>would not reccomend that, because some of the GB@ and GB3 (Ham) freq's are
>close or overlapping the frs set.
>
>if anyone could correct, or confirm this, the FRS channels are:
>
>462.575
>thru about
>462.975
>
OK lets go through this for those who are or might be planning to bring a
vehicle to Beltring with any sort of radio gear, just wait a moment while I
change from the FV623/B Range engine hat to the South Coast Comms Ltd.,
Technical Director hat.
Huge apologies to Arthur and the list but lets try to sort this thing once and
for all, most of you can hit delete right now.
1. At all points of entry you will have a passport and customs check, this is
easy for travel from an EEC country and EEC passport holders only. In countless
UK - France trips I have NEVER seen any officialdom ever, we tend to control
this little island thats served so well in the past with a lot more vigour.
2. Anyone bringing a vehicle from outside the EEC should start their
documentation homework now, I think a carnet would be required to show what
comes in temporarily goes out again. Then there's insurance, international
driving permit and I'd disable anything capable of transmitting a radio signal,
UK Customs know the law; claim radios are for historically correct show
purposes only. With an EEC ham licence you are largely covered for _possession_
of transmitting equipment, others will need a reciprocal permit.
3. The UK has a very limited commercial radio spectrum made worse by the size
of the country and the need to computer allocate channels with digital mapping
of terrain and software analysis of coverage to minimise co-channel interference
and maximise channel re-use. The authority is the Radiocommunications Agency
(RA) (part of the DTI) and you can find them under "opengov.co.uk." Don't go
and email them any dumb-ass questions as you'll get entangled, ask me first, I
deal with the local field investigation and enforcement officers daily on a
personal level.
4. Remember the UK citizen pays (a lot) for a TV licence even and all radio
services attract a fee and are policed with one or two exceptions. Most people
are aware of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 but not the amendments of the 70's
which make the possession of transmitting apparatus illegal without a licence
and the reception of any signal not intended for your reception an offence also,
paradoxically the sale of scanners is accepted but the owners will take a tumble
sooner or later.
5. It cannot be denied that you will see all manner of radio gear at Beltring
and other shows, there are people happily using a variety of radios that happen
to talk to each other, the RA are aware of it and sometime the big axe will
fall. The officers have powers like customs and can search and seize without
warrant, confiscating equipment and power supply (which could be your vehicle).
They are very reasonable with the "commercial" miscreant as it might affect
trade but can be severe with the hobbyist and hobbyist trader.
6. Without a valid ham callsign and reciprocal licence stay away from the
zealously self-protected ham bands, the hams will delight in doing a DF and
presenting the evidence to the RA in short order. Remember HF signals might
only go a few miles via the ground wave but can do many hundreds or thousands by
skywave. (which is why we hams have a formal examination about these things).
7. UK CB is a different allocation to the rest of the world and FM on 10KHz
channel spacing.
8. Licence exempt (MPT approval 1336) 49MHz stuff is largely useless for range
and extraneous signals.
9. UK Amateur bands in MHz are: 1.81 - 2.0, 3.5 - 3.8, 7.0 - 7.1, 10.1 -
10.15, 14.0 - 14.35, 18.068 - 18.168, 21.0 - 21.45, 24.89 - 24.99, 28.0 - 29.7,
50.0 - 52.0, 70.0 - 70.5, 144.0 - 146.0, 430.0 - 440.0 excepting 431.0 to 432
within 100km radius of Charing Cross, London.
10. The commercial users have a trial segment around 50MHz and 68.0 - 88.0
("Low Band", 160.0 - 164.0 ("Mid band"), 164.0 - 174.0 ("High Band"), 174 -
260.0 ("Band III")(largely local and national trunked services), 430.0 - 432.0
and 440.0 - 470.0 ("UHF"). The police, fire and ambulance services have
allocations in each band and in 146.0 - 148.0
11. All VHF up UK equipment has to meet a very tight and detailed spec, has
been FM for years (angle modulated), 12.5KHz channel spaced and owing to
congestion invariably uses CTCSS or DCS, if you don't know what this is you
should. (Oh, all right, "PL" for our Motorola-ized American chums)
12. There is a Short Range Business service allocated on 461.2625, 461.475 and
461.4875MHz which is being phased out but can be considered a virtual free for
all with the approved 0.5W ERP*/12.5KHz equipment around, there is a local
operation on 461.2625 at Beltring that get upset though with people using
"their" channel. This is being superseded by the Euro wide, licence free,
hand-portable only 0.5W ERP service known as Euro 446 channelled on 446.0025 to
446.09375 in 8 channels of 12.5KHz steps with inbuilt CTCSS signalling.
Effectively UHF CB, 446 works well with a good 1 mile range and both commercial
(pricey) and domestic (flashy coloured, dry cell powered and less expensive)
approved equipment available.
(* 2 watts into a shortened, fixed, helical antenna giving 0.5 watts effective
radiated power.)
13. There are a small number of single channel allocations in low, mid, high
and UHF (most commercial wide area channels are split frequency to allow
CTCSS/DCS controlled repeaters or talk-through) for demo and short term hire,
you're unlikely to get hassle using these with the licensed proviso of power and
bandwidth but in high band you'll likely get entangled with the Beltring
organisers hired radios themselves and my group on UHF hire/demo so I'm not
listing them.
I'm sorry its this long just to outline the situation but the subject keeps
coming up, in summary the "easy" options are ham or Euro 446 with approved gear,
everything else is illegal without huge expense and time. Everything goes at
Beltring though and the other mil shows too but sometime there's going to be a
rude awakening, and when, I have no idea.
Happy to enter into some off-list free consultancy should any one need it.
Richard
(Southampton UK)
Tech Dir SCC Ltd.
FV623 Engr/driver
G3ZOE
===
To unsubscribe from the mil-veh mailing list, send the single word
UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of a message to <mil-veh-request@skylee.com>.