Hi everyone would like some help with regard to purchasing a uhf radio ? planning that trip around oz sticking to the bitumen and haven't got a clue about what to purchase .
Do you think that these radio's are a necessary ? or am I just wasting my money ?
Have read a few articles about road trains etc and possible problems they may cause !
JackoFJR said
07:32 AM Dec 6, 2016
It's not a essential item to have
rockylizard said
07:45 AM Dec 6, 2016
Gday...
While waiting for others to come along and proffer their advice, this might give you a bit of reading -
I had a UHF in my Motorhome when I purchased it so have used it.
I know I will get shot down but everyone speeds at some time or other. Going downhill, following wind. Sometimes we check the speedo and there we are a few K's over.
Listening to the YHF and there will always be rapport between truckers letting others know when there are Radars and police cameras around.
If, in my opinion it saves you one speeding ticket it's worth it.
The majority of the units these days are 5 Watt devices which gives you a few K's of coverage. Very handy when you hear a Pilot vehicle reporting a wide load coming towards you. Gives you more time to decide to slow down and even pull off the road if it's a wider than normal rig coming towards you. Also very useful to listen to trucks and other users report road conditions and to hear truckers tell you they are going to overtake you.
Not an essential piece of equipment but the more you know what is going on around you the better.
Dougwe said
09:17 AM Dec 6, 2016
Mmmm, what can I say that would be different to many times before during discussions on this great forum. I can only say that I have had one for many many moons now and would never leave home without one fitted to my tug. It is on all the time with den on the back of the tug or just the tug and me driving around, I use it in both situations. Fitted to the tug is best for me not hand helds, that said I do have a very small hand held if ever needed with someone directing me for any reason.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
goldenyears said
09:29 AM Dec 6, 2016
Thanks all for your advice big help as always .
terrola said
11:29 AM Dec 6, 2016
bought fdc 5w for a trip to darwin following friends with van
you would think in the middle of no where would be able to contact friend in front but most of way NO
when did was not very good
did come in handy at times in certain places not too often
would not buy another hand held
brickies said
02:04 PM Dec 6, 2016
I have one have rarely found the need to use it , When I was in the fire service the diver was not allowed to use Two way when driving , Some people use this tool just to chat .
Bryan said
04:18 PM Dec 6, 2016
I have a GME handheld, very rarely use it but always travel with it.
Mobi Condo said
04:58 PM Dec 6, 2016
We had a 5W unit fixed into the Tug AND have 2 Hand held 2W units. Fixed 5W is on scan with Priority set to Ch40 for quick talk to Transports re what they wish us to do to have them pass us safely.
The Hand Held are either on Ch18 or off and are most helpful in reversing etc. or out in the boonies and manoeuvring the rig in scrub (reversing and multi-point turning should we take a narrow tree lined dead end track).
The scanning set up provides us with great local info re road conditions, traffic and recently flood areas. We find the UHF most useful.
Ozzie_Traveller said
08:37 PM Dec 6, 2016
G'day mate
As someone who is on the wallaby for most of the year may I offer you the following
"if you are travelling in the 'outback' and you do not have a UHF radio, turned on ready for use, then you are a bluddy danger to me and others on the highway"
Every day while on the road, I hear calls from truckies / wide loads / other RVs asking questions or advising of dangers somewhere ahead Every day while on the road I see a need to call up some bluddy caravanner whose TV antenna is still pointing to the heavens, or a window is open, or the step is 'out'
Every week or so I see a caravan with a flat / 1/2-flat tyre and call them up to advise them ... and so it goes on
But do I get any answer ......... NO - coz they believe that no-one would want to talk to them, so why bother with a radio
We have all of the built-in UHF plus 2x 2watt hand helds ... ie. 3 radios in all
The hand helds are used = around the camping area to keep in touch with each other - either when collecting firewood / gassbagging with others etc.etc.
