CB, UHF Whatever, what do I need?

Post by **Nevyn** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:15 pm

OK Need to get a Radio to talk to people !!

Very tech I know.

Na Seriously, can't spend much, 'bout the hundred mark, (Mrs Nevyn getting it for B/Day) what are the necessities??

Where is the best place to look? Dicks/retra vision. etc.

Southside brissy.

Website · Post by **suzukiboy** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:31 pm

If it's just line of sight a set of handheld UHF, get them from a lot of places WOW - Dick Smiths - JCar – Post Office – Kmart etc.
I use a cheap $60 uniden set for offroad, riding a push bike works very well got mine from WOW

Post by **Nevyn** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:37 pm

Have two handhelds, was talking a long range one to be mounted in the patrol.

Post by **chunkz** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:46 pm

goto up....
that place

CASH CONVERTERS!!

they'll have heaps, all cheap too
not state of the art... but what you want im guessing

Post by **Nevyn** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:03 pm

Probably, Q still stands, is there anything I should be looking for??

Specific DB or something??

Brands that are crap, capabilities that are really useful?

ie apart from the scan channel thing I know nothing.

Post by **Camshaft1** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:54 pm

try ebay. we got one for 150. anything new is usually a coupla hundred

Website · Post by **LuxyBoy** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 10:26 pm

http://www.prestigecom.net.au/
You can't beat the price for the quality from prestige; unless you go secondhand
Get UHF handhelds; will do to start with if you don't want to spend much.

Post by **Jeeps** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:48 am

I have this set:

They're about $120, but they come with rechargable batteries AND a desktop charger cradle. They're an absolute ripper especially as they've got tone coding (so you can keep swearing truckies and crap from talking to you) so if you use them with the kids/wife all they hear is you and no-one else.

I have a few mates with those $60 twin packs and they're no good, the squelch breaks for no reason and they chew through batteries.

Post by **-Mick-** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:27 am

you want to look at the power rating in watts.... but they'll all be very low in the $100 handheld range

Post by **Nevyn** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:38 am

I don't think I made myself clear.

Nevyn wrote:Have two handhelds, was talking a long range one to be mounted in the patrol.

I'm not looking for handhelds.

I have two handhelds and they are great. however they are handhelds and therefore the distance is crap. Not only that using them while driving is bloody difficult.

Cash converters/second hand is probably what I am after.

What I wanted to know was what is a good power wattage, what should I be looking for and or stearing clear of?

Post by **Ruffy** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:57 am

Look for a second hand UHF if you only got a hunjy bones to spill. Cash converotrs to me seem to be on the exy side but worth a look.
GME, Uniden are good brands. A basic 40 channel with duplex (you'd be hard pressed to find one without it these days) will be fine. No need for bells and whistles like cell call or search functions.
Always use new coax and preferably a new antenna.
Good luck

Post by **Kramer** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:05 pm

I have this one:

Its a Uniden UH015SX UHF CB Radio with Scanner, can scan police and a heap of other frequencies in the UHF range.

But the kicker is I got it for $300, but I can't get anymore at that price now

http://www.prestigecom.net.au/default.a ... openmenu=1
Look here not to badly priced at all!

Post by **-Mick-** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:07 pm

Nevyn wrote:I don't think I made myself clear.

Nevyn wrote:Have two handhelds, was talking a long range one to be mounted in the patrol.
I'm not looking for handhelds.

I have two handhelds and they are great. however they are handhelds and therefore the distance is crap. Not only that using them while driving is bloody difficult.

Cash converters/second hand is probably what I am after.

What I wanted to know was what is a good power wattage, what should I be looking for and or stearing clear of?

5 watts is good if you can get it

not super duper but pretty usable

that's from memory... (which may or may not be tainted by scotch

)

Post by **Jeeps** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:46 pm

I don't think you'll get ANYTHING of decent quality secondhand for $100. You'll have to watch ebay VERY closely if you want something that cheap.

You'll be looking at $200+ for a worthwhile secondhand radio.

If buying secondhand look for...

* 5 watts
* Uniden or GME
* Make sure it's got a power cable and mounting bracket
* It works

Seeing as they sell for $300-$400+, you won't find a CB in real good nick for $100

Post by **Patroler** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 5:54 pm

Ditto, 5 watts is the max that you can have legally, (some of use have commercial units that can go higher - i run a 25w phillips prm 8030 out of a fire truck..) What you'd need is a reputable brand as mentioned above with 5 watts, with good cable and a good antenna.
As far as antennas go they come marked 3db 6db etc what this means is that if you can picture a figure 8 led on its side with the middle where the antenna is, the higher db antenna would be a lot flatter and wider (more range but flatter, whereas the lower db would have less overall range but cover up and down hills a lot better (fatter 8) - personally ive got a 3db antenna with 25w this should cover similar distance to a 5 watt unit with a high gain antenna and have the advantage of more up an down transmission..
At the end of the day its not much use being able to talk to people if they cant talk to you...

Post by **RockyF75** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:33 pm

If you want AM i'm planning on getting rid of mine

But as people will say most us UHF

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CB, UHF Whatever, what do I need?

CB, UHF Whatever, what do I need?

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