This was posted on another forum and sums it up very well. Thanks boobook
"
That ABC article misquotes ACMA.
However they now have a
draft recommendation out for comment that proposes dropping the rule that bans 40 Channels.
This is crazy and everyone should put in a submission asking that the law does not change. I know that people who still have 40 channel radios will say " I would never use the new channels anyway, so I want to keep mine" but the problem is that we now have 2 incompatible systems.
1)Those who have complied with the law and invested in a new CB are now being punished.
2)Channels 41 - 80 are generally clear of the swearing and abuse present in the older channels, unless those users are close. Now this will continue past July.
ACMA is leaving the UHF community with interference issues forever. This is exactly what they are supposed to stop.
So now the situation is that if there are 2 or more people with 80 channel radios then there is no interference and it works. Same if everyone in the same area has 40 channel radios. But if one or more have 80 channels and using channels 41 - 80, and one or more with 40 channel radios then they interfere with each other with garbled talking. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it wont.
It's like the government is changing from driving on the left side of the road to the right, with a deadline of July. Some people bought new cars to work with the new system and no old cars have been allowed to be sold for 6 years. Now they stopped the change and say doesn't matter what car you have, just drive on the side of the road that you prefer.
It is crazy not to proceed. They have left the 4wd community half pregnant."
