CB isue i have

[followspot2]

No I don't work for ACMA, I work in the two way industry.

R

OK, thanks you had me worried for some time that you worked for them.

I will be giving it a go this weekend for a test (i am not very optimistic) but i will give it a go.

 

[followspot2]

I want to the location where i thought i would be putting the repeter but is a no go there is no where that i can put it. but i found another place which looks better. yea

 

[pb_lonny]

How important is being able to talk to this group?

 

[followspot2]

How important is being able to talk to this group?

10/10 or extremely high.
it is my Fire brigade group. what currently happens is when we are all going to the station we talk on the CB to see who is coming and to alocate which truck you are on or if it is best to go straight to the incident. ect.
Me joining the group means that i need to talk but there is a uggly big hill in the way.
My brigade has said that it is my issue and i need to sourt it out my self.

if you have any more ideas it would be appreciated.

 

[krokus]

10/10 or extremely high.
it is my Fire brigade group. what currently happens is when we are all going to the station we talk on the CB to see who is coming and to alocate which truck you are on or if it is best to go straight to the incident. ect.
Me joining the group means that i need to talk but there is a uggly big hill in the way.
My brigade has said that it is my issue and i need to sourt it out my self.

if you have any more ideas it would be appreciated.

What about something taller than the hill? Something far enough away that it has line of sight to you and the firehouse?

Are there any UHF CB radios that are able to be remote controlled?

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[followspot2]

What about something taller than the hill? Something far enough away that it has line of sight to you and the firehouse?

Are there any UHF CB radios that are able to be remote controlled?

Sent using Tapatalk

i have has a look at everywhere using link.ubnt.com and there is literaly only 2 place on which would be on a phone tower (which i DON'T want to try and get permission to use) and the other is in the bush on a slight hill.

 

[pb_lonny]

10/10 or extremely high.
it is my Fire brigade group. what currently happens is when we are all going to the station we talk on the CB to see who is coming and to alocate which truck you are on or if it is best to go straight to the incident. ect.
Me joining the group means that i need to talk but there is a uggly big hill in the way.
My brigade has said that it is my issue and i need to sourt it out my self.

if you have any more ideas it would be appreciated.

I thought it might be something like this.

In basic terms you will not be able to do this, the hill in the way and the fact they are using a simplex channel means you have a few issues.

- Policy: They are using a simplex channel and can't / won't change to use a repeater (if one even covers your area)
- Legal: The ACMA rules are very clear on what you can and can't do with UHF CB.
- Technical: The nature of UHF transmissions mean they won't go beyond "line of sight"
- Natural: That hill.

Do you have a UHF CB in your car? Can you use that once you are in range to talk to them?

 

[followspot2]

- Policy: They are using a simplex channel and can't / won't change to use a repeater (if one even covers your area)
- Legal: The ACMA rules are very clear on what you can and can't do with UHF CB.
- Technical: The nature of UHF transmissions mean they won't go beyond "line of sight"
- Natural: That hill.

yes i am well aware of there legal issues. I will only have this repeater operation when i know i will need to use it.

Do you have a UHF CB in your car? Can you use that once you are in range to talk to them?

Yes i do have a CB in my car but by the time get into range i am only 2.7 km from the station. and it is 5km from home to the station where i do not have communication.
When/if i get this repeter operational it will still hot reach my house but about 500m from home.

 

[pb_lonny]

What you do is up to you, rustynswrail and myself have both advised you against this.

 

[followspot2]

What you do is up to you, rustynswrail and myself have both advised you against this.

Yes i am well aware that you would say not to do it.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

What will fix your problem is called a remote base. It is like a repeater but one side (the group) will be on channel 25 and the other side (you) on some UHF or VHF frequency well separated from channel 25. You can make one easily with a US product called the Pyramid SVR200 (U or D models). They show up cheaply on e-bay and software is available.

Do you have legal access to a VHF frequency? Then you could have a small VHF base at home pointed to the link on the hill and then relay over to your UHF group.

Another solution would be remote control by internet or phone line.

I am not in Australia so your ACMA laws are "foreign" to me.

There is another solution called a "parrot" repeater that stores and forwards the messages on same frequency.However the other members of the group might be irritated by the repetitious nature of this device.

If there is a water tank on the hill, by using a high gain yagi, you might be able to bounce signals across and make reliable communications with other fixed stations. It would take some work and given the power limitations may be a non starter.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

(snip)
My brigade has said that it is my issue and i need to sourt it out my self.

(snip)

Translation: If you figure a way to do this please don't ever tell us how because it is likely illegal!

 

[followspot2]

Translation: If you figure a way to do this please don't ever tell us how because it is likely illegal!

YES, i have been trying to keep things as vague as possible.
I am also aware that the ACMA could/have read this.

