Recent Radio Group gone silent

Hansanter

A few months back, in the evenings here in Dublin, I got used to hearing a radio 'hobbyist' group of lads chatting on 464 MHz and VHF High frequencies using what I gather were repeaters on 3 Rock mountain and in Ardcath, Co. Meath. After that all went silent, maybe a month or more ago, I then noticed some of them briefly on PMR 446 Ch8. I haven't heard a peep out of them since. It was a setup I found interesting and would have liked to have taken part myself at some stage. Does anybody have any further info, what happened that they went silent etc. ? Maybe they're still going and I just haven't noticed them yet but twas unfortunate to see them go.

H./

Mullaghteelin

Hi, its mostly just activity levels dropping off without the lockdowns keeping everybody inside.

If you call out from a high (or lucky) location, you will find someone monitoring Ch8 most nights. Plenty of activity around north Kildare and West Dublin. The UHF repeater struggles in that direction so Ch8 has been livelier at times.

Sunday night around 7:30 is still the best bet

The UHF repeater usually has someone listening too even when its seems quiet. It's best coverage is northward along the coast. The VHF channel is currently out of action.

446.425 seems to have some activity north of the border, and around Drogheda.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058200858/recent-radio-group-gone-silent

Were any of them talking Polish or Eastern European language by any chance ? there is a lad working in one of the buildings I work in and he and a group of his friends were using tree rock and what I gather was the owner of that repeater ( not certain ) asked them not to speak polish which I thought was pretty bad form, he recorded some of the conversations and they weren't too nice. The same repeater owner was moaning about the repeater not getting much use.

I can ask him for the recordings, from what I remember, he wouldn't give his call sign but to me sounded like the repeater owner.

Hansanter

Mad_Lad,

No, they weren't a group of Polish guys, or indeed from any other country. They were largely all native Irish... Dublin, Meath, Louth etc. maybe one or two east euro lads but always spoke in english and regularly talked about signal strengths in different areas of Dublin and the counties northwards... into Meath and Louth and so on. It's a shame it appears to be gone. Perhaps they've moved onto one of the internet based comm setups ? But for a true 'radio head' ... that wouldn't be nearly as interesting to set up.

H./

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118200942#Comment_118200942

I use Blue DV and the DVMEGA GLobetrotter which allows me to use the various digi modes really easily and without a codeplug. The sound quality off of Blue DV is really good both TX and RX compared to HT.

In the car I use Openspot 3 and Anytone 878 and I had to program the code plug to use all the special features tat allows me to use DMR, D_Star and Fusion all with just the Anytone 878.

The Windows Blue DV software is just amazing and if one isn't too much bothered about not having a HT then the Blue DV and DVMEGA DVStick 30 can be got a lot cheaper with no messing about with codeplugs.

I love HF of course my favourite mode but sometimes Digi modes are handy where HF or HT in a car for instance is not and of course many cars today have no metal panels to stick a mag mount and no ground as a result so Digi is probably the only way to get on air + as long as there is internet you can transmit.

I can also use Blue DV on my Android Phone and connect via the Globetrotter at home so I don't need to have a dongle plugged in.

Hansanter

Mad_Lad,

I have no knowledge at all about these net based apps... they just don't appeal to me, but each to their own of course.

The guys on that net were singing the praises of a neat little mobile unit.... the QYT KT-8900.... (I think it was that one).

H./

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118207747#Comment_118207747

Not a digital radio anyway so God knows where they went :-)

Hansanter

I expect one or two are on here ;)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118213635#Comment_118213635

You never know.

DUBLIN PMR REPEATER

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058200858/recent-radio-group-gone-silent

464 frequency is active in threerock ( it was having technical issues with the repeater its self )

its just been swapped out with another repeaters '' sept2022''

Ardcath vhf is temp off air at moment - needs antenna swapped ( should be back up soon )

alot of the station have gone dormant on radio around Dublin ,there is usually somebody always listening on the repeater .

