UHF Radio

HI there westskip, Go to top of page then click on topics then communications. Not sure wether this will help in any way ?? Regards Steve M

Oh, them things.

Put it on channel 40 and you will learn that it usually takes no f-ing protocol and even fewer manners.

Don't worry if you can't understand what is being said either. That is pretty usual.

And there's lots of people on Channel 40 most of which will give you gratuitous advice about most subjects but with at least one expletive per breath.

Cheers
Andrew who hopes that you're country where the help might not be so good ;-)

First you put it on scan. Then listen in to some of the conversations that are taking place as you travel. You then realise that mostly what happens on the UHF is .. er, rubbish. On the highway it's useful to listen in to the truckers (ch40), they'll let you know where the speed traps are .. you'll also hear a of stuff, that ..well you could do without. UHF is really only useful if you're travelling in convoy, so you can yap with your mates. Or if you also have a hand held, so you can keep in touch with the missus when she's in town and you're setting up the camp down the track. It's also useful when coming up behind a roadtrain on a dusty track .. you can ask if it's safe to pass.
Other than that, frankly ..I've found that UHF is pretty useless.
For dinkum emergency the only answer is satphone.

Hello Westskip
Congrats on the purchase _ wish I'd kept my Prado. UHF is a bit disappointing around town as there seems to be no end of ratbag ready to fill the air with their form of entertainment. Best to switch it off until you know you really need info or help or are in convoy wit other users. There is just about no protocol. Listen in to Channel 40 to get a feel for how i9t is used by truckies. They tolerate your using that channel. To see if you are transmitting set it on channel 40 ask for a "radio check" when you are travelling on a truck route. You'll get a reply. - if indeed you are transmitting.

Best of luck with the new toys
Chris

Commonly used channels are

Ch 2 Cockies chatter(South Australia)
Ch 10 4x4 chatter(lots of inane chatter)
Ch 18 Caravanners chatter(same as above)
Ch 29 Alternative Truckies and Caravanners channel
Ch 40 Truckies channel(some very colourful language)

Various districts in the outback have their own channels which they monitor and advise travellers to use if they wish

I keep mine turned down low on Channel 40 when travelling the highways or on scan and only talk to trucks if necessary.

Cheers

G'day westskip,

If you live in the city, you're probably going to hear a lot of bs on the radio.

In the country, farmers use uhf radios quite extensively.
If you're travelling through, don't necessarily expect to hear constant waffle, but if you're part of a group passing through town and incessantly chatting about tonight's dinner, don't be surprised if someone pops up and asks you to quieten down!

Almost all truckies have uhf (as mentioned, generally on ch 40), and caravaners are often on ch 18.

Don't be put off UHF by what you here in the cities- disgusting ferals infest the popular channels and ruin it for everyone - once out in the sticks, UHF shines as a communications tool.

Some usefull UHF protocol
- Breaker breaker, used when wanting to talk over the radio and sounds cool
- Good buddy, Used at the end of the sentance when talking to someone
- 10-4, used when youve understood waht you are being told.
- Big 10-4, uysed when you really agree with what you are being told
- Weve got ourselves a convoy, used when there is more than one vehicle behind you, also sounds really cool
- whats your handle, used when wanting to know someones radio name which should be reeeely cool like rubber duck or suchlike
- smokeys, cops
- Over and out, what you say when ending the conversation coz it sounds cool

As an example if you got on the radio and asked your mates to the pub the conversation would go like this

You-"breaker breaker good buddy well see you down the pub"

Him - "Thats a big 10-4 good buddy, therll be a few of us coz weve got ourselves a convoy just got to dodge the smokeys on the way home, this is the rubber duck going over and out"