Keep your 40 channel CB folks

Commonsense prevailed ....... for once!

ACMA haven't actually canned the requirement for narrowband/80-channel equipment. What they have inferred is review/relaxation of the timetable.

Best is to read the info on the ACMA site here where it seems there is going to be a discussion paper and "consultation":

"The ACMA invites comments on the issues set out in this discussion paper.

Area for feedback 1

Are there any reasons why the ACMA should not allow for the continued use of wideband CBRS equipment beyond 30 June 2017?"

My own best guess (after a career of involvement with ACMA) is that there will be an extension of time. Without getting into the technicalities of 40-vs-80 (or 12.5kHz vs 25kHz spacing), the ABC article is - not surprisingly - inaccurate to suggest that the two different spec sets can coexist without issues.

And for the pres of the NRFA to say he had "only became aware of the issue a couple of weeks ago and he advised his members then." is unbelievable. He must have been living in a cave for the last ten years.

As Zippo says, the ABC article misquotes ACMA.

However they now have a draft recommendation out for comment that proposes dropping the rule that bans 40 Channels.

This is crazy and everyone should put in a submission asking that the law does not change.

ACMA page

1)Those who have complied with the law are now being punished.
2)Channels 41 - 80 are generally clear of the swearing and abuse present in the older channels, unless those users are close. Now this will continue past July.
ACMA is leaving the UHF community half pregnant, with a system that is subject to interference. This is exactly what they are supposed to stop.

So now the situation is that if there are 2 or more people with 80 channel radios then there is no interference and it works. Same if everyone in the same area has 40 channel radios. But if one or more have 80 channels and using channels 41 - 80, and one or more with 40 channel radios then they interfere with each other with garbled talking.

It's like the government is changing from driving on the left side of the road to the right, with a deadline of July. Now they stopped the change and say doesn't matter what car you have, just drive on the side of the road that you prefer.

It is crazy not to proceed. They have the 4wd community half pregnant.

Hi Colcam

It might sound ok, but what most of the general public are not aware of, is that way back when the 80 channel radios were first introduce, part of the requirements were that manufacturers were no longer able to supply spare parts to keep the old 40 channel radios going.

You might think, that's ok, it will not affect me.....but not so. One of the biggest issues that we encounter at work from station people, farmers and truckies is the most important part of the radio.....the microphone.

You would not believe the number of mics that get chewed by dogs, sat on and broken, dropped or just have been worked to death. Try an buy a replacement microphone for an old and you will hit a brick wall. The only way we have been able to overcome this very basic issue is use a very experienced technician who has all the spare parts and can get most things working again.

Try doing this in the big smoke and they will tell you bad luck and sell you a new 80 channel unit.




Cheers




Stephen

The basis for continued use of 40 ch sets is essentially that no harm is done and there are other mechanisms for resolving any issues that may arise.

I submitted my position to the AMCA as below.



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As a professional radio engineer , amateur radio operator and user of the 40 & 80 channel UHF CB system I have observed no particular issue with the co-existence of the 2 band plans.

There are in excess of 50 40 channel sets in our group and upgrading for no real benefit would incur considerable expense.

I would recommend we allow the continued use of the 40 channel equipment.

Such use will also naturally reduce over time!

The problem with this who issue is the pretty much complete inability to enforce a ban on 40 channel radios.

ACMA have barely enough resources to investigate and enforce serious spectrum abuse ...... so they got bugger all chance of enforcing a 40 channel ban

cheers

I didn't realize the cut off time was July and having said that, I had no plans to replace it. I didn't see the need and finally the hand wringers don't seem to now either! Michael.

I bought the best radios I could, both handhelds and vehicle mounted only to have the 80 channel thing announced a short time later. I can't afford to throw away that investment in good gear for some esoteric reasoning by an organisation that has done nothing about clearing out the on air cowboys.

Maybe this is an acknowledgment that they are powerless to resolve the issues.

Regards

A