Lads still do use 446 ch8 the odd time but due to congestion on the 446 with increase in building sites /shops /hotels in Dublin it does be hard cos its not always clear alot of the channels

check out the ''' PMR 446 IRELAND '' group on Facebook

anybody with a interest in radio or any aspect of pmr or cb in or around Dublin

can get involved and join in on the air very cheaply

keep the airwaves alive

I recently got two hand held CB radios and will not go back to PMR446 any time soon, sound quality is much better and the range is also much better and you can add any antenna you want to hand held CB and you're not handicapped by pathetic 0.5w power limit on CB like PMR-466.

I have an Imax 2000 on the roof and have talked to lads on the Continent on the President Randy III.

I just can't understand why CB isn't in shops like PMR466 since CB is legal and it's not as easily effected by trees and buildings.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643294#Comment_119643294

Ease of use, antenna size and interference. The AM 27 MHz stuff used to interfere with badly designed TV, radio and HiFi systems. It was also popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to there being no Internet and no mobile phones. Many of the people who would have been the target market for CB now have always-on Internet on their mobile phones and used Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook and Instagram.

Regards...jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119644064#Comment_119644064

True, except I'm not giving phones to my small kids, it's easier to have instant contact with them than having to dial a number all the time + it's a lot easier for them to press a PTT button and have instant communication.

They're obviously selling PMR radios or they wouldn't be in the shops, my point that anyone who wants to communicate via 2 way radio should consider CB as a much better alternative when it comes to range and voice clarity. If they were in the shops I've no doubt People would buy them.

+ the phone signal where I live is atrocious.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119645458#Comment_119645458

Perhaps the market for CB changed from being one where a lot of people were interested to one where hobbyists and Techies are interested. There's also the ease of use issue to consider. Radio generally involves some understanding but a mobile phone can be used without having to know where it works best. Back in the 1980s, even garages were selling CBs (made sense because a lot of the market was mobile). Now, mobile phones are sold in places like Tesco. CBs are only sold either online or specialised hobbyist shops in large cities.

Regards...jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119669293#Comment_119669293

I'm talking about places that are selling PMR446, they, in my opinion of course, should sell CB handhelds too because the range is a lot better to massively better with longer whip especially a proper base antenna, now not saying many people are looking for this type of setup.

Sure those seeking apps will use a phone but I'm talking about those who buy PMR446 radios and use them for a specific purpose.

You don't need any understanding to use the likes of the President Randy III, you charge it up with it's Lithium battery, no need to buy NiMh or Alkaline cells, power it on, select the channel and press to talk couldn't be easier. All Hand Held CBs are the same, the only understanding you need is if you're going to add a different antenna but this is not likely if we're talking PMR446 type buyers.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119681543#Comment_119681543

A President Randy III looks to be around €200. You can get a lot of PMR446 radios for that price and they will work for most jobs, especially if they are being used on sites or around heavy plant there's more chance of the radio being dropped or driven over.

A €200 CB radio has its uses, just not very many now when everyone has a mobile phone.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119681684#Comment_119681684

Again, I'm not talking about people buying CB to replace mobile phone, I'm talking about those who buy pmr446 not people looking to replace the mobile. CB is a very viable alternative to PMR446, I didn't say alternative to the phone, ( which is still just a 2 way radio ) and it would be good if shops who sell PMR446 included CB hand held in their stock.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119681728#Comment_119681728

The few extra benefits of CB are killed by mobile phones, you can say that you aren't comparing them to phones but everyone else is when looking for communication solutions.

For nearly every other use a PMR will do and they are way cheaper than a CB radio. Why would a company spend over €400 to have 2 employees able to talk to each other on a fancy CB when for the same price they could have 10+ employees taking on PMR446 radios?

My company bought loads of top of the range radios for us to use, I did ask about using PMR but apparently our comms has to be secure!, they also gave us all company phones. I've no idea where the radios are now, we just ring each other.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119683330#Comment_119683330

There are People buying PMR 446, I said CB suits those who use PMR 446 and probably more so due to the range and antenna options, nothing more and nothing less. They don't have to pay 200 Euro for a President Randy III.

sensormatic

i work pmr on a repeaters system how does cb work with this.

It cant and never will pmr is way better than a cb handheld