Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Nordsee]

When this first appeared in the early 80s I think, because of the Film "Convoy" mainly. The whole Model World operated on 27 Mhz. Then along came the "Childish Babblers" and as an amusing hobby visit the Local flying or Boating Club and " Shoot down" a few very expensive models, never mind the danger of an uncontrolled aircraft crashing.HaHa, what a jolly jape!! So all said modellers had to pester for another frequency, which we got, 35 mhz.and 40 for boats and cars. Great, cost us a lot of money and frustration,as all our expensive Radio was obsolete and down right dangerous to use, but at last we were free of the Infantiles bleating " Breaker , Breaker, here is Mo the Moron reading you loud and clear" It all went a few years later, then we got Mobile phones!!

[Mr Andy]

CB's were fun while they lasted, but Nordsee as you correctly say spoilt by the mindless morons.

Andy. 

[snowwolflair]

CB ushered in FM for model radio control and led to the 35, 40 MHz and 2.4Ghz bands becoming available, not that any 2.4Ghz kit worked well in these days.  So the net effect was not all that bad.

Not that the modelers were not aversed to using reversed crystals on 27AM, but in those days we all carried a post office radio certificate that could be inspected at the pond side and we could loose it and be fined for breaking the rules.  CB never had any enforcement teeth.

[Ghost in the shell]

when was radio control licenced????

I think rc flight is still licenced in germany, so you need not only a BMFA style insurance but a certificate to say that you have can fly, before you can legally fly anywhere in germany.  Perhaps some of our German rc'ers can confirm this.

as for CB radios, corporatization of the trucking industry and the cell phone killed it, howeve it is still alive, I suspect you just have to know where to look. 

[The long Build]

Not that the modelers were not aversed to using reversed crystals on 27AM, but in those days we all carried a post office radio certificate that could be inspected at the pond side and we could loose it and be fined for breaking the rules.  CB never had any enforcement teeth.

Was it .. Ooops..

[Patrick Henry]

There was another frequency allocated to citizens band radio if I recall correctly...something like 934mhz. I don't remember it ever catching on, and consequently prices never dropped to make it more attractive to citizens.

[Peter Fitness]

There would not be a long haul truck operating anywhere in Australia that does not have a CB radio. By far the commonest type are UHF 40 channel sets operating on frequencies between  476.425MHz to 477.400MHz. Mobile phones are, of course, also used, but the radio is used for vehicle to vehicle communication. I have one in my car which I use mainly when towing my caravan to check on road conditions etc, and to talk to other caravanners. Mine has been modified to receive some police channels, although I can not transmit on those channels.

Peter.

[wideawake]

There was another frequency allocated to citizens band radio if I recall correctly...something like 934mhz. I don't remember it ever catching on, and consequently prices never dropped to make it more attractive to citizens.

That's it but as you say it never caught on. A bit of chicken and egg I think.   It never caught on because the kit for VHF bands was always going to be more expensive and so many people had illegal 27MHz rigs.

Cheers

Guy


Radio amateur - QRT - then CB'er once it became legal then radio amateur again - now QRT for many years

[Ghost in the shell]

i take it Australia probably has a police monitored mayday channel i bet

[snowwolflair]

CB was 26MHZ I think but it was a synthesised tuner in most cases for transmit as well so when 26 got busy they just strayed into 27, crossing a frequency used by the ambulance service and others before they got to us!

The UHF kit for CB and radio control was very experimental and expensive, and the only stuff that worked was based on modified military kit.

As far as the post office licence was concerned it went at the same time as 35 and 40 were authorised. (something like 1980 I think)

[Peter Fitness]

i take it Australia probably has a police monitored mayday channel i bet

There is a coastguard monitored channel for boats, but I'm not aware of a similar arrangement for road users.

Peter.

[Nordsee]

when was radio control licenced????

I think rc flight is still licenced in germany, so you need not only a BMFA style insurance but a certificate to say that you have can fly, before you can legally fly anywhere in germany.  Perhaps some of our German rc'ers can confirm this.

as for CB radios, corporatization of the trucking industry and the cell phone killed it, howeve it is still alive, I suspect you just have to know where to look. 

RC is not Licensed in Germany. Third Party Insurance is compulsory for all Flying models, even those fun things from the Super Market! But is only checked if you turn up to fly at another club. Clubs, as you might expect are rigidly disciplined, with Flight Controllers and Officers of the day etc. Insurance for boats and cars is recommended and a joint Policy for all will cost you about 120 pounds a year, Aircraft alone about 80. Strangely a model Sailplane upto a weight of 5 Kilos would be covered by your normal Household Third Party Insurance. Flying is only allowed at Registerd clubs,at agreed times,sometimes only 3 or 4 hours a week. Joining Fee of roughly 250 pounds then 15 pounds a Month. This ensures only the "Right" sort of people join!I used to fly as Guest at a couple of Local Clubs, now gone, and the other guys were friendly enough, but agast because I flew Mode 2! Impossible to control like that! I managed OK, but I could fly both if necessary!

[Nige52]

CB radio became popular in the UK in the 70's, the sets were 40 channel AM 26.9 something to 27.9 something. These were totally illegal and were mostly imported from the States. I myself was an avid CB'er and had numerous sets, both homebase and mobile.
They were so popular that the government decided to cash in on them and started providing a new frequency on the same bandwidth as before but this time in FM, as opposed to the old AM. All the new sets had a roundel on them with CB 81 stamped on them. We had to buy a licence from the Post Office, but I forget how much it was, as soon as they became legal, there was no fun in using them anymore as every Tom Dick and Harry in the infants and juvenile school had one and spammed the airwaves, memories of the Yellow Busby van patrolling the streets... There again, we had some great Treasure Hunts on a Sunday afternoon 

[PMK]

"There again, we had some great Treasure Hunts on a Sunday afternoon"

Bridgwater, Som, circa 1979'ish: I know of 5 marraige break-ups and at least thirty punch-ups all because of CB radio and treasure hunts.
That's why they all look the same even today.

[wideawake]

"There again, we had some great Treasure Hunts on a Sunday afternoon"

Bridgwater, Som, circa 1979'ish: I know of 5 marraige break-ups and at least thirty punch-ups all because of CB radio and treasure hunts.
That's why they all look the same even today.

Sounds like the same sort of time that I was active but from the other side of the channel.   In view of my name my handle wqs The Bonfire Man!

Cheers

Guy

[meechingman]

I know of 5 marraige break-ups and at least thirty punch-ups all because of CB radio and treasure hunts.

There again, I met my wife via CB,   and her sister met her husband through the same local CB club. The organised treasure hunts and social evenings were fun, as were the fox hunts.

Not all bad for a while, then the '3-watt breakers' (what's your handle, what's your name, what's your 10-20?) and the kids came in and spoiled it. For those interested in real radio, there was only one place to go via the RAE and the -- --- .-. ... .   -.-. --- -.. .    - . ... - !

[Nordsee]

CB's were fun while they lasted, but Nordsee as you correctly say spoilt by the mindless morons.

Andy. 

You could usually spot a car with CB on board, a 10 foot long Aerial tied down to the rear bumper! If they had stayed with " Legal" Transmission strength and showed some common sense then there would not have been a problem, but when they started fitting " Burners" ( High TX Emissions, upto 5 or more Watts) then the fun ended! We had a neighbour who spent hours on the CB of an evening, we could not listen to the radio ( Normal that is,) or sometimes even use the Record Player as he swamped everything, either with Static or his voice. He used to wear a Cowboy Hat and Boots when on air!