 

[rustynswrail]

What will fix your problem is called a remote base. It is like a repeater but one side (the group) will be on channel 25 and the other side (you) on some UHF or VHF frequency well separated from channel 25. You can make one easily with a US product called the Pyramid SVR200 (U or D models). They show up cheaply on e-bay and software is available. Do you have legal access to a VHF frequency? Then you could have a small VHF base at home pointed to the link on the hill and then relay over to your UHF group. Another solution would be remote control by internet or phone line. I am not in Australia so your ACMA laws are "foreign" to me. There is another solution called a "parrot" repeater that stores and forwards the messages on same frequency.However the other members of the group might be irritated by the repetitious nature of this device. If there is a water tank on the hill, by using a high gain yagi, you might be able to bounce signals across and make reliable communications with other fixed stations. It would take some work and given the power limitations may be a non starter.

Without licencing anything he does is, in the current climate, is likely to incur the wrath of the ACMA. VHF or Parrot still requires a licence. We do not have licence free business assignments here.

The rules are pretty tough and non compliance with the class licence associated with UHFCB will attracted unwanted attention from the authorities.

And you can bet London to a brick that ACMA have read your posts, they do cast an eye over the local forums as well.

R

 

[followspot2]

RFI-EMI-GUY, i have been thinking about doing something like what you are saying. What i was thinking was making an app for my phone( i would need help from friends). where i would put a raido at the other end connected to the internet with this app.

I know this would also be breaking the ACMA rules, and can get fined.

 

[N8IAA]

I look at it this way, if he wants to dig his own grave, let him. He's aware of the consequences and seems willing to tempt fate. You all have given him excellent information. Let him go and do what he wants.

Larry

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Well I just spent an hour revieweing the ACMA website regarding CB radio Note the second paragraph below:

https://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/TV-...io/citizen-band-radio-service-cbrs-fact-sheet

"Recent changes to the Citizen Band Radio Service

CB radio users will no longer have to replace their older-style 40 channel equipment. A limitation of the equipment’s use was due to take effect from 1 July this year. However, following consultation, the ACMA has decided to allow continued use of 40 channel equipment alongside the newer 80 channel equipment.

The limitation on interlinking repeaters through CB stations that previously applied has also been removed. The ACMA has identified the potential for the interlinking of CB repeaters to provide significant benefit to CB users, particularly in regional and remote areas. The ACMA has come to the view that these benefits outweigh any potential interference, and that alternative regulatory mechanisms are sufficient to address interference if it arises. "

While this seemingly addresses repeater linking, there is no stated prohibition for remote base operation in the current rules.

A further read indicates that specific channels are reserved for repeaters and that apparently a 75 KHz spacing is used. This is a bit narrow, but likely the low power nature of the service permits such close spacing.

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017C00476

I would suggest that upon review that it would be legal for the OP to construct a remote base using a UHF CB station on channel 25 controlled by a second UHF station on a channel removed by 75 KHz or more. The required technical standards would have to be adhered to. Likewise a 27 MHz CB channel could be used for control, however it would be prudent to consider that unwanted stations may be relayed to the UHF channel when the band opens. Tone operated squelch should be used on the link where legal to do so.

For linking of UHF stations, the use of yagi directional antennas can improve the isolation between the two closely spaced channels.

To be on the safe side of the ACMA Certification process, the OP should look for ways to make the remote base operate without any internal modification to the radios. Specifically the COR circuit may need to be obtained externally by gluing a photodiode to the radio(s) call light or detecting audio amplifier activation from the speaker leads through VOX (crummy) or DC voltage shift (nice if you can). Or you can simply find two older high end radio models that bring out the COR and PTT to an option connector.

Here is a pretty old article on remote base operation. It goes into detail of multiple links and duplex audio which are not necessary in this case. The hardware requirements in the current case are minimal, just two UHF CB radios, two antenna systems, a link interface (passive cross connect or active controller) and a power supply.

http://www.repeater-builder.com/tech-info/pdfs/remote-base-alternative-to-repeaters.pdf

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Correction to my previous, repeater separation is 750 KHz not 75 KHz

You might also consider 900 MHz FHSS radios for the remote link as they are legal in australia.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

10/10 or extremely high.
it is my Fire brigade group. what currently happens is when we are all going to the station we talk on the CB to see who is coming and to alocate which truck you are on or if it is best to go straight to the incident. ect.
Me joining the group means that i need to talk but there is a uggly big hill in the way.
My brigade has said that it is my issue and i need to sourt it out my self.
if you have any more ideas it would be appreciated.

If this can't be solved via a home made repeater or an internet controlled radio, can someone at the brigade simply call you on your phone when they are organizing a station run?

 

[followspot2]

If this can't be solved via a home made repeater or an internet controlled radio, can someone at the brigade simply call you on your phone when they are organizing a station run?

simple answer is not possible, as it would waist time. As the brigade is ALL volunteers we all arrive at different times at the station it depends on where we are at time. As a all volunteer brigade time is a very limited rerecord as we need to out of the station asap.