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Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:37 pm
by taz01
chrome wrote:why are people going away from am cb?? i just hooked up a uniden530 with arial for bugger all cost under a hundy
cb is great for hilly bush you will get way more coverage than a prs
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:18 pm
by jdeburgh
CB is still good, but PRS is FM (quieter noise wise) as opposed to AM (with CB) and uses smaller Antennae - probably for 4x4ing in close proximity PRS is the better option. But as I say still nothing wrong with CB - I have both.
CB coverage is better only if you have a long antenna (preferably 1/4 wave which is 9 feet long!) The "skip" you get with CB for long coverage is dependent on conditions, weather, temperature, time etc...
John
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:02 pm
by chevrolux
I really like the idea of having a police scanner lol. is this unit PRS or CB? in the description it says 'UHF CB'
Can someone let me know what it actually is?
http://www.4wdbits.co.nz/ProductDetails ... uctID=1188
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:19 pm
by coxsy
i got one of them 40 channel prs and scanner for trucks, cops and all other on air nutters
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:07 pm
by Jerry
Police etc are in the process of moving to encrypted comms, buying a scanner is a waste of time going forward... hence all the ones for sale on TM cheap at the moment....
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:10 pm
by coxsy
we don't buy them to listen to cops its just a feature
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:31 am
by 0ggy
Who prefers what?
I have had a AM CB, but im changing to UHF Base Station in my Surf.
Also: Is there a Channel that any Canterbury people hang out on?
..Where i came from, a whole load of lads used a channel as a network, and when you get in your car you just click to the channel and theres a bunch of guys chatting away.... sort of like a common area frequency?
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:51 am
by snork
try chn 11 on cb
thats generally what most people use to start with
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:52 pm
by kiwipete
0ggy wrote:Who prefers what?
I have had a AM CB, but im changing to UHF Base Station in my Surf.
Also: Is there a Channel that any Canterbury people hang out on?
..Where i came from, a whole load of lads used a channel as a network, and when you get in your car you just click to the channel and theres a bunch of guys chatting away.... sort of like a common area frequency?
Most use 19 on the UHF here in Canty
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:35 pm
by 0ggy
Ok Awesome, Thanks guys.
I will get mine Installed and speak to you all later!

Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:48 am
by 91Rangie
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:14 pm
by chevrolux
yea not really too worried about the scanner function. just like the having all the bells and whistles =) thanks for the input
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:25 pm
by 4WDbits
Yep, can't compete with chain stores when they decide to have a clearance.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:34 pm
by coxsy
true, but still like you being there, for us

Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:46 pm
by chevrolux
Yep, can't compete with chain stores when they decide to have a clearance.
atleast you know what you are actually selling! went to dick smith today to try and find a set and the knobs in there didnt have a clue! i would rather pay a bit more and know that im buying exactly what the title says
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:26 pm
by TJ
I have that unit, is there anything specifc you want to know. Its a UHF unit = PRS. Works great. Channel 23 is blocked for transmission, because its an emergency channel in Australia. Otherwise, been a wonderful piece for over a year now.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:47 pm
by chevrolux
yea just wanted to know whether it was a cb or prs as the description said it was UHF CB. im just getting in to 4wding and see that most clubs require radios. figured this was a pretty flash unit and other people seem to be saying its good so i think i might get it.
is there much point in having a cb aswell?
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:43 am
by rokhound
A lot of the truckies still use CB (am), but it is getting rarer to find it still in use with 4wd clubs etc.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:51 pm
by Swamped
The UH015sx works well. Has a pretty grunt topmount speaker compared to some but the handset seemed a bit cheap is all.Reception and transmission is sweet even in hideous terrain. They are also like $590 now from most places so the dick smith deal is best. Part of their deal is they wont ship to other shops and they wouldn't let you buy it online. (what one of the powerhouse guys told me). hamilton had none but sylvia park in aucks had 1 left. Your local dick smith can look at other stores inventory but i was told i had to go pick it up.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:54 pm
by Swamped
4wdbits seems to be the best price after that clearance ends with dick smith.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:45 pm
by petefj40
I'm thinking about mounting a PRS radio in the truck. I was gutted when i heard 5 watt is the max Joe Public can have before getting a license.
I was also told that you can buy a booster that takes it past 20watt if ever you need people to hear you.

But if you use it at the wrong time on full power, the law states you'll have to pay a fine of around $1000.
I looked at all the brands out there. I'm gunna go for a Tait unit. They aren't cheap but i always recon you get what you pay for.
I won't say if I get the booster or not, not in a public forum.

Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:02 pm
by Jerry
cough .... go for an Icom unit
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:11 pm
by petefj40
Jerry wrote:cough .... go for an Icom unit
I'll pm you Jerry.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:46 pm
by hosehustler
Hi Pete,
Kev Dougherty (leithfield) had an awesome Icom unit, can't say to much about it's specs, but can tell you his range was unbelieveable
He has it up for sale, I showed some interest as i'd love to have but I'd only just coined out $500 for mine and Mrs wasn't happy when I mentioned interest
Give him a PM he really knows his gadgets, how to modify, best aerials etc, possibly still has his unit available

Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:01 pm
by petefj40
Cheers Tim. You're a good barstard!
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:27 am
by petefj40
Was on the phone with Icom.co.nz this morning.
They were very helpful. They also cleared up my question on the max WATT limit of power for Joe public before you need a license.
Facts are:
Max limit for Public using a, "hand held PRS unit" = 5 WATTS.
Max Limit for Public using a, "mobile PRS unit" = 25 WATTS.
SSSSWeeeeeeeTA!

Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:10 am
by petefj40
Geez.
petefj40's making the "clearing up the confusion on radios... MORE confusing!!
The woman in Auckland i spoke to at Icom, who's been in the business for years

tells me I was right! The legal WATT limit for Jo Bloggs to use on ANY PRS is 5, be it hand held or base unit. Geez.
Sorry fellas.
See before speaking to her i spoke to a tech head at a Tait retailer, Bearcom. He told me it was 5. Then I wanted to checkout the Icom units. So I phoned their head office and spoke to this lady who knew it all.
I dunno.

Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:38 am
by Jerry
The public licence document says only 5w, it doesnt distingish between handheld or mobile.....
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:43 pm
by petefj40
Jerry wrote:The public licence document says only 5w, it doesnt distingish between handheld or mobile.....
You're dead right Jerry.
Re: Clearing up the confusion on radios....
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:51 pm
by jdeburgh
It is 5watt maximum....for PRS.
John