Introducing 'The Breakers Yard'

Introducing 'The Breakers Yard'

A new CB Radio website was launched this week and I wanted to share the news with you first.  With the reemergence of CB Radio as a hobby first made popular in the early Eighties, more and more people are rediscovering CB Radio and regular events around the country as well as the growth of Facebook pages and YouTube channels on the internet is attracting increasing numbers of people to it as an interest.

Following the legalisation of the FM frequencies in the UK, the CB Radio craze took hold for a number of years but eventually feel out of favour caused by the advent of the Internet and the development of the mobile phone.  The airwaves began to get a bad press because of the misuse of the channels and the sale and use of CB Radios fell sharply through the 90's and was all but forgotten as the new Millennium approached.

CB Radio was made licence free in the late 1990s and then in 2014 the AM and SSB Modes were made legal which created the opportunity for manufacturers of  two way radios to produce a range of more modern CB Radios which cover several 'bands' and can produce more power which allows them to have a far greater range than their 1980's counterparts.

The legalisation of various frequencies across Europe has also helped to broaden the appeal of the CB Radio in the modern era.  As more people have begun to return to the CB Radio rekindling their fond memories of it from the early Eighties the hobby is again gaining popularity particularly with men in thier Forties and this has caused an increase in the number of new CB Radio websites such as http://thebreakersyard.com.

The Breakers Yard is strongly focused on the more up to date Radios on the market and offers reviews of these radios as well as information about CB Radio generally.  There will also be a daily blog being posted in the near future and an online store offering a full range of CB Radios and accessories will be added to the site in the very near future.

Of particular interest at this time of year is its review of the Best CB Radios of 2017 which after looking at over 50 CB Radios currently on the market identifies the best 5 Dualmode and then separately Multimode SSB Radios currently available.

With Christmas fast approaching this could be the ideal time to pick out the perfect Christmas gift for your loved one or make the investment to get back into the CB Radio hobby yourself.  

The Breakers Yard prides itself on honest and genuine information about these modern CB Radios and hopes to be able to anchor the increase of the hobby into the future by offering not only its own website but a new YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Why not head over to thebreakersyard.com and take a look yourselves

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CB Radio Lingo

Maxcom Apollo 16E - Rig Review

Rig Review

  Maxcom Apollo 16E

The Maxcom Apollo 16E was the first CB Radio I owned as a young teenager so has a special place in my heart.

With an impressive build quality and equally good receive and transmit, the Maxcom Apollo 16E delivers well as a CB Radio.  Although it is only a volume and squelch radio the LED signal meter made it easy to use.

Type          40 Channel FM
Design       8/10
Price          7/10
Usability    8/10

Overall    23/30

You Tube Video

Maxcom 16E





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DX Activation Plans - Part Ten

DX Activation Plans

 

Part 10

Cooking Food

Having covered different cooking stove for DX trips in  a previous post it makes sense to also consider the types of drinks and food you are likely to consume while you are out in the great outdoors.

Brew Kit

 

The brew kit is the basis for most cooking ingredients and can be easily constructed from the various restaurant condiments and hotel teasmaids when on an occasional hotel stay. The only shortfall tends to be for milk which is difficult to store and keep fresh when away from home. 

 

A favorite for my brew kit is coffee '3 in 1' sachets. These sachets contain not only coffee granules but also whitener and in the case of 3 in 1s a helping of sugar. 2 in 1s are also available for those without a sweet tooth. 

You be sachet gives you everything need for a hot drink once added to boiled water. 

Army Ration Packs

For extended trips an Army ration pack can provide a selection of hot meals as well as snacks and drinks for one day. These will provide ample calories as well as a few luxury items but can be on the expensive side unless purchased in bulk

 

American MREs

MREs or 'Meal Ready to Eat' are individual meals which can be heated through a chemical 'cooker' which is supplied with each meal simply by adding water.  The advantage to these is that no additional cooking equipment or fuel is required and they provide a relitively hearty meal compared to their weight and size.   The disadvantage as with British Army Ration packs is that they are relitively and xpensive. 

Dehydrated Meals

There are a number of different brands of dried camp meals available. These provide a range of different menus and can be easily prepared by simply adding boiling water. They too tend to be relatively expensive but do provide a hot meal with plenty of calories when out camping. 

 

Ready Meals

As a cheaper alternative there are quite a range of 'boil in the bag' meals available at most supermarkets which can supplement the more expensive MRE and Ration packs.  As a quick bite while out for an afternoon most of these types of meals will enable you to 'fill a hole' while out for a few hours. They can often be purchased pretty cheaply compared to the more expensive 'camping food' brands

Meal in a can

A popular choice for me is the 'meal in a can' variety of food. I would not consider these either the most healthy or most tasty alternative but simply emptying a  can into a mess tin and heating over a stove provides you with a good hot meal without breaking the bank. 

Other Posts

DX Activation Plans - Part One
DX Activation Plans - Part Two
DX Activation Plans - Part Three
DX Activation Plans - Part Four
DX Activation Plans - Part Five
DX Activation Plans - Part Six

DX Activation Plans - Part Seven
DX Activation Plans - Part Eight
DX Activation Plans - Part Nine

Moonraker Major - Rig Review

Rig Review

 

Moonraker Major

The Moonraker Minor is the bigger brother of the Moonraker Minor and comes with a raft of additional features including an integrated SWR Meter. 

