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General => Previous Member Trips => Trips, Tracks, Touring and Reports => 2014 Red Centre Trip => Topic started by: JCOJ on March 12, 2014, 10:44:14 AM

Title: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: JCOJ on March 12, 2014, 10:44:14 AM

We had a guest speaker at our 4wd club meeting last night by a uhf guru from Electric Bug here in Adelaide.

In his talk he was saying that 80ch and 40ch uhf's don't really talk to eachother that well. 

Since that it will be law that you're not supposed to use 40ch after 2016, there is no time like to present to upgrade should to an 80ch so we will all be on the same frequency.  Also we may use one of the higher general use channels for the trip due to the fact there may be less traffic on it eg: ch65.

Below is a list of what the different channels are used for too just for reference:

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: KingBilly on March 12, 2014, 12:58:51 PM

Good advice, however a mate has a 40 and we have an 80 and have no problems chatting.  Not sure if that is just good luck though.

KB

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: Blueroo on March 12, 2014, 07:16:57 PM

Good luck to the lawmakers from stopping people using channel 40 in 2016.

We have no trouble talking to 80channel type units from our 40channel vehicle radio. Obviously if the 80ch unit is on channel 41 or above the 40ch unit wont work to it. We have an 80ch hand held for recoveries etc and there's problems talking to the 4wd's 40ch unit.

Cheers
Stue

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: StevenB on March 19, 2014, 06:53:50 AM

Some of the more recent GME units can be upgraded to 80 channel from what I have been told. Might be worth a check with them


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Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: Mandrake on March 19, 2014, 07:08:07 AM

Last year Geoff and I had a little trouble - he has a 40 and I have an 80 - I could hear him loud and clear but he was having trouble
with volume from me ... Mandrake

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: westvic on March 19, 2014, 07:43:15 AM

Quote from: JCOJ on March 12, 2014, 10:44:14 AM

  Also we may use one of the higher general use channels for the trip due to the fact there may be less traffic on it eg: ch65.

While this might help for chat between your group it wont help in hearing if someone is coming up the other side of the same dune. Definately worth scanning all channels for other groups to avoid dune top collisions. I think ch10 is the recommended channel.

I only have a 40ch and have had no problems with others on 80ch yet.

cheers,
Steve

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: Mandrake on March 19, 2014, 07:46:17 AM

Don't think we are going into dune country - except for the Chambers Pillar run -- M

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: westvic on March 19, 2014, 04:36:16 PM

oops sorry  :-[

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: Gazza00 on March 19, 2014, 05:41:15 PM

"a uhf guru from Electric Bug"  .. sure that he wasn't just trying to drum up some extra sales as well  ???

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: Landyline on March 19, 2014, 06:42:29 PM

It is a volume issue. Some 80 channel units will compensate so you won't notice.

I'll be keeping my 40 channel for a while. Too expensive to upgrade when I only use a few channels anyway. All of which are found on a 40 channel unit.
Plus I only just bought a new microphone for it :)

Title: Re: UHF Radios for the trip
Post by: StevenB on March 26, 2014, 08:12:37 AM

Problem is the 40s are transmitting across double the bandwidth to the 80s, so you are cutting off some of the signal


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