Is Welsh Citizens Band Dead?

[Cymro]

Hi,

Is CB radio still active in Wales, specifically in the RCT area? I've been searching, via my scanner, occasionally for a few days now, but have found absolutely nothing! I used to be on CB in the eighties for the purpose of using it for my taxi service I used to operate, as well as for fun. Actually, I was forced to abandon it and buy PMR equipment for business use instead, because it was too congested on CB! How times have changed.

[liamcarbin]

Dont know if this is any use to you, you could search this list to see if there are any local repeaters. Unfortunately the local repeaters here in Stoke GB3VT/ST have been taken down, due to misuse.


http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaterlist1.htm

[alannah]

Hi,

Is CB radio still active in Wales, specifically in the RCT area? I've been searching, via my scanner, occasionally for a few days now, but have found absolutely nothing! I used to be on CB in the eighties for the purpose of using it for my taxi service I used to operate, as well as for fun. Actually, I was forced to abandon it and buy PMR equipment for business use instead, because it was too congested on CB! How times have changed.

In my local area (Caerphilly, Cardiff, Newport, Rhymney Valley) its busier than it has been for years and (shock, horror!) some have even been moving off 19 to have a chat!

Most activity is at night but as soon as they get out of bed (about mid-day) things start to pickup. Certainly enough going on to keep the local CB shop going - details below:

CCC Radio and Truck Accessories
Unit 1, Greenway Workshops, Bedwas House Industrial Estate
Postcode:CF83 8DW
City/Town:Bedwas, Caerphilly
Main phone:029 2086 0042
Mobile: 07774 159038

[Cymro]

Thanks for the info, liamcarbin, but isn't this repeater list only for Hams. I've not really heard of them for CB, only something about using the Internet, which doesn't appeal to me.

[Cymro]

Hi alannah,

Thanks for the info, really surprised to hear that CB is alive and well, at least in your area! Haven't seen any evidence in the Rhondda; perhaps I'm not looking hard enough! I'm going to install my old equipment in the shed, a simple set-up, and see how things go. I'm also going to load my scanner with UK FM and CERT channels 14 and 19 and see if anything materialises. Fun days ahead!

[MW0SWA]

Well i set up my CB in my car last night, first time i have been back on the rig for 14 years, i took a drive from Ammanford over the mountains towards Neath. just outside Ammanford on the Betws mountain i picked up lots of europeans due to the skip, probably because of the hot stormy air. But i didnt pick up any locals. I then drove down the M4 towards Neath and picked up my first contact, who was in Neath. I asked him if the CB is being used much in his area and he said yes theres still a few kicking about in the evening. He mentioned one or two Handles which i remember from 14 years ago.

I then turned around at Neath and headed home and passing Llanelli i listened in to a conversation there. And that was about it.

It was mainly a drive out to test my old equipment, which im pleased to say is working fine. I think it will be a waste of time to set up a big silver rod for the house because there seems to be no CB activity in my area at all. So i will just keep the mobile rig and mag mounted antenna for the car if i go on any long journeys.

It was Good to hear people on the rig again though!

[Cymro]

Hi WelshListener,

Thanks for that, always nice to hear what's going on in Cymru.

I haven't actually set-up my old CB equipment in the shed as planned because there's nothing local to listen to! I programmed my scanner with the breaking channels (14/19) CEPT, 27/81 and even 934/81 (I know, a long shot!) and a couple of other common channels, but the only local transmission I received was a mobile breaker on the Bwlch (Treorci) mountain! When the skip conditions are right, however, I can hear breakers clearly in Scotland, England and various countries in Europe.

Conclusion: CB is dead in my area so I won't be rushing to install my old CB equipment in the shed anytime soon!

[Guzzy]

Are you connecting your CB antenna to your scanner to listen to the channels?

You can't really tell what the activity is like unless you have a resonant antenna up in a good high location. Basic scanner antennas are no good for CB.

Of course, it may still be dead.

[Lirrish]

Ive been checking my local area on the CB and havent picked up that much, hopefully it will be more active again soon.

[Cymro]

Hi Guzzy,

Sorry for the late reply, didn't get any notification of your reply, only just found it!

No, I haven't tried a CB aerial connected to my scanner as yet. However, I've recently been thinking of buying a roof-rack bar for the car and trying various aerials i.e. CB, PMR (taxi) and even making my own full-wave whips, for high frequencies, of course, not CB! Would like to try all this out especially when travelling around Wales on holidays.

[MW0SWA]

went for a spin today leaving Swansea, driving towards Merthyr. heard a few guys talking on channel 32, part of some DX group, Charlie Tango i think.
I then made a good contact with a breaker from Aberdare. had a good conversation with him about the decline and rise of CB in the valleys.

then found a pub, had a nice meal and came home!!

[packman]

its not were my caravan is there is about 20 cb'ers that i know in the snowdon area but there is a lot more on pmr446 (kids and taixs) but if i go to the harbor in barmouth it goes mad people from irland mosty but they cant hear me plus some farmers in the summer