Anyone else: Ham-Radio Mobil?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi Fellow Trucking Dudes

Been a while since I did any postin

We all know quiet a few truckers carry CB-Radio

so 2xQ wonders if anyone else using this forum, operates a Amateur Radio Station from there truck.

as holder of UK Amateur Radio Station License G4XJC (golf four xray Jasper Carrot)
you might have heard me on, or even worked me.

To kick off the tread, I like to paste in 2 photo’s in my present station (fitted in my 65CF)

1st is the transciever, mounted in the center consol. a cheap and cheerful, FT2800M.

And a 20amp “HQ” DC-DC converted to power it, and other 12volt accessories

OK, its expensive by compartision to others available in this +10amp power range

The “HQ” DC-DC convertor was selected, for a couple of reasons
( Its one of the least noisy, both machanical(ie fan), and RF noise)
While the output voltage remains both stable & ripple free, right out to 30amps.
(important for powering tramsmitters)

My station “G4XJC/M” can be heard on most days, usually working via repeaters just about anywere in UK
But most frequently on GB3SN,GB3WR,GB3WH,GB3VA,GB3CF,GB3IN,GB3MN,GB3MP,GB3YR.

Not visible is the 12volt distribution block, located in the bottom of the center tray (under the phone)

Maybe you have heard me on ■■

ps: the external fuse, visible in the 2nd photo is incerted in the output !
Thou the DC-DC converter has “short circuit protection” it’s there just for my peace of mind !! :wink:

PPS: not inculded is a photo of the antenna (its a homehand 1/2 wave zepp) mounted on rear of cab.

regards: DoubleQ // G4XJC

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Ah the old Yaesu FT2800M. I know where there is a brand new one of these for sale, and it ain’t mine.

I notice that you fail to mention my home repeater on your list, GB3YW,which is arguably one of the top repeaters in the country.

I’m on the agency, and unfortunately the customer that I am with long term, won’t let any type of radio equipment in the trucks, so it’s a no no for me I’m afraid. However I can often be heard from home on the old FT767, which may be up for sale,or the FT7800E in the car, and when I’m out and about with the dog, then I can be heard on the aforementioned repeater using the FT60.

I am also Chairman of Wakefield and District Radio Society, a 6m news reader, and if anyone in the area wants to go through the process of obtaining their foundation/intermediate/advanced licence, then I have an excellent training team around me.

Did I also mention that we do dx’peditions throughout the year? 2 of the regular ones we do are Holy Island and the Tan Hill Inn.

Want to see what we are up to, then try wdrs.org.uk.

Ken
M3SSQ.
2E0SSQ.

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What happens if you transmit on those frequencies without a licence?

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Might have worked/heard me one time. Back a few years ago though, when i was into it.
M3MFZ is my call. Dont use it now, because i havent got the time, nor the want to sit and talk to a spod/some other boring old ■■■■.
We have a Yaesu FT2800m(bit weird though, dad put 24v through it, realised when it started smoking!) for mobile, Yaesu 690Rmk2 for mobile and also at home.
Got a half wave antenna which sometimes goes on the car, which does 2 and 6.
Also got a Yaesu FT897(i think) which we have on all bands except top. Got half size g5rv for that(price for anyone who knows g5rv’s callsign:wink:)
Also got an Icom E91 handheld.
And a Yaesu FT110(or something like that) handheld.

Might also hear my dad, 2E1BHU. He goes on more then me now.

Local repeater is NF, but hardly use that, mainly use GB3IN, or sometimes GB3CF.

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Steve-o:
What happens if you transmit on those frequencies without a licence?

Its doubtful anyone would talk to you.
Its a waste of time really.

Although some people do appear to have got their licence from ebay/cornflake packet…

6

Steve-o:
What happens if you transmit on those frequencies without a licence?

The penalties are severe, contrary to the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949/1998/2006 as 2 people in my area are just about to find out soon.

Ken.

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I don’t use 2 metre, but if you’re ever on HF you can catch me on 80m (2E0 BVM)

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What’s all this 2cm 80m talk? Don’t you just pic a freq and start talking? Sorry I’m not up to scratch with HAM, just normal CB

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G1JDV - home based on HF in Washington, Tyne & Wear when I’m there! CB only in truck at the mo but I have an FT 7700 I could put in the truck
My Son is M3ZDV and can be heard on 2m & 40/80m from Roker area of Sunderland unless he’s using my station

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I have no interest in Ham radio and don’t see the point of one in a mobile, they are purely for enthusiasts. A good CB AM/FM rig, superior antenna with a 50watt preamp works just fine. Many drivers have CB’s and the point of CB is to communicate with those around you for traffic info and communicating with running partners.
They’re not bad for pulling the odd fat bird when parked up at night either.

11

enit?:
I have no interest in Ham radio and don’t see the point of one in a mobile, they are purely for enthusiasts. A good CB AM/FM rig, superior antenna with a 50watt preamp works just fine. Many drivers have CB’s and the point of CB is to communicate with those around you for traffic info and communicating with running partners.
They’re not bad for pulling the odd fat bird when parked up at night either.

How wrong you can be.(Apart from the fat bird.) The old addage applies here, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

The average distance using standard power on a cb is about 3 miles if your lucky.Using a repeater,and I know because I was at home at the time listening,our local repeater keeper was coming along the A55 in the Flintshire area of N.Wales,and he was in conversation using the local repeater with a guy who was in Wetwang in North Humberside.

What’s the distance on that? 130 miles?

Our local repeater has such a good footprint, that the area that it can cover is the aforementioned east to west, and north to south it has been used from Newcastle airport to Skegness.

