robak (QLD) replied:

Sharyn

Those channels (by law) are and have always been for data only. ie no voice transmission.

R.

Sand Man (SA) replied:

Thats correct, so your Work will have to change.

Actually, I'll have a winge here.
It browns me off when businesses use a UHF CB Channel to conduct their business, then abuse any other user you tries to use the same channel.

Bugger them I say.

Businesses can register for exclusive use of a private channel which gives them that......privacy from every other man & his dog using the same (public) channel.

Darian (SA) replied:

UHF related formal paperwork across my desk in the last year or so has consistently mentioned the same - users, such as farmers, can remotely control various functions on farm via UHF data transmission (checking on distant water tanks is one example I'm told) - I guess is relatively cheap compared to getting dedicated radio gear for a single purpose - at least their hardware can double as comms, on the other permitted channels - seems that your work site would be contravening a federal regulation - I'll have a look on the ACMA site. BTW - I read a few months back somewhere that we are the only country where UHF is employed for CB usage - all others use HF etc.

HJ60-2H replied:

It's all detailed in the class license for UHF CB on the ACMA WWW site. Hasn't always been the case of no voice Tx on 22 & 23 only in the last 5 or so years.

John R (SA) replied:

I've got a boot in each camp . . as a farmer who uses UHF radios I only get annoyed when a certain truck company from Adelaide come through using disgusting language (not on 39 or 40). I don't say anything, but it is annoying. Frankly, if it's a bunch of tourists passing through there's no real drama (though when a bunch of old farts are in the district and spend all day discussing their daily meal requirements it does get a bit much!).

UHF gained a strong foothold in farming in this region after the 1983 ash wednesday fires. If everybody had their own vhf frequency, regardless of the cost, there would be no way of communicating with the neighbour in a business or emergency situation. Well, in any situation. Unless you all had UHF as well, and who's going have two raidos?

In such situations, and frankly it's all too frequent to have a fire in this area to which a dozen farm units as well as cfs will be on scene, people need to be able to communicate.

This is in a rural environment where it's rare to get 'foreigners' clogging the airwaves anyway. In the city, I'd have thought vhf a must for businesses.

As for 22 & 23 being data only . . . like every other channel, around here they're used for voice. I've never heard any data transmissions. Do they get used frequently in the city for data?

Member - Sharyn M (VIC) replied:

Thank's everyone for the information. I have found out this afternoon that this channel 22 & 23 inhibiting came enforce 8 mths ago by the Australian Communication Authority and that there has been little or no media coverage - (according to Uniden). New units are inhibited but older units are able to still use these channels it seems, not sure of the legalities though. As for site work, I don't make the rules, but will pass on the information as maybe they have no idea either!

regards, Sharyn

Member - Doug T (W.A) replied:

My 27mhz can access these frequencies listed below
An earlier equipment specification, RB249, allowed the use of two channels, 27.095 MHz[between 11 and 12] and 27.195 MHz[ between 19 and 20] these are no longer approved for use.I sure do wish that kids did not have access to full 40 Ch sets , they cause so much havoc on Ch 40 UHF,why they must insist on using 40 is beyond me, Few adults could have theirs stuck up #!*#%% too

dieseltojo replied:

Can be fun to meet some business people in the out back.We came into Broken hill and were listening when a local massage parlour was calling to a client. We were on channel 21.Any we began to talk to each other etc and the next minute a young lady asked us if we would mind changing channels as they use channel 21 for their business.I came back with "could you please identify your business and identify your self." strangely we didn`t gee an answer .Lol

Member - Mike DID replied:

The federal radio regulations limit the legal use of certain channels.

Ch 5 and Ch 35 (repeater 5) - To be used ONLY in an emergency situation.

Ch 11 - Only to call or locate another station. Parties must then switch to a conversation channel.

Ch 21, Ch 22 - No voice transmissions allowed on these two channels. Reserved for telemetry & telecommand.

Ch 31 to 38 - must not be used within range of a repeater, except to communicate via the repeater.

There's also a law against use of obscene language !!!!

Grungle replied:

There are quite a few companies that use the CB but have CTCSS enabled (also called a sub audible tone) on a particular channel so they cannot hear the general populous talking but can talk freely amongst themselves. The sugar industry up hear around Mackay are one such organisation which have comms with farmers and QR but went to a CTCSS tone to cut out chatter from general CB users.

The general public can hear them though as their receivers are open to all transmissions.

I suggest that if you want to talk to others in a convoy then people pick a channel and program a sub audible tone in so they can chat and not worry about others (for example channel 24 and tone 131.8 Hz). That way only your radios will squelch when a tone coded tranmission comes through but remains silent if someone else on ch 24 transmits.

You only have to do it for 1 or 2 channels and leave others untouched for general chatting.

This only applies to radios that are equiped with CTCSS of course which is most that have been released in the last 5 odd years.

Regards
David