CB Radio Use

[hansomcommon]

The 1/4 wave homebase aerial was called " The Starduster". Still got one

[russell_w_b]

I remember removing my Stalker VIII - on a slide-mount - and DV27 from my car before turning up at Whitehaven telephone exchange for a job interview with the GPO back in '80. I thought it prudent to do so. at the time...

[G6Tanuki]

The "Wot Pole" was essentially a half-wave dipole, but with the upper 1/4-wave element replaced by a whip-and-loading-coil. Back in the days there was a prohibition on the length of a 27MHz radiating element (no longer than 1.5 metres).

Some people mounted the Wot-pole upside down [rod upwards, coil-loaded-whip downwards] and connected the centre of the coax to the rod.

There was a similar sort of antenna made by an Italian company which used four mobile whips - one as the upper vertical element and the other three screwed into an aluminium 'hub' and arranged to tilt down at about 60 Degrees as radials. These were sold on the basis that you could sit it in your loft, the tripod radials acting as a stand. Which was fine except the tips of the three radials, being high-impedance points, were very susceptible to detuning effects if they were anywhere near pipes/cables/metal roof-supports.

The "Silver rod" half-wave vertical antennas do indeed have a matching transformer in the base: the end-impedance of a 1/2-wave element of suitable diameter is 2500-5000 Ohms. To match this to a 50-ohm feed the transformer typically has a turns-ratio of around 8 or 10:1 accordingly. Usually the transformer is about 1.5 inches diameter, wound with 22-gauge enamelled wire - many of these antennas suffer flashover in the transforme assembly when accumulated dampness and the output of a "burner" get combined.

I currently have one such antenna - bought as "dead" at a car boot sale for £1 - with the coil removed, the SO239 socket connected straight to the bottom of the element, and fitted with suitable radials it works brilliantly as a 20-Metre-band vertical (regular contacts UK-to-Falkland-is using 30watts of SSB).

Also popular at one time was the "Ringo" - a 21-foot vertical element (5/8 wave long) made up to work like a 3/4-wave by a large-diameter open coil at the base, the feeder being tapped into this. They had a tendency to snap masts.

[Sean Williams]

Anyone for a Thunderpole? I too was introduced to transmitting via CB radio, had a lot of fun (and some scary moments when the local idiots popped by one evening and destroyed all of my antennas)

Have played with most modes and frequencies over the years, and used a variety of fairly scary antennas, both purchased and home made.

No gear for it now though, to be honest, no appeal to using it - used to have a CB in the last land rover I had, but zero activity in this area.

[electronicskip]

I collect CB radios like others collect stamps ahahha.

I think I'm up to about 35 or so now , if I see them at carboots I just can't resist them.

[G6Tanuki]

If you come across an ~Icom ICB-1050~ then grab it - they're one of the few UK CB27/81 radios that can be easily persuaded [by way of a couple of pull-up resistors] on to the FM-friendly end of the 28MHz amateur-band.

[Restoration73]

As it legal to transmit a community broadcast on CB (CADS) monitoring the band is a good guide to sporadic-E openings on 10 and 6 meters. The most common programme
material is the relay of church services from Northern Ireland and the ROI.
And of course you can hear the Russian taxis who often invade 28MHz.

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

If you come across an ~Icom ICB-1050~ then grab it

Also the 'JWR M2' radio as well - another one of the very few UK legal radios with unrestricted PLL ICs.

[Techman]

Lots of good stuff being posted.

So confimation on the 'Wot pole' and also the 'Valor Half-breed'. Thanks for the info. and thanks to Sirius for the aerial explanation.

I remember all these names from the past - great stuff!

There's a lot of information on this 'Wikipedia' page -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_band_radio

The following quote from about half way down the page made me chuckle -
Quote:-
"The Fidelity 1000 was a typical transceiver of poor quality, however it is now gaining a cult status amongst collectors."

So it's official - The 'Fidelity' is going to become the CB equivalent of the 'Dansette'!

As a point of interest, there has been a massive amount of views for this thread in the few days that it has been running - more than most other threads, I think. I realised that there would be quite an interest in this subject when I posted on the original thread, that's why I suggested that someone may like to start a proper thread on it, but even I have been surprised by the amount of interest. Almost immediately, Bill (well I guess it was Bill), split off the appropriate posts to this new thread - thanks Bill.

I think this has to tell us something about a common connection between early use of CB radio and our interest in all things radio and electronics, and a number of posters have said as much on here already.

