Thread: Looking for a 27 Mhz CB Tech

Originally Posted by tony66_au

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

Originally Posted by Bushie

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

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.

Originally Posted by 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

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

Originally Posted by Disco Muppet

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?

Originally Posted by tony66_au

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
Cheers

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.