Any CB / HAM operators on here?

[Christhecaravanner84]

Any radio enthusiasts on here? Do you operate from your caravan? I'm a CB radio enthusiast and I have been looking around for hill top sites to stop at. I have a portable mast with a drive on plate I can use, provided I don't scare my fellow Caravanners too much. Do any of you use radio from your pitch, what sort of antennas do you use?

 

[Buckman]

In the sixties and seventies I was involved with initially using military radios and then later manufacturing them. Our breakthrough was building a SSB radio and we were able to converse with people in Germany. At the time I lived in southern Africa. We also came across so strange abnormalities with radio transmission i.e. a static base radio with a range of about 25 miles conversing with a patrol car in New York city which is several thousand miles away. Several other interesting incidents I could narrate.
Recently I looked at doing the Foundation Licence, but have not got around to it yet as no radio and cannot afford a reasonably priced decent radio. Ultimately as a second radio I would like a valve operated base radio with no transistors, diodes etc. as different ball game to the modern stuff. Not sure if you are familiar with the old TR25 from the early sixties.
At least if we see a caravan with a huge aerial outside, it will probably be you. 👍

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

You could look at doing some 11 metres dx, the radios are modestly price. Most of it is on the pirate band, but most operators operate to the same discipline as a ham operator. You are extremely unlikely to get in trouble using naughty band and AM and SSB are now legal on on EU band.

 

[Hutch]

In Nigeria, 25 years ago, I used to have CB radio, in my landrover with an amplifier ( 35 watt I think, ) a base station at home with the same amplifier, and my boys had hand held units on their bicycles. With the house aerial being maybe 50 ft high we could get maybe 30 miles range.
I have a small walky talky units for levelling the caravan, saves me and the wife going backwards and forwards.