CB - Sub Channels

[daveSierra]

Guys, looking at buying a hand held CB for the fourby. Thinking hand held as at this stage I like the idea of using it when camping/hiking/mtb/whatever.

What's the general view on the sub-channel stuff?

Some mates are telling me it's a good thing, others are saying that they never use it.

Given the choice between a 0.5w with sub-channels or a 1.5w without, what would you do?

[ed.]

Guys, looking at buying a hand held CB for the fourby. Thinking hand held as at this stage I like the idea of using it when camping/hiking/mtb/whatever.

What's the general view on the sub-channel stuff?

Some mates are telling me it's a good thing, others are saying that they never use it.

Given the choice between a 0.5w with sub-channels or a 1.5w without, what would you do?

1.5 for sure.
If you need help, the more range, the better.

[pongo]

Sub Channels eh. Arent they illegal. id go with the 1.5 unless you all have commercial radios that can be reprogrammed to the sub channels.

Maybe send me a PM re the .5

[familybus]

UNLESS YOUR ABOUT TO DO A BANKJOB OR SOME HIGHLY ILLEGAL AND DONT WANT THE LOCAL WILDLIFE SANDBAGGING (LITENING) WHY ELSE WOULD YOU WANT SPECIAL CHANNELS? WHEN YOUR OUT BUSH THERES PLENTY OF CHANNELS TO USE AND .5watts aint going to travel far enough to bother anyone else anyway! excuse my caps by the time i relised it was too late and dont feel like retyping!

[-Scott-]

Are you talking about CTCSS?

[fnukle]

yea ive got subchannels on my uhf watch for out of vehicle shizzal but never use them.

no one really has them anyway. much better off with the extra wattage

[84ZOOKSTA]

Do you mean SUB TONES (CTCSS(Continuous Tone Controlled Signalling System or Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System)) Or extra channels.

Simon

[Ezookiel]

Just a note on CTCSS.
You are NOT actually having a private conversation that no-one else can hear. Others on non-ctcss radios can still hear you on the normal channel, they just can't interrupt or join in.
When I chat with a friend using CTCSS on channel 24.1 the whole thing can be heard on my handheld without the CTCSS, it just can't join in the conversation.

If this isn't correct I'm happy to be corrected, but then there's also something weird about my handheld being able to listen in if I'm wrong.

[-Scott-]

Just a note on CTCSS.
You are NOT actually having a private conversation that no-one else can hear. Others on non-ctcss radios can still hear you on the normal channel, they just can't interrupt or join in.
When I chat with a friend using CTCSS on channel 24.1 the whole thing can be heard on my handheld without the CTCSS, it just can't join in the conversation.

If this isn't correct I'm happy to be corrected, but then there's also something weird about my handheld being able to listen in if I'm wrong.

I believe you are correct.

CTCSS may be great in hi-traffic areas, but I have my doubts about it's use in remote areas. Crossing the Simpson recently we passed a large group conversing on Channel 18 - we heard them chatting as they approached, we tried to talk to them ("we've got four vehicles, how many in your convoy?" stuff) and got zero response from any of them. Either they're the rudest bunch of wheelers I've ever met, or they were using CTCSS - glad we didn't NEED to talk to them!

Oh, and we tried channel 10, too - nothing from them there, either.

Scott

[dogbreath_48]

CTCSS is handy if you can be stuffed setting it up (...not really that hard i guess :p), but i wouldn't trade it for 1W

-Stu

[L33nsta]

We use the basic model of the Uniden UH044. It only has 0.5w output and the batteries will last a couple of weekends away. When I bought it, it was $100. The cheapest in that style. It was run over by a 4x4 Mud Racer once on a track covered in Mud once. I turned it off straight away and cleaned it when the mud was dry and its worked as good as new ever since.

These radios are reliable and have plenty of power for 99% of applications that your going to need them for when 4x4ing and general stuff.

Get something that you can get an external speaker/microphone. Eg so that you can attach the radio to your waist and the microphone to your collar of your jumper. Good for when you can't hold your radio.

I also bought one of the GME TX610's. I found them to be a horrible radio to use as it doesn't have a rotary volume control. I only used it a couple of times.

What ever you get try to get the simplest radio you can find as 99% of the time you will just want to turn it on and use it with out going through 5 or 10 different menus to adjust the channel or the volume.

Remember the more power (W Output) your portable radio has the quicker you will go through batteries.

[dirtyGQ]

aint most decent hand hels 5 watts?

[rockrover]

if ur not apposed to using ebay i got a mad lil 5 watt tranciever transmits between 400 and 480 mhz any chanel u imput cost me like $120 including postage go to ebay communications and type in tk338 graet lil device have gotten 20-25 ks with out repeater access its a lil complicated to use at first but for the price and value for money well worth a lil effort to use if u do get 1 and need a hand to under stand it give me a holla
ps can also transmit and recive on police ambos basically a scanner but both ways
here some pics

[rockrover]

[daveSierra]

Thanks for all the info and yes, I do mean CTCSS.

[rockrover]

this lil radio has ccts the lot does nearly everything also can get an external arial but u need a fitting (sma plug) on 1 end to screw into the radio and a male bnc connection then conect to female bnc and out to exteral arial works cherry its a ripper of a radio for the price for a radio even half as good to buy from gme or unidenyou would pay upward of about 300 also the tk338 comes with desk top charger instruction manual and universal power plug adapter
Cheers Bourkey

[RockyF75]

this lil radio has ccts the lot does nearly everything also can get an external arial but u need a fitting (sma plug) on 1 end to screw into the radio and a male bnc connection then conect to female bnc and out to exteral arial works cherry its a ripper of a radio for the price for a radio even half as good to buy from gme or unidenyou would pay upward of about 300 also the tk338 comes with desk top charger instruction manual and universal power plug adapter
Cheers Bourkey

I can only find em from international sellers - Honk Kong - I've had trouble with a torch from there, dont think i'd trust a radio

[ed.]

