where's everybody at?

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bodda_777
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where's everybody at?

Post by bodda_777 »

Hi folks.... A returning 90's CBer here looking to get back into radio things a bit again....
So put together a cheap little uk40fm setup just to see how things are going in my area (Teeside) and so far can't find a single soul ..
Is everyone using am or ssb instead nowadays?
Or has PMR446 maybes replaced ye old muppet boxes nowadays?
What's the craic y'all?

Thankings muchly in advance :)
The Collector
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by The Collector »

They're all using Facebook, whatever that is? ;)

You're finding out what a lot of others have in the last few years, that's it's almost dead on the channels. However, If you can hoik up a 5/8 wave aerial 30ft up, then you might have a bit more joy...either that or get an SSB radio (now legal on some freq's) and you may get further afield...conditions-permitting.
Tim
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by Tim »

I think the reasons for the lack of voices in the box are, truck drivers are now driving for Companies instead of being owner drivers and these Companies don't allow CB in their trucks. Another is that quite a lot of operators from that time are no longer with us and those that are have given it up leaving a minority still operating although there are quite a few that have lived their lives and come back to it like yourself. Those we now call 'millennials' have very little or no interest in radio, but there always will be some that have and will, because we are now in an age of digital communication. Cars have evolved and got smaller and the plastic dashboards are constructed in such a way that there is no provision to bolt a rig to and are so hermetically sealed that you have great difficulty in finding any way you can route the power cable to hook it up to an adequate power source, no good using the cigar socket as the wiring to it is not heavy enough and won't deliver the required power to drive a rig properly.
bodda_777
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by bodda_777 »

Many thanks folks.... The Intel is much appreciated.
Cheers.
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lambrettadave
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by lambrettadave »

You could try getting out to some high ground and try ch38
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ch25
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by ch25 »

CB is long time dead.
There are a few maniacs on legal 40 here, little traffic on #19 - road channel, some pirates on 26.xxx, but most of the time just background noise.
Chris
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Tim
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by Tim »

Most of the 'maniacs' as you call them have now moved over to SSB!
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ch25
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by ch25 »

Some to CW too :)
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original45
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by original45 »

West mids Birmingham black country still has loads of cb users.
They seem to pop into other bands when their alive then back to cb for rest of day.
Literally loads of users.
I havnt switched a cb on in a while myself.
Through last summer I was on night Oh taking part in several nets from South West to north east when conditions allowed.

Pmr several use the channels nightly ,few grouped in daytime also around Malvern area who I chatted too when out .
Cb this way is v v lively ,not too quiet .
Few mobiles about and annoys me how 19 seems to be the new breaking channel.
No one uses 14.
Honestly!!. Grrr.

Used to travel mids to highlands several times a year, always took the cb.not always many on but have chatted to many on journey.
Yes it's not like the 70s on am a great pitty.
And not like the 80s 90s fm thankfully..
But this way is still buissy.
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Admiral
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by Admiral »

They're all on Discord.
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andrew013
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by andrew013 »

Tim wrote: 14 Jan 2020, 13:36 Most of the 'maniacs' as you call them have now moved over to SSB!
your not wrong there {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd}
was going to say most of 19fm have now moved to t5 thats 27.555 ch 12 high band boda 777 and im north east you would defo hear some of them im sure if you got an ssb set
it drives me nuts they just dont and cant comprehend that you dont talk on the calling channel, all i get is i can talk where i want
yeah because your a braindead moron from ch 19 and a one channel; operator with a hf set covering 0 to 30 mhz and 100 watts but i digress
get a ssb set and have a listen else where you may be surprised
on air,tyne&wear,northumberland,durham,holy island,eu120+eu124 and anywhere from gateshead/north wales
scrap uk 40 give cbers L/M/Hcalling on 27.355/555 usb qsy 27.015 lsb/410 usb cb radio is for life not just for profits
i do cb radio not 11mtres,countrys worked 2015 with imax 2000 72
Tim
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by Tim »

When I switch on, especially evenings, most evenings I have to listen to one Welsh 'station' conducting a net on .555 and also another Welsh 'station' chatting away and every other word that comes out of his mouth begins with an f and asking them why they can't turn that knob even just one click either to the left or the right sends them into a frenzied tirade of abusive language, they think that just because the band is quiet that there is no-one else on the frequency, you can tell them until you're blue in the face but they never learn! You can't educate pork. {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd}
26TC62
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by 26TC62 »

There is still life on FM but it's not everywhere like it used to be. There is a fair bit of activity in the south, some regular nets and "local channels". Most of the activity is on SSB now but when the Sporadic E is running I still always flick up on to the UK channels to see what's up there - and it always brings contacts. It was where I started out so I will always have a soft spot for it. For a local ragchew with a few on it is far easier on the ears than SSB to me. On a lot of SSB nets there are often people off the frequency in different directions by enough to be annoying.

Agree with you Tim about people talking on the T5. When the propagation is weak I often hear people who can't hear the DX waffling all over it and ruining it for those of us who can.
108EH002
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by 108EH002 »

Tim wrote: 16 Jan 2020, 09:15 You can't educate pork. {bnghd} {bnghd} {bnghd}
I disagree that all of the people in question are thick as sh1t,who sit talking on calling frequencies all the time = as some have passed an amateur radio test (some 3 parts) = who like to "talk sh1te and have a laugh on air with their mates" who are also amateur,but especially on UK FM.

Some of the local "@rseholes" who block calling frequencies are amateur radio ops = and not just the run of the mill "thick as sh1te in the neck of a bottle" CB'er types.

Edit = Each area will no doubt have different levels of hassle on calling frequencies,but up here it is ok in the East.
Last edited by 108EH002 on 16 Jan 2020, 21:36, edited 1 time in total.
Plenty are talking worldwide on 27.555 usb,
Some are too far up their own @rse to admit it,
Many happen to know otherwise dx-ing test free,
Showing a complete lack of respect for the law.

27.555 Usb
Tim
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Re: where's everybody at?

Post by Tim »

So, if the 'amateurs' are doing the same as the 'CBers' then they are no different, I think that being so called 'responsible operators' the amateurs should lead by example, in fact, a lot of them are hypocrites and not forget where they started, which they seem to have. Have some respect.
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