VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

[ChelseaCat]

MMMMmmmmmmmmm its the equipment bit thats stopping me vote, I would rather just vote on the band allocation TBH, would you use a VHF CB band allocation.

[Windy_Miller]

Sigh, theres just no pleasing some folk.... The poll was originally just Yes/No, in fact, it was only meant to be Yes without the No, but the poll wouldn't allow just 1 option.

Whats becoming apparant is that we are talking about a few dozen folk who would be interested in doing it properly and using type approved equipment, with a few more that would be happy to use their Baofengs. Its not the "huge interest" that the wishcasters are hoping for, and likely to cause OFCOM to say Yes.

Even if they do say yes, then there are still going to be very few folk willing to jump across from mobile phones. There are many many more folk on 27 MHz at the moment than will ever be on VHF - And even today, the common compliant is that "there is no one else on, except for button pushers, bucket mouths and music players"

Wishcast away, but I very much doubt that any of the manufacturers are going to be willing to get their kit type approved in order to sell a couple of dozen of them, and without a prospect of type approved kit, then OFCOM are somewhat unlikely to grant the allocation.

I predicted somewhere between 20 and 1000 people who might want to use VHF CB - Looks like its an awful lot closer to the former than the latter!

[RadioPixie]

Mr Miller, what about equipment that is compliant for Business PMR already that can be used, programmed with the VHF frequency allocation and set at whatever the power level would be. After all such radios are built to a spurious emissions /EMC standard aren't they??

BTW I won't be drawn into the debate of users upping the power output.

[LeakyFeeder]

The reply was to Leaky Feeder who seemed (My interpretation of his posting) to be dismissing UHF as a "no range" band.
Yes this thread is about short range coms. 10-15 miles in the daytime on VHF has to be far more useful than 1-2 miles on 27 MHz in the daytime due to a high noise floor.
The farm, where my caravan often is, uses not exactly cutting edge aerials on the tractors due to the aerials getting clouted regular (Hence broken) so range is compromised before any QRM comes in

I know all about the decent ranges that is poss on UHF... ... wen i first got my G7 call twenty years ago i worked most of the UK on minimal power on 70cms simplex... its just that 5w is all well n done but sometimes its nice to have a bit more poke to shove up the pipe...an i cant see new kit being cheap.....

[RadioPixie]

There's equipment for the German 149 MHz Freenet system. Here's an example out of the Wizard's sleeve which has PMR446 as well: http://simonthewizard.com/2014/04/08/te ... ew-system/

Just googled "Freenet Funk" and came up with this: http://www.thiecom.de/freenet-funkgeraete.html

As you can see it's the same old commercial equipment that is readily available.

[ChelseaCat]

The consultation period ends on May 26, 2014 so only 24 days to go, who knows will we get it or will we not, its a small chance fingers crossed but not long now to find out.

[Warden]

The reply was to Leaky Feeder who seemed (My interpretation of his posting) to be dismissing UHF as a "no range" band.
Yes this thread is about short range coms. 10-15 miles in the daytime on VHF has to be far more useful than 1-2 miles on 27 MHz in the daytime due to a high noise floor.
The farm, where my caravan often is, uses not exactly cutting edge aerials on the tractors due to the aerials getting clouted regular (Hence broken) so range is compromised before any QRM comes in

If you can only manage 1-2 miles on 27 MHz you got a problem. 10-15 miles is nothing for me on 27 MHz in fact anyone that close gives me an over an S9.

[RogerD]

I think you missed the important bit

1-2 miles on 27 MHz in the daytime due to a high noise floor.

[M0PLT]

I think you missed the important bit

1-2 miles on 27 MHz in the daytime due to a high noise floor.

Indeed. My ground-wave signal might well be reaching out 15 miles, but thanks to the electronic crud around me, I cannot hear you unless you: (i) are within 3 miles (mobile); (ii) have a decent home-base aerial and matching ground-wave signal; (iii) are running illegal power.

[StormShadow]

The reply was to Leaky Feeder who seemed (My interpretation of his posting) to be dismissing UHF as a "no range" band.
Yes this thread is about short range coms. 10-15 miles in the daytime on VHF has to be far more useful than 1-2 miles on 27 MHz in the daytime due to a high noise floor.
The farm, where my caravan often is, uses not exactly cutting edge aerials on the tractors due to the aerials getting clouted regular (Hence broken) so range is compromised before any QRM comes in

If you can only manage 1-2 miles on 27 MHz you got a problem. 10-15 miles is nothing for me on 27 MHz in fact anyone that close gives me an over an S9.

I can do 30 to 40 miles on 27MHz using 4watts on a 9ft whip antenna from indoors but I did try it outside and it wasn't much difference to be honest there is a lot of noise on the band so even a contact from 30 miles away I struggle to hear them.

[ChelseaCat]

Just 1 week to go to get your messages sent to Ofcom.

[GeeFull]

Just 1 week to go to get your messages sent to Ofcom.

Indeed!
If you fancy a VHF CB band, get your point/desires across soon!
No doubt the legalities and restrictions will be finaly decided upon, by the powers that be, after the initaial agreement to the proposal!
Now that may, or may not, result in specifications, you personaly find palatable, but as some people these days never stick to "letters of the law", and there is little those that do can do about it, don't let that put you off "saying your piece", and making your desires known!
If you truely want it......tell them, if it happens, more power to your elbow, if it doesn't, no-one can say you didn't try!

[GeeFull]

Sorry double post!

[StormShadow]

The consultation period ends on May 26, 2014 so only 24 days to go, who knows will we get it or will we not, its a small chance fingers crossed but not long now to find out.

I hate to say this but I've got a horrible feeling that nothing will happen but fingers crossed there is a chance.

[ChelseaCat]

Well TBH I dont think we have much of a chance either but as long as we try thats all we can do. It still niggles me that Ofcom mentioned the cb allocation before we did lol, if we dont get it what a tease eh

Lets just see, its not as if we have had something taken away its just something we hoped for.

Fingers crossed, chin up you never know.