Looking for a 27 Mhz CB Tech

[tony66_au]

As part of the resto of my 83 RRC I bought a few old school CB's to fit once the Rangie was done.

Amongst the haul are 2 legendary GE Sideband CB's, Both 02A chassis 18 Channel units converted with 40 Ch Switches being a GE "A" and "B" Model.

Both work ok on a dummy load but they will need tuning and a check due to their age and I suspect a few Caps may need replacing as well.

I also have an old Phillips FM 320 that needs checking as these old girls from memory came in Simplex only and had daughter boards added to give Selcall and Duplex as well as other mods which will give it well into the 80 Channels in use today (Simplex) but it still has the old Belling Lee Antenna socket and has been packed away for near enough to 30 years.

I know full well that the FM320 was an unloved unit unlike the GE HF sets but id like to get the lot sorted and tuned to go into the RRC as period correct (My lil weird quirk)

So can anyone help me with a CB repair guy or girl?

I remember a bloke called Peter (B52) somewhere in Bentleigh or Ormond Vic who really knew his stuff but I have been out of it for so long now I have no contacts at all.

Gents/Ladies?


Tony

[tony66_au]

Piccies you say?

Memory lane in colour!

[Mick_Marsh]

Ah, yes.
Memory lane indeed. Back when they made beautiful radios. And the chrome.
I have a Pearce Simpson Super Cheetah I wouldn't mind someone suitably qualified giving a health check.

[tony66_au]

The woodgrain fronted unit?

They were a good CB, sadly towards the end Pearce Simpson lost the plot a bit but the oldies are a great CB.

[Mick_Marsh]

Yes. The Mk.2 version.
It is a good unit. Used to talk to California with a 5' helical mounted on the car.
The conditions had to be right.
A mate (also had a Super Cheetah) mounted a beam antenna on his car so he could chat to California more often.

[lokka]

I know of a bloke up here that can do them tho he is in the hunter region near newcastle so it would be a mail order you send them to him he returns them .
I will contact him and ask if he is interested and i will get back to you guys

[tony66_au]

Yes. The Mk.2 version.
It is a good unit. Used to talk to California with a 5' helical mounted on the car.
The conditions had to be right.
A mate (also had a Super Cheetah) mounted a beam antenna on his car so he could chat to California more often.

Yep, before the world got all tekanogical and filled the air with spurious emissions you could chat from melb to Geelong 80 km away on AM and when the skip was right or solar flares or sunspots were right you'd talk all around the world with ease.

Now we have Mobile phones and internet with VOIP to do the same and then some but it doesn't have the charm 27 meg had.

I recently bought a new scanner as my old one was limited in bands and I wanted Aviation VHF as well as Maccas drive thru so I upgraded to a Uniden Bearcat 93XLT which also scans 27 meg so I unearthed my old CBs after nearly 30 years and bought a few GE's because they were the CB id always wanted as a kid.

And being a few hundred km from Melb I figured id dive back in again being older, wiser and more cashed up lol.

[tony66_au]

I know of a bloke up here that can do them tho he is in the hunter region near newcastle so it would be a mail order you send them to him he returns them .
I will contact him and ask if he is interested and i will get back to you guys

Cheers Lokka that'd be nice.

The bloke id love to find again is a guy I remember from years ago called Peter Murphy or B52 who lived around Oakleigh or Murrumbeena from memory.

I'm pretty sure he would still be doing what he does and he was one of the best around back then and I doubt that's changed.

[Tombie]

Those were the days...

More social than this medium as well.

[slug_burner]

Time Plus in Brunswick had a workshop when I was last in there.

[d@rk51d3]

Back in the day, these were the guys to see for repairs, and, um, "modifications"...... :angel:

Electric Bug Online Store :: Communications, GPS & Navigation (http://www.electricbug.com.au/)

[tony66_au]

Those were the days...

More social than this medium as well.

Much more social Tombie, made some long time friends sitting on top of Mt Dandy at Sky High or Bourkes lookout under the transmission towers.

Some real characters out there.


Time Plus in Brunswick had a workshop when I was last in there.

Sadly I think John Cullen snatched it and Time Plus merged with another mob and only do UHF these days, havent been there for years but last time I was there the place was carpeted with CB's lol


Back in the day, these were the guys to see for repairs, and, um, "modifications"...... :angel:

Electric Bug Online Store :: Communications, GPS & Navigation (http://www.electricbug.com.au/)

Ahhhhhhh, Interesting, Many thanks for the link.

[RangieBit]

Sadly John Cullen snatched it and Time Plus merged with another mob and only do UHF these days, havent been there for years but last time I was there the place was carpeted with CB's lol

It was last year admittedly, but John was still doing HF stuff. He still did some business with RFDS type HF land mobile installation and repair/adjustment so obviously still has the technology necessary to tune the old 27MHz things.

The original place in Sydney Rd closed down a while back but he moved a few streets north and opened up off the main drag. Weston Street, I think.

He may have closed the doors in the meantime though.

