finally got a CB

Hi all 

I've just swapped a handheld 70cm/2m handheld. which i was planning on doing my foundation but i haven't the time. so i put it on a marketplace and was approached by a lad who had an yeticom optima 10/11/12m SSB,AM,FM.
I'm happy with the swap to be honest and off to buy some equipment for it.

Hi Chris,

Wow, that was a swap and a half!

(Bit like Noel Edmonds managing to swap a Scrabble set for a Scalextric for those of us old enough to remember Swapshop. )

Shame that you're not pursuing your Foundation any longer, (there's always another time), but hope you get to enjoy some great CB action with your 'new to you' radio.


All the best,
Victor

Victor wrote:

Hi Chris,

Wow, that was a swap and a half!

(Bit like Noel Edmonds managing to swap a Scrabble set for a Scalextric for those of us old enough to remember Swapshop. )

Shame that you're not pursuing your Foundation any longer, (there's always another time), but hope you get to enjoy some great CB action with your 'new to you' radio.


All the best,
Victor

Thank you for your kind words.
The handheld I swapped was a Wouxun UV9K pro pack.
Nice little radio but I wanted to get on 11m as my friend does it. 
Just need a power pack and an antenna. (Maybe Thunderpole 5)

No worries there Chris, bet you're well chuffed with the swap.

Always helps if you have a friend with the same interests when it comes to radio though, with either showing you the ropes or even just someone else to contact.

(You can always try for Foundation another time if your interest peaks again in that direction.)

I wish you well with your radio accessories/station shopping - The only real 'fun' shopping there is!


73
Victor

If you found that 11m is not very busy  where you are , which will make the difference,  It's certainly worth finding time to get your foundation HAM licence . If you have a basic knowledge of radio you will mainly be concerned with the licence conditions . 
 I  heard hardly anything  for weeks on CB where I live and with that realisation (and a bit of encouragement from people on here) I decided to do the HAM licence.
Even on the 2m band which I was told was quiet these days you can find someone to engage with on a daily basis.

Rich13 wrote:

If you found that 11m is not very busy  where you are , which will make the difference,  It's certainly worth finding time to get your foundation HAM licence . If you have a basic knowledge of radio you will mainly be concerned with the licence conditions . 
 I  heard hardly anything  for weeks on CB where I live and with that realisation (and a bit of encouragement from people on here) I decided to do the HAM licence.
Even on the 2m band which I was told was quiet these days you can find someone to engage with on a daily basis.

We have a lot of people on 11m around here. Also my mate isn’t far so I can chat to him.
I was doing my foundation but just haven’t the time with the farm. Tends to slow down around around October so I’ll get the book out.

.

I hope you've been enjoying your CB shopping there Chris.

If you do ever feel that you'd like to have a go at Foundation again then don't forget about the brilliant Essex Ham course :-

https://www.essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/

You can view their videos and track through the course at your own leisure online at any time that suits you or can accommodate in a busy life. (I know farm life is a lot more hard work, long hours and hectic than most would believe!)

You can also take the examination online finding a booking slot suitable for yourself and all you'll need is a Windows laptop or PC with webcam. I took mine on a Saturday evening with the most brilliant volunteer exam invigilator imaginable who genuinely seemed as excited at my passing as I was.


I took my license course with Essex Ham due to disability and can wholly recommend them.
(My local club wanted £140 out of me for membership fees, course and hall hire!!! Cost me less than £30 doing it all online. )


But don't feel pressured, if you've got some good contacts locally and a good friend on the CB bands then enjoy it all as much as you can.

Don't forget the fun that can be had with PMR frequencies too and you don't need a license for that either.


All the best,
Victor

.

There never was a 'Novice' class Wayne as everyone took the same RAE paper back then giving you VHF and up privileges then you took your Morse test to gain HF privileges. (Part B and Part A respectively.) Many of the old Part B license holders were automatically upgraded to 'Full' when the Morse requirement was dropped.

It's all changed nowadays and I think very much for the better in many respects but still lacking somewhat.

Pete at Essex Ham wrote a good piece comparing the old and current systems here :-

https://www.essexham.co.uk/rae-exam-reviewed.html


Good luck with your FL2100's. (The valves for them are now £100 a piece!!!)

.

Thank Christ it all changed eh?

http://www.laughingpoliceman.com/amateur_radio.htm


Apologies to the OP Chris for the wayward direction his news of obtaining a CB became.

.

Thats a great radio

what kind of antenna would one use for the yeticom optima

Paul1963 wrote:

what kind of antenna would one use for the yeticom optima

Hi Paul

How will you be using the radio, as a home base or a mobile?

Ray 2290

Hi
Just interesting being a 3 band radio which antenna to use base or mobile
Regards
Paul

Paul1963 wrote:

Hi
Just interesting being a 3 band radio which antenna to use base or mobile
Regards
Paul

That depends on what options you have open to you at your location and the budget

I think there are antennas to be had that will cover all three bands. I know not the names of them, but adding in an ATU could help keep the SWR down  

Personally I would go for a good sized home base antenna with some radials,I dream of a Sigma 4... I was looking at the fiberglass 99 style as they seem to tune well but I have seen a couple of folks reporting the fiberglass starts to break down after a couple of years..

myself i am limited to using smaller antennas for now as i am in a flat, i did get good results back in the day on the CB27/81 band with a grey DV27 mounted on a wok sat on some chicken wire in the loft of my parent house, got good SWR we were not exactly up high but i did get some "DX" bracknell to Dagenam for example, best I had was on a magmount on my car sat on my dirve in Hampshire when the skip was running and got to the netherlands, tried to swap onto my 5/8th wave mounted above the roof line and nothing..