Kenwood TH-D74 UK Price Revealed!

I think we can safely say that the new Kenwood TH-D74 is a bit if a premium product! 

Nevada Radio are now taking orders for the handheld with a pricetag of £599!!!!

Imagine if you were to drop that on the pavement while out DX-Ing!

"Kenwood's TH-D74E introduces radio amateurs to a new world of technology. Equipped with APRS and Digital (D-STAR) capability on 2m and 70cm, this transceiver also provides features such as:

•  Built in high performance GPS
•  Transflective colour TFT Display
•   Weatherproof toughness meeting IP54/55 standards
•  Wide band and multi-mode receive (SSB/CW on HF, VHF, UHF with IF filtering / DSP)
•  Compliant with Bluetooth (allowing audio), microSD and Micro-USB connectivity"

Link to Nevada website: CLICK HERE

Yaesu FT991A - New Photos

    (Click Photos To Enlarge)

New VHF CB Radio Band Comes To Sweden!

Information coming in via Instagram message is that Sweden have been allocated a VHF CB Radio band. A look on the Swedish Telecommunications website and a bit of dodgy Google translation later would appear to show that there are 10 channels in the 69Mhz band spaced in a similar way to the PMR446 band. Power output appears to be 5 watts with base and handheld radios allowed.

UPDATE:

A further 8 channels are also allowed with a maximum power output of 25 watts:

69MHz Bandplan:

The legal regulations can be found in this document: LINK

 

So if you fancy a go, this little Anytone should do what you need.....

DV4mobile at the Dayton Hamvention 2016

A couple of videos from the Dayton Hamvention featuring the new DV4Mobile all mode digital radio:

Videos: Youtube/Laboenligne.ca

Yaesu FT-891 - Another Photo Shows Detachable Front

Yet another photo has emerged of the new Yaesu FT-891, this time showing the radio with the detachable front removed: 

   (Click To Enlarge)

As for availability and price, rumours are that the radio should hit the shops during the summer months with a price of around $900/£620 - This of course is speculation and is yet to be confirmed by Yaesu!

 

CRT One - UK CB Radio Servicing Review and Testing

Always interesting and definitely worth a look at is the UK CB Radio Servicing channel on YouTube (LINK). On this occasion they take a close look at the CRT One CB Radio:

Magnum 1 - First UK Review!

Video: YouTube/M0OGY

Dave, M0OGY, gives us the first UK look at this new radio from Magnum. Basically its a Maxlog 8800, but it will be interesting to see if there have been any improvements/modifications to the radio. 

Specs sheets are shown below(Click images to enlarge):

CTX January AM Net

The CTX Team have announced their latest AM net, which will take place on Saturday 30th Janaury 2016

    (Click Image To Enlarge)

"The latest in our series of the increasingly popular AM Nets!

6pm until 9pm (18:00-21:00 GMT/UTC)

We will call on Ch14 Mid Block (27.125Mhz) with a QSY channel (which we will pick on the night based upon band conditions), but our preferred net channel is Ch10 (27.075Mhz) - if Ch10 is not usable on the night, we try to stay on the lower part of the Mids (we don't use Ch9, Ch14 or Ch19 to hold the net on though)."

CTX Facebook Page: LINK

Happy New Year!

So we reach the end of another interesting year for radio enthusiasts.  A year where mighty radio companies have taken a tumble in the eyes of the buyers. Reputations have been damaged possibly beyond repair. Staunch defenders of radio brands have had to take a hard look and reevaluate things for what they really are. Numbers of radio operators continue to decline in many areas whilst some small sections of the hobby are booming - (The Midweek Nets!!!!!!)  

PMR446 has seen its first truly mobile radio offering in the guise of the Midland GB-1. Too little, too late perhaps and overpriced but certainly an interesting addition to the radio hobby. 

Looking at CB radios, the real stinker of 2015 has been the President Jackson 2 Chrome - What a steaming pile of SH!T - Not bad on AM/FM but simply awful on SSB. At £250 it's one to steer well clear of!!!! - Did President not learn anything from the Lincoln 2??????

There have been a few good or even excellent radios about but there is no doubt that the real winner has been the Albrecht AE6110. A cracking little radio with performance which totally outstrips its diminutive size. I am yet to hear of anyone who doesn't like this radio and for around £50 it's a real bargain.

Therefore I have no hesitation in announcing that the Albrecht AE6110 is "Delboy's Radio Of The Year 2015"!

Best wishes to all for 2016!

A Look Back At CB Radio In 2015!

Video: YouTube/M0OGY

Dave (M0OGY) takes a look back at CB Radio in 2015

Possible Aurora Predicted For New Years Eve!

Source: Twitter/@TamithaSkov

Be sure to listen on the air for wispy voices and strange sounding conversations as auroral conditions have been predicted to occur.

'Colin The Head' certified?

Maybe this should have been published on April 1st.... However here is the story that 'Colin The Head' has been awarded the prestigious title of "Ambassador for CB radio in the United Kingdom"!

Full story: CLICK HERE

World Radiocommunication Conference Approves Global 60 Meter Allocation! (5MHz)

Agreement at last on the 60m (5Mhz) band with a small global allocation of 5351.5 - 5366.5Mhz with a tiny output power of 15 watts EIRP.

For more on this story follow the link below.

LINK: CLICK HERE

President Jackson 2 Chrome CB Radio - EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK!

The World first look at the President Jackson 2 Chrome Classic CB Radio!

BREAKING NEWS: President Jackson 2 Chrome sold in the UK!

As yet unconfirmed, but rumour is rife across the web that someone in the UK has bought a new President Jackson 2 Spangly Chrome Limited Edition! 

Personally, I'm sceptical but stranger things have happened. 

We wait with baited breath....

Knights - President Grant 2 PREMIUM On Sale Now £219

Well done to Doug from Knights as he appears to be first again with the new improved Grant 2 Premium.

LINK: CLICK HERE

President Jackson 2 CHROME - In My Hands But I Didn't Buy It!!!!

So today I had a shiny President Jackson 2 Chrome in my hands. It looked lovely, well built and I was very tempted.... but after buying 2 x Grant 2's and a Lincoln 2 recently I just couldn't bring myself to part with another £250 on a CB radio.

If there had been loads of skip over the past week things may have been different, but the radio has been dead with hardly a signal heard. Is this a sign of things to come? Will sales of CB radios die off due to lack of propagation? Maybe!

So I've passed up the chance of having one of the first CHROME Jackson 2's!

Regrets? - Nope! -  I can always change my mind next week when the Americans are blasting in on 27.385 LSB!

PMR446 (UHF CB) New Analogue Channel Allocation

So word comes from an industry insider that the UK is set to adopt the new expanded PMR446 channel allocation.

No official announcement has yet been made so make of this what you wish but it does appear that the new allocation will go ahead.

The exsisting allocation of 8 analogue channels (446.00625 - 446.09375) have been around since the late 90's and there have been many operators calling for extra channels particularly in busy cities and town center areas. 

Having an extra 8 analogue channels (446.10625 - 446.19375) PMR446 begins to look like a true UHF CB allocation. 

Sure you only get 500mw(!) but it's surprising how far you can get from a favorable location. 

The whole band (446.000 - 446.200) will also be opened up to allow the use of up to 32 digital channels.

New radios, which will have more rigorous specifications to reduce the likelihood of interference, are expected to be available shortly after the new allocation is adopted. 

Albrecht AE-6110 - The Worlds Smallest CB Radio!!!!*

So I took the plunge and bought myself the tiny little Albrecht AE-6110. It really is very small. Very Very Small!!!!

Did I mention it's really really really very small?

10 cm wide, 10 cm deep and 2.5 cm high

4 watts AM/FM - Multi EU Band Settings

(Click Photos To Enlarge)

And it's really really CHEAP!

Video and further comments will be along here soon.

*The CRT ONE may be a few millimeters smaller!

Back Due To Popular Demand: Charlie Tango Xtreme AM Net

Following the great success of their last AM Net the CTX team are at it again. On Saturday 26th Sept 2015 from 18:00 hours - 21:00 hours(UK Time) they will be active on AM.

Calling on the UK AM calling channel 27.125MHz (14 Mid Band) then QSY after making contact.

The AM Net will be part of a fun filled weekend when they join the Delta Alpha group's LOTA weekend.