Hope that helps a little.

Cheers,
Iain

[tony66_au]

Edit, info taken from Johns Linkedin profile Director (http://www.linkedin.com/search'search=&title=Director&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&currentTitle=CP&goback=%2Efps_PBCK_*1_John_Cullen_*1_*1_*1_time+pl us_*2_CP_Y_*1_*1_*1_false_1_R_*1_*51_*1_*51_true_G %2CCC%2CN%2CI%2CPC%2CED%2CL%2CFG%2CTE%2CFA%2CSE%2C P%2CCS%2CF%2CDR_au%3A0_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_ *2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2&trk=prof-exp-title)

Time Plus (http://www.linkedin.com/search'search=&company=Time+Plus&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=true&goback=%2Efps_PBCK_*1_John_Cullen_*1_*1_*1_time+pl us_*2_CP_Y_*1_*1_*1_false_1_R_*1_*51_*1_*51_true_G %2CCC%2CN%2CI%2CPC%2CED%2CL%2CFG%2CTE%2CFA%2CSE%2C P%2CCS%2CF%2CDR_au%3A0_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_ *2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2_*2&trk=prof-exp-company-name)

July 1973 – 2011 (38 years)Now sold TimePlus and business has moved to 13 Weston St Brunswick


)

Shame because if John was still is in Brunswick that would make him the last surviving "Original" CB Shop in Melbourne that still does CB's (As in 27Mhz) from the 4 or 5 around in the 70's and 80's.

Time Plus
Just CB /Just Communications
That guy who ran the 7/37 repeater and had a business in Frankston who I cant remember.
Unlimited Communications (Tony Mudge from memory)

Now If I could find Peter Murphy aka B52 id be a happy man lol


Telsat and Time Plus Communications have now joined hands!

13, Weston St, Brunswick 3056.
Tel: 9380 4172

[JohnF]

If I can find them [may have thrown them out] I have a couple of old CBs for sale--cheap, or swap for UHF. No aerials though,and do not know if it works. and it does not have side band, so is an early unit.

more recently I found in a cleanup day, a modern 40 channel UHF that also has a CB in it--default is CB channel nine on it, but have yet to install this to see if it works, and do need an aerial before I do so.

[Tombie]

Oh the good old days!

Extras, 5k slides, digiscans, linears...

Parked at Mt Lofty with a 3 element yagi mounted on the back of a car!!!!

They were fun times...

[Michael2]

Give these guys a call for repairs. They have an on-call guru (or at least had one recently).

Truscott's Electronic World

(03) 9723 3860

27 The Mall
Croydon South VIC 3136

[tony66_au]

Oh the good old days!

Extras, 5k slides, digiscans, linears...

Parked at Mt Lofty with a 3 element yagi mounted on the back of a car!!!!

They were fun times...


Thats it!

Chasing skip from a mobile, I had an old Val wagon with a rear mount 1/4 wave (9 ft stainless) which made it directional because of the location of the aerial being not central.

Wasnt keen enough to use a 3 element beam lol

[slug_burner]

Oh the good old days!

Extras, 5k slides, digiscans, linears...

Parked at Mt Lofty with a 3 element yagi mounted on the back of a car!!!!

They were fun times...

Yes and taking control of the phase lock loop and generating your own channels with a couple of dip switches.

Keen to have a 27Mhz yagi.

We made a beam, three elements one reflector and one director with a gamma matched driven element all for the DX experience. Never tried to get it into a car, it was hard enough getting it up onto the roof. Kids these days play with apps when we were playing with aluminium tubes and VSWR meters.

[Bushie]

Only removed my 27meg CB set from the Landy yesterday :o.

The GE set looks same as one I used to have in the Rangie around 84/85 purchased from Strathfield car radios when they just had the one outlet.

Martyn

[Kevdrover]

Wow, I can still remember the late seventies and running a wire on the inside of the roof of my parents house, (much to their annoyance. the RF interference affecting TV reception.) so you didn't get caught. Got my first SSB early 80's. President Grant if memory serves. I was hooked. Soon after I had a base station in dad's garage. President Washington. After being on air for a few years I heard about these "you beaut rigs", the blue box (intac). I found 1. There was a bloke in Newcastle that was a magician with them. It took pride of place in my '78 Patrol. They didn't like water, and the patrol vents leaked like sieves.:(
I think I still have 4 units in an old tea chest in the shed.
As someone said earlier, you made life long friends over the radio.

FB: Outback 4shore
YT: kevdrover

[Disco Muppet]

I recently bought a new scanner as my old one was limited in bands and I wanted Aviation VHF as well as Maccas drive thru so I upgraded to a Uniden Bearcat 93XLT

Hi Tony.
Just wondering how you find the Bearcat?
Looking to invest in one, interested in how you find it.
Cheers
Muppet

[tony66_au]

Only removed my 27meg CB set from the Landy yesterday :o.

The GE set looks same as one I used to have in the Rangie around 84/85 purchased from Strathfield car radios when they just had the one outlet.