I was going to get the TK338 as well. Then found out you need a licence to legally use them.

[bogged]

I was going to get the TK338 as well. Then found out you need a licence to legally use them.

and?

[rockrover]

nah the sellers are really good i got mine with in 5 workin days yeah from hong kong but great lil radio and u dont need a licence just dont use other channels ive had mine for about 6 months now and never had a prob its just a radio if u dont input "ileagal" channels i have made it so i cant transmit on the emergency services(cops ambo police ) but can still listern realy awesome lil radio for the price me and a mate bought 1 each and we use them all the time and with a desktop charger and the whole lot i dont think ull find a betta 1 arould just make sure if u get a transciver it goes up to 480mhz cos alot of the cheapies on ebay only do 470mhz thus not utalizing the 477mhz(citerzen band uhf)
Cheers Bourkey

[Tiny]

the sub chanels on the CB band are legal and ICOM and UNIDEN have them, althoug I wouldnt compare the two in the same breath

the icom handheld will give you 1- 5 watts output, change at trhe puch of the button, can get an external arial for it so it can be used as an in vehicle unit but can be taken out and used anywhere, also heaps of accessories for them

[ed.]

I was going to get the TK338 as well. Then found out you need a licence to legally use them.

and?

Just bit the bullet and got a TX3200

Don't get me wrong, I think TK338 is awesome priced handheld but the temptation to use the other channels to too great for me

[rockrover]

i use other channels some times but theres no real attraction after uve had it and razzeled the taxis a couple o times and i set mine so now i cant tlk on the coppers and such but my mate has a gme llookin bit of gear its bout 3 times the price twice the size and batt lasts half as long also cant do as much my tk338 and on top of that mine has a better range so i wouldnt spend 300 on a gme id buy 2 tk338 instead well i did ...lol
Cheers Bourkey

[Ezookiel]

Another thought on CTCSS,
The numbers that you are calling subchannels, don't always match up from brand to brand. My friend and I had to go through the list of channels in the back of our instruction manuals to find which ones of ours are actually the same. It can be a bit frustrating working out why it isn't working when you've both chosen subchannel 4 for example, but can't hear each other. You may well find that what someone else's radio is calling 4, may be different on yours. This is where you'll have to read the manual to find which ones are the same.

As far as 0.5watt versus the other wattages. For distance I go with the one in the car, the hand ones are for around the campsite and for when I'm out of the car guiding someone over/through a section. for that use 0.5 watt is way adequate and I don't really need much more than just the most very basic features.

Do check that when you turn it off, it turns back on at the same channel you were just on. My Mum had a cheapy one for convoy use amongst the grey nomads that every time she turned it off, when she turned it back on she had to manually scroll back up to channel 22 or whatever it was that they use because it always reverted back to channel one when first turned on.

[bogged]

Don't get me wrong, I think TK338 is awesome priced handheld but the temptation to use the other channels to too great for me

I mean whats wrong with having the other channels anyway? I think you would shock yourself as to how many people do... bacon, CFA, RFS, Parks and others in mine..

[rockrover]

the old uniden hand helds all went back to channel 5(emergency channel)unsure y that was maybe in case of an emergency just turn off and back on?..either way there are a few good 1s out there personally anything below 1.5 watt i wouldt give u tuppence for they have a small antenna and a short range and most of there eantennas are built on 1 piece cant change or run external so get a good 1 and pay the money or buy 1 of the hong kong 1s that will do the same thing and million other things also
Cheers Bourkey

[RockyF75]

the old uniden hand helds all went back to channel 5(emergency channel)unsure y that was maybe in case of an emergency just turn off and back on?..either way there are a few good 1s out there personally anything below 1.5 watt i wouldt give u tuppence for they have a small antenna and a short range and most of there eantennas are built on 1 piece cant change or run external so get a good 1 and pay the money or buy 1 of the hong kong 1s that will do the same thing and million other things also
Cheers Bourkey

ok, so for future refferance, do you know the name of the seller you bought off? I'm not very trusting

[rockrover]

nah i dont remember altho my other mate bought 1 from a completley diff person another hong kong dude and he recived it in the same amount of time theres not too much to worry about but in sayin that have heard of a few ppl getting jacked but not much any more too many rules and regs
Cheers Bourkey

[Davidh]

i use other channels some times but theres no real attraction after uve had it and razzeled the taxis a couple o times and i set mine so now i cant tlk on the coppers and such but my mate has a gme llookin bit of gear its bout 3 times the price twice the size and batt lasts half as long also cant do as much my tk338 and on top of that mine has a better range so i wouldnt spend 300 on a gme id buy 2 tk338 instead well i did ...lol
Cheers Bourkey

Well you wouldn't be transmitting on the police or MFB frequencies anyway because:
(A) you can't key up the repeaters
(B) they are now on digital.

A few years ago a new selling point of some radio's was the ability to program in listening frequencies.
No good now, police and MFB are on digital, with the ambo's to move over eventually.

[rockrover]

nah not up here they arnt still good oll 468.825