With an impressive build quality and equally good receive and transmit, the Moonraker Major delivers well as a CB Radio.  With both RF Gain and Mic Gain it is also equipped with a Delta Tune knob,

Type          40 Channel FM
Design       8/10
Price          7/10
Usability    8/10

Overall    23/30

You Tube Video

Moonraker Major





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Hurricane Irma : CB Radio in a Crisis & Prepping

Hurricane Irma

CB Radio in a Crisis & Prepping

When I mention that one of my hobbies is CB Radio I often get a funny look or comments about it and I often concede that in the ‘connected’ world of the 21^st century, the attraction of 2 way radio may seem a little outdated.

With news reaching these shores of Hurricane Irma and more alarmingly the events in North Korea it does make me wonder about what happens to a world faced with such crisis’s.

In the modern world we live a comfortable life, surrounded by our electronic devices and all kinds of services available at the flick of a switch but what happens if we were suddenly cut off from these seemingly basic amenities.

When a hurricane hits, or worse still a bomb was to be dropped.  How would we cope?  What essentials would we wish we had at hand and how would we be able to communicate with our loved ones and friends to check if they were ok?  If our mobile phones stopped working, how would we get the latest weather reports or news?

In these types of situations, that’s exactly what happens.  Mobile signals will fail since the radio towers needed to service them would be affected.  Electricity would be cut off especially if water levels rise and our ability to connect with the outside world would be terminated.

We have seen in previous crises how the ability of HAM Radio enthusiasts to remain ‘in contact’ has helped get important information between victims and the emergency services and how up to date reports can be sent to different locations in such an event.

So faced with a situation where you have no power, no running water, no internet and no mobile signal, what would you do?

Preppers around the world have talked for years about the benefits of short range radios in their arsenal of tools to help people overcome the collapse of society and when headlines such as we have seen in the news this week rage across the world does it not make you think twice about how you would cope?  How could you protect your family?  How could you get access to appropriate resources like food and drinking water?

So before you scoff at the trusty old CB Radio, first understand that cheap old rig that you have stuffed in your loft and probably has not seen daylight in over thirty years could be one of the most valuable tools in your fight to stay alive in such a situation.

No phone Signal

So either you can’t get phone reception or after a prolonged period your phone battery dies.  If you have access to a car battery you would have the means to power a radio.  If you are able to run the car to keep the battery topped up then you could last for days or possibly weeks.

Weather Reports

The most modern radios come with a full range of weather stations preprogramed so even if you can’t turn on the TV to see what’s coming you would still have some way of knowing if your situation was likely to improve or worsen by listening to the weather reports

Remain Mobile

If you need to evacuate an area either prior to or after such a disaster the CB Radio is portable enough that you can carry it with you and especially when driving could remain in contact with others whilst on the move and then when you are at a safe distance could set up a station as a base and continue to monitor the airwaves.

Know the drill

Preppers globally preach the ‘Rule of 3’ or the 3-3-3 Radio Rule so if ever faced with this kind of crisis where you have access to a CB Radio or a FRS or MURS Radio you may need to know this.  They say, you should go to channel 3 and monitor and call on the channel for 3 mins every three hours.  This will be your best chance of making contact with others who are following the same protocol. 

Where you have limited access to the ability to charge your battery you should switch off your radio when not being used to save the battery life.

Whilst you may consider this could never happen to you this could be a serious matter and you may want to consider developing more knowledge about how to be better prepared for the future.

For more information click the link below:

http://theukcbradiosurvivalgroup.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_9.html

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DX Activation Plans - Part Nine

DX Activation Plans

Part 9

Brew Kit / Cooking

If you are anything like me, a good cup of coffee (or tea) is an essential part to my day.  Especially after a long walk or after being out for a long while, I start to crave a 'good cuppa'.  One of the down sides to being out and particularly in remote areas is the lack of cafes and shops that can offer you a drink or a bite to eat.

The need then to carry with you the equipment and ingredient's needed for both drinks and for food in addition to an already bulky backpack stuffed with radio gear and the other ancillary items required for a DX Trip often needs a bit of careful planning. 

Camping Stove

For decades the old camping gas stove has been standard issue for most types of camp cooking.  It offers a virtually guaranteed flame (when the gas canister isn't empty) and will quickly efficiently heat your food or water.

On the downside though, they can be relatively bulky and cumbersome, can be quite weighty compared to possible alternatives and without carrying a spare gas canister you run the risk of running out of fuel out in the field. As well as the stove, you'll need to also carry mess tins, kettles, pans and whatever cooking equipment along with the stove.

Crusader Cookset

The Crusader cook set is my personal favourite.  Used by military personnel for many years the set contains a multi fuel stove, a large canteen cup, water bottle and drinking/eating mug which all packs into itself to reduce size.  It isn't the lightest or smallest of options but because of its versatility in my opinion its an absolute winner! 

Hexi Stove

One of the cheapest, lightest and smallest options available is the Hexi stove.  These cost very little money, come supplied with fuel blocks which pack down inside the cooker and folds away into a small palm sized cooker which takes up hardly any space or weight.  Again, additional equipment such as a mess tin or canteen cup would be required additional but this stove will fit snugly inside a mess tin to help reduce space.

Trangia Stove

Trangia have been producing the famous Swedish windproof cooking system since the 1920's.  Based around a meths burner the Trangia Stove offers a full range of cooking equipment including a kettle which all fits into a nesting container.  Although slightly larger than some alternatives it does offer a near full kitchen of pans and pots to use in the field.  A good choice for the longer term camping trip.

Other Posts

DX Activation Plans - Part One
DX Activation Plans - Part Two
DX Activation Plans - Part Three
DX Activation Plans - Part Four
DX Activation Plans - Part Five
DX Activation Plans - Part Six

DX Activation Plans - Part Seven
DX Activation Plans - Part Eight