cb radios

[stumpy150]

following on....

Cb radios on AM and SSB were illegal in the Uk as they interfered with everything form TV;s to Emergency services.

In 1981 the Govt decided to licence 27mhz FM radios with 4watts output on a maximum length of antenna being 1.5m .

The airwaves were swamped !! and prices were high for the kit.

There were CB radio shops springing up all over..

Then people started increasing power, channels, large aerials etc.. and using SSB for international calling.


I had a Superstar 360 with loads of channels, a Yagi full beam antenna on a rotator and a 1kw amp... I blanked out all TV's for a 3 mile radius of our house. I had told my dad that I was going to train to be a radio ham and needed the equipment to set up my ''HOME OFFICE'' approved radio......he fell for it until the neighbours started beating on our door during coronation street so was then restricted on use/power to the early hours of the morning...........

I learned to drive and transferred most of my kit into my escort van with an 8 foot aerial bolted on the towbar, but that wasn't big enough so I then started transporting an aluminium aerial mast and an 18 foot Thunderpole and two hgv batteries in the rear... Sat on deserted moorland being petrified that the DTI would be out with their scanner vans looking for me...thise were the days

 

[EddiePJ]

Happy days as a teenager, spent out in the shed until 3.00am talking to girls and setting up dates (always a mistake) They somehow always sounded nicer and slimmer!

We would also venture into Tunbridge Wells, go to the top of the multi storey carpark and try to annoy anyone else that we could, who happened to be in the area using a CB radio. To really annoy them, you had to have an echo mike.

This all happened from about 1982 until mid 1985. AM seemed to be more for the serious user, and FM seemed to be for idiots like me. I had both, but never really used AM.

They served a purpose back in the day, and many friendships were formed. Other than communicating to other off road vehicles, which is something that I have frequently seen, I wonder if anyone still use one as fun. Probably not.

 

[Artstu]

talking to girls and setting up dates (always a mistake) They somehow always sounded nicer and slimmer!

Oh so true, illusion shattered.

 

[Artstu]

Don't tell Flud I've been off-roading.

Around 150 miles on the trusty DV27

 

[stumpy150]

Eddie - I never bothered with an echo mike - I had a Rodger Beep which was annoying as hell... nearly as bad as a Rodger K......I also wiped everyone out with my Zetagi Linear TX amp 1KW !!!!

 

[D8ve]

I think the point about illegality was more to prevent the mob organising and possibly rebeling against the lawful government.
Just think how bad those naughty miners could have been with effective coms. It also reduced the chances of spies from making reports to the homeland without identifying themselves. And of course protecting the Ltd spectrum available.

 

[tommie]

ahh, the good ole days before mobile phones!

started here with a DV27 on a sheet of tin perched in a fir tree,
remember the Pulsar 80, broke through every tv set for miles

moved on to eventually a Cobra 148 GTL DX with a D104 mic and a Moonraker 4

it was around 1980 here and every other house had one

 

[stumpy150]

ive still got a York JCB 863 40 Channel , powerpack and a couple of firestix antennae in the attic ......perhaps one day I will fire it up..

 

[Yamdude]

Used a CB for many years when i was a trucker, they really are invaluable for this work and are still widely used by truckers. My last full time job, that i was in for 11 years was driving for a Somerfield regional distribution center. Couldn't use my rig then, as in this sort of work you have a different truck every day.
Still got my Midland rig and mag mount twig up in the loft somewhere.... i guess i should Ebay it as i doubt i'll use it again.

 

[stumpy150]

I think the 'tech has changed from 40 channel fm stuff...I fired mine up a couple of years ago and it was silent on all channels

 

[D8ve]

Should I get my old ham multi mode out of the loft then?

 

[Artstu]

Should I get my old ham multi mode out of the loft then?

Good ones fetch good money

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ham-International-Multi-Mode-2-CB-Radio-/252323632812?hash=item3abfa916ac:g:L~UAAOSwvgdW6v4s&nma=true&si=a%2FYP1YWks5Ca09dFTUJwJNIsHLw%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[Gubbins]

following on....

Cb radios on AM and SSB were illegal in the Uk as they interfered with everything form TV;s to Emergency services.

In 1981 the Govt decided to licence 27mhz FM radios with 4watts output on a maximum length of antenna being 1.5m .

The airwaves were swamped !! and prices were high for the kit.

There were CB radio shops springing up all over..

Then people started increasing power, channels, large aerials etc.. and using SSB for international calling.


I had a Superstar 360 with loads of channels, a Yagi full beam antenna on a rotator and a 1kw amp... I blanked out all TV's for a 3 mile radius of our house. I had told my dad that I was going to train to be a radio ham and needed the equipment to set up my ''HOME OFFICE'' approved radio......he fell for it until the neighbours started beating on our door during coronation street so was then restricted on use/power to the early hours of the morning...........

I learned to drive and transferred most of my kit into my escort van with an 8 foot aerial bolted on the towbar, but that wasn't big enough so I then started transporting an aluminium aerial mast and an 18 foot Thunderpole and two hgv batteries in the rear... Sat on deserted moorland being petrified that the DTI would be out with their scanner vans looking for me...thise were the days

I remember it well!

 

[Gubbins]

There were a few out of the way places around here where you could fire up and hopefully talk to someone in another country, but my dti worries were transfered to the police, them being the figure of authority but having confirmed what we were doing they became fascinated by the kit and we're not worried about any Ilegalities...
A bit like dongles really...
I had a scaffolding pole bolted to my land-rover bumper so couldn't easily drive away.

 

[mike killay]

I know a couple, happily married 30+ years, grand kids etc.
They met on CB

 

[Gubbins]

I know a couple, happily married 30+ years, grand kids etc.
They met on CB

Never did much eyeballing.. or whatever it was called.
Made a few friends with common interests tho..
Long time ago.

 

[paul20v]

ahh, the good ole days before mobile phones!

started here with a DV27 on a sheet of tin perched in a fir tree,
remember the Pulsar 80, broke through every tv set for miles

moved on to eventually a Cobra 148 GTL DX with a D104 mic and a Moonraker 4

it was around 1980 here and every other house had one

Nice
I still have a cobra 148 gtl in the cupboard
And a selection of firestix aerials
In the 80s we used too have a president madison home base as well cant remember what size burner it had thou

 

[Gubbins]

Mine went many years ago, but toward the end I had one in the car connected to the normal car areal which I amused myself with when waiting outside shops for the wife... It didn't work very well.. unless you were really close..
Well, Daughter used to have music lessons and after I dropped her off I would park up at Redcar Tarn and read until her pickup time.... One day there was an old ambulance with an odd looking couple breaker breakering for all they were worth, so I popped in with an Eyeball Eyeball and kept my nose in my book!!
They responded with where are you good buddy!!!!.. So, trying to remain inconspicuous I said// "I'm in the Blue Escort" Tee Hee .. they ran over and introduced themselves to a very perplexed chap who immediately drove off.

 

[mike killay]

So it was you!