= as we walk around taking photos in the bush
= on the roadside at a crash or breakdown to alert oncoming vehicles to the danger ahead
One time on the Stuart Hwy 150km south of the Alice, we came across a breakdown and pedestrians were on the road assisting. The radios were used for traffic warnings & traffic control. The truckies & buses were beaut - the bluddy caravanners came thru at 100km/h and hit the brakes suddenly as they came across the problem. A radio would have given them a few minutes warning and the chance to slow down safely
A month ago in Albury we came across a fella whose electrical cables had come unhitched - so no blinkers or brakes showing on the van. Eventually caught him at some traffic lights - told him the problem, asked him 'if his radio was turned off?' and his answer ... "don't need one mate"
And so it goes ! ps: The longest measured distance one of my 2w hand helds covered was 22km across flat territory
Hope this helps Phil
Bruce and Bev said
09:24 PM Dec 6, 2016
have a look at the post "CB radios" on the front page of the Techies corner. If you use the search function at the top of the page and try "cb radios" or uhf radios" you will find many pages of posts with lots of comments which may be of use to you (or make you more confused lol)
Fringe Dweller said
09:57 PM Dec 6, 2016
NO . Goldenyears , you Will not be wasting your money.
I Have 3 , one fitted to tug . And two hand helds . I have used CB's since they came to Australia.
Pre Razorback .
THEY ARE a Great tool . Why 3 , in case my in-car breaks down I have the two hand helds , bought as a pair.
Use one charge one etc. I did a quick trip to Darwin a couple of months ago to deliver a car.
As people said about "Dimensional Loads" , several times I got caught up behind wide loads , with vans & mh's behind em.
Called them , nothing . Advised Pilots & truckies I was rounding up the Rv's & when it was safe I would do "the job" on them.
And Yes . They are Great to be advised about buses & coaches broken down . As All the passenger are meandering all over the road.
Yep . Does Not matter who tells em to get off the road , they are soon back there.
Do yourself a favour & STAY on channel 40 just listen . If you need to talk "break in".
If ya want a "Deep & meaningful" with another rv , go to 18 or 20. THEN Get back to 40.
For Your information . Pacific Hwy IS Channel 29 , as ch 40 is too close to Marine Rescue frequency.
Oh My Call sign is Woombat . Has been since 77. Or the official call was BW544 Woombat. When we Had to have a CB licence.
HAVE A SAFE one Rubber Ducky.
-- Edited by Fringe Dweller on Tuesday 6th of December 2016 09:59:01 PM
C00P said
10:23 PM Dec 6, 2016
You don't need an expensive all-singing all-dancing UHF. Most of the time the people you need to talk to are within 5km of you, so a basic unit is fine.
Our unit is tuned to Ch40 as many have said, and we advertise the fact on the back of our van. When truckers approach from behind we identify ourselves and call them so they know we are on the air, and we get them to warn us when they commence overtaking, once they draw level we ease off to reduce the time they spend on the wrong side of the road. Most truckers are appreciative of this.
Usually, once we hit town, we turn it off because most of the idiot users with foul language are in the towns, and we don;t need to hear their inane conversations. It goes back on again once we get back out on the highway.
The other main value is advice about wide loads, as others have said.
Cheers
C00P
Aussie said
11:40 PM Dec 6, 2016
Yes goldenyears, it is a good idea. I have had UHF radios since the 1970s during our caravaning years. For the last 10 years just driving a Falcon sedan I keep my radio turned on as we live a thousand Ks out of Perth. It is not life saving , but is handy just to know there's an over size load coming in the next 10 minutes. Also you know if there is some road works coming up. When you consider that these days you can get a good set for around $100 to $120 I reckon everybody that ventures out of the Metro Area should have one.
banjo said
12:08 PM Dec 7, 2016
Was following a van on our Kwinana freeway here in WA the other day, he was totally oblivious that his two hatches were self destructing and bits flying off as he continued on his merry way at 100klms/h !
I called him on 18 then 40 on UHF, no answer, so tried to point as I was overtaking, but the silly old bugger was still in lala land.
So yes, a UHF of any kind, but a fixed 5W is better, and would IMO be essential.
Also here in WA, especially heading North they are a godsend for hearing of wide loads approaching as usually the pilots will be giving the truckies regular info on channel 40.
PeterD said
01:15 PM Dec 7, 2016
JB HI-FI are running some good specials at the moment. Most of them are quality brands - See this Link.
