Dogs Dinner:
Hi mr smee,ham and cb? I see your at cannock (i heard on the cb of a shop round there,radio…somthing-i went but loads of kids outside and it didnt seem much friendlier inside also.maybe just went on the wrong day?) maybe you no a little bout my next Q. Anybody no anything reg 10meter cb radios? Have seen them advertised on ebay,and in cb shops i guess you need some form of licence for them as there all 25+watts output,and standard cb’s run at 4watt’s max output? someone on the cb said you can speak to breakers abroad? sounds like a powerfull bit of kit to me!
The law tends to turn a blind eye but most small Ham/CB radio’s look like an ordinary expensive CB at a glance. I use a Magnum 257 SSB radio.
My idea for a hand free mic that would be easier to driver to was have a clip on the mic which pushes the switch in, so you mount it somewhere near your mouth and use it.
I did a cheaper version on my homebase, just put an elastic band round it and spoke, then flicked it down when i was done.
Yaesu make a bluetooth widget for their radio, and you use a normal bluetooth ear peice for it. Bit expensive though.
CB and ham? Like an imported American ham radio? Or just a normal opened up ham radio, would also be able to look around and listen on other bands.
Only 4W on CB, i thought it was brought up?
As an old CBer from the very early days (smuggling it through Dover stuffed down my shirt ) but given it up years ago because of all the idiots I have long been interested in the ham thing. However, despite some very helpful advice the last time the subject came up on here, I seem to be at a disadvantage in that I would have to take the French version of the exams and through a local club - the nearest of which is a long way away .
France…blimey theres people from all over the place on here!! thanks guys for the info. Dont like the idea of being illegal,but then again isnt that what the first cb’ers were?? Hmmm
Spardo:
I seem to be at a disadvantage in that I would have to take the French version of the exams and through a local club - the nearest of which is a long way away .
And you wouldn’t be able to operate outside you native country.
In the UK,the only people who are allowed to operate outside their native country,are the full licence holders,of which I’m not one…yet.
Can’t remember if the same applies in other countries,but I think it’s pretty much a uniform decision.
It’s all to do with the fact that when you operate from another country,you ‘adopt’ a slightly different callsign,and here in the UK,the authorities have decreed that foundation and intermediate operators,are not competent enough.
Example:
If you live in the UK,and are a full licence holder,and you travel to France,you become F/G1ABC,whereas when your on home soil,your just G1ABC,and so on,and so forth.
Spardo:
I seem to be at a disadvantage in that I would have to take the French version of the exams and through a local club - the nearest of which is a long way away .
And you wouldn’t be able to operate outside you native country.
In the UK,the only people who are allowed to operate outside their native country,are the full licence holders,of which I’m not one…yet.
Can’t remember if the same applies in other countries,but I think it’s pretty much a uniform decision.
It’s all to do with the fact that when you operate from another country,you ‘adopt’ a slightly different callsign,and here in the UK,the authorities have decreed that foundation and intermediate operators,are not competent enough.
Example:
If you live in the UK,and are a full licence holder,and you travel to France,you become F/G1ABC,whereas when your on home soil,your just G1ABC,and so on,and so forth.
Ken.
We used to regularly talk to a bloke fom Alicante, on FM cbs when we were coming down the E coast from Scotland, that was just a bog standard harrier CBX and whatever twig was cheapest. I ran up the M1 on Monday, putting the world to rights with an old mate I hadn’t seen for years, on the cb. I never gave a thought about the legalities, as I thought, radios were exempt. Certainly made a boring journey go a lot quicker
Spardo:
I seem to be at a disadvantage in that I would have to take the French version of the exams and through a local club - the nearest of which is a long way away .
And you wouldn’t be able to operate outside you native country.
.
I suspect you mean ‘country of residence’ Ken, which in my case of course is France. If so, wouldn’t bother me, I like it so much I hardly ever leave the place and in any case am more interested in a homebase operation.
I forget where the nearest club was ( I am way out in the sticks) but it wasn’t convenient.
I have to say though David,if you were to take the French equivalent,and like homebase operation,then you would love what the hobby has to offer.
I’ve just come off my homebase Yaesu FT 767,after talking to a guy in Minsk,in Russia,and he was that loud and strong,you would have thought he was next to me,and I’m currently listening to a guy from the Ukraine.
Quinny:
I have to say though David,if you were to take the French equivalent,and like homebase operation,then you would love what the hobby has to offer.