[60 oldjohn]

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

Anyone remember a device called 'Selcall' (Selective Calling), which was a small 'add-on' box containing a circuit which allowed only other user(s) eqipped with a Selcall unit set to the same code to listen to, and talk to you. There was a circuit published in one of the Electronics Magazines of the day, possibly Radio & Electronics World, and at least one company produced them commercially. Re; Cybernet. Radiomobile CB Transceivers were rebadged Cybernet models. They sold both the basic and the Higher Spec. versions. Whilst on this subject, did any forum member ever use the 'K40' microphone?

Did any one on here make a SCU from a circuit in an electronics magazine, and get it working? I bought all the parts then realised there were mistakes on the pcb layout, I ended up not attempting to make the SCU. John.

[Techman]

Just reading Sean's post again about the antennas being destroyed.

It's true that there were some bad things that happened in those far off days, although thankfully, it was mostly good times.

There was a chap a few villages away, who was quite well spoken, although with the occasional stammer, I seem to remember he was, or had been, a 'Boy Scout leader'. The problems came when he started trying to 'rule' what some of the (as he felt) 'less desirable' types were talking about or doing, also the way some of the 'younger' operators were conducting themselves. There were some VERY unpleasent arguments on the air and I remember someone recording a lot of it and bringing a tape of it round to my house (I had heard some bits and pieces about what was happening, but tended not to be around the channels that it was on when it was happening). I gather it ended up with him having his aerial cut down. A while back, I came across this old tape and one or two of us that remember this trouble have dated it to around 29 years ago. It's a shame really, as I think he was probably a very nice chap, he just said the wrong things to the wrong people. He got the addresses of some of the ones who he suspected of giving him grief and wrote letters to their parents. I remember hearing that one of the people found out what he was going to do, and intercepted the letter before his dad could see it. The really funny thing was that he didn't realise that a few days later he sent a follow up letter which his dad picked up and when he read it, it didn't make any sense as he hadn't received the first one. Anyway, it's all a very long time ago now and we have to remember that it was a time when CB had taken off in such a big way that it wasn't a case of who HAD got a CB, but a case of who HADN'T got a CB radio.

Things are a lot better now, although I have heard the odd 'heated' conversation, but it soon blows over. There are a number of 'older' folk on the radio. One chap a few miles away from me that I hear on reguarly is in his mid 80s. I don't know if it's because he has problems with his hearing, but he often doesn't know when a person has stopped talking and will start talking back to them while they are still talking. This doesn't happen just sometimes, it happens ALL the time. If the person that's talking to him doesn't keep talking in a continuous flow, if they just pause for a split second, then he'll key over them and start talking back to them. His 'overs' are often shorter than those of the person that he's talking to, so they'll both finish talking at the same time, then there'll be complete silence, as know one knows quite what's happening! He really is hard work, but regardless of all this, I've never heard anyone give him any abuse. He's always treated with respect and as he doesn't stay on late I've heard him go onto various channels and wish everyone good night and saying that he's signing off. It's still confusion for a short while as he talks over everybody as they're talking, but it gets there in the end. He's often wished a good night and as I gather he has to take various tablets, he'll often be reminded to 'not forget to take his tablets before he goes to bed' by folk on the channel. The other problem he has is that he sometimes has trouble keying his microphone properly, so there's sometimes the added confusion of a dead carrier with no audio modulation, but everyone in the area seems to take it in their stride. The other thing he does is when the TV weather forcast comes on, he keys his mic and plays it over channel 19 and then various people will key up and thank him.

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by Techman

"The Fidelity 1000 was a typical transceiver of poor quality, however it is now gaining a cult status amongst collectors."
So it's official - The 'Fidelity' is going to become the CB equivalent of the 'Dansette'!

I can certainly confirm that the Fidelity 1000 was as bad as the 2000 was good, with the 2001 an OK in-between. They all used chassis from different manufacturers. The chassis used in the 1000 was also used in the similar looking, equally grim 'Gecol'. It rarely managed to produce the full, legal 4W output. I wouldn't have one in my collection if you paid me to put it there.

As a rule anyone buying a CB now, just as then, should choose on the basis of the chassis inside, not the brand outside. Any CB/27/81 radio with a Cybernet chassis (134 or 135) is good, as long as it has not been meddled with or you have the skill, patience and parts to un-meddle it.

Ditto for CB/27/81 chassis Japanese-made by Uniden, which in this country generally went in Audioline branded radios, some self-branded radios and some (not all) Realistic (Tandy) models. The Cobra brand name was usually a reliable guide to the presence of a Uniden chassis, but not always - the CB/27/81 version of the Cobra 19X (like its original AM counterpart) used a Korean-built Maxon chassis. There are modern radios branded Uniden, but I believe it's a badge only now, like Wharfedale, Goodmans, etc.