Koala said
01:31 PM Dec 7, 2016
Hi,
Yes UHF is a must, get a GME Plug & Play, they are great you just plug into cigarette point in vehicle, has its own ariel that can sit on dash or magnetic stick to roof, they can go between cars etc if need be, no holes in dash of car which is a bonus & retail $299 to $349. Husband now using them in work vehicles too.
goldenyears said
06:37 PM Dec 7, 2016
Thanks ozzie for info realy do appreciate it ... and after reading your post I'm getting one ! makes sense to try and keep in touch with whats going on ! YOU EXPLAINED IT VERY WELL .
goldenyears said
06:39 PM Dec 7, 2016
Thanks to you all for your help once again fellow nomads see ya on the road ..........................
goldenyears said
10:44 AM Dec 8, 2016
Well after taking everyones advice just bought the uniden compact uh5000 with airiel $179 ebay will probably connect to fuse box or maybe battery as both are near each other... would appreciate anyones advice ......... TO BATTERY OR FUSEBOX both of which are next to each other........ matter of choice I guess ... have read less noise interference to battery ?
thanks all
Ozzie_Traveller said
08:19 AM Dec 9, 2016
G'day GoldenYears
My built in radio is connected to the battery [via an in-line fuse too] - ie: it works whether the ignition key is 'in' or not
I chose this connection so that I or anyone else could use the radio in an emergency ... not that it has ever happened
I do use it regularly when parked - I see a mate arriving so I say "g'day" or someone departing and I call 'em up to lower the TV antenna etc. etc.
Hope this helps
Phil
goldenyears said
09:22 AM Dec 9, 2016
Thanks ozzie yes all comments here help me make decisions about many things think I will connect direct to battery like you . thanks again.
Aussie said
01:44 PM Dec 9, 2016
goldenyears, The Ciggy lighter plug is easy to connect to. I run front and rear dash cams, GPS and my UHF radio on mine. There was a problem at the start with blown fuses. The original fuse was 15 amp and I eventually settled on a 25 amp and it all runs as smooth as silk. Repco sell those one into three ciggy plugs.
goldenyears said
04:42 PM Dec 9, 2016
Hi thanks for your reply will connect direct to battery and earth to chassis apparently avoids any noise distortion on cb .. have bought cable etc inline fuse connected near battery all the wiring ready to go all I need now is for the cb to arrive !!!!!!! hopefully next week . smile !
goldenyears said
04:48 PM Dec 9, 2016
Aussie also was told that increasing the amp size of fuse other than whats been specified for appliance u run the risk of frying whatever has been connected to it ! guess this makes sense so will probably put a 2.. 5 amp fuse next to battery .. for cb radio .
I'm no expert and do appreciate all comments ... this web site has got me this far lol !!!!!
Ozzie_Traveller said
09:15 AM Dec 10, 2016
G'day GY
The radio when it arrives will have a small label attached giving some idea of its 12v power needs - probably around 1 amp. Therefore a fuse of 2 amps will be more than ok. Electrical safety issues arise when people replace a 20A fuse with a 50A fuse for whatever reason - and if/when a problem comes along, the fuse does not fail ... the vehicle does !!
Insofar as UHF goes, your radio will come with many settings, the 2 main ones will be called 'Open Scan' and 'Closed or Group Scan'
This is where you can select which channels you want the radio to go thru as it is working
My radio is set on Open Scan ... all available channels, and Closed Scan it does ch 18 + 20 + 40. Ch 18 for vanners & travellers, 20 for those motorhomers still using ch20, and 40 for the truckies and others on the road who all use ch-40 for communications [as an extra, when on the NSW Pacific Hwy, truckies use ch-29, and on those rare times when I am also on that hwy, I add ch-29 to the scan list. it's a simple matter of dialling ch-29 and holding the ch button 'in' until it beeps]
I often go to Open Scan when I'm meandering along outback roads, and it's facinating to hear conversations between farmers, tractors & house. "ok dear I'll be in for lunch around 2 o'clock - can ya have the soup ready?"
Phil
goldenyears said
09:55 AM Dec 10, 2016
phil ( ozzie traveller) thanks for going into detail about your experiences big help mate .
Aussie said
06:01 PM Dec 10, 2016
My 25 amp Ciggy Socket set up has been going trouble free for about 18 months now, so I will carry on for the time being.
Hi everyone would like some help with regard to purchasing a uhf radio ? planning that trip around oz sticking to the bitumen and haven't got a clue about what to purchase .
Do you think that these radio's are a necessary ? or am I just wasting my money ?
Have read a few articles about road trains etc and possible problems they may cause !
Gday...
While waiting for others to come along and proffer their advice, this might give you a bit of reading -
http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t62953038/cb-radio/
Cheers - John
I had a UHF in my Motorhome when I purchased it so have used it.