Martyn

The A and B Models look pretty much the same from the front with a few differences and the switch ends being different colours, One black and the other orange.

But the main changes were evolutionary as the GE A model was one long Circuit board and the GE B model used 2 boards which made it more compact for the day.

I also have a Uniden PC122 which is still an old CB but it weighs nothing compared to the GE's, that said its not even close to the quality either although it does the job ok.

Honestly if your old 27 meg unit still works ok id leave it in place and treat it to a new cable kit and antenna because a UHF only has limited range and should you ever need help out of Phone range the 27 meg or RFDS/HF radio can save your bacon.


Wow, I can still remember the late seventies and running a wire on the inside of the roof of my parents house, (much to their annoyance. the RF interference affecting TV reception.) so you didn't get caught. Got my first SSB early 80's. President Grant if memory serves. I was hooked. Soon after I had a base station in dad's garage. President Washington. After being on air for a few years I heard about these "you beaut rigs", the blue box (intac). I found 1. There was a bloke in Newcastle that was a magician with them. It took pride of place in my '78 Patrol. They didn't like water, and the patrol vents leaked like sieves.:(
I think I still have 4 units in an old tea chest in the shed.
As someone said earlier, you made life long friends over the radio.

FB: Outback 4shore
YT: kevdrover

Yup, you do make some good mates.

I didnt do the ceiling aerial because it was easier to make a Dipole and hide it in 4 inch PVC Pipe and attach it to the house as a fake Stink/sewer vent Pipe, I reckon the neighbours thought we had 3 or 4 dunnys at once stage and when I sorted the TVI out no bugger was any the wiser.

Heres the thing though, I was 14 or 15 years old and doing basic maths and antenna theory not to mention applying bush ingenuity making insulators, vent caps and basic structural engineering to put the things up and more importantly keeping the things up.

And I wasnt the only kid doing it either, nicking Mums broom handles a few inches at a time/buying dowel/buying electrical PVC Conduit to make insulators or raiding my Uncles farm sheds for old ceramic insulators (He was fine with it), working my freckle off to buy a SWR meter, soldering iron etc and then finding ways to get a 20 foot length of 4 inch PVC pipe home on a Raleigh Commanche and then hoisting the things in place trying to make them blend in so Dad didnt do his nana for denting the gutter or drilling holes in stuff.

I reckon I was the only kid who added a lightenning arrestor to the top of a fairly ambitious 1/2 wave dipole so the house didnt get zapped again and then.... got hit by lightenning again. (No real damage, the coax was unplugged and earthed at the time.)

14 year olds today are a different breed, still some good old school ones out there but they have iPhoney 5's and it seems waistlines level with their goolies.

Shame..... They have no idea what they are missing.

Tony

[tony66_au]

Hi Tony.
Just wondering how you find the Bearcat?
Looking to invest in one, interested in how you find it.
Cheers
Muppet

For the money its a good bit of gear, Uniden are doing the name proud and the prices are pretty good too.
Be aware though that the cheapies have limited band coverage usually missing aviation and HF bands and stopping around the 450 Mhz range up top.

Make sure it has a BNC connector so you can easily add external aerials and pick one with a charger option.

Easy enough to program too and there is plenty of frequency info on the net if you are after something specific to listen to.

Also id invest in an external speaker as they are a bit on the quiet side in some bands.

Can I ask what you want it for?

[Disco Muppet]

For the money its a good bit of gear, Uniden are doing the name proud and the prices are pretty good too.
Be aware though that the cheapies have limited band coverage usually missing aviation and HF bands and stopping around the 450 Mhz range up top.

Make sure it has a BNC connector so you can easily add external aerials and pick one with a charger option.

Easy enough to program too and there is plenty of frequency info on the net if you are after something specific to listen to.

Also id invest in an external speaker as they are a bit on the quiet side in some bands.

Can I ask what you want it for?


Excellent technical response, thanks.
I'm just looking for something that can be used to help communicate between UHF frequencies for when I go bushwalking, as well as marine band as I'm often the tower of dads boat and he doesn't want to fit a second radio to the boat to be able to contact me if I'm on the other side of the dam or something when he wants to come in.
Add to that I do lots of long distance highway driving and I like to know what's going on ahead, too many kids annoying people on the trucky channel to listen these days. Normally I use a police/emergency scanner app on my iPod but it's decided to die.
Add to that I just like radios :p
Cheers

[tony66_au]

No probs, Just worth keeping in mind that most of the Police comms are now going digital using MDT's instead of |Voice although the Regional country comms will remain VHF for a while its only a matter of time before they disappear and if an App has stopped working its worth checking they havent gone to Mobile data terminals in which case its pretty much gone to us unless you are a serious tech head.

[Disco Muppet]

Stopped working because I dropped it on concrete :p
Way I understand it it's the more urban commands that are getting the first of the digital roll out, with rural areas sticking with VHF, as you say.
Doesn't really bother me either way, It's just a handy thing to have.