# The Unofficial CB system PMR446



## northernraider (Jan 10, 2011)

Just a snippet that folks may find interesting, but there is a trend starting to develop in the UK and Europe to utilise these low cost , high quality multi ban radios coming out of China as alternatives for prepper comms that AM / FM CB or licenced HAM gear.

EG The ubiquitous Baofeng UV5R family and the Intek MT 50-50s both can easily be modified to put out 5 watts and accept better antennas where as the standard PMR sets are only .5 watt and have fixed antenna.

Folks who dont want to risk opsec by getting a ham licence and dont like all the trolls on CB playing music or just jamming the frequencies are finding its very easy to set up these imported PMR units to give 16 channels in the 440 Mhz range .

Just thought some folks may find that option useful.


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## Geek999 (Jul 9, 2013)

I am not sure what you are suggesting, but getting a HAM license is easy and cheap and there are far too many of them for it to be an OPSEC problem.


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

Im guessing the MT5050 is a UK distribution only? Looks like a nice little radio.


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## northernraider (Jan 10, 2011)

JustCliff said:


> Im guessing the MT5050 is a UK distribution only? Looks like a nice little radio.


The MT5050 can be easily modified to open up extra channels, extra power , extra bands etc just by snipping three little links hidden under a sticker in the battery box, There are loads of useful vids on You tube about modding radios like the MT5050 and the H520 plus so you can access multiple nations CB bands and increase the power of the sets etc. They can be had on E Bay and the Baofeng Uv5s are available in the US of A.

Some CBs are now able to be modded to jump from 4 watts to 40 watts!

Ref OPSEC, Sir, I disagree especially here in the UK where the numbers of ham licences is in terminal decline, the government pays as much attention to Hams as the do Fire Arms licencing, or near as dammit.
Besides after being a survivalist and prepper for over 30 years and having lived in the the US and UK I am absolutely firm in the belief I dont want to share my prepper comms with the rest of the ham community, that IS bad opec. Its also part of the reason so many european preppers are looking at obscure frequencies and bands for prepper coms such as PMR 446 and mid 27 FM SSB. We dont want to be part of the Ham community, NO I'll correct myself on that SOME of us dont want to be part of the Ham community to be fair because there are a healthy number of UK preppers not as cynical or untrusting as me who do have Ham licences ( but we try not to talk to them  )


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## Geek999 (Jul 9, 2013)

northernraider said:


> The MT5050 can be easily modified to open up extra channels, extra power , extra bands etc just by snipping three little links hidden under a sticker in the battery box, There are loads of useful vids on You tube about modding radios like the MT5050 and the H520 plus so you can access multiple nations CB bands and increase the power of the sets etc. They can be had on E Bay and the Baofeng Uv5s are available in the US of A.
> 
> Some CBs are now able to be modded to jump from 4 watts to 40 watts!
> 
> ...


My comments were relative to the US. It sounds like what you are suggesting is fine for your location but would not be wise practice here.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

FWIW, IMHO If one wants to learn as much as possible about comms in SHTF scenario, in the shortest time possible, one becomes a Ham. It's nice to avoid the minimal loss of OpSec, but the knowledge to be gained in the areas of setting up comms and actually communicating under adverse conditions is valuable. The cheap, small, and easily available HT's are great, but sticking batteries in one and talking to a neighbor a km or two away may not give one the knowledge they need if the SHTF for real.


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## Geek999 (Jul 9, 2013)

k0xxx said:


> FWIW, IMHO If one wants to learn as much as possible about comms in SHTF scenario, in the shortest time possible, one becomes a Ham. It's nice to avoid the minimal loss of OpSec, but the knowledge to be gained in the areas of setting up comms and actually communicating under adverse conditions is valuable. The cheap, small, and easily available HT's are great, but sticking batteries in one and talking to a neighbor a km or two away may not give one the knowledge they need if the SHTF for real.


Again, with comments relative to the US, having the license also allows you to test your communications now to see if they work. Often they won't but if you test you can probably figure out what you need to do to make them work. After SHTF it will be too late to work out the bugs.


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## northernraider (Jan 10, 2011)

Over here we are lucky in the fact we have excellent forums and organisations like CT Forum (Charley Tango) which has excellent technical support regional groups even callsign registers etc for CB/ PMR etc that are every bit as good as the Ham folks support systems, and with a small but growing network of prepper repeaters being tried out this in time could look modestly OK for the non Ham using UK preppers.

And of course forums like Transmission one and the specialist CB tech sites in Holland all chip in to help.

Another useful development for us over the pond is the Uk govt is finally getting around to harmonising us with the EU so we can use unlicenced 12 watt 27 Mhz FM SSB and possibly be allowed 27 AM as well like in the US ( UK/EU is 27 fm)


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