CB dead or alive

Yeah you are indeed, brain fart.

Dead easy get on DMR, and Fusion, D-Star is a little trickier. Then get the DVMEGA DV Stick 30 and after a quick setup you're on the air way faster than trying to program a DMR radio + you can easily switch between DMR, D-Star and Fusion.

You can register for a DMR ID here https://www.radioid.net/register#!

I think you can listen to DMR withouth an ID here https://hose.brandmeister.network/ you can get the Brandmeister app to listen via mobile.

Register for D-Star here https://regist.dstargateway.org/Dstar.do

Fusion is much easier, once you program your radio with your ID it should just work on Fusion or program the Blue DV software.

Bluedv for windows is here https://software.pa7lim.nl/BlueDV/BETA/Windows/

Blue DV is the simplest cheapest way of accessing digital modes and I don't really care whether I'm using it through a real radio or not, using blue DV and once the TX audio is set properly the audio quality both TX and RX is a lot better than through most radios.

I do use the Anytone 878 UV+ in the car with my Openspot 3 and have it programmed so that I can access DMR, D-Star and Fusion all through the radio and I'm able to switch between modes and channels via the radio itself, a lot of People use 3 different radios with the Openspot 3 and control it via a web browser on the phone but it's not necessiary, it can all be done from the Openspot 3 but I'ts very complicated to set up.

There's an app to use blue DV from an Android device or on Chromebook but you can't do anything else while the Blue DV App is open as it can't run in the background but it will on a Chromebook. It can be handy to have it on a tablet beside you but Blue DV for Windows is much better.

Some audio is very robotic depending on the setup at the other end and some audio is quite good but Blue DV is from what I've heard probably the best, the anytone 878 UV+ sounds decent through the car audio system a lot better than from the radio.

There is also Allstar which has excellent audio quality but I haven't got on that yet.

Digi modes are very convenient when HF isn't.

@bassy Did you check out the hoseline on brandmeister ? what you think ? don't forget there's an android app too, not sure about Apple.

Forgot to link to the DVMEga DV Stick 30 https://www.combitronics.nl/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=103

IF you were interested in trying out some digital modes I would highly recommend this route and Blue DV for windows and Android because making a code plug for a DMR radio is a lot of hassle, you could get a Fusion radio such as the FT-3D or 5D and all you then have to do is press wires-x and you're on fusion, it's simple as it should be but you will need a hotspot so the cheapest and simplest way to get on Digital is the DVstick and Blue DV and you don't have to mess with hotspots either + it's dead easy to switch between modes and channels.

Ah yeah I thought the same until I found out that I could still make contacts when I couldn't use HF or where it wasn't practical or in the car.

It's funny, there's a lot of Hams who told me it's illegal to TX on CB, why are they telling People this and do they really believe it ? A few of them had me convinced CB was illegal and I risk loosing my Ham license, do some Hams knowingly do this on purpose ? or do they really believe transmitting on the CB band is illegal ?

What's interesting is that in Ireland, AM/FM and SSB is allowed.

https://www.comreg.ie/industry/radio-spectrum/licence-exemptions/list-of-licence-exemptions/

Citizen’s Band (CB)

AM citizens’ band (CB) and PR 27 radio equipment.

Operational modes are AM (1W erp), FM (4W erp) and SSB (4W pep). CB is from 26.96-27.41MHz where forty 10 kHz channels are available.

For more information see S.I. 436 of 1998.

The President website says from 26,965 MHz to 27,405 MHz for the Randy III so these must be the standard frequencies for the 40 CH CBs

The ones that transmit above 27,405 must be the unlocked ham gear then ?

It's crazy, I was just talking to another Ham friend of mine trying to convince him to get his CB and IMAX back in the air and he's insisting CB in Ireland was never legalised ? seriously it's mad.

Honestly, I know, it was good enough for a lot of them when they started out, it's amazing how many turn their back on CB now who get the Ham license. Probably a lot to do with the fact a lot of People do think it's illegal, ok above 27.41 yeah but still a lot of channels to be used legally.

Anyway, think I'm going to get Imax 2000 and stick it up.

LOL Just had FM contact with 31lr001 portugal he was using 1.2 Kw 40 over with me, he was using beam.

Imax 2000 Installed.

SWR on 15m 1.2

SWR 12m 2.5

SWR 11m 1.6

SWR 10m 1.3 from 28.320 - 1.6 SWR at 28.270 - 30 Mhz

Cheers, was funny when the Missus came out and saw me standing on the Chimney !

ha ha probably, but had to show she was concerned lol. 😁

Indeed 🤣

I was wondering if I should cabled the Imax 2000 to the sitting room but think that would have driven herself over the edge with big dirty RG213U Coax so just brought it to the shack, probably better off anyway, will listen on the Tecsun radio for activity and can head up to the shack if needed.

I hope a friend of mine gets his A99 back up, he's on Rossmore laois, nice and high so would probably get to him with 1 Watt on the handheld when I get it as I have good line of sight with there, I'm interested to try out FM, I was really impressed hearing FM on the 891 for the first time the other night when I had that contact with the lad in Portugal.

I hear local lads on 27,535 now but they're actually weak enough but there is also a strong station on the same freq and he's having a qso with another station that's quiet enough to me also lots of swearing.

I might be able to hear the strong lad and the other lads he's talking to but the QRM from the other lads are kind of drowning them out but they obviously can't hear them.

Yeah I'd find a ground I will investigate more.

The swearing ? yeah some go overboard and think it's normal.

Here's a few pics of the Volkswagen ID.4, I got the ID3 so might work, this looks like there's some form of medal to attach to, I didn't think there was on mine but will take a look again, prob hear nothing with a mobile setup unless up a hill due to little activity.

https://www.vwidtalk.com/threads/ham-radio-install.7031/

Thanks, it's worth looking into.