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Citizens Band radio is
a
free
to
use
public radio communications service. It enables members
of the public to communicate without the need to pay any subscription,
fee or charge per minute. It really is free, you don't even have to register to use it. Simply get the correct equipment, connect it up, and get chatting. No license is required in the UK nowadays. Most C.B. Radios these days come with 80 channels (40 UK and 40 European). All these channels can be used in the UK, but only the 40 channels designated for use in mainland Europe should be used in the rest of the EU. However, this point seems largely to be ignored. |
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| What distance can you
get? The distance you will get contacts over will depend on several factors. Things that may affect distance include your height, surroundings, antenna type and power output. If you live in a valley, the hills may block your signal. If on the side of a hill, you will get greater distances in some directions than others. The large buildings in cities may block signals, limiting the range from inside the city. There are many different antennas available, some work better than others. The height of your antenna is also important. Generally, higher is better. The maximum power allowed is 4 Watts. The kind of aerial used has quite an effect on performance - for example : with an aerial like the “Springer”, which is long, yet very flexible, you might get 4-6 miles in open terrain, reducing to 2-4 miles in wooded areas. Local geography plays a part - undulating hills & valleys this might reduce the range, although get to the top of a high hill, and you may be able to talk to people 30-40 miles away or more ! |
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Business use. Although any restrictions on business use were lifted some years back, you must remember that the service does NOT provide private communications... so your business will be heard by anyone else with a CB. One example may be a Taxi business - some rival firm may listen in and get there first. You must also remember that, if you give out personal information (name, address, etc) of a customer, that will be heard by anyone and may leave you open to prosecution under the data protection act. |
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| Choosing the Radio This is the main box in a CB set up. Due to technical and legal limitations, most radios will get about the same range if connected to the same antenna. For this reason, the main consideration when buying the actual radio should be which band you want to use and what features you want from your radio, which will depend upon what you will use CB for and where you will use it. Go to the radios |
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Antennas. The size will affect performance - take no notice of a manufacturers claim that their 1 foot wonder has a gain of 5 or 6dB. A small antenna can be useful for limited space and will be less obtrusive, but will not perform as well as the larger ones. Tuning the Antenna using SWR meter Tuning a CB antenna is usually just a matter of adjusting the length for the lowest SWR reading. On the back of the SWR meter, there will be two sockets (known as SO239 connectors). One of these should be connected to the CB radio, and the other to the antenna. The sockets should be marked up to show which one goes where. Go to the antenna and SWR meters |
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For more detailed information please visit HERE
