THE BASICS OF UHF USE
To the uninitiated, a UHF radio can be a complicated bit of gear.
Here’s a rundown on the basics behind CB radio
V
astness and isolation are
synonymous with the Aussie bush.
It’s this very isolation and remoteness
that makes the bush such a popular
getaway. There’re no crowds, no traffi c and no
mobile phone reception.
It’s because of these things why it’s no
wonder that UHF radio communication has
become the norm for just about everyone
with a 4WD and camper trailer. Having a
UHF radio installed in your tow vehicle is
one of the best and most common ways to
communicate in the bush. They can be used
to provide things like convoy communication
and emergency calls, as well as allowing
you to communicate with a spotter without
having to rely on hand signals.
It’s not just a case of plugging in a UHF
and having a chat, however. There’s a lot
you need to know to get the most out of your
UHF and other such devices.
UHF EXPLAINED
UHF Citizen Band (CB) radio operates at
a radio frequency of 477MHz, which lies
between the VHF and UHF frequencies
used by TV channels. This FM band
radio frequency allows for clear local
communications, but there are a number
of variables which come into play when
determining the range of a UHF radio.
One of these variables is output, however
this only really affects handheld UHFs. In
Australia, 5W is the legal output limit for
UHF CB radios for unlicensed users, and this
is the output that you will have with all 12V
hard-wired, in-dash UHF radios. Handhheld
UHF radios on the other hand, come with a
variety of outputs. Simply put, the lower the
output, the less range you will get out of a
handheld UHF. For example, a 1W handheld
will have a considerably shorter range than
a 5W handheld. There is an advantage to
a lower output however, which is a longerbattery life. When buying a handheld UHF,
you need to consider the extent to which you
plan to use it, and whether range is a more
important feature to you than battery life.
Perhaps the greatest variable when it
comes to hard-wired in-dash UHFs is the
aerial that your radio is connected to. A
common misconception is that “bigger is
always better”, however that is not always
true. Although an antenna’s physical size
plays a part in its performance, it isn’t a
direct reflection of the antenna’s capabilities.
As a rule of thumb, the taller the antenna,
the more likely it is to receive a signal. That
said, there are a few important factors to
consider when choosing or upgrading an
antenna. More on this later.
It’s also critical that the connections from
the antenna to the radio are clean, secure
and correctly terminated. Good quality and
correctly fitted coaxial cable and connectors
ensure you keep signal loss to a minimum.There is a large variety of UHFs with different
functions to suit your specifi c needsInstalling a UHF in your tow vehicle is the
best way to communicate on the tracksA handheld UHF is perfect to
keep in the glovebox for when
you need to do a bit of spotting