'CB Talk' App Privacy Concerns UPDATE

Midland have responded to my concerns regarding privacy with the new CB Talk app which demands access to your contact list, location and phone number before it will run, with an email from Marco...

"Hello,

The contact information are required only to allow you to see who of your friends in your contact list have the same App installed (exactly like What’s Up) and in the future maybe will allow you to create private group.

Anyway I can tell you that in the next version we will allow the use of the App also WITHOUT requiring access. 

We are also changing view of the GPS position, in the future it will not be possible to see the exact position of the person in the map (the zoom level will be limited to some kilometre, so it will not be possible to see the exact position). This is to give better privacy.

All this changes will be active on version 1.01 or 1.02 depending on the time we need to implement.


Thanks

Marco"

This a great news as many people appear to share my concerns regarding privacy. Not having actually gone as far as running the app on my phone I was unaware that the current version of the app can give a very exact location of users on a map (Whoops!)

So simply using this app could give away your precise location.... NOT GOOD - Imagine the possible implications for children using this app!!!! What is good is that they are also going to change this so that the app does not give exact locations and will only offer approximate locations in future.

So I may well give this app a go once the issues I have raised are dealt with!

(Thanks once again to Marco for the information) 

See Previous Post: CLICK HERE

 

QYT KT-780 Plus - 100 Watts VHF or UHF!

Anyone fancy 100 watts on PMR446??????

QYT KT-780 Plus VHF or UHF Long Range High Power 100w Car Radio Mobile Transceiver


General Specifications

Frequency VHF:136-174MHz OR UHF: 400-470MHz 

Power Output(L/H):H 100W(16A) M 50W(9A) L 20W(6A) 

Channels 200

Channel Spacing 25KHz（Wide） 20K（Middle）12.5（Narrow）

Phase-locked step 2.5KHz、5KHz、6.25 KHz、10 KHz、12.5 KHz、25 KHz

Working Voltage 13.8V DC±15%

Squelch carrier wave、CTCSS、DCS、5Tone、2Tone、DTMF

Frequency Stability ±2.5ppm

Working Temperature -20+60℃

Size 140(W)*43(H)*172(D) mm

Weight 1.03kg

Price: $135 + Shipping from China

European Truck Festival 2018 Midland

Video:YouTube/Midland Italia



A short video from the European Truck Festival by Midland Italia....

Smokey and The Bandit Run (A tribute to Burt Reynolds)

Video:YouTube/2j4ez

That's a big 10-4 good buddy, we've got ourselves a convoy!

Fog On The Tyne Radio Rally 2018 (ANARC)

The Fog On The Tyne Radio Rally is held each year up here in the North East, not the biggest but still plenty to look at and a chance to meet up with the local breakers!!!!!

Which Is Best? Fibreglass or Alloy Antenna

Video:YouTube/fredintheshed1

The age old question.... Fibreglass certainly can last longer and won't bend but some say they bring in more noise....?

I've been very happy with my Antron 99 for many years, the Shakespeare Big Stick and Silver Rod prior to that and I'm sure there will be many opinions about which type of antenna is best!

Hurricane Watch Net

The Hurricane Watch Net have been in operation for 50 years and provide support to The National Hurricane Centre during the hurricane season and operate on the frequencies below:

The Hurricane Watch Net – 14.325 MHz USB

The Hurricane Watch Net – 7.268 MHz LSB

You can also listen online via this page: CLICK HERE

The Bandit Run 16/09/2018

News from Facebook....

The M25 Bandit Memorial Run...

Motorshow Events, American Hire Ltd & the Bandit Run UK have teamed up to bring you The M25 Bandit Memorial Run, We’re gonna do what they say can't be done. We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there. Come down and join us for The M25 Bandit Memorial Run which will be held on Sunday 16th Sept 09:00-16:00. It mainly comprises of a vehicle display followed by a cruise around the M25. 

We will be meeting & visiting the following locations:

We will be using the coach parking area at Lakeside/Thurrock Services for all trucks these will be guided by Marshall’s. Please use car park for cars. And running on Channel 19 for CB radios 

09:00-10:00: Lakeside/Thurrock Services
11:00-12:00: South Mimms Services
13:30-14:00: Cobham Services
14:45-15:30: Clacket lane Services
16:00: - Lakeside/Thurrock Services

Dartford Tunnel info Any Vehicles over 9ft wide
or over 18.75 meters long will need to stop at the Marshall area and be escorted through the tunnel. Will be using the east tunnel with the 15.9ft Height restriction.

All vehicles are welcome to take part and do so at their own risk and we don’t take any responsibility for theft or damage and ask that you stick to the Highway Code at all times. Once the front vehicles leave each location, You’re welcome to filter into the convoy.

We are also raising money for a children’s charity. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, it would be amazing if each motor taking part could put in £5 

Click here https://www.gofundme.com/the-m25-bandit-memorial-run

Join the Bandit Run UK 2019 https://www.banditrunuk.com/

Thanks guys see you on the 16TH

2m Band Portable QRP

Video:YouTube/2j4ez



Lovely to see an FT-290R on parade...….

'CB Talk' App Privacy Concerns

You may have heard about the new Midland 'CB Talk' app which has been launched this week which basically allows you to use your mobile phone as a pseudo CB Radio using VOIP instead of actual radio transmissions. 

It is not the first app to work in this fashion, indeed Zello has been around for ages.

The app is a great idea, however, those of you with privacy concerns may like to know that the 'CB Talk' app requires you to allow access to many features on your phone... LOCATION, MAKE AND MANAGE PHONECALLS, RECORD AUDIO, ACCESS YOUR CONTACTS and YOUR PHONE NUMBER.

It's not unusual for apps to ask for permission to access phone features and it's not unreasonable to allow access to your microphone if you want to talk to someone on an app like this, however this app refuses to function if you deny ANY of it's requests.

So you may wish to use the app to talk to people near you, which of course means you need to allow the app to access location data and have access to your phone's microphone, that's fine as the app couldn't possibly function without these permissions BUT being required to give access to your phone's contact list and your own phone number seems a bit excessive to me. Maybe the app simply cannot function without these permissions but the app could have been designed to work without them I'm sure. 

So if you are happy to allow your private phone number and all of your contact list to be accessed well fine, but I guess I must be an old fuddy-duddy and it's a NO FROM ME! - (I'll stick to Zello, or better still.... REAL RADIO!)