Absolute Beginner - Northern Ireland

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StuartMcD
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Joined: 21 Jun 2021, 11:21

Absolute Beginner - Northern Ireland

Post by StuartMcD »

Hi Folks,
Just to start off, I am a complete beginner when it comes to CB radio and have never used one at all!

I am a frequent off road driver but always communicated with good quality 2 way radios and never really saw the need for CB and the massive antennas that are planted on other off roaders which I frequently find broken on lying on the trail. However I am taking part in a charity expedition across the Sahara and a CB is an essential piece of kit in order to keep in contact with the rest of the group and to be honest I do not know where to start, I have tried educating myself on YouTube etc but need some better advice.

CB radio is illegal in Africa so it will need to be hidden away including antenna until we are across the border. based on this I am looking at a Midland M5 which is a small unit that can be placed down the side of the seat with all the controls on the mic along with a Thunderpole Orbitor on a magnetic mount?? I am writing this as if I know what I am talking about when in reality I have no clue!

Will this set up suffice? Has anyone any experience with this set up? Are there any better alternatives? Is there a handheld CB that would give the performance required [2-3 mile range] without external antenna?

Any help or advice whatsoever would be greatly received.

many thanks

Stuart
paulears
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Re: Absolute Beginner - Northern Ireland

Post by paulears »

If fitted up a few charity projects and they have ALL been ultra serious on licences, kit type and country specific legislation. In African countries charities are very serious about working within the often crazy rules.

One thing though is certain. You intend smuggling illegal equipment across a border, into a country that have odd ways of dealing with contraband? My friend deals in radios and lives in The Gambia. He needs to bribe officials and do many free jobs to be able to work there. The authorities have guns and prisons. Charities will dump people raiding funds in this way because if you all get your vehicles seized and equipment removed they don’t want the publicity.

I’m assuming this is a non-sponsored event, where you just give the, money afterwards, so understand why you intend doing it.

I expect you’ll do it anyway, so the answers you need are ones you already know. Yes, you really will need external antennas. I assume there will be lots of people using CB kit, not just your small group? Realistically all CB antennas are poor and the shorter the worse, so you need the best you can smuggle. Inside antennas are going to severely limit your range. With any illegal activity in a foreign land, advice is best from people doing it. We can only advise on the technical side, and with CB, big outside antennas are the only way to get car to car range that is useful.

The other thing I don’t know. If you are needing to talk to other people not in your party, are their CBs using the same channels? Is UK cb kit the same as US? I don’t know?
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