I know I will get shot down but everyone speeds at some time or other. Going downhill, following wind. Sometimes we check the speedo and there we are a few K's over.
Listening to the YHF and there will always be rapport between truckers letting others know when there are Radars and police cameras around.
If, in my opinion it saves you one speeding ticket it's worth it.
The majority of the units these days are 5 Watt devices which gives you a few K's of coverage. Very handy when you hear a Pilot vehicle reporting a wide load coming towards you. Gives you more time to decide to slow down and even pull off the road if it's a wider than normal rig coming towards you. Also very useful to listen to trucks and other users report road conditions and to hear truckers tell you they are going to overtake you.
Not an essential piece of equipment but the more you know what is going on around you the better.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Thanks all for your advice big help as always .
bought fdc 5w for a trip to darwin following friends with van
you would think in the middle of no where would be able to contact friend in front but most of way NO
when did was not very good
did come in handy at times in certain places not too often
would not buy another hand held
I have a GME handheld, very rarely use it but always travel with it.
The Hand Held are either on Ch18 or off and are most helpful in reversing etc. or out in the boonies and manoeuvring the rig in scrub (reversing and multi-point turning should we take a narrow tree lined dead end track).
The scanning set up provides us with great local info re road conditions, traffic and recently flood areas. We find the UHF most useful.
G'day mate
As someone who is on the wallaby for most of the year may I offer you the following
"if you are travelling in the 'outback' and you do not have a UHF radio, turned on ready for use, then you are a bluddy danger to me and others on the highway"
Every day while on the road, I hear calls from truckies / wide loads / other RVs asking questions or advising of dangers somewhere ahead
Every day while on the road I see a need to call up some bluddy caravanner whose TV antenna is still pointing to the heavens, or a window is open, or the step is 'out'
Every week or so I see a caravan with a flat / 1/2-flat tyre and call them up to advise them ...
and so it goes on
But do I get any answer ......... NO - coz they believe that no-one would want to talk to them, so why bother with a radio
We have all of the built-in UHF plus 2x 2watt hand helds ... ie. 3 radios in all
The hand helds are used
= around the camping area to keep in touch with each other - either when collecting firewood / gassbagging with others etc.etc.
= as we walk around taking photos in the bush
= on the roadside at a crash or breakdown to alert oncoming vehicles to the danger ahead
One time on the Stuart Hwy 150km south of the Alice, we came across a breakdown and pedestrians were on the road assisting. The radios were used for traffic warnings & traffic control. The truckies & buses were beaut - the bluddy caravanners came thru at 100km/h and hit the brakes suddenly as they came across the problem. A radio would have given them a few minutes warning and the chance to slow down safely
A month ago in Albury we came across a fella whose electrical cables had come unhitched - so no blinkers or brakes showing on the van. Eventually caught him at some traffic lights - told him the problem, asked him 'if his radio was turned off?' and his answer ... "don't need one mate"
And so it goes !
ps: The longest measured distance one of my 2w hand helds covered was 22km across flat territory
Hope this helps
Phil
NO . Goldenyears , you Will not be wasting your money.
I Have 3 , one fitted to tug . And two hand helds . I have used CB's since they came to Australia.
Pre Razorback .
THEY ARE a Great tool . Why 3 , in case my in-car breaks down I have the two hand helds , bought as a pair.
Use one charge one etc. I did a quick trip to Darwin a couple of months ago to deliver a car.
As people said about "Dimensional Loads" , several times I got caught up behind wide loads , with vans & mh's behind em.
Called them , nothing . Advised Pilots & truckies I was rounding up the Rv's & when it was safe I would do "the job" on them.
And Yes . They are Great to be advised about buses & coaches broken down . As All the passenger are meandering all over the road.
Yep . Does Not matter who tells em to get off the road , they are soon back there.
Do yourself a favour & STAY on channel 40 just listen . If you need to talk "break in".
If ya want a "Deep & meaningful" with another rv , go to 18 or 20. THEN Get back to 40.
For Your information . Pacific Hwy IS Channel 29 , as ch 40 is too close to Marine Rescue frequency.
Oh My Call sign is Woombat . Has been since 77. Or the official call was BW544 Woombat. When we Had to have a CB licence.
HAVE A SAFE one Rubber Ducky.
