UHF radio-which?

[Hoges1]

I want to install a CB. Budget is a bit tight because it's part of kitting ourselves with camping gear, snatch strap, maxtrax etc. Got to make use of the Jeep! Oricom are cheap but must be a reason. Uniden look better and I have 10 yr old Uniden VHF which is still going strong. GME would be nicer. Uniden with aerial for about $220 or an Oricom with a speaker mike that the unit can be hidden. Not much room in a KK. Suggestions?

[Mikzor]

I'm using a Uniden UH7760NB
http://www.uniden.com.au/AUSTRALIA/p_uh7760nb_index.asp

It's a great compact UHF so all the controls are on the handset. I have the handset mounted on the dash between the steering wheel and radio and the small power/antenna box mounted behind the pastic panel directly under the steering wheel. My Uniden UH870 antenna is mounted to the back of the car on the drivers side as that rear brake light has an acess hole to feed the cable inside the car.

I've been using it daily for about a year now and can't complain about its quality or range.

[Hoges1]

That sounds like the way to go. What about mounting the aerial on the side of the bonnet as I have seen elsewhere in the forum? Oricom? Know anything about them? They have the same setup.

[layback40]

I have a chinese hand held ~ Baofeng UV5R cost about $60 on ebay. Its a very powerful little unit. I am sure it would outperform the Uniden. Its available frequencies are an issue though. It can send & receive on many frequencies that are not for public use.
For $60 I am not complaining!

[Mikzor]

Originally Posted by Hoges1

That sounds like the way to go. What about mounting the aerial on the side of the bonnet as I have seen elsewhere in the forum?

Certainly nothing wrong with mounting it there. General rule is just as high as possible and far enough away from vertical metal surfaces as you can get to ensure clear signal transmission/receiving. Technically the perfect place would be dead centre of your roof but who wants to put it there.

Other options are mounting it to a nudge bar if you have one or even getting a smaller wireless windscreen antenna like these.
http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index....roducts_id=275

For me I just chose to put my 6dB antenna on the rear of the car as I preferred that look over the bonnet location and it ensured the majority of the ariel cleared the roof-line as much as possible.

It does mean I occasionally have to hop out of the car and unscrew the whip when I'm going in low car-parks. Generally 2.4m will just flick the antenna top (Maccas drive-through ) and I'll remove it for anything under. Granted with my roof rack setup I can only barely squeeze the car itself into the 2.15m carpark at work anyhow.

[muddy]

I've an Oricom UHF058 hooked up to an Rfi CD900 aerial with 6.5db whip. The aerial is mounted on the spare carrier with a Teraflex mount that gets it up to a good, but not great height. Bear in mind that I have a JK, and the mount gets it away from the metal bit quite well because the hardtop is glass fibre. With a KK your signal is likely to be negatively affected due to the metal top.

The radio was on sale and cheap, and while it isn't one of the top brands it is working well for me - people can hear me, I can hear them. Decent range, and build quality and connectors are solid.

Only thing I’d change? A radio with a display on the mic. The Oricom has buttons on it, but no display. The display on the radio itself is good, though.

[Vards]

Originally Posted by layback40

I have a chinese hand held ~ Baofeng UV5R cost about $60 on ebay. Its a very powerful little unit. I am sure it would outperform the Uniden. Its available frequencies are an issue though. It can send & receive on many frequencies that are not for public use.
For $60 I am not complaining!

Im with you, i have the UV5R+ and its great. Computer programmed all 80 CB channels and VHF marine safety channels. picked it up with a long range antenna and a few other goodies like a mic, car charge (directly to the unit, the actual battery stays in the glovebox fully charged if i need to take it away). It was well under $100 for the lot


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