WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Well, everyone, about 10 years ago, Citizen Band Radio was a really cool hobby. But now, big massive companies are taking over CB radios, by making so called walkie talkies, but instead of developing a copyrighted (their own work) circuitry board to make good long range walkie talkies, they are making money by saying "lets just use the CB Frequencies, who cares about the people who were there first and what it is ment to be used forâ€

No, we don't let CB turn totally commercial. We use whatever channels we wish (obviously excluding repeater inputs, emergency channels and 22,23), providing they are not in use.

If for example channel 29 was in use by a commercial company, there's no need to get on there and stir them up. However, if a commercial company decides that Channel 38 is their new home, then, we ask them nicely first. If no action is taken, then the way I see it is you just continue your normal day and talk over them as much as you want.

They will get the idea eventually that they are being "interfered with" and move to another frequency.

Unfortunately most of these 'companies' who buy these handhelds don't have a clue. That's why you see them pop up on channel 5 and the repeater inputs.

There's nothing the general public can do about this other than report it to the ACMA. The ACMA however, won't do anything about it either.

It's a vicious circle, and it's been caused by staff cutbacks and disowning the citizen band over the past 5+ years.

slipknot wrote: The CBers are the rightful people to talk. The companies and commercial people are not

Contrary to popular belief, commercial use is permitted on CB radio. Some commercial people can be pig-headed and start transmitting on channel 5 and repeater inputs, but none the less they have a legitimate right to use these radios.

As you said, this also means that commercial operators have to accept that they're on a public band and can be subject to interference. It's all supposed to be self regulated, hence the "citizens" band name. It doesn't always work...

There is some good news and there's way to talk to your friends without commercial operators interfering though. Just click here

i think there is every right for a CBer to tell a company to get off a UHF CB frequncies because there 40 frequncies the ACMA has allocated CB operators to use and really for a simplex convo theres not too many to choose from now

3 and 35
1-8
11
17
18
25
31-38
40
are all in use most of the time anyway and most CBers would rather spend their money on improving their CB equipment like aireals coax power supplys and new radios.
companys can afford to rent a private frequncy and have no right at all to use cb.


PRC555

vk6hgr wrote:

slipknot wrote: The CBers are the rightful people to talk. The companies and commercial people are not

Contrary to popular belief, commercial use is permitted on CB radio. Some commercial people can be pig-headed and start transmitting on channel 5 and repeater inputs, but none the less they have a legitimate right to use these radios.

As you said, this also means that commercial operators have to accept that they're on a public band and can be subject to interference. It's all supposed to be self regulated, hence the "citizens" band name. It doesn't always work...

There is some good news and there's way to talk to your friends without commercial operators interfering though. Just click here

I think you will find that the CB isn't supposed to be used for commercial use. If they wish to use radios for their work they must hire a commercial freq or repeater for their own personal use.

PRC-495 wrote: I think you will find that the CB isn't supposed to be used for commercial use.

That's what I'm saying. Commercial use is permitted on CB.

From http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1265

Citizen Band Radio Service

The Citizen Band Radio Service (CBRS) is a two-way, short distance, communications service that can be used by any person in Australia, whether it is for recreational or domestic purposes, or in connection with work or business.

The service may be used for:

* any form of voice communications activity, including those activities related to voice communications (ie selective calling); and
* telemetry and telecommand applications.

vk6hgr: 1, PRC-495: 0

LOL

HAHA nice one rub it in with keeping scores

I also might add at this point that some companies belive too much that they can park thier behinds on any channel they want, and BLOCK US OUT by using CTCSS on e.g channel 5. (true story, caught a hotel doing that, then they put me in the news paper for telling them off.) Its as if god came down to earth and told them they can use that channel forever.

ok , saying that they are alloud to use UHF CB , do they realise that there are channel allocations and that its dangerous to tx on channel 5 for a non-emergency perpous? and that they cant just pick a channel and start talking? or even that CTCSS doesnt make the channel private , but it just blocks every one else out?

Who monitors channel 5. Why are emergencies being called over a cb radio and not on 000??

there is a emergency repeater (PER05) in the city from my understanding , also in mt barker and alot of other locations
and im pritty sure there is some one montoring it or it would be useless

and you dont always get mobile coverage in the country , or what if your mobiles dead?

Tyranus wrote:Who monitors channel 5. Why are emergencies being called over a cb radio and not on 000??

Mobile phones haven't always been around

Channel 5 isn't used much (if at all) in the metro area, but it's used a lot in the country. It's especially useful in cases such as farmers getting in touch with fire or ambos that are on or near their property.

Channel 5 is registered as emergency channel only, as is channel 35 from memory. The Plantagenet Shire have Ch 5 as part of the emergency communications plan. Not too many farmers have VHF radios for fire emergencies but the majority have UHF CBs and can use 5/35 for emergency communications.

Ambos and firies have UHF CBs too and I know that they are used in emergencies for gaining local knowledge about incidents. I know in my former brigade and others use Ch 40 to talk to the truckies about MVAs. (where they are etc)

Fair enough, I can understand it being used out in the country, and when mobiles were extremely expensive or signal was really bad. Just thought in the metro area that it would have been freed up. Certainly from my experience with Darlington all comms have gone through 6AR, and with SES only if the unit is fully operational do we use the radio. Otherwise it's just on scan, to see if anyone else is out. Any further comms can then be either directed by the team leader through to the duty officer and Local manager, or through to commcen direct by mobile. Then again in reality there's comparitively a smaller amount of vehicles with UHF cb.