I’ve just come off my homebase Yaesu FT 767,after talking to a guy in Minsk,in Russia,and he was that loud and strong,you would have thought he was next to me,and I’m currently listening to a guy from the Ukraine.
Ken.
Dont the Russians run about 2000W or more on their hand built radios? I have heard them on there before and spoke to them. Funny thing about HF is that you are always 5/9, even though you know you arent a strong signal.
I once spoke to a guy in Australia on my Jingtong whilst i was on my paper round. Ok i was on an internet repeater, but it sure was nice.
JoeG, that about 5 and 9 is only on HF contests apparently they get “monk on” if you give them an accurate report. Any other time and on VHF contests - tell the truth. It always tickles me to hear “You are 5 and 9 this end what was your callsign again?”
Ken/ Quinney our Advanced License is also a CEPT recognised license so can be used in a good number of countries ( Im sure you know this but this is for clarity) by putting the other country’s prefix with your own callsign. CEPT is more or less (I admit, Anglisised) Conference for European Posts and Telecommunications .
Our Foundation and Intermediate licenses do not qualify.
Renaultman, I wonder was this during the summer months? I know that this is Ionospheric propogation (Sporadic E), such a mode is rare on 2 metres and does not happen on 70 centimetres. I have worked most of Europe and cross pond on 10 metres (and most of Britain via a repeater in Switzerland) Skywave is good but the “groundwave” (Alright I know its not but for simplicity sake) on 27 is woeful unless you run power. Skywave outside the summer months will be few and far between until the sunspot cycle starts coming up again.
But if you WANT long distance skywave (and see how well Italians splatter) 20 metres (14 MHz ) and 17 metres (18 MHz) are the way to go.
Quinny:
I have to say though David,if you were to take the French equivalent,and like homebase operation,then you would love what the hobby has to offer.
I’ve just come off my homebase Yaesu FT 767,after talking to a guy in Minsk,in Russia,and he was that loud and strong,you would have thought he was next to me,and I’m currently listening to a guy from the Ukraine.
Ken.
I’ll have another look then, what sort of exam is the first level then? Just so I can decide if my French is up to it?
If I’n honest David,I don’t know what the French equivalent of the British sytem is,however,sign up with the website below,and post the question on the radio discussion forum,half way down the page.
I’m not saying that the answer will lie inside these pages,but it’s a start,and someone may be able to point you in the right direction.
I didnt think anyone used am anymore? thought it was all fm?. I know farmers use cb on there tractors and machinery and so do 4x4 clubs as well as us truckers,have also heard of OAPS who live in remote areas keeping in touch with each other,all in all i think generally they could be used alot more for various things.They say simple ideas work best? any other ideas?
Thanks for those links Ken & Tony. I’ve got a message to ring an English operator from about 80 kms away from me after I posted a request on a local forum, so will check out what he has to say before looking at them. No substitute for local knowledge in the first instance.
Will let you know what he says.
Turns out the bloke who sent me a message on the local forum lives closer than I thought so I will be ringing him for info shortly.
He did though point me to the website linked by you Tony and it is very informative. The 3 classes of licence do not exactly match the UK version it seems to me though as the Class 1 (UK Full) licence still requires morse at 12 wpm. Still, I learnt it once, dare say I could again.
Checked out that link of yours Ken and it seems interesting, especially if I get around to looking for equipment, but in the meantime, I’ll check this other bloke out and see what he says.
Thanks Ken, I rang this chap and it turns out he is just 10 minutes up the road from me. Going round to look at his setup on Tuesday.
He got his licence in the UK and was able to transfer it without a test when he came to live in France.
Not an option for me I don’t think but he assures me that everyone here is very helpful and actually want you to pass. The tests, I think, are all written and multiple choice so no language problems. I can read and speak it well enough but understanding quick enough in a rapid conversation is a bit of a strain.
Not sure about the morse, will have to look at the website again but I’m sure I read that the test is recorded on cassettes.
He has visited the nearest club which is about an hour north from here and, although he didn’t join, said everyone was really helpful and friendly, so may go up there with him one day soon.
And after all that, if it looks like a goer, all I have to do is find the money for the gear. I’m only a poor pensioner you know.
) but given it up years ago because of all the idiots I have long been interested in the ham thing. However, despite some very helpful advice the last time the subject came up on here, I seem to be at a disadvantage in that I would have to take the French version of the exams and through a local club - the nearest of which is a long way away 
.
I’m only a poor pensioner you know.