CB radio's

Jinx tried to scribble ...

I have a cb, but they are pretty limited unless you're in 'convoy' with a mate or two .. ;)

When they were unlimited power and AM they were worthwhile off-road safety items. Nowadays with limited range they are a much less useful item than they used to be. Frankly a mobile phone has better coverage and is far more use and certainly far more reliable for emergencies.

Having said that .. if there _is_ more than one of you, and there ought to be when off-roading, they are really good for telling the others that you've cleared a blind exit from a hill, for instance, or that the water is _just_ a tad deeper than you thought .. ;)

Used to use them a while back when a group of 4 of us used to off-road on a regular basis. It's an excellent tool for communications between vehicles. If you don't intend to travel with other vehicles then I think it might not be so useful.

Jon

Well i do intend to travel in groups to be honest, just it does take two to tango! I have a normal uk 40 channel CB but going for the 80 Ch so i can use if going abroad. Just wondered if they were worth it? Might ask on LRO forum in the adventure section to see what they use!

Jinx

I think they are, if everyone else has one, as in this country you tend to find the EU channels are quieter at the moment still.

New legistlation is on its way through as we speak to get rid of the UK channels and leave us only with the EU ones, so getting an 80 channel set before they dissapear might be an idea (although that could be a fair while yet).

Although, and this might not bother you, UK 80-channel sets aren't legal in the rest of the EU, and won't be legal here once the UK channels have been binned.

The "safe" option would be to buy a CEPT-only 40-channel set to go with your current UK 40-channel set.

Jinx tried to scribble ...

In this context, yes, a cb is a good tool to keep in contact, in fact they're almost essential when travelling in a group.

The 80 channel _is_ a good idea, especially if you do go abroad, and using it in the UK is a useful thing as most channels are pretty well clear of other traffic .. ;)

In article , Jinx writes

Don't touch the maycom units.

Especially in a leaky landrover.

They have a problem with their internal batteries leaking onto the curcit boards. Resulting in a high pitched squeal.

I have given up sending mine for repair. Buy and old unit of off ebay and use that. they tend to be more reliable.

On or around Fri, 14 Nov 2003 18:28:11 +0000 (UTC), "Jinx" enlightened us thusly:

if yer bothered about legality...

ISTR that it's only legal to have a 40channel UK block or a 40 channel mid-block FM rig. Of course, you can have 2 rigs...

a mate has a hy-gain, which has about 5 blocks, am, fm, sideband, the works. very norty, tsk tsk. but it's a fun thing to play with :-)

Maycom fixed this back in about 1999, when they replaced the rechargeable battery with a big capacitor. The "mark 2" Maycom is pretty reliable.

Indeed I spoke to a guy in Germany on one of these when I were a lad using nothing more than a Magic wand that had been in battle with a chimney sweeps brush...lucky to get 20 on UK fm but the naughty frequencies were very effective but rather barren.

Lee D

I used to play with them as well, think I still have an old colt or two in the loft :0)

I was wondering if they would be a good idea to get forewarning of mobile speed traps when towing a trailer?? 50mph with an empty Ifor Williams is not realistic. At the moment, I just sit behind a lorry and hope he knows what he's doing! Those guys must have CB or something or they would be in court every week.

Derry

I've got two Maycom CBs - an in car unit - 80ch and a handheld, also

Both units have been seriously abused, and both refuse to fail whatever I, Charlotte or Max decides to do to them.

Martyn

Ah, pre-legalisation rig huh? I got the two Maycoms as I was just too darn lazy to go rummage around my mums loft to find my Cobra AM/FM, hi/lo, superhi/superlow, ssb jobbie from many years ago... Had ideas of rechipping it, but for the ease, a trip to my local 'old fashioned' electronics shop (N R Bardwells in Sheffield) was too tempting!

Having said this, a good rummage in my mums loft may be essential at some point as my old Yaesu FT101 is up there somewhere too...

Martyn