Hand Held CB's

Depends what sort of distance you want ...I have 2 GME hand helds 1 watt and find them great for around camp and you get about 10kms max out of them...try to get a pack that includes the chargers and batteries

Prestige communications are very good and have purchased from them before

Try Dick Smith. They have a variety of makes including their own brand 5 watt unit which looks good value for money. Do a Google & look at their online catalogue for current prices. Cheers.

Nashy3,

You must be driving a Goggomobil Dart, if you can't fit a small GME unit somewhere on/under the dash of your vehicle.

Some blokes on EO have used velcro to mount the radio, in a convenient position. The "in car" UHF utilise a better external aerial, have a bigger speaker (usually), and you can fit a mike somewhere that is easy, & safe, to access.

Don't know anything about Vertex, but have used both GME & Icom for many years, mustering on large stations. Icom is probably a little more robust, and have rarely had to send one away to be repaired. Couple of stuffed batteries after some years service.

The GME can "hear" better than the Icom, but seem to need the doctor a few more times. This could be because we had more GME sets than Icom too.

Don't think you could go past either of these, but would suggest you spend extra, and get 5w sets.

Prestige's service will match anyone else's, even though they are in WA.

Hooroo,
Bob.

Hi Graeme


I own two 41s Icom Hanhelds,I've tried calling them numerous times but get a press 1 for sales,press 2 for this etc etc,all calls up to 7 lead nowhere and it disconnects you,well it did up till recently,will not try again...Now if a company like that is taking extra time off over Xmas put a bloody message up on a answering service...I emailed them a nasty email weeks ago with my mobile number and still no reply (what a surprise)...

Based on there after marked service i would steer clear....

My issue is the hand held is stock standard,no selcall,tone squelch etc..But every say 5 minutes it puts out a beep and when in convoy it gives people the bleep s because they get a sound like someone is mucking with the mike...

cheers

I personally would go for the icom because of their toughness and the fact that spares (chargers,antennae and batteries) are readily available and fairly cheap.-Steve

G'day Graeme

Have you thought about fitting a remote head UHF? One of these will give 5 watts whereas a handheld is only 1 watt (less on some models).

I have a GME TX3400 and on the casing of the main radio unit I stuck the prickly side of some 50mm velcro which grabs the floor carpet and stays under my seat. If I need to remove it at all it's quick and easy.

Best place to purchase? well my favourite shop is eBay as the local dealers weren't interested. Maybe yours are better? Having said that, I swapped a 27Mhz GE for the UHF. I have had a great run from GME (GE) over the last 25+ yrs, had one Uniden that wasn't anywhere near the same output, so don't hesitate buying GME these days.

Hope this helps?
Bronwyn ;-)

We use Uniden hand helds; cheap but seem clear and effective. Obviously not as good as a built in one with external antenna, but when travelling, sound is clear for a few kilometres between vehicles, except for deep dips of course, where even built ins with the external antenna can be out of range. When i worked at a shop, they used the same model Unidens to communicate around the shop, although clarity from the under-storey through a concrete floor was not good. Mine use 3 X AAA batteries (i keep a stack of rechargeables), but same type also comes in 'charge from its own cradle' from mains power. I got mine years ago from eBay, but most places such as Retravision stores stock them.

Hand held is fine if you just want to talk to a travelling companion in 'line of sight'. Built is is much better.

Motherhen

I believe some handhelds have connections for external aerials, so you can have a handheld for conveinence (take it out of the car with you if desired) and the aerial for good transmission/reception.

Nashy,

I was down at G & C Communications in Cranbourne having my HF and a GME 3200 UHF fitted last week. I saw a fairly largish handheld that mounted into a cradle in the vehicle giving it recharge facility and connection to an external antenna. It had a clip on microphone for in vehicle work as well. I cannot remember the brand sorry but it was one of the well known brands. I run three Uniden UH039P handhelds which are small and only 1.5 watts or thereabouts. The beauty of them is they have a battery pack which if it dies, can be replaced with 4 x AAA batteries. I had one sitting in with the Canadians on my last trip for vehicle to vehicle and we would often get up to 5-10 km range depending on conditions (then other times we only got line of sight so...).

Cheers Mick

Another very good dealer with an on-line presence, very competetive prices (will generally match or beat Prestige Com's prices), and free express postage is

Contact Communications

He also has a large listing on ebay, with starting prices often well below list....

No affiliation, yada yada.................................

if you do go hand held get a Lapel michrophone.