Is a UHF transceiver worth fitting.

iana · Guru

Is a UHF transceiver worth fitting.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

YES.

I use mine to keep in contact with trucks etc and to hear pilots warnings of big/wide loads in the area and more importantly, ahead of me.

"One in the shute" "3.9 on the bridge"

-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 3rd of October 2015 09:34:42 AM

KFT · Guru

We have one fitted and a couple of handheld units as well.

Very very handy when travelling the highways and you see a wide load escort. You can ask them "how wide" and that will give you time to find a spot to pull off the road.

If you are travelling on any of the development roads where there are single lane sections and narrow bridges you will hear the road trains approaching when they call at the "call points" this gives you time to pull up and let them use the bridge because they cannot pull up if you are on the bridge and have not called and advised you are on the bridge. A very nasty accident if you meet one coming the other way.

I have at times also called up and asked where is the best place to get fuel in a strange town. The locals know the best servo. Also handy for getting directions to a business or camp spot.

We would not travel without one these days.
We do tend to turn it off in bigger towns or cities owing to the bad language but always turn it back on again when heading out of town.

frank

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Not off topic but a small digression........I used to have a hand held as well but got tired out running around the back of the van to answer myself with directions, so I chucked the hand held one out.

My youngest daughter would say that was a Dad joke biggrin

WobblyNut · Senior Member

BIG YES . A Definate yes.

even if you just listen until you get used to "th jargon"

but you will find most people will give you a reasonable answer.

Channel 40 is main truck channel . BUT 29 on Pacific Hwy .

ch 20 & 18 are caravan & motorhome .

keep an eye out fro local regional channels , they are usually signposted.

03_Troopy · Guru

WobblyNut wrote:
BIG YES . A Definate yes.
even if you just listen until you get used to "th jargon"
but you will find most people will give you a reasonable answer.
Channel 40 is main truck channel . BUT 29 on Pacific Hwy .
ch 20 & 18 are caravan & motorhome .
keep an eye out fro local regional channels , they are usually signposted.

Channels 40 and 29 are highway calling channels, not exclusively truckies channels, but they do use them.

Channel 20

476.9000

Simplex Used as Motorhome Convoy Channel

Channel 18

476.8500

Simplex Caravan & Campers Convoy Channel also Marine Rescue in New South Wales

Channel 29

477.1250

Simplex Pacific Hwy NSW & Qld, Sydney - Brisbane

Channel 40

477.4000

Simplex Highway Channel

UHF CB Channel allocations

-- Edited by 03_Troopy on Saturday 3rd of October 2015 04:58:23 PM

Woody n Sue · Guru

Absolutely

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

From personal experience don't spend money on a UHF with too many knobs and fancy bits to program, because you will need a university degree to operate the damn thing. Keep it simple and preferably buy one with a manual squelch, not the digital variety. At least then you can turn the squelch off, turn the radio on, adjust the volume based on the background noise, and then gently turn the squelch up until the background noise disappears.

If you wish to spend a bit of extra cash spend it on a quality antenna.

Cheers, Tom

chopit · Senior Member

Well worth having for all the above reasons.
Make sure you turn it ON when on the road.
I am surprised at the number of travelers we have chatted to who "couldn't be bothered with it".

Desert Dweller · Guru

Wouldn't be without one! Plenty of rubbish coming over the airwaves but other than that it's a definite asset.

Bello · Veteran Member

Should be compulsary (only kidding). I would not travel with out a UHF in the vehicle, And a handheld for the "cook" when reversing into tight spots.

Truckies are always good if you you contact them re them passing you, or telling them you will pull over when possible.

Other vanners also give good info over the radio.

Good luck, travel safe.

-- Edited by Bello on Monday 5th of October 2015 07:31:39 AM

The Hats · Senior Member

I have had a CB in every vehicle I have owned since 1976 when they first came into oz. As a truckie for nearly 40 years, I can tell you they are worth there weight in gold.

I belive EVEY van on the road should have one . Communication is paramount when on the road.

Cheers

The HAts

delapan · Senior Member

Hi Bello, no not joking they should be mandatory, just sit behind people towing vans and tell me what you think.......

iana · Guru

Thanks guys, but can I assume that with 11,000 registered members, only 12 members have a UHF? When you are on the road do others contact you or do you contact them? Money may be better spent on other pieces of equipment?

03_Troopy · Guru

iana wrote:
Thanks guys, but can I assume that with 11,000 registered members, only 12 members have a UHF? When you are on the road do others contact you or do you contact them? Money may be better spent on other pieces of equipment?

Only 12 responded to a question that has been asked quite a few times before. Whether you decide to fit a UHF CB or not is up to you, but when travelling, especially out west, they are very useful for communicating with others, communicating with trucks and getting for warning from oversized load escorts. You may be able to see the wide load escort approaching before you see the wide load, but not much use if there is nowhere to pull off the road. Having a bit of extra warning may just allow you to find that spot in time. As who contacts who, it all depends on what the situation is. Old mate behind you may see your awning, or a window flapping about in the breeze, and will hopefully also have a UHF to call you up. Or you may want to do the same for someone else.

Type UHF in the search bar for more threads on the subject.

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

While it leaves you open to the odd crappy phone call, in addition to the UHF in the tug and the channel 40 sign on the back of the van I have also displayed my mobile phone number.

Just in case someone wants to go off crook at me and doesn't have a UHF. Lol

Cheers, Tom

Graden · Veteran Member

Praps they have the same problem I have. I have uhf on when travelling, but, I cant understand what is said, they start talking before switching transmit then stop transmit when talking, result is lost message, also they speak so quick and in monotone and again lost message. Only time I understood was a wide load approaching and the escort very clearly advised us to pull over, we thanked him.