VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by ChelseaCat »

Its brilliant, we have spoke about it for a long time now
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by moonstrikerII »

already sent my reply to ofcom.
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by 26FB096 »

bigpimp347 wrote:like there's not enough users of 27mhz and those that use 446, now you want another band for CB..!!!
i would have thought people would be more bothered about saving whats left of an already dying 27mhz..
heck why not petition for 934mhz after all the radios are out there and the band has never been used, surely this would make more sense ??

just no pleasing some people.. :)
I think the need for CB is still there..It's just 27mhz is unusable. With Russians wiping out local comms day in, day out, noise from the 'RF Fog' that surrounds every urban area now. 27 was good in its day but the RF world is a hell of a lot noisier now, users have given up. We cannot go on pretending its 1980 and trying to chat whilst 'Olga' wipes everybody out. Around Norfolk/Suffolk the die hard CBers battled on over the years, but numbers were declining...then came 446. Its not ideal but its free from RF rubbish and bloody Russians. The numbers of CBers that have moved over to 446 is staggering. Just drive the main A14 trunk road to Felixstowe and see how many trucks now have CBs..not many...27mhz is dying as a local comms. 446 is used as a CB but range it not that good unless high gain antennae are used, and mobile, UHF suffers from annoying signal flutter. VHF simplex is the perfect answer. You just have to look at old bill, before Airwave..he was there, as was every other emergency service (except Fireman Sam). I would put money on CB rising again if it was relaunched on VHF with cheap VHF radios, small neat antennae (big aerials on cars is now SO uncool). VHF is free from PLT, Ignition Noise (common rail diesel from Ford..Don't get me started on that pile of junk they call an engine). VHF CB..Bring it on..
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by ChelseaCat »

Well thats mine sent in :)
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by bigpimp347 »

i just think 80 channels of CB which probably 78 of them are not used,
we can't blame the olgas for CB being dead, thats called skip, propagation everyone gets it, just we seem to get the russians a lot more than other countries.

is there really that many CBers out there to justify another CB band ??

446 has always been a kids play band, you can't really use it seriously due to the kids, businesses and such on there, they use it for what is was intended short range communications, to make it into a legal CB band can't happen, i mean really 500mw :) i know for fact most of the CBers and Hams that use 446 don't know what 500mw is, heck even i run 5w..!!

i'd understand if there was a shortage of channels to use like in the 80's but there's not,
and if you really want VHF and UHF then what about these tin pot foundation licences :) that'll be the next argument, you want VHF get a ham licence,

as pointed out it's not the 80's CB is about dead, 466 is full of kids, which funny but seems to attract CBers (remember CB when it was full of kids, it was also full of weirdo's, a bit like 446 is going)

we have to admit internet and mobile devices has killed radio, only a few die hards like us all on these forums (putting another nail in the coffin) are the ones wanting it busy like it used to be, bringing out another band won't bring back the old days, and i don't think will happen..
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by ChelseaCat »

I love VHF band, I hate the ham,oops sorry I mean hate the fact its only a ham band :lol:

But on a serious note the more bands the better TBH, we have read on here time and time again the split between amateur band operators and cb band operators, well this sort of thing might give radio amateurs their bands back that they so desire as some dont want M3 or M6s and some dont even want 2e0s on there lol.
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by Stronty »

Lets face it if they are giving it away or Europe is then take it, take everything and anything!

After all the farmers do, the landowners do! Subsidised to exist so take it if they are giving it I say.
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by ChelseaCat »

I second that ;)
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by G8YMW »

My own thoughts.
As intended, I have always said CB should have been on VHF (The intention was a cheap short range communication system) NOT using a 1950's standard.
When I got my license (1980), everybody I knew was getting an AM CB. I found range was absolutely pitiful compared to what I was doing on 2 metres mobile with 1 watt.
At this time most were getting to the next village or the one after and that was it. Most of it down to a high noise floor. This before computers, PLT, Engine management units and other QRM spreaders
This would be perfect for farmers, truckers and the like.
Farmers usually want communication in the Sporadic E season they can rely on.
Just think on 30-40 miles communication range and no foreign interference
After all the farmers do, the landowners do! Subsidised to exist so take it if they are giving it I say.
GO NO FURTHER WITH THAT. As someone born and bred on a farm and seen British Agriculture systematically dismantled by Brussels.....
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by 26FB096 »

bigpimp347 wrote:i just think 80 channels of CB which probably 78 of them are not used,
we can't blame the olgas for CB being dead, thats called skip, propagation everyone gets it, just we seem to get the russians a lot more than other countries.

is there really that many CBers out there to justify another CB band ??

446 has always been a kids play band, you can't really use it seriously due to the kids, businesses and such on there, they use it for what is was intended short range communications, to make it into a legal CB band can't happen, i mean really 500mw :) i know for fact most of the CBers and Hams that use 446 don't know what 500mw is, heck even i run 5w..!!

i'd understand if there was a shortage of channels to use like in the 80's but there's not,
and if you really want VHF and UHF then what about these tin pot foundation licences :) that'll be the next argument, you want VHF get a ham licence,

as pointed out it's not the 80's CB is about dead, 466 is full of kids, which funny but seems to attract CBers (remember CB when it was full of kids, it was also full of weirdo's, a bit like 446 is going)

we have to admit internet and mobile devices has killed radio, only a few die hards like us all on these forums (putting another nail in the coffin) are the ones wanting it busy like it used to be, bringing out another band won't bring back the old days, and i don't think will happen..
I agree that the 446 1 to 8 channels are just too busy with everyday traffic, the majority of 446 'CB' is on the LPD and digital channels. 446 channel 9 is a general uk and is used a lot by business, but the other 7 channels are dead. The point I was making about 27mhz is that the world has changed. The RF pollution is everywhere. I cannot remember hearing Russians at 5/9 everyday back in the 80s. I guess I hope that if VHF CB is allowed it will bring back the joy of calling for a copy whilst driving about and chatting to locals whilst on holiday etc. I hold a ham licence but its not the same..I cannot put my finger on it but ham radio seems 'stuffy'.
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by hamman1 »

This sounds like a great idea. I'm all for it! :)
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by ChelseaCat »

26FB096 wrote: I guess I hope that if VHF CB is allowed it will bring back the joy of calling for a copy whilst driving about and chatting to locals whilst on holiday etc. I hold a ham licence but its not the same..I cannot put my finger on it but ham radio seems 'stuffy'.
I second that ;)
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by Stronty »

ChelseaCat wrote:
26FB096 wrote: I guess I hope that if VHF CB is allowed it will bring back the joy of calling for a copy whilst driving about and chatting to locals whilst on holiday etc. I hold a ham licence but its not the same..I cannot put my finger on it but ham radio seems 'stuffy'.
I second that ;)
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by RadioPixie »

Stronty wrote:
ChelseaCat wrote:
26FB096 wrote: I guess I hope that if VHF CB is allowed it will bring back the joy of calling for a copy whilst driving about and chatting to locals whilst on holiday etc. I hold a ham licence but its not the same..I cannot put my finger on it but ham radio seems 'stuffy'.
I second that ;)
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Re: VHF CB Radio/Freenet in the UK?

Post by Tarambor »

Get your foundation licenses. Lots of empty space on 2m/70cm and they may be adding another 1MHz to go unused on 2m.
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