PMR446 Bazooka Antenna

Video:YouTube/Jason CT965

A very interesting video from Jason CT965 which shows the construction of a PMR446 Bazooka antenna. 

PMR446 has seen a massive increase in use over the recent weeks and this antenna is a very simple way of boosting your output. 

Here's a still from the video which gives the relevant measurements for the antenna:

PMR446 Long Distance Records

With the recent increase in activity on the PMR446 band here in the UK I wonder if it's time to revisit the idea of  'PMR446 Long Distance Records'.....

Back in the early days of PMR446 there was very little in the way of non-standard radio equipment which could operate on the 446 band. You certainly couldn't get your hands on a Baofeng, so users made do with tiny handhelds, tiny antennas and half a watt of power.... in other words, LEGAL PMR446 radios. But that didn't stop them making some amazing long distance contacts. They just had to put a bit of effort into it by climbing up to the top of a hill or other high spot.

Things are different these days, anyone can order a high power radio from eBay or Amazon including modified Amateur Radio equipment which can be capable of putting out very high amounts of power. You see people boasting online that they made a 50 mile contact... 

Well let's be honest, anyone can make a 50 mile contact using a Yaesu/Icom/Kenwood/Baofeng with 50 watts coming out of the back into a co-linear or beam antenna.... It really is nothing special!

What is special and very rewarding is making the same contact on a standard, type approved, PMR446 radio.

How about starting a points system? Maybe one point for every mile achieved between two operators using STANDARD (Type Approved) PMR446 radios.

Personally, back in 2003, I made a 535.8Km (333 Mile) contact using a Motorola T6222 radio. This was during a period of Tropospheric Ducting which allowed my signal to be carried from North East England to a small town near Amsterdam. Of course these conditions don't happen very often and you should not expect distances like that but it just goes to show what is possible. 

If you get up to the top of a hill or other high spot you should easily be able to make some amazing contacts. You can certainly expect to cover 10-20 miles, and much further depending on your height. 

So how about it? Let's see and hear about amazing long distance contacts made using proper PMR446 radios.

Of course we shouldn't leave out those who wish to use non-standard equipment, therefore I suggest we have 2 categories:

CATEGORY ONE: Standard, type approved radios which have NOT been modified in any way.

CATEGORY TWO: Modified PMR446 radio or other non-standard equipment.

You could list your contacts as:

STATION 1 (CAT 1) to STATION 2 (CAT 1) 

STATION 1 (CAT 1) to STATION 2 (CAT 2) 

STATION 1 (CAT 2) to STATION 2 (CAT 2)

Obviously a CAT 1 to CAT 1 contact would be the GOLD standard as this is the hardest to achieve.

You could post videos online to verify your contacts and we would be very happy to feature them on the blog.....

Yuo can also post details on the PMR446DX Facebook page: https://fb.me/PMR446DX

Sunday Fun-days!

Sundays are Fun-days on the radio with two radio events back-to-back...

From 7pm, operators are invited to call out on the UK SSB calling channel 27.275 USB then at 8pm it's time to switch over to channel 8 on PMR446.

Both events are designed in to increase the use of radio in the UK and beyond and give users the chance of making to brilliant contacts during these troubled times so get on the air and give a shout!

In both events please call on the calling channels then QSY once you make contact.

Space Station Contact 16/06/2020

An ARISS educational school contact is planned with students at I.E.S. Pedro de Valdivia, Villanueva de la Serena, Spain, multi point telebridge via ON4ISS. A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home: the students will be talking with the ISS from their homes over phone lines.

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS and the scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR. Contact is a go for Tuesday June 16, 2020 at  12:25 UTC.

Downlink signals will be audible over Western Europe on 145.800 MHz narrowband FM, RX only! (Credit: AMSAT.)

Biggest Ever PMR446 Net - 40 Stations Worked!

Video:YouTube/Ringway Manchester

PMR446 radio has proved to be very popular during lock-down here in the UK. In this video we see Lewis making 40 contacts in only 25 minutes during the weekly PMR event on Sunday evening.

Midland Portapak???

Video:YouTube/26CT3149 DX

A modern take on the Midland Portapak......

27.275 USB - UK SSB Calling Channel

It's almost 6 years since AM and SSB were legalised in the UK. At the time a poll across several forums and radio websites was undertaken to decide on calling channels for these new legal modes.

Channel 14 - 27.125 was chosen as the AM calling channel (This was the original UK AM calling channel back in the 70's).

Channel 27 - 27.275 was chosen as the SSB calling channel.

  

Since legalisation AM has proved to be a bit of a problem with a significant a number of people reporting issues with electrical interference when operating from a home location. There is no doubt that AM is a very noisy mode unless you can get away from the populated areas, up on top of a hill for example.

SSB, on the other hand, has proved very popular with many weekly/daily nets taking place across the UK but the calling channel has been very underused in many parts so this event hopes to "Make CB Radio Great Again" and promote Channel 27 USB as a place to meet up and make contacts with other stations. 

So why not give it a try, put your radios on 27.275 USB every night a 7pm (UK TIME) and give out a call. I'm sure if we can all make the effort it will be worthwhile.

IMPORTANT: PLEASE QSY ONCE CONTACT HAS BEEN MADE

I would suggest +/- three or four channels, keep all the action near to the calling channel to make everyone easier to find. 

Also, if you take part in any of the many weekly nets why not pop onto Channel 27, call for stations and invite them to join your net? That way we will not only promote the use of the calling channel but will promote the weekly nets as well!

UK CB Radio Anniversary 27/06/2020

It's almost that time of year again!

Way back in 2014, AM and SSB were finally legalised here in the UK. Many people thought it would never take off but since legalisation the number of regular nets has increased at a fantastic rate. 

SSB has proved to be the most popular with many weekly and daily nets. 

AM has proved to be a little problematic for some with noise levels causing issues however there are a few regular AM nets taking place around the UK.

Anyway, on 27th June 2020, CB radio users across the UK will take to the air to celebrate SIX years of legal AM and SSB.

SSB calling on channel 27 EU (27.275 USB)

AM calling on channel 14 EU (27.125)

PLEASE REMEMBER TO QSY ONCE CONTACT HAS BEEN MADE!

The event will take place between 19:00 and 22:00 hours (UK Time/UTC+1)

North East Net - CTX Activation Cartridge Hill

Video:YouTube/26CTX2500

Settle down with a cup of tea and treat yourself to over 2 hours of action from The North East Net which takes place every Wednesday evening here in the UK.

New Icom IC-705 Price Revealed

So after many months of waiting the UK price of the new Icom IC-705 has been revealed...

£1299 will get you one of these radios should you fancy it!