CB / radio ham advice

[jimbeekeeper]

I know a lot of you are into Radio ham. I am after some advice on a simple set-up for mainly UK coverage.

My first thought was CB, but range is limited? or can it be boosted?

Then onto licences, do I need one?

Budget, as cheap as possible!

Thanks

 

[victor meldrew]

40/ 80 metre bands give adequate coverage of the uk.
Contact the radio society of great Britain for details of license requirements ( by far simpler than they used to be and the license is now free!.).
Local radio ham rallies are the places to obtain cheap equipment !.

73s John Wilkinson

 

[Hombre]

Hi Jim, I'll email you some informaton regarding Licencing etc. It should be with you by the morning
Essentially there are three different levels of licence. Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced.
Progression is from one to the other. You would really have to work hard to be able to fail a Foundation examination.

Believe me. Please don't confuse CB and Amateur Radio, as that's considered by some as an unforgivable sin.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

as that's considered by some as an unforgivable sin.

A bit like calling a beehaus a beehive... I will get my coat!


Thanks, I await the email.

One small question, if I pick the Radio ham, can you still communicate with mere mortals that use CB?

Or is that frowned upon as the same as owing a beehaus?

 

[Somerford]

what's the difference between CB and amataeur radio / radio ham ?

regards

S

 

[oliver90owner]

A bit like calling a beehaus a beehive...

No,no, no! No need to get your coat. You are talking sense at last!!

Regards, RAB

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Ah RAB, I was wait for that!

Are you not forth Dan black belt in Radio ham?

No advice from you?

 

[Hombre]

You don't need to hold a Wireless Telegraphy (WT) Act licence in order to operate Citizens’ Band Radio equipment, providing that the equipment is operated in accordance with the WT (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2006.

wiki/Citizen band radio 27MHz

Amateur Radio Is licenced and requires examination passes to qualify. You can't run your business on it, but have frequency bands from LF through HF, VHF, UHF and microwave bands. using any radio mode that takes your fancy. Communication can be terrestrial, computer linked, local to global or via satellite. It's the only hobby that is regulated by international Treaty.

You can run your business on CB (if you can get by the profanities and inanities) and work FM in the 27MHz band (11 metre band).

No, Amateur Radio operators are not permitted to transmit in the CB bands and vice versa.
CB equipment is strictly regulated to type approved equipments. Amateur Radio Operators are, by way of their qualification permitted to construct their own transmitters. The only group to be able to do so in the UK without requiring type approvals. Foundation 10W, Intermediate 50W and Full Licence is 400W.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

No, Amateur Radio operators are not permitted to transmit in the CB bands and vice versa.
.

But is it possible to?

Lets say we are in a "28 days later" situation, and I need to comunicate?

 

[oliver90owner]

James,

My call sign is golf six very young radio. Not so young now but back in about the late seventies/early eighties when I passed that crass multiple guess exam with flying colours (without taking the full course offered at the local adult ed. classes) it was more appropriate amonst the local group.

I can imagine, if there was an exam these days, that questions like: Is there a difference between Rx and Tx? Answer 'Yes' or 'No'.

Alas, the FT92R(?) sits in a safe place, needing attention before further use. Perhaps back to that hobby if/when I retire.

Regards, RAB

 

[Hombre]

My call sign is golf six very young radio

G6VYR Not valid in the current call book, how did you do that?

My folks used to live for many years at Wittering and still have a presence there (SK).

 

[oliver90owner]

That's right, not current. But I gather it is still allocated to me, so if/when I return, that call sign will still be the one I will use.

I'm not at Wittering, although that is quite close. Any which way, I will still have my examination results for the C & G exam for 'The Radio Amateur's Certificate, parts 01 and 02' dated December '82, but cannot locate my actual certificate at present.

How did I do that? Probably by stopping my annual licence payment fee a few years back.

Regards, RAB

 

[Hombre]

I thought that might be the case when QRZ gave your last update as June 1999 and there were few lookups. You are of course aware of the changes which mean there is no class A/B,

The licence is free for life and has only to be validated once every 5 years to remain current.

The Radiocommunication Agency (RA) part of the DTI is long gone and Ofcom, part of the Treasury is in the seat. The consultation process that took place some years ago highlighted the fact that they knew absolutely nothing about Amateur Radio. That situation has improved significantly - I think and the Licensing Unit appear to be quite helpful. The BR68 document is as ancient as the Magna Carta and has been replaced with a new Licensing document that includes the T&C and schedules.

Could it have been an FT290 2m multimode that you have gathering dust? Over the last five years the number of HF to UHF multimode transceivers at reasonable price £350 to £900, epitomised by Yaseu FT817, FT857, FT897 and Icom IC7000 - and others have flourished.
PSK31 data communication with a bandwidth of 32.tHz is very popular with programs typically decoding 16 conversation streams simultaneously using the PC's sound card. If that is isn't clever enough, then the MorseSkimmer program does much the same for CW where the timing you will agree is less than optimal. Software Defined Radio (SDR) is capable of recording a 96kHz portion of a band, which can then be looped and tuned over ad infinitum. SWL contests will never be the same again Hi.

If you have kept up to speed over the last ten years, then please forgive me for the update, which might be of marginal interest to other Beekeepers who wonder what Amateur Radio is all about.

My own personal interest lies in satellite tracking and telemetry acquisition, with a lot of work to do.

I appreciate that you are in or about Stamford. My father was in the RAF at Wittering, retired to work in the village and eventually, around ten years ago, both parents retired to a plot in the church yard.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

And people say beekeeping / beehaus is expensive Been looking at some kit!

Not to be black-balled, I have been advised that a good CB set-up with amp and SSB and a large aerial will give me the type of set-up I am wanting.

 

[Hombre]

You are right in what you say about SSB and an amplifier cutting the mustard, but the advice is frankly bad.

Check out the rules and you will see that SSB is not permitted and neither is an amplifier/booster.

Check out paras 1.18 and 1.19 of this Ofcom document.

The mode and power permitted on CB is FM at 4W.

It's a fact that there is always someone listening on the radio.
The technology is there for a transmitter to be located very quickly by the authorities, should they choose to be interested. Used in from a vehicle; the vehicle has technically been used in the commissioning of a crime, If it's fixed into it, the vehicle will be confiscated along with the equipment. Most will say that it's rare. Alas, sh1t happens.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Yes rules are rules, but when the Zobies have taken over, and us that are left need to comunicate, I dont think OFCOM will be concerned.

CB and SSB/amp it is.

 

[BKF Admin]

Jim it sounds like you are getting ready for a big event.
Have you got the water purification sorted yet and the tins of corned beef in store.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Yes

Just like the boy scouts, always prepared!

And who will be laughing then, when the beehaus doubles up as our fall-out shelter

 

[oliver90owner]

James,

As soon as you increase your power you will bleed over everyone else in a large area. You will still not receive a signal strong enough from a legal set-up from outside the normal range. When a couple or three sort out your direction, you may well get a visit from someone wanting your kit for nothing!

Regards, RAB

 

[oliver90owner]

The licence is free for life and has only to be validated once every 5 years

Hombre,

Thanks for the heads up on the new details. Changed since I was told verbally that my call sign was safe and I could renew whenever I liked. I think a communication to the 'powers that be' is imminent.

Yes, it is an FT 290R. Not seen it in the last 7 or 8 years, but stored in a safe place.

Regards, RAB