Subj : Re: Wannbe HAM
To   : JIMMY ANDERSON
From : Tony Langdon
Date : Mon Sep 19 2016 07:34 am

-=> JIMMY ANDERSON wrote to TONY LANGDON <=-

 JA> I just learned last week about MURS - it's a 1 watt maximum, I believe,
 JA> family type walkie style service. No license needed.

Ahh, OK.  A combination of legislation and marketing have turned our UHF CB
service into a versatile all round service.  Traditionally, UHF CB was much
like 27 MHz, with mostly mobile radios with a 5W power limit.  There were
portables, mush like their amateur cousins (in fact, the first one - the Icom
IC-40 - was a modified IC-4E design).

Legislation wise, the authorities initially permitted Selcall for selective
calling, but later on, CTCSS and DCS have been permitted and are built into
every UHF CB now.  Selcall is still available, but not common, and rarely heard
on the air now.

Marketing wise, a lot of newer UHF radios range from the traditional 5W mobile
and portable models down to FRS/PMR446/MURS style radios built for the UHF CB
band with power outputs ranging down as low as 200 mW.  These small, cheap and
lightweight radios have proven popular for community groups managing public
events.  I've used UHF CB myself for this purpose in recent years.  

I now have a small "fleet" of UHF CBs - one mobile in the car, 2 5W handhelds,
2 2W handhelds and 2 200mW handhelds.  The latter pre-date the 80 channel band
changes and will need to be replaced next year.  As they're used for public
charity events, it will be best to keep above board, and those 2 radios are
showing signs of their age anyway, so natural upgrade cycles work out well
anyway. :)


.... The difference between haste and waste are the leading letters.
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 * Origin: Freeway BBS - freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)

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