| This is where I tell you about my CB Radio Hobby. Specifically 27Mhz. Ok... I first saw a 27Mhz CB when I was 11 years old. The family that lived next door to us had a young son (Westley) one year older than me.His family (who were fairly well off) owned a holiday shack on a lake. They used to relax there whenever they could. Occasionally I'd recieve an invitation to join them. This is when (1968) I saw my very first CB radio. A pair of (I would think) expensive 27Mhz 3 Channel 3 Watt Handhelds. Westley and I used them (without the fathers knowledge) at various times. From memory the radios had 27.880 and 27.240 fitted. The father made a big deal about us kids NOT playing around with these radios. As supposedly the law stated that you either had to be in a marine emergency to use 27.880. Or in the case of the other channel. (27.240) Be actively involved in (while using the radio - I guess) Bushwalking! Well we didn't want to interfere with marine emergencys. But we did really want to play with these radios. :) So we used the Bushwalking frequency instead. :) (27.240) This really sparked my interest. CB's were expensive to buy. Too expensive for a kid with a paper round for an income. Also there was some question about the legality of using these CB radios.Back in those days the Australian Government required a TV and Radio licence. For using normal household TV's and Radios. People who didn't renew their licence and were caught using their Radio's and/or TV's were fined heavily back then. (And your name printed in the paper as an offender)So CB radio seemed to be a bit out of bounds. But even so, I had the radio bug by this time.When my Grandfather died. One of the things he left behind was an old valve radio. I found it in Grandma's old back shed. Covered in Dust. I dusted it off and plugged it in. It needed an antenna of some kind. Grandad had thankfully also left behind the remains of what was originally probably quite a decently designed antenna. So I was off. It had 2 bands. Medium Wave and Short Wave. (It was a Kreisler - I think) The bandspread on the shortwave had the names of Major (at it's time of creation) Cities. London, Berlin, Luxonburg etc etc.That old radio cranked for hours and hours. I DX'ed whenever I could after that. The old tuning control was a horror. But I was fascinated with the variety of signals I could recieve on this old clunker. | After sometime (1971) I chanced to overhear that a school aquaintance (John) was heavily into Shortwave Radio.I had known John years before when I'd attended the same Primary school. But we had totally lost contact after a 5 year break. So I informed him of my similar interest.Overtime we became good friends again. I used to visit his place all the time. His parents seemed Ok.Johns father was originally a Dutchman who had been a CB or Ham radio operator in Europe.He didn't have the same fear/respect for a law that says "There shall be no CB radio in Australia" as Westley's father did. John's father had a 5 watt mobile 6 channel AM radio in his car. A 1 watt 3 channel AM handheld as a base. He would let John and I run amuck on the handheld occasionally. He was still aware that other Pirates (cause thats what we were) had been caught.Their gear taken. Fines levied. Not good.The Radio Inspectors at that time used to feast on the Pirates like a Speed Camera feasts on you and I today. :) Even so. Eventually (1972) I decided to purchase a little 50mw 1 Channel walkytalky. It was a dismal failure. I was unable to reach John. (He was about 3-4 klms away)So I quickly upgraded to a 500mw Hitachi 3 Channel Handheld. (That barely did the job - And only when the batterys were fresh) A short time later (although still too young to drive) I purchased a Pony 23 Channel 5 Watt Mobile. Woooo Wooo.I joined the big league. Now John and I could talk whenever we wanted. Now it was time for me to "hide" from the RI's. I was running 5 times the output of John. I could be heard for a much greater distance. So I had to be more careful.Strangers on the radio were met with suspicon. At the other end of the scale. I was also meeting (eyeballing) people I had been talking to for awhile. (the ones I'd sussed out a bit - Gotta be careful not to get done by those RI's) And there were lots of people on the radio to meet. For an illegal activity I was surprised to find there was quite a cross section of society involved. One day I came home from High School. (3rd Form - 1973) and my Pony 27 Channel was stolen.I had a rest from CB radio after that. I couldn't afford to buy another radio for sometime. I did well over Christmas 1974. The relatives were generous that year and Mum and Dad were allowing me to collect money rather than a gift from them too.I bit the big one. $199.95 for a 23 Channel Midland 13-893 AM/SSB mobile. Now I am trully THERE!!! (I thought) Having SSB was very different to AM. Much greater range. The car battery goes flat faster too. This becomes a problem. "Maybe it's just getting worn out from being flattened on a CB all the time" says Dad. Ooops.. Its his spare Chevy battery I've been borrowing for the last couple of years. | I start to explore other possibilitys for a power scource. In my limited electronics knowledge. Having seen other people using transformers for similar needs.I decide one day to attempt to power up my new SSB radio on an old transformer I'd found while poking around Dads shed. When your young things dont seem so complicated. This transformer was a monster. I found a couple of thick wires and a couple of slightly thinner wires coming from the transformer.I connected the thicker wires to 240volts.The thinner wires were connected to the radio. Click went the 240V switch. The radio didn't do much.The lights kinda flashed a few times on the channel selector and S meter.But thats about it.. Hmmm. No sound. Does it transmit? Hmmm. No.. It doesn't do anything.. I know.. Connect it the other way around. No that didn't work either.. Ok.. Try connecting the transformer the other way around. Wow.. The whole transformer is getting hot and vibrating heaps.. Umm Maybe I should give up now. Before something bad happens. Too Late. Something Bad already happened. Some years later (1977). I retrieved the broken radio from a cardboard box it had been living in. A CB associate had foolishly offered to repair the radio.At the time he was working with Aviation 2 way equipment professionally. As a result he also had access to a large range of quality test and alignment equipment.He said he wanted a challenge. Well he got one.Some time later. (many many many months later)When he was handing me back the repaired radio. He informed me that every diode transistor and ic in the radio had been cooked and replaced.. But It had become matter of principal for him to repair the radio.Because he said he would. It did take quite a long time to get my Midland going again.But the radio was absolutely perfect in its operation after the repair. More sensitive overall. Much better sounding audio (TX/RX).John had used military spec components with better characteristics, less loss, more tolerance etc etcYou couldn't pay for the hours that went into that radios repair. It would have way surpassed the original $199 x 10.Morale of the story...Dont screw with anything you dont understand. Especially if it requires a transformer and a CB radio.OrUnrectified Stepup transformers do serious damage to 12Volt DC equipment |
