AM CBs, anyone still use 'em?
Submitted: Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:14
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SupaMav
When I bought my truck a couple of years ago, it had a GME AM CB in it, as
well as a
UHF radio. I have never used the AM set, only the UHF, and want to know if they are still a handy thing to carry when touring?
Reply By: Member - Bigbear - Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:37
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:37
Hi SupaMav
Our club uses AM CB. the main reason being is that not many people use it any more so there is very little disruption. They still work fine and are pretty cheap to pick up, I think the cheapest one I got was $10 but generally around $40.
Now and then I have seen the AM call sign on the back of vans etc. Great for intercar use in a group. If you can get a mate to get one then you will have a clear uninterupted communication between you.
As you can see I reckon they are great.
Bigbear
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Follow Up By: SupaMav - Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:56
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:56
Thanks for that Bigbear. Unfortunately, all of my posse have UHFs!
I do concede that it can sometimes be a challenge to find a channel that is free enough to be useful. I have also notice that the language on the repeater channels is extremely foul most of the time. But at present the car-to-car comms is what I use most.
Cheers buddy.
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Follow Up By: SupaMav - Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:56
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 at 19:56
Thanks for that Bigbear. Unfortunately, all of my posse have UHFs!
I do concede that it can sometimes be a challenge to find a channel that is free enough to be useful. I have also notice that the language on the repeater channels is extremely foul most of the time. But at present the car-to-car comms is what I use most.
Cheers buddy.
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312124
Follow Up By: Chris (W.A.) - Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 20:10
Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 20:10
Agree with bigbear, we both have the Double sideband unidens. We bought them new from Dick Smith for about $160 each. Excellent as mentioned for skip but we also find them alot better in range when in hilly foresty areas. I personally find that skip is best in the middle of the day though I have picked up eastern states at night. Up on
Mitchell plateau last year we picked up somebody in Victoria and the bloke with the HF still couldn't get anyone after 10 minutes...although he probably wasn't familiar with how to work it.
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Reply By: TrucksterNT - Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 00:03
Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 00:03
SupaMav, the only reason I keep my AM set is that it has Single Side Band. SSB can often operate over much longer distances than UHF, by means of the signal "skipping" from the ionosphere. This is not unlike satellite transmission. In some situations it could be a useful emergency contact. Not to be relied on but they have proved to be useful at times. It's also an interesting pastime talking over long distances - a bit like fishing in that you can never be sure what you'll catch, sometimes interstate, sometimes overseas, sometimes nothing! Otherwise 27meg AM sets are pretty much "yesterday's" sets in that they don't have the sophistication of UHF with scanning, Selective Calling and clear reliable communication particularly when using repeaters. My advice to friends has been - if you have one, keep it but if you don't have one, don't bother getting one.
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Reply By: The Banjo - Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 09:01
Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 09:01
Ditto re Truckster.....Single Side Band mode can get way out (could well be 12 watts on SSB, not the 5 in AM mode), but only if conditions are good at the time (and they often are). With a good antenna or long wire it might be a winner. From the center of Oz out to the coast is quite a good skip for the CB SSB.....done it myself.....also, bloke called out for help a few years back on the
Birdsville track.....got out to the east coast.......in central Oz I got out to
Hobart and
Cairns on one trip.....fellow traveller in one session got from Goog's Track (
Eyre Peninsula SA) to West coast NZ. ... at other times, distance can be bugger all. A gamble indeed. I'm hanging on to mine as back-up for the long distance HF (Barrett 950).
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Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 15:14
Monday, Mar 15, 2004 at 15:14
About 15 years ago my old man and a work college got washed of the coogan river in their telecom truck (land cruiser, but yes it was a truck!) and the HF was soaked and therefore stuffed. The ol' 27mhz got them some skip to some guy in Kalgoorlie who called the shire in port headland and resuced them.
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