Worm Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Just got a UHF. Never had one before. Is there certain channels used for certain things? I know channel 5 is emergency only. What about truck drivers? 4wd? etc... Or is it all random? cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamHuntVic Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Worm, this is straight off the brochure from Uniden. Channel 5 and 35 are emergency channels Channel 11 is a calling channel Channels 22 and 23 are for telemetry and telecommand applications Channel 40 is the road channel Channels 1 to 8 and 31 to 38 are repeater channels Hope it helps. These are guidelines. Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worm Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Thanks mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman_DJ Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 As above, but to add a couple. Ch10 is the 4WD channel, kinda. Not too sure how many people actually use it now. I use it offroad and when hunting (take a handheld with me). Ch18 is the grey nomads channel, aka caravans and camper vans tend to tune in to this one. The repeater channels 1-8 are paired with channels 31-38. ch1 is paired with ch31, ch2 with ch32 etc. Meaning ch35 is the other half of ch5 and is ALSO an emergency channel. Btw, what UHF have you got? Mines an old crappy thing in the car with a Icom IC-41S handheld. Looking to get the Icom 400Pro to replace the one in the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worm Posted September 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 I found out that ch40 is the truck driver channel. Some guy down here who calls himself "Bullbar" stays on it ALL day abusing ppl and swearing. The truckies go off at him. I use a cheap handheld and connect a external antenna. Its a 3W job from Jaycar... although I bought it off prestige coms for $120 I bought the wrong antenna though. Didnt realise different antennas are for different applications. Ill buy a different one when I save up some more cash. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epitome Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 When driving to and from the city I keep mine on ch40. I chat to truckies I know as we pass each other. Also most cockies around here keep theirs on ch40 as well. So when driving around town, if I've left it turned on, I often hear them having a yak. Mine is a Uniden with all of the bells and whistles. I have a 3 foot antenna and spring base on the roobar. I also have a 6 foot antenna for when I want more range. Although the 3 footer gives me a good 10km range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 I found out that ch40 is the truck driver channel. Some guy down here who calls himself "Bullbar" stays on it ALL day abusing ppl and swearing. The truckies go off at him. I use a cheap handheld and connect a external antenna. Its a 3W job from Jaycar... although I bought it off prestige coms for $120 I bought the wrong antenna though. Didnt realise different antennas are for different applications. Ill buy a different one when I save up some more cash. cheers A low Decibel rated antenna will have less range than an antenna with a high decibel rating which will have a longer range but will not be good for hilly country which a antenna with a low decibel rating would be good for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo .308 Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 (edited) Channel 40 is the one to be on if you want a good laugh. Look out when the truckies start their rants about slow drivers and caravans. Edited September 26, 2009 by Robbo .308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodyaussie Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Oh worm.. what range do you have as I have a set of Uhf's.. prety good ones.. Fireblue just left here.... when are we all going out!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epitome Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Channel 40 is the one to be on if you want a good laugh. Look out when the truckies start their rants about slow drivers and caravans. I've heard plenty of truckies ranting about grey nomads. They have a point though. Most GN's have nowhere to go and all day to get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worm Posted September 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 haha, good one epitome. Instead of getting a new antenna I just moved mine from the bullbar to the roof racks. Now it sticks up 900mm from the roof line and works a treat. Have to remember its there though so I can take it off. The interstate truckies always complain about us Melbourne drivers, especially when it rains. They dont realise its not the drivers (most of the time) but the bloody road design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len Posted September 27, 2009 Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 haha, good one epitome.Instead of getting a new antenna I just moved mine from the bullbar to the roof racks. Now it sticks up 900mm from the roof line and works a treat. Have to remember its there though so I can take it off. The interstate truckies always complain about us Melbourne drivers, especially when it rains. They dont realise its not the drivers (most of the time) but the bloody road design. Was it a ground plane independent aeriel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayhem Posted September 27, 2009 Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 ground dependant earths through the bull bar or where ever you have it mounted, and ground independant earths through the aerial itself. i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len Posted September 27, 2009 Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 The ground plane dependent aeriel will work better on the roof as the roof will act as the ground plane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigitt Posted September 27, 2009 Report Share Posted September 27, 2009 The ground plane dependent aeriel will work better on the roof as the roof will act as the ground plane Kinda True... Ground plane dependant antenna benefit from the ground plane location - the metal body it is attached to. If you mount it on the front or back of the car the ground plane become elongaterd and more directional towards the most metal. So if you mount it in the center on the roof you will will have the best ground plane, and even reception in which ever direction you are driving as the GP is circular. Mount it on the front Bull bar and the GP now becomes pointed towards the rear of the car and you will get best reception from behind you. Mount it on the rear and you will get best reception from in front of you. You really want ground independant - so you can mount it where ever and not get directionality from the Ground Plane. me think thats right { Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman_DJ Posted September 29, 2009 Report Share Posted September 29, 2009 I can get 20km out of mine on flat ground and about 100km from the hills where I hunt/4WD to a repeater on a hill. And thats not always with me on the tops of the hills, I've been half way up on the other side of them and got reception. I would run my antenna on the roof, but there's a problem. It currently sticks up about 1 meter above the roof line and it's mounted on the bullbar. Off memory it's a 7db gain with two loading coils on it. Hopefully I'll pickup my new Icom 400 Pro in a couple of weeks, if not sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundownunder Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 I tend to leave mine on 40 most of the time when on the highway and usually turn it off around town. I never use the repeater channels, as around Perth all you ever hear on there is D!ck4eads with nothing better to do than gob off at people and abuse people who may actually want to use the radio to communicate. I really miss the good old days when CB radio was for legitimate communications and d!ck4eads were rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epitome Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 I well remember the good old days of AM CB's. You could jump in your car in the evening and chat to people all over and even skip talk with people on the other side of the country. When you ran through the channels, there would be chatter on every channel. The last time I turned on my AM CB several years ago, there was nothing but silence on every channel. I still remember my AM Call sign. It was WCZ-719. Of course that was a Gov't issued call sign that came on your licence. Yes you had to have a licence back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibs Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Epi I still have a Gov issued licence, but its for VHF/MF/HF. MROCP licence. I dont use UHF units in the bush I use VHF/DSC units minimum. Plugs into the GPS and give real time LOC at the push of a button to anyone else who has the same type of unit (DSC enabled). I use either IComs or Raytheon units, I like the 25W output over a piddley .5W or 1W anyday, not cheap but then how much is your life worth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundownunder Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Yes you had to have a licence back then No you didn't :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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