Cybernet and Uniden also made some classic 'export' models between them, although not all Cybernet multimode chassis were good - the best was probably the 121 chassis (Hy Gain V, Ham International Concorde II) - the receiver on the later 125 chassis (Tristar 777, Nato 2000 etc) was not as good.

[electronicskip]

I was always a huge fan of the Stalker series radios and also the Midland ones too, iI currently have a Binatone 5 star installed in my car.

One question though.... grey area .

Can you actually use a CB whilst actually driving? Nobody seems to have a definitive answer.

[Alf]

It isn't illegal, but I'd be a bit wary of over zealous law enforcers. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2...ulation/2/made two-way radio” means any wireless telegraphy apparatus which is designed or adapted— (i)for the purpose of transmitting and receiving spoken messages; and (ii)to operate on any frequency other than 880 MHz to 915 MHz, 925 MHz to 960 MHz, 1710 MHz to 1785 MHz, 1805 MHz to 1880 MHz, 1900 MHz to 1980 MHz or 2110 MHz to 2170 MHz;

[electronicskip]

Thats what iI mean, over zealous law enforcers, it's really a very grey area.

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by electronicskip

I was always a huge fan of the Stalker series radios and also the Midland ones too, iI currently have a Binatone 5 star installed in my car.

Can you actually use a CB whilst actually driving? Nobody seems to have a definitive answer.

Stalker was a Uniden based brand, so they were generally good radios. Midland (AM and FM) almost invariably used Korean Maxon chassis, although the Midland CB/27/81 home base was an exception as it used a Cybernet 134 chassis. I always liked the look of the Midland 'Precision Series' (2001-3001-4001) radios with their signature duck-egg blue casings and vernier-style knobs.

The 5-Star (and the Hy-Gain lookalike Yorks) are probably the most sought-after 134-based radios when in good condition - I'm not sure I would leave mine in the car. I personally think the Rotels are the nicest looking of all, the styling still looks good even today.

Technically, yes, we two way radio users are exempt from what might be termed the 'mobile phone law'. The exemption was to prevent the criminalisation of taxi drivers, delivery drivers, fire service, ambulance and any other drivers who had a legitimate excuse to need to communicate on the move. But by a happy accident, CB and Amateur radio operators are also included in the exemption.

However, it only takes a law enforcement person in a bad mood to see the use of a microphone while driving as 'driving without due care and attention'. The exemption is therefore effectively worthless, since you can't depend upon it to protect you.

On the plus side, this is probably a good thing. I will freely admit that there were occasions long ago when I ended up with the microphone cable wrapped around the steering column. Anything which has you talking continually and driving one handed is bound to detract from your ability to focus when driving.

My 'mobile' operation these days, whether on amateur radio or CB, is strictly static. I do have fond memories of groups of us ranging out into the Northumbrian countryside on day trips in battered old cars - all we could afford - in proper CB 'convoys' - even then it was mostly the front seat passenger who did most of the talking while the driver drove.

I notice that all the 'proper' 4*4 vehicles I see - the ones actually covered in mud - have 'Stinger' type (open spring base loading coil) CB aerials fitted, so perhaps they are carrying on the tradition.

[electronicskip]

My 5 star is in an "as new"condition, being new old stock purchased about 2 years ago from a closing electrical shop , and iI do also have a Midland 4001 and a couple of others in my collection,

My first CB was actually a Harrier CBX bought from Rumbelows where iI worked at the time, and iI still have it to this day,all in good working order too.

I'm not much up on tech specs (not being an engineer) but certainly the quality was very good and the rig itself was very robust.

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by electronicskip

My 5 star is in an "as new"condition, being new old stock purchased about 2 years ago from a closing electrical shop.

An astoundingly lucky find. In that condition on a good day you could probably get well in excess of £100 for it. Cost new in in 1981 was probably about £100-120, but that kind of money bought a lot more then than it does now. So in real terms, they still aren't selling for more than they originally cost. Eventually, I think they will (but that's not why I collect them).

Originally Posted by electronicskip

My first cb was actually a Harrier CBX bought from Rumbelows where i worked at the time, and i still have it to this day,all in good working order too.

... And that radio has, you've guessed it, the same Cybernet 134 chassis as the 5-Star.

Coincidentally, I bought my 5-Star (which I still own) on 2nd November 1981, the first day of legal UK CB, at... Rumbelows!

[electronicskip]

I was working for Rumbelows when 21/81 became legal, the rush for CB's was crazy, we sold out so quickly, we actually had pre orders that we couldnt fulfill until stocks arrived again.