One Carb Or Two?
Posted 23 January 2014 - 09:56 AM
Much to my surprise, it seems that AM and SSB may soon be legalised, but on the CEPT frequencies only, definitely not the UK frequencies. Bad idea, there will be significant consequences.
Would you explain why you think there will be 'significant consequences' master of doom and gloom ?
Edited by Artstu, 23 January 2014 - 09:57 AM.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 23 January 2014 - 03:40 PM
There will be interference to other important things, avoidance of which was the reason why the UK went for FM in the beginning. One of the least enjoyable parts of my day job is dealing with cases of interference, not normally from CB equipment, but I fear that may change....
Sparkie
Posted 23 January 2014 - 04:24 PM
The 17m Amateur band is 18.111-18.168mhz and also the 15m band at 21.151-21.450mhz and just below the proposed new band 12m 24.931-24.990mhz, and the 10m Amateur band directly above at 28.225-29.200mhz and all of these allow AM and upper and lower Sideband operation now at substancialy more power than the 4w on AM and 12w on SSB the new band operation.
If you think that once the new bands are available then the interference will start you may be surprised to learn that the frequencies proposed and everywhere else there is a space now, there are operators from all over the world running stations which are illegal and some running watts in the Kilowatt catogory which would put the BBC to shame. Tune around anytime of the day on AM/SSB and you will here transmissions from the east coast of the USA and Russia.
My personnal opinion is that the opening by ofcom of the band availabe here in the UK will only make it legal with the right equipment to work the band, The band is already in operation and has been for over 40+ years.
Quote From Ofcom
The spectrum used by CB is allocated primarily to the MOD in the UK. So, we must consult the MOD, to ensure that any proposed change in use to spectrum which is primarily for its use is acceptable. If the MOD agrees, we anticipate that the ECC Decision should probably be implemented by the end of 2013. (Which We Now Know is June 2014)
There is no other users of the band unlike in the 70s when the Hospital Pagers were affected, they are now on VHF in with the Taxis and Utilities, The Police/Fire Service and Ambulance are on Tetra which is UHF so we wont be getting any 2nd Harmonic interfering with the Emergency service, the biggest sorce of interference seems now to be the Home Plugs used widely on Internet Access and Cheap TVs.
Come June we will see what issues if any arrise.
Edited by KernowCooper, 23 January 2014 - 04:27 PM.
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 23 January 2014 - 07:38 PM
There will be interference to other important things, avoidance of which was the reason why the UK went for FM in the beginning. One of the least enjoyable parts of my day job is dealing with cases of interference, not normally from CB equipment, but I fear that may change....
Interesting, something like this then? https://www.radioand...I&uid=860457082
It's usually CB/Ham radio users who suffer from interference these days, and not the other way round. I have interference issues from neighbours TV equipment that interferes with my radio equipment.
Super Mini Mad
Posted 24 January 2014 - 12:55 PM
Slight change of subject, where would you mount a CB aerial on a British Open Classic? I currently have a large Magmount that I have used with my previous 2 Mini's but there isn't really anywhere to put it with the Webasto sunroof.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 24 January 2014 - 01:44 PM
Difficult with a sunroof! You will get a very poor radiation pattern. Maybe just above the rear window would be best.
As for additional interference, particularly from SSB, I was not thinking of radio equipment. There are lots of things in use today which happen to be sensitive to RF, due to their being no requirement for CE marking when they were installed, and some of them are very safety-critical. Every time the spectrum is liberalised in some way there are numerous seemingly random failures of various things, and it can be difficult and expensive to find the cause and fix it.
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 24 January 2014 - 02:11 PM
Slight change of subject, where would you mount a CB aerial on a British Open Classic? I currently have a large Magmount that I have used with my previous 2 Mini's but there isn't really anywhere to put it with the Webasto sunroof.
Gutter mounts are fine, for sure the radiation pattern isn't as even as an antenna in the middle of the roof.
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 24 January 2014 - 02:14 PM
There are lots of things in use today which happen to be sensitive to RF, due to their being no requirement for CE marking when they were installed, and some of them are very safety-critical.
Perhaps you or who you work for ( you've not said) should concentrate on these cheap none CE items then?
