Cellphones and internet called technology are great but it needs a solid infrastructure that can be interrupted by disasters.
it also is kind of anti-social where my family went from socializing and playing games at picnics to having their noses in their phones all the time.
Anyway, as a ham radio operator and CBer, I enjoyed going into towns, making contacts and exchanging information. I’ve even been the recipient and giver of emergency help via the radio a couple times.
anyway, CB is here and appears to be legal though seldom-used.
there is a CB radio Facebook group and according to their posts the band is wide open and people often make the DX contacts with neighboring countries.
I have not seen any radios for sale in Taiwan but I know there are a few manufacturers here.
Would you consider joining the hobby if radios are available at an affordable price?
I hear there are also unofficial free bands on VHF.
Has any Foreigner used those in conjunction with their outdoor Hobbies? I’m reluctant to try because I hold an American ham radio license. if I’m caught using unauthorized frequencies, even in a foreign country, my license could be at risk. If Trump recognizes Taiwan than my problems would be solved.
Shouldn’t the title read " Apparently CB radio is legal. Would you go CB? "
Thank you!!! Corrected.
For Taiwan? What’s the group.
I used to be a CBer too, but unless there’s been some upgrades to the equipment I don’t see how it’s possible to reach another country.
I’ve seen the antennae on lots of cars and trucks. Must be readily available.
I’m not so sure about that. There’s some totally free banding going on.
it’s not him radio and I’m not sure it’s quite legal or as a foreigner I don’t want to be caught breaking the rules because we have a different standard.
the guy in the local electronics shop showed me this web page. Seems to be places to go for traffic information.
Breaker, breaker!
It is legal, if you use a legal equipment.
Administrative Regulations on Low Power Radio Waves Radiated Devices
In Chinese
低功率射頻電機技術規範
民用頻段無線電對講機(Citizens Band Radio Service；CBRS)。
4.4.1 發射機部分：
4.4.1.1 使用頻率：26.965 MHz～27.405 MHz，共 40 頻道(列表如下)。其中必須包含頻道
9，並特別標示供緊急呼救使用。
Ham? Foreigners can get shortwave licenses, though the certification might be in Chinese.
They can but in the past the Taiwanese version of the FCC wouldn’t allow foreigners to write the test in English because the USA FCC wouldn’t let them write in Chinese. All reciprocity.
I brought my ham walkie talkie to the roof of my building a few times and all the UHF vhf channels were quiet. Didn’t seem like anyone was on FM.
Even in Canada FM is completely dead now. Guess phones and computers killed off most of the hobbyists.
I don’t know all the numbers and lingo, but I have a shortwave receiver and managed to get a few stations. Mostly Chinese but I got one in English. I think it was BBC, probably rebroadcast locally. There’s a lot of interference around here.
You remember how good it felt to shout breaker one nine, What’s your twenty?
If China attacks or even a big enough typhoon or earth quake, our expensive phones are nothing w/out a the utility. A two way radio works.
After a few projects, I’m going to take some time and contact some manufacturers.
Maybe I can get a deal if I can buy a few.
it’s very active but not like it should be. it seems many people just staked out some vacant Spectrum and the use it.
having a ham radio license and being a foreigner I really cannot participate in this. I could possibly jeopardize my us license.
I posted a photograph of someone’s phone showing The Travelers information channels that seems to be used in different parts of Taiwan.
I’ve been watching ham radio in Taiwan for a long time but the test is almost impossible.
I know of only one foreigner who got the Taiwanese license but I lost his contact information.
I should say the only non-japanese Foreigner I know of who got a Taiwanese license.
He got it because he’s an engineer and he speaks and reads Chinese fluently. my friend said a lot of Japanese come here and get licenses but at the time I was chatting with my friend there are only seven non Japanese foreigners who became licensed. This was about six years ago.
Anyway, that’s why I’m looking into CB Radio.
By the way everybody is using the Bay Feng Dual Bander. it covers all frequencies including police.
I picked one up for less than 1000NT at a thrift shop .
I will not dare transmit unless there is an emergency.
I’ll give it a shot. I want to detach myself from the web service.
How stable do you think our network will be in a bad natural disaster or if China wants to mess with us?
I discovered something similar to what you shared with me called EchoLink.
It allows licensed amateur radio operators to operate a full powered 250 watt station over the internet.
I’m going to sign up to this one next week and give it a try.
Apparently this topic is kind of fizzling.
We are all spoiled and we are using our phones as our personal gateway to the world.
But if service is cut these phones won’t even be toy walkie talkies.
I am not that old and I remember the pre-internet/pre-cell phone days.
We used ham/ CB radio to organize and provide support for
walkathons, parades and marches.
We hopped into the passenger seat of 4x4s given by guys who volunteered to help take nurses to and from the hospital during snowy conditions. And of course we use them just to BS while driving around or give info when requested.
Bottom line, I’m looking to find some affordable radios. The more people that want to buy the lower the price goes. Would you consider getting a CB radio if the price is around $1,000. That may be a little bit too low, but who knows. That is my entertainment budget.
The band is wide open so the CB Radio band could be something of our own Audio Forumossa.
I’d like to see people monitoring one channel in different areas to give information and to provide assistance.
There could be another channel for people who just want to look for people to talk to.
Is that BaoFeng?
That device transmits on a ham radio, right? Can you recommend anything that transmits on CB frequencies? Or if that device does, why won’t you use it? I remember using channels on the CB. Do channels correspond to different frequencies?
It’s just a chat app, like a group Zoom without video. It broadcasts over the internet. You couldn’t talk to anyone using an actual CB radio in your area.
Thanks for the correction. You’re right about the name.
It is a Dual Band 440/220 Radio.
Ham Radio, yes and much more. It’s a general coverage UHF/VHF that covers everything from Ham Bands, Police, Fire FRS and all.
That’s why these radios are banned from sale in the United States unless they’re modified.
No, there are a lot of so-called illegal users on VHF. So what I’ve learned it’s almost like an unofficial VHF CB band. But as a foreigner, and a US Ham Radio license holder, I cannot join them because I would be breaking the rules.
Here is a screenshot of how average Taiwanese use the band for traffic info…
I can read Chinese, and I am reading your screenshot, but where is the [specific] traffic info?
I just see all the names of places.
Or… do those places imply there is some sort of traffic incident/accident there, and for drivers to just be aware of when they get to those places?