UHF Radio Newbie needs help

Marken · Veteran Member

UHF Radio Newbie needs help

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Ask your friend google, or youtube - sure to find something!

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Use the search function on this forum too, its been discussed many times. You are not alone!!

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi Marken, welcome from me, enjoy here and out in the playground.

As for your UHF radio, you will not get anything like in the 70's, those good old days are long gone mate. I had a Cougar SSB Radio with sliding capabilities and Cougar now means an older lady getting a grip of a younger man. biggrin

I was heavily involved in CB radio those days myself, I set up and run 'Westernport C.R.E.S.T.' (Citizens Radio Emergency ServiceTeam) for many years from Tyabb, near Hastings Victoria on channel 9. CREST still operate to this day on channel 5&35.

All the 'Lingo' used those days seem to have been abandoned, I have tried to use it and was told to get off and stop being an idiot but not in those words, now I hear some say I am an idiot anyway and they could be right. smile

So I spose what I am saying is, just push the talk button and, well, talk but talk normally as there are a lot of idiots on there that get great pleasure in swearing and referring to human body part all the time. I actually turn it of when in large towns and cities now as I choose not to listen that garbage.

It's very sad to think UHF radio is like that though. Of course there are good operators out there as well. I still wouldn't travel without my UHF though, invaluable really.

johnq · Guru

One guide of many available (use Google),

http://www.caravanandcampingsa.com.au/page.asp?parentid=22&parent2id=155

Chatter is discouraged on the channels used for road reports and so on, eg Channels 39 and 40.

Perhaps you have not switched to 'duplex', which extends your reception through repeater stations. Even despite that, UHF has a short reception range which is affected by aerial used (6dB is the best compromise), and by features like hills and buildings. The range is short, not at all like the range imagined by many people.

Courier drivers and assorted mugs abuse and bully on the 'social' channels. Best avoided.

-- Edited by johnq on Wednesday 2nd of October 2013 06:57:41 PM

Cruising Cruze · Guru

Hi Ken

Just drive into a caravan park and ask someone with a 4wd if he can help you and try to do a radio check with you
plenty of blokes hanging around in caravan parks
don't be shy they won't eat you ,and most likely they know how to fixed the problem

Good luck

John

Marken · Veteran Member

Thanks to all who replied with their advice and pointers. I have done a search of the net but most of the sites I found went into lengths about antennas & channels rather than actually making contact. I accept what Dougwe says and I should just pick up the mike and talk. When I hear someone talking it is very broken up and the "receive"light flicks on and off. Could this be an antenna problem? I will continue to search both the GN website and the net and see if anything else come to light. Anyway thanks again. Love the GN website and the people on it.
Cheers
Marken

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Marken wrote:
Thanks to all who replied with their advice and pointers. I have done a search of the net but most of the sites I found went into lengths about antennas & channels rather than actually making contact. I accept what Dougwe says and I should just pick up the mike and talk. When I hear someone talking it is very broken up and the "receive"light flicks on and off. Could this be an antenna problem? I will continue to search both the GN website and the net and see if anything else come to light. Anyway thanks again. Love the GN website and the people on it.
Cheers
Marken

DON't take too much notice of Dougwe, he even admitted he was an idiot biggrin also those other guys dazren, Duh can be put in the same boat as Dougwe. biggrin biggrin biggrin

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I don't have a boat. so there bigW.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Dougwe wrote:
I don't have a boat. so there bigW.

any boat will do, it does not have to be yours, just one that will take you a long way away. biggrin biggrin

Dougwe · Chief one feather

10/4 good buddy. Copy that.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Dougwe wrote:
10/4 good buddy. Copy that.

that shows how old you are biggrin biggrin

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Roger that.

beiffe · Guru

It might be your squelch is too high.
Turn up your volume (be prepared to turn it back quick) and then move the squelch fully each way.
The secret is to have it where you can hear the close chats but cut out the broken long distance stuff.
You can always put a call out for a radio check. Just go onto 40 and ask for a radio check and give you approx location eg suburb if in a city or town if in the bush.
I hope you sort it out. Mine is on 40 all the time I just cut the rubbish out with the squelch when in city areas.
Regards
Brian

Marken · Veteran Member

Thanks beiffe. That's the sort of help I needed. As I said most sites tell you all about the channels to use (and not use) but it is the basic operation of the radio that I need help on. Now I understand more about squelch and I have also learned about duplex. Getting somewhere at last. Cheers marken.