Ken.

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OK great but can you ask the bloke heading north on the M6 what the traffic’s like around junction ten? Whats the chances the bloke on the north bound has a Ham radio? If CB and Ham usage was 50/50, I would probably get one but it’s not. So I won’t. I 'ent knocking it. It’s a superior system but until it gets a hugely increased following, there’s little point.
Besides, don’t you have to take an exam to get a license?

13

Gotta ask- whats a repeater? :question:

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Slightly off topic but what sort of set up do you recommend for the truck ? I’ve had a cheap CB in my truck for the last 10 years , I want to be able to reach a bit further than the nexy m-way junction. Always thought the secret was a quality aerial rather than quality CB. Any recommendations are appreciated. Does having 2 aerials make any difference as I’ve one on each mirror ?
Cheers.

15

joemaxi:
Gotta ask- whats a repeater? :question:

Its a little box, you transmit on one frequency, the repeater(box) pics it up, and transmits it out on another, so you get a bigger coverage.
So, i can only use 10W, i was on my way up to Hull, and was able to talk into my local repeater(GB3IN) and talk to people all over, that could hear the repeater and talk into the repeater aswell.
Someone will be able to explain it better.

Yes you do have to do an exam, and its easy. Honestly. Young children do it. Its mostly commen sence, read a book abit, know stuff from CB, and your well away.

You can actually get told what the traffic is on there, and when my dad has been out, he was miss placed in Manchester, looking for somewhere, and a guy was able to tell him directions to the place.

I was mobile on 6M when there was a lift on and got someone over in Sweden i think, or something like that. Was pretty good.

So, i can wang out more power, and get further. Or, wang out less power, and still get further, depending how where repeaters are.

Also, go onto a certain frequency and you can stop people using remote central locking :wink: :laughing:

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What is all this talk of 6m and all that?

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Steve-o
This talk of 6 metres, 2 metres 80 metres etc is wavelength as opposed to frequency.
In days of yore, on long wave, medium wave and shortwave stations used to give their spot on the airwaves as wavelength. Eg The BBC’s long wave transmitter is on 1500 metres in old money or 198 KHz.
Common Ham bands are:-
Topband or 160 metres or 1.8 MHz
80 metres or 3.5 MHz in the daytime very good for short skip coverage most of the UK
40 metres or 7 MHz can be good for around the UK in the daytime but low sunspot activity makes it mostly Western Europe
20 metres or 14 MHz the prime DX band but at the moment it shuts down at night (Low sunspots)
10 metres or 28 MHz doesnt get much use when not open but during summer and when at sunspot maximum is a cracking band. There are repeaters on the upper portion of this band which I’ve worked most of the UK via a repeater in Switzerland!!)
6 metres or 50 MHz very similar to 10 metres
2 Metres or 144 MHz is the main “natter band”
To convert between wavelength and frequency, divide 300,000,000 (Speed of light) by frequency or wavelength to get the other With that you will find that CB on 27MHz is 11 metres wavelength.
I hope I have’nt confused too much.

73 de Tony

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enit wrote
OK great but can you ask the bloke heading north on the M6 what the traffic’s like around junction ten? Whats the chances the bloke on the north bound has a Ham radio? If CB and Ham usage was 50/50, I would probably get one but it’s not. So I won’t. I 'ent knocking it. It’s a superior system but until it gets a hugely increased following, there’s little point.
Besides, don’t you have to take an exam to get a license?

Bear one thing in mind we have bands throughout the radio spectrum and just about all the modes going.
The “problem” is you will not get everybody on 2 metres at once or monitoring the same frequency.
I’m usually monitoring “S20” (2 metre simplex frequency) rather than a repeater, 70.450 MHz on the 4 metre band and GB3XN near Worksop on 70 cms aka 430 MHz. There are about 30% of Hams who are ONLY on HF including many that are too posh to talk (Morse Code) :slight_smile:

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It says ERF not RAF:
Slightly off topic but what sort of set up do you recommend for the truck ? I’ve had a cheap CB in my truck for the last 10 years , I want to be able to reach a bit further than the nexy m-way junction. Always thought the secret was a quality aerial rather than quality CB. Any recommendations are appreciated. Does having 2 aerials make any difference as I’ve one on each mirror ?
Cheers.

Having two antennas only effects the direction. With one antenna your signal is largely oval where as two makes it more circular. If you have only one on your off side wing mirror arm for example, your signal will largely go off to your left and vice versa. Something to do with ground plane. Also having two makes getting a good SWR difficult for everybody apart from the geeks.
If you get a couple of quality antennas, cost about £80+ each, as near 0 SWR reading as you can get (don’t trust the bumf about pre tuned antenna, check it yourself and often) and try a burner + preamp. The bigger the better but if your using one when static, you could get a visit from the boys in blue or whoever’s taken over from the post office mob.

It’s illegal to operate a CB over 4amps.

20

Hi all. Great thread! I’m a bit of a plane fanatic and have had 3 or 4 different airband radio’s in the past. I invested in a Yupiteru MVT7100 about 10 years or so ago which i use in fits and starts, depending on how busy/interested/awake i am! Anyway, i’m sure in the past i’ve earwigged into some of you guys. Forgive my ignorance as it was a while ago, and i’ve learnt and forgotten frequency basics more times than i can remember, but i believe it was around the 420 to 450 (MHz :confused: ) sort of area, would this be correct? Where should i be looking to find you guys nowadays (if i physically and/or legally can!)? I have AM, FM, WFM, USB & LSB. Appreciate any help you could give me, thank you! :smiley: