where's everybody at?

Hi folks.... A returning 90's CBer here looking to get back into radio things a bit again....
So put together a cheap little uk40fm setup just to see how things are going in my area (Teeside) and so far can't find a single soul ..
Is everyone using am or ssb instead nowadays?
Or has PMR446 maybes replaced ye old muppet boxes nowadays?
What's the craic y'all?

Thankings muchly in advance

Same as you returned after around 26 years a few months ago.
And at first i thought i had a faulty aerial but no it's just dead around here (Anglesey North Wales).
But if i go mobile up the hill i do get some contacts but that is on ssb.
I am hoping more will come back as watching this forum new members are joining daily so fingers crossed.

Aye it'd be a shame if it has died to this extent. Even in the 90's when I was last on air you could always catch someone to chatter to regardless of the time of day etc... Albeit nothing as busy as it apparently was in its glory early days.
It looks absolutely shocking nowadays thus far though.
I'm hoping folks have maybes just started taking advantage big the pmr446 radios as CB stations instead perhaps....
I'm considering acquiring one and making an antenna to investigate soon methinks.
I don't however wanna be spending the outlay of a ssb rig to find it's like a graveyard also.
Hopefully someone local to me will home in and clue me up...
Anywho thanks for the reply and all the very best with it down in your part of the world matey

Most people use SSB these days but it looks like there's still some activity on FM in your area.....see link below.

https://charlietangodxgroup.forumotion.com/t114-north-east-england-fm-nets

Hiya, Staffordshire, WestMidlands here, as you I've just returned to the airwaves, still using my 90s fm gear until i am sure it going to be worth forking out for ssb, chatter is quiet here too but there does seem to be more coming back, if i go up the hills i can get good chats up to 40+ miles when conditions are good so im looking on the bright side, it will never be like its heyday but maybe that will be a good thing, no more bloody music and dickheads keying channels,
best of luck guys

@ Selbee...
At least you've managed a bit of contact whilst out and about. Tis a ray of hope for you eh
It's not often I'll get chance to go mobile to muchly higher ground here though I'm afraid.

@Pagan...
I had already read about the Northumberland net, but I suspect on FM at standard power they're likely out of range unfortunately....
I would easily catch the guy who commented from Billingham, probably the guy in Shildon if they were around.... I'll keep throwing a few shouts out to that channel as well as 19 and just see how it goes I guess.
So you say most are using ssb in your area nowadays..... Roughly how many regular folks do you have on the air using ssb in your neck of the woods then matey?

Many thanks people

bodda wrote:

@ Selbee...
At least you've managed a bit of contact whilst out and about. Tis a ray of hope for you eh
It's not often I'll get chance to go mobile to muchly higher ground here though I'm afraid.

@Pagan...
I had already read about the Northumberland net, but I suspect on FM at standard power they're likely out of range unfortunately....
I would easily catch the guy who commented from Billingham, probably the guy in Shildon if they were around.... I'll keep throwing a few shouts out to that channel as well as 19 and just see how it goes I guess.
So you say most are using ssb in your area nowadays..... Roughly how many regular folks do you have on the air using ssb in your neck of the woods then matey?

Many thanks people

Its difficult to say how many.....most of the ones I hear are on SSB networks. I sometimes go on the North-West net (my nearest SSB network) and I hear lots of people within about 30-40 miles of my QTH but I rarely hear them at any other times. It looks like most of them only go "on air" when there's a network running or when there's some good propagation. On FM though, I've only ever heard about 3 or 4 people since I joined this forum nearly 4 years ago !!
If you have a look at the link below you'll be able to see if there are any members near you....the link is from the old Tapatalk forum so some of them may not be active any more but I think there are quite a few current members in the North-East area.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/copythat/england-2000-2499-t24881.html

Good morning bodda,

It's just worth mentioning that stations are now much more dispersed than before so it's really important to have a decent antenna.

Mag mounts on biscuit tins in the loft and indoor antennas of any kind are pretty useless. I would recommend a half wave external antenna outside as high as possible as a minimum. If going mobile get up a hill to the highest point possible.

A lot of the action is on the SSB nets held up and down the country, but it does vary from area to area.

I don't think there is a massive migration to PMR446 but definitely some. I spend much more time on the ham bands these days 20 & 40 meters are still very active and open for DX every day and 40 at night as well.

Good luck I hope you manage to make some contacts soon!

73's Gary.

Thanks folks.... Much appreciated.

My town has growen from one full time and two part time CBers to seven with homebase antennas being used all of us have SSB radios with Superstars, Presidents and Yaesus, BUT this all came about with a couple sticking to channel 20 on the UK 40 channels. We have been getting straglers on the UK 40s and bumping into us on channel 20 for a good old chatter with upto arround 8 on air on the channel at the same time.
So here is to the new returning CBers if your mobile in the hils n mountains in Northern Ireland pop in on channel 20 UK FM and say hi.
On a side note, a few days ago I was sitting by the computer doin my stuff and I looked down and seen my needle lifting. It was the euro skip on channel 20, ended up chatting to Mike from south of Berlin who just finished with a another chap in the mainlad UK.

bodda wrote:

Hi folks.... A returning 90's CBer here looking to get back into radio things a bit again....
So put together a cheap little uk40fm setup just to see how things are going in my area (Teeside) and so far can't find a single soul ..

There is definitely activity in Teeside. I was out and about last weeked and went from Whitby through Guisborough and at the top of the hill south of Guisborough I could hear plenty on Ch19. Headed south through Thornaby back towards York and could hear several people on even then.

hi bodda

im Ray also from Teesside, im not having much luck either mate

Ray

get your self a good mobile antenna, a good mag mount and you will need a multi band Am FM SSB radio, get up high static spot you can Google heights, and find a good accessible spot and you will be ok there is nets on most nights of the week and all day sunday , not many work from home to much noise, and you will be ok. It will never be as them days were, but its better you have more dedicated breakers now and its better lots of groups to were the members and admin staff work very hard, to get the group out and about some walk up the hills and I respect all tham do it, it helps the hobby ,and myself I can not climb hills so I go mobile and to my good spots I use the ss9900 with a sirio 4000 or 5000 or if I can my T2LT base or mobile antenna but its all great fun,its good to see breakers coming back to the hobby and there is lots of great groups out there but it get a hold of you the hobby, and you will spend money. if in your car and you are at your 20 see what the noise level is like if its bad, that is a good sign no home base ,and welcome to the group.

hi

thanks for the reply

think going mobile is the way forward then, I have a SS6900, can you recommend a good antenna?

regards

Ray

I think this summer we may all be out in the Garden trying to DX. Mobile is going to be a problem as I doubt plod would consider it a necessary journey. i'm gonna break out the ranger with a burner but it's the antenna as usual that's the real issue. I moved house to a more semi rural environment but I'm about 40m asl in w.yorkshire and could do with a portable table top set up. Been looking at these super antennas or buddipoles. can'r really do a half wave up in the air and don't want to spend all my time sat in the car, loft is out too.

Hello Shaun,

Yep looks like Gardens on the Air this summer!

If you are just working the 11 meter band then a simple dipole will do the job for you. You can make it yourself for very little money. (Horizontal isn't very good for local contacts)

Both the Buddy pole and the Super Antenna cover the Amateur bands and not 11 meters (C.B.)

You could also use a T2LT as a vertical on a fiberglass pole which could be put up on a temporary basis for when you want to be on the air. (Works well locally and for DX)

Here's a link on how to make the T2LT There are two parts to it but here's part 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=senQ5_fc5WU

Good luck 73's Gary.