Super Mini Mad
Posted 24 January 2014 - 02:30 PM
Slight change of subject, where would you mount a CB aerial on a British Open Classic? I currently have a large Magmount that I have used with my previous 2 Mini's but there isn't really anywhere to put it with the Webasto sunroof.
Gutter mounts are fine, for sure the radiation pattern isn't as even as an antenna in the middle of the roof.
How much damage do they cause to the paintwork when fitted as it's just been restored? It wouldn't be a permanent fitting, only installed for runs and such.
I'm not too bothered about having the best reception or kit - 98% of the time it's only used for talking in convoy.
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 24 January 2014 - 02:50 PM
The grub screws do need to break the paint in the gutter. Although Iain has said they don't need to break the paint earlier in the thread, I don't agree. As a permanent fixture painting around the screws would stop it rusting, but it won't suit you if you need to keep removing it.
You can get through the glass antennas, they don't work as well, and you wouldn't really be able to remove the mount, although the aerial does unscrew on most. Drill a hole in the car somewhere? or a mount that comes out of the bonnet or boot shutline similar to all the support cars on the Tour de France?
Mini mag mount on the corner of the bonnet perhaps? http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1e809ae55d
Or something like this, again not very good performance http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f2f57599a
Edited by Artstu, 24 January 2014 - 04:44 PM.
Super Mini Mad
Posted 24 January 2014 - 03:54 PM
The grub screws do need to break the paint in the gutter. Although Iain has said they don't need to break the paint earlier in the thread, I don't agree. As a permanent fixture panting around the screws would stop it rusting, but it won't suit you if you need to keep removing it.
You can get through the glass antennas, they don't work as well, and you wouldn't really be able to remove the mount, although the aerial does unscrew on most. Drill a hole in the car somewhere? or a mount that comes out of the bonnet or boot shutline similar to all the support cars on the Tour de France?
Mini mag mount on the corner of the bonnet perhaps? http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1e809ae55d
Or something like this, again not very good performance http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f2f57599a
Thanks for the help there, certainty plenty of options to think about. Those Mini mag's with the small aerials don't look too bad although I don't like the sound of it being on the bonnet. I think a boot mount is the only way to go and use my existing aerial. At least what damage is caused by mounting it wont be visible from the outside.
One Carb Or Two?
Posted 24 January 2014 - 03:58 PM
I've seen people mount aerials on the number plate light housing if you have the big one, perhaps it wouldn't be too big a job to have two of those and swap them over as and when.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 24 January 2014 - 07:04 PM
Artstu,
There is a great deal of long-life equipment still in use which legally does not have to be updated to CE compliance, and may misbehave. No-one knows the extent of the problem, but we may well see the lights going out, trains unable to run, or factory production lines grinding to a halt. Oh, and certain cars crashing due to runaway acceleration or locked-out ABS brakes. It will be worse of course when the criminal element, who sadly still exist on CB, hook up their new SSB set to a kilowatt burner. That will expose nearby equipment to far worse than it will have been tested to for CE.
Sparkie
Posted 24 January 2014 - 07:29 PM
But as I said earlier the band is already being used now and were not seeing cars crashing. or any other issues in Industry, its not something which is going to happen in June/July this year with ofcom rubber stamping the new band proposals, there are CB users out there as I type this on way in excess of a Kw, its happening now and has been for the last 40yrs.
This I'm sorry to say is another myth like the millenium clock affecting competers in the year 2000. Or taken another way the MOD are using it now as the primary user on AM/SSB so its tested now.
Edited by KernowCooper, 24 January 2014 - 07:30 PM.
Crazy About Mini's
Posted 25 January 2014 - 10:59 AM
Actually, this is one of the few occasions where you and I are going to have to disagree, as I know of a few instances where AM or SSB CB has definitely caused a great deal of trouble. We are unable to identify the cause of many other events, but suspect some form of illegal transmission. The millenium bug was not a myth, a number of moderately serious things did happen, including a power station in New Zealand shutting down, and the only reason that no-one died was because the industry did take the problem very seriously, and spent millions of man-hours finding and fixing some very serious bugs indeed.
I know that the MOD are prime user of the band, but I have never actually heard them use it.
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