Super Panther MkIV, which had the SSB/AM push button damaged in storage, so not sure that works either, this is a pic of it -

Large pic of it here -
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/Kaki0TzjeGE/maxresdefault.jpg

Unfortunately, trying to find someone who can still work on and fix 27mhz CB's is difficult, most dont even want to know about them, and when i do find someone, they arnt local and want heaps to repair them, more than the cost of a new set...

But yeah, now looking for a good new SSB/AM CB for the Zook now... not many sold in OZ, except old 2nd hand units, which can still be good, but often need a retune and a good clean out/new mic, and most of the new ones come from the USA, and as you say, costs to ship here...
The Cobra's look to be good, but dont know much about them... i like the this one, with Frequency Readout, and Variable RF Power -
http://www.13dl.de/board/uploads/post-1 ... 268311.JPG

[Sixes350]

The Galaxy radios are great. I used to own one of its brothers ages ago and never missed a beat.

I am in contact with a guy who sells them (Galaxy and other models) here in Oz for a reasonable price. These have been tuned and power has been upped to ~30w on sideband. PM me and I will send you details if you like.