National CB Radio Day

National CB Radio Day – 2nd November 2017

2nd November 2017 marks the 36th year since CB Radio was legalised in the UK and to mark the occasion each year a national Radio Net is organised.

Its the time of year when CB Radio enthusiasts up and down the country get together on air to celebrate the anniversary of the legalisation of CB Radio in the UK and reminisce about how exciting it was back then to be part of one of the largest phenomenons to hit the country in the early eighties.

Its also a great opportunity for CB Radio users to dust off their old CB Radios from the eighties and give them a try on the night and its great to hear people sharing stories with each other on how they first got into CB Radio and the funny stories they remember from back then.

CB Radio first became popular in the UK because of the import of illegal american AM Rigs and it took many years of lobbying and campaigning before the British government was forced to introduce new legislation to legalise the production and use of legal FM CB Radios for use on the offset 27Mhz frequencies in Britain.

Back then a licence was also required to operate a CB Radio legally and these licences were made available at a cost of £15 from local post offices although years later CB Radio was reclassified as licence free and is now legal to use without a licence.

Although CB Radio is not as popular as it once was there are still a great number of old CB Radios in circulation and the 2nd November is still a very popular event up and down the country with people joining the event from all over the nation.  There are scores of second hand CB Radios changing hands on EBay every week and this is a great place to get hold of a cheap CB Radio and get yourself set up in the hobby.

As well as the Net running on the FM Frequencies there is also activity taking place on the more recently legalised AM Frequencies and also on SSB for those with the more modern CB Radios which were legalised only a few years ago.

If you have access to an old CB Radio then the 2nd November would be a great time to get it set up and give it a try especially if you can get up on a local hill or somewhere where you can get the best reception and see what you can hear on the night.

The main net is scheduled to run from 7pm up until 10pm on the evening of the 2nd November and is set to run on Channel 36 of the FM Frequencies

So why not join in on the day by tuning in to one of the frequencies listed below and come and join in on the celebrations to mark the anniversary of the legalisation of CB Radio in the UK

MAIN NET:    36 years of legal UK CB radio

DATE:           Thursday 2nd November 2017

TIME:            19:00 – 22:00 hours (BST)

FREQ:            Ch36 UKFM (27.95125Mhz). 

Optional: 

AM Calling on Ch14 EU (27.125Mhz)*

SSB Calling on Ch27 EU (27.275Mhz)*

CB Radio Chat - CB Radio Online?

CB Radio Chat - CB Radio Online

A frequent comment from friends and associates when talking about CB Radio is that since the rise of the internet, being able to talk on the radio isn't needed anymore.

It's true that CB Radio could be considered the first true 'social network' and for many people it belongs in the annals of yesteryear but with the advent of mobile connectivity and free downloadable apps for your phone it is possible to keep in touch with friends whilst out and about either individually or in a group.

Sure, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are the front runners in the race for mobile communications but what about our old 'Push To Talk' networks that were spawned from the 'Old days of Radio'

Step forward then, 'CB Radio Chat' which is available as a free download for either iPhone or android phones and features a single button to allow you to 'Push & Talk' with others on the same platform around the world.

The software offers various 'languages' really meaning different geographic areas allowing you to talk with people in your chosen area.  Each zone then has up to 26 'channels' which also shows the number of people on each channel to talk to.

Much like real CB Radio it has its share of foul language and insults but it could have more serious applications since it is free to install, allows you to talk in a group on mobile networks and could be used to make contact with other users out of range of your usual radio equipment.

Anyone up for a regular CB Radio Chat net?

Download links :- Android / iPhone

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Rig Review - Elftone EL CB-4000

Rig Review

 

Elftone EL CB-4000

I purchased this as a boxed item and I was initially struck by the old style graphics used on the box.  It was another brand that I hadn't come across before.  Our example was in excellent condition and I was also very impressed by its receive.

Equipped with an RF Gain and a dim feature it had some of the features that come with some of the higher end rigs of its day.  Because it was in its original box along with its original mounting kit and thumb screws.

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

Overall    21/30

You Tube Video

Elftone EL CB-4000





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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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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. 

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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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