Car CB radio - is this legal in Ireland?

CiniO

I was thinking about getting a CB radio to my car. I know there are devices which can use AM and FM modulations. I'm not sure about bands.

Is using those in cars legal in Ireland, or do you need any licence for it?

Would holding CB radio microphone when driving be classified as using mobile phone when driving?

Also could I have a set with bigger antenna at my house without any licence? (f.e. to be able to talk between home and car)?

wexie

CiniO wrote: »

Is using those in cars legal in Ireland,

yes

CiniO wrote: »

or do you need any licence for it?

no

CiniO wrote: »

Would holding CB radio microphone when driving be classified as using mobile phone when driving?

****edifiknow, probably

CiniO wrote: »

Also could I have a set with bigger antenna at my house without any licence? (f.e. to be able to talk between home and car)?

hmmm...dont really know,l think there are different rules ones you go beyond a certain broadcast power.

Have a look here : http://www.comreg.ie/radio_spectrum/exemptions.541.488.html

and here : http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1998/en/si/0436.html

wexie

If it helps you could ask around maybe in the 4x4 section of the forum or some of the off road forums.
Lots of the offroaders have them, I have one myself.

Doesn't get used a lot though.

martinedwards

I the North the law on using mobile phones is restricted to the frequency that the device uses.

CB, Ham & PMR all fall outside the naught freqs so, as long as you don't wrap the mic cable around the steering wheel and cause a crash, it's all fine & dandy.

THIS site says no, but I'd drop an email to comreg to ask

http://www.iol.ie/~discover/carphone.htm

GekkePrutser

The only CB's that are legal in Ireland are the 40-channel European ones, not the 40 channels that are common in the UK (they use different channels). Some "80-channel" radios have both bands, not sure if those are legal but I assume it would be OK if you refrain from using the UK frequencies while in Ireland.

Comreg has more of a writeup on this (Edit: Sorry this was already mentioned). They would be the definitive source on this as they're the regulator. I don't find their documents very clear most of the time because of all the legal stuff but they tend to be very helpful if you ask them straight questions by email.

Wikipedia also has a bit of a writeup on the differences between the systems.

Regarding the handsfree thing, I'm not entirely sure either. There's usually exemptions for this kind of use so taxi's etc can go about their business. But I'm not sure if this exemption applies in Ireland, I've seen a lot of taxi drivers using bluetooth earpieces recently so I'd guess it's not legal here.

I personally want to avoid having to debate this with the guards so I've just made myself a hands-free for my HAM radio, with a gooseneck microphone and a PTT button on the gearstick. To be honest it's a lot safer anyway. In the old days I did actually manage to wrap the microphone cord around the steering column once or twice just like martinedwars is saying :rolleyes:

By the way, for what it's worth, the CB isn't really what it used to be anymore. When I first started, in the late 80's it was buzzing with locals and a real community. When I started I asked a question about antennas once and 10 minutes later there were 2 people at the door offering help and parts. These days if I hear anyone it's foreign truck drivers. I guess the internet's to blame for that one

Broadcast power is limited to 1W AM and 4W FM, most sets will abide by this unless they're 'fiddled' with. Don't expect too much from this, if you get 10-20km to a car (even with a decent 5.5m GPA base antenna at your home) you're doing really well. The CB bands are very noisy.

martinedwards

I was stopped by the Police (NI) a few months ago for using my mic in the car.

Police officer was very polite and all that and told me that I wasn't allowed to use a radio while driving.

I VERY POLITELY explained that actually yes I was, and that as he had already taken down all my details, I'd be happy to look up the fine print of the law and bring it to the station.

he was dubious, but hey, I'm a teacher and used to getting my way!!

I now have a printout of the law and a copy of my licence in the glove box of my car.

Dublinflyer

As far as mobiles are concerned technically is not illegal to use them, only to hold them. I believe they put this in so you can still use a bluetooth or wired handsfree kit in your car. My brother is a guard and he is always getting the excuse that the person he has stopped is using the handsfree function on the phone but still holding the phone in his hand. How that relates to a radio mic I have no idea but I am not sure I would want to have the conversation with a guard who is trying to fill his quota for the number of points he needs to give out although if I was on the receiving end of two points for something I know was legal I may feel different!!