CB and HAM'S radio equipment looking to buy

[Tdvsko]

I would like to ask the following question.

I am interested in Purchasing a CB radio and HAM's equipment due to sitting my foundation license exam for amauter radio in march so I can begin operating. What I would like to ask is what would you recommend based on the following information below:

Things I want the radios to be:

1)Long battery life
2) If it has to be connected to power source low power usage but high broadcast distance
3) able to join in any SUK radio comms
4) able to broadcast over long distance not really with CB but definately with HAM's
4) Complicated Radios are not a issue I will learn if necessary day and night how to use them
5) That will last a long time and take wear and tear well ( I want built to last radios)
6) that can be used with a foundation license or with intermediate license
7) If possible the radios to communicate with PMR handsets.
8) HAM'S radio does not have to be portable.
9) The Communication equipment to provide as clear as possible broadcasts that are the easiest to understand with as little interference as possible.

Price is not a issue I can spend upto £300-450 if necessary for very long lasting equipment

If you think this list is unreasonable let me know. Thank You for your time I apoligise for bad spelling and bad punctuation

[Highlander]

(13 January 2013, 18:39)Tdvsko Wrote: I would like to ask the following question.

I am interested in Purchasing a CB radio and HAM's equipment due to sitting my foundation license exam for amauter radio in march so I can begin operating. What I would like to ask is what would you recommend based on the following information below:

Things I want the radios to be:

1)Long battery life
2) If it has to be connected to power source low power usage but high broadcast distance
3) able to join in any SUK radio comms
4) able to broadcast over long distance not really with CB but definately with HAM's
4) Complicated Radios are not a issue I will learn if necessary day and night how to use them
5) That will last a long time and take wear and tear well ( I want built to last radios)
6) that can be used with a foundation license or with intermediate license
7) If possible the radios to communicate with PMR handsets.
8) HAM'S radio does not have to be portable.
9) The Communication equipment to provide as clear as possible broadcasts that are the easiest to understand with as little interference as possible.

Price is not a issue I can spend upto £300-450 if necessary for very long lasting equipment

If you think this list is unreasonable let me know. Thank You for your time I apoligise for bad spelling and bad punctuation

For a start no-one is bothered about your spelling or grammer

Much of what you require here will be down to the antenna you use, you could have the worst set in the world and the best antenna,.. and you would ok

I pesonaly like the Icom sets,..I have the Icom 735, because its small for a base station and it has a sliding RF power which will give you your ligal limit of 10 watts now, but would give you 100 watts when the shtf and no-one would care,.. it is both mains AC, and battery opperated if need be

To be able to use the SUK comms, then you will need programable hand helds sets,.. may people like the Baofeng uv-r5, [ or r3],... they are not easy to program, and you may need help [ like me ],... but their reputation is as good as they could get,.. these come with a long life battery, but you can also buy larger batteries for even longer life,... there are threads/posts on the radio

Both these radios fall well into that price bracket,...and for the base stations there are good cheap antennas around

---

I also have an old fedelity CB radio in a Faraday box,.. this is simply a back-up, it will easily connect to any antenna I have up,... although I live amonst the hills, so the proof will be after an event to know just how good it will turn out to be

[Tarrel]

I concur with Highlander on the Amateur front. my base station is an Icom IC730, which is not quite as sophisticated as the 735, and I picked it up including power supply for less than £200 from a dealer, with a guarantee. The thing you'll need to watch once you go above your 10 Watts (Because you're not going to stop at your foundation license, are you?) is power-provision. 100W radios take upwards of 15-20 Amps at 12V when transmitting. Obviously less on lower power levels, and much less on receive.

I agree with the point on antennae. A low power rig in the right location with a great antenna will get you much further than a high power running running flat-out into a duff antenna. Won't do the rig much good either. Good doesn't have to mean expensive. Read up on the internet. There are some fantastic home-brew antenna designs around. It's a good learning experience as well. I have a Yaesu FT817 low power multi-band portable (5 Watts). I've happily reached Northern Sweden on 40m from a hill in Berkshire, using the internal battery and a home-made inverted "Vee" dipole supported on a fibreglass fishing pole! (Yes, you read that right - 5 Watts. Others have done better).

Highlander, can you tell me if there is a radio equipment dealer in the Highlands (say, Inverness?). Cheers.

73's 2E0BBS