Any old AM CB radio users out there? - Page 10

Gremlin · 05-10-2016, 18:54

I've just travelled 300 miles on the A1 and M62 with my new CB installed in my car and not one peep out of it. I had it scanning every channel AM and FM British and EU. It does work because where I stay I heard the farmers in their tractors asking for another empty trailer.
I only have a mag mount and temporary installation so out it comes destined for the back of the shed. .

RainbowSix · 06-10-2016, 11:13

If someone fails the foundation license then they are either not doing it through a club (or at a bad club) or are just completely thick! its easy peasy.

Lets face it, radio communication as was is virtually dead.

It's mainly all digital and using the interweb now, only die hard hams (or older near dying hams) are still using it for what it was, CB too - this is only still used by older users that knew what it was back in the day.

Anyone wanting comms now would generally find themselves using mobile phones, skype, discord etc. where they can have more private discussions, public ones etc without planks etc.

If your not in a phone area little handies may get used, but TBH I cannot say I have seen enough people using them (outside of a rally or radio club) to be able to continue counting on my other hand.

My first contact in 20+ years was using Echolink to a caravan in SA from my Nexus 7, then over 50km through HF to a ham. Since then its only really been contests that have made much noise on my radio, anything else is a beep, buzz, wizz or bluuuurrrrghgghh!

I told my kids about the conversation and they tell me that they do that almost every day via their computer.

Neil · 06-10-2016, 12:33

Foundation is mainly about safety and rules/regulations with a tiny bit of technical in but you could probably pass without the tech bit.

I don't agree it's all digital, I was doing some PSK63 last night on 30m. By digital do you mean voice or typed? Unless you mean CW which is probably the oldest form or digital comms

RainbowSix · 06-10-2016, 16:07

PSK63 is digital?
A lot goes via different digital formats.

Gremlin · 06-10-2016, 17:50

I only bought the CB recently because I've been doing regular trips over the M62 and down the A1. I thought maybe the patter between other road users could advise me of hold ups or crashes to be avoided. Anyway it's packed away now.
When I got my B radio ham licence in the 1970,s and later the A licence it was stipulated that it could not be used for general broadcasts such as saying a certain road had delays.
Apart from using the old Internet forum such as this I never use a PC for any sort of QSO.
My last big HF contact on SSB was the Australian Grand Prix special event station.
My last contact on CW was an operator just outside Moscow.
Both using a vertical.

Neil · 07-10-2016, 21:30

Very few truck drivers have CB's now so no traffic reports anymore and you still can't make traffic broadcast messages on ham bands unless you CQ'd for anyone stuck in this traffic jam at junction 21 on the M6

Neil · 07-10-2016, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainbowSix

PSK63 is digital?
A lot goes via different digital formats.

Yes PSK is digital, only been playing with it a bit. It's typed not spoken

Gremlin · 08-10-2016, 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Yes PSK is digital, only been playing with it a bit. It's typed not spoken

Is that similar to the old packet radio we used in the 80's.
I had on Tandy terminal and built a packet radio circuit into it using an old Yeasu two metre set with crystal for the two frequencies.

Neil · 09-10-2016, 03:36

Packet is before my time but from what I know it was passed from user to user until it got where it was going.
PSK is like RTTY which is still used a lot

Here is a wiki link to PSK31 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSK31

Just found a good link for many different ham digital modes http://hfradio.org.uk/html/digital_modes.html

Gremlin · 09-10-2016, 09:46

That's the packet system I used Neil. It took about an hour to get a few words to Glasgow going via the IOM and Carlisle then Dumfries and Kilmarnock. All exciting stuff back then.
I have a multi system box somewhere which does Packet, RTTY and other.
I used it on HF to see the shipping forecasts and map changes at 15 past midnight and every four hours.
When I moved down here I sold the HF gear and antennas but still have 2 and 70 in a mobile and hand held. I keep meaning to get active again.
In the meanwhile the CB I bought recently has been packed away and I wasted money.

Neil · 09-10-2016, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gremlin

.... I keep meaning to get active again....

If you're local to Accrington you will probably be able to hit GB3RF which is up Willows Lane with your hand held 145.775 with a -0.6 split and 82.5Hz CTCSS

Gremlin · 09-10-2016, 16:50

I was a member of the repeater group going back many years when the Bowling club was packed for the meetings.
I think the late Jack Addison was an early chairman.
The repeater was moved from Hambledonhill due to excessive costs but a member from the top of Fern Gore put it in his house.
The Club had a chance to buy the GB3PF site, the 70cm repeater but declined.
It was going for a song and would be worth a fortune today with all the other commercial users there.
And yes, my hand held can open RF but I don't hear anybody. Mind you it's not every day I have a listen.

Neil · 09-10-2016, 17:35

I'm a member but haven't been up for a few months, work has been getting in the way of play