-- Edited by Fringe Dweller on Tuesday 6th of December 2016 09:59:01 PM
Our unit is tuned to Ch40 as many have said, and we advertise the fact on the back of our van. When truckers approach from behind we identify ourselves and call them so they know we are on the air, and we get them to warn us when they commence overtaking, once they draw level we ease off to reduce the time they spend on the wrong side of the road. Most truckers are appreciative of this.
Usually, once we hit town, we turn it off because most of the idiot users with foul language are in the towns, and we don;t need to hear their inane conversations. It goes back on again once we get back out on the highway.
The other main value is advice about wide loads, as others have said.
Cheers
C00P
Yes goldenyears, it is a good idea. I have had UHF radios since the 1970s during our caravaning years. For the last 10 years just driving a Falcon sedan I keep my radio turned on as we live a thousand Ks out of Perth. It is not life saving , but is handy just to know there's an over size load coming in the next 10 minutes. Also you know if there is some road works coming up. When you consider that these days you can get a good set for around $100 to $120 I reckon everybody that ventures out of the Metro Area should have one.
I called him on 18 then 40 on UHF, no answer, so tried to point as I was overtaking, but the silly old bugger was still in lala land.
So yes, a UHF of any kind, but a fixed 5W is better, and would IMO be essential.
Also here in WA, especially heading North they are a godsend for hearing of wide loads approaching as usually the pilots will be giving the truckies regular info on channel 40.
JB HI-FI are running some good specials at the moment. Most of them are quality brands - See this Link.
Hi,
Yes UHF is a must, get a GME Plug & Play, they are great you just plug into cigarette point in vehicle, has its own ariel that can sit on dash or magnetic stick to roof, they can go between cars etc if need be, no holes in dash of car which is a bonus & retail $299 to $349. Husband now using them in work vehicles too.
Thanks ozzie for info realy do appreciate it ... and after reading your post I'm getting one ! makes sense to try and keep in touch with whats going on ! YOU EXPLAINED IT VERY WELL .
thanks all
My built in radio is connected to the battery [via an in-line fuse too] - ie: it works whether the ignition key is 'in' or not
I chose this connection so that I or anyone else could use the radio in an emergency ... not that it has ever happened
I do use it regularly when parked - I see a mate arriving so I say "g'day" or someone departing and I call 'em up to lower the TV antenna etc. etc.
Hope this helps
Phil
Thanks ozzie yes all comments here help me make decisions about many things think I will connect direct to battery like you . thanks again.
goldenyears, The Ciggy lighter plug is easy to connect to. I run front and rear dash cams, GPS and my UHF radio on mine. There was a problem at the start with blown fuses. The original fuse was 15 amp and I eventually settled on a 25 amp and it all runs as smooth as silk. Repco sell those one into three ciggy plugs.
Hi thanks for your reply will connect direct to battery and earth to chassis apparently avoids any noise distortion on cb .. have bought cable etc inline fuse connected near battery all the wiring ready to go all I need now is for the cb to arrive !!!!!!! hopefully next week . smile !
I'm no expert and do appreciate all comments ... this web site has got me this far lol !!!!!
The radio when it arrives will have a small label attached giving some idea of its 12v power needs - probably around 1 amp. Therefore a fuse of 2 amps will be more than ok. Electrical safety issues arise when people replace a 20A fuse with a 50A fuse for whatever reason - and if/when a problem comes along, the fuse does not fail ... the vehicle does !!
Insofar as UHF goes, your radio will come with many settings, the 2 main ones will be called 'Open Scan' and 'Closed or Group Scan'
This is where you can select which channels you want the radio to go thru as it is working
My radio is set on Open Scan ... all available channels, and Closed Scan it does ch 18 + 20 + 40. Ch 18 for vanners & travellers, 20 for those motorhomers still using ch20, and 40 for the truckies and others on the road who all use ch-40 for communications [as an extra, when on the NSW Pacific Hwy, truckies use ch-29, and on those rare times when I am also on that hwy, I add ch-29 to the scan list. it's a simple matter of dialling ch-29 and holding the ch button 'in' until it beeps]
I often go to Open Scan when I'm meandering along outback roads, and it's facinating to hear conversations between farmers, tractors & house. "ok dear I'll be in for lunch around 2 o'clock - can ya have the soup ready?"
Phil
phil ( ozzie traveller) thanks for going into detail about your experiences big help mate .
My 25 amp Ciggy Socket set up has been going trouble free for about 18 months now, so I will carry on for the time being.