Mini MINI Mini!

Citizen’s Band radio (CB) was legalised for use on the FM band (same as FM radio - BBC radio 1 etc) in the UK in the early 80s. Before then AM was more popular (although illegal - as it is now). AM will allow the user to broadcast their signal further, at the cost of quality of voice.

CB is nowhere near as popular in the UK as it was then, although there are still the dedicated users/die hards/nerds around, it’s still a very cheap way to communicate with other Minis in your convoy. There are a few things to be aware of before we go into what kit you can buy.

Legal requirements

Any user that operates a CB Radio MUST have a licence. If you are under the age of 21 the licence is free and if you are under 14 you cannot hold a licence. For those over 21 the cost of the licence is £21 per year.

Transmitting power is measured in Watts. In the UK the legal limit of power is 4 watts. Although you can purchase signal amplifiers (also referred to as “boots”) to boost your signal, these are illegal for use in the UK.

CB Radio in the UK runs on two frequencies. Broadly speaking these are 27Mhz (known colloquially as “the muppets”) and 26Mhz (known as the “mids”) on the FM frequency. Unfortunately, although kit is available to run on other frequencies, it is not legal for use in the UK. The document linked below gives far more information on this subject if you are interested.

This link will take you to the latest information from OFCOM, the government Agency responsible for radio licencing in the UK

The Kit

So, you’ve resigned to the fact that the government is going to take yet more money, you have some spare wonga saved and you’re ready to buy your first rig. You look at a couple of websites and possibly eBay and utter confusion results. “What the hell is an SWR meter?” “Do I want a whip or a stiffy?” Well, panic not.

There is something out there, both new and second hand for every budget. You should figure on spending a minimum of £50 to get a reasonable second hand setup or around £80 for a new setup. When I speak of setup, I don’t just mean the rig. There’s the antenna (arial), the mount (magnet mount, fixed, or drill a hole), SWR Meter, cables and sundries to think of. Let’s start with the most important bit. The Rig.

RADIOS/RIGS

The most basic of rigs will allow you to chat. Spend a little more and the quality of your speech will be much better and clearer (depending on your alcohol level of course!).

The perennial favourite has to be the Midland 38 (left). A very basic rig, it comes with squelch and a volume control. It is dual band capable (mids and muppets) and does the job beautifully. The LCD Screen will tell you a little information - incoming signal strength, the channel, and possibly which frequency you’re on. It’s available from £55 - £60 depending on the shop. I will recommend some sales place (both around Portsmouth and on the ‘net at the end of the article.

£30 more will purchase you this excellent rig at around £80. Widely regarded as one of the best rigs currently available, the Maycom EM27 has controls for channel up/down and programmable buttons on the microphone. The screen has a wealth of information, probably more than the average use will need. The best thing about this rig is the clarity of speech - the single most important feature on a CB! I have had two of these rigs, both died through over-use and I really want another one! There are two versions of this rig floating around. The easiest way to tell the difference is the screen colour. The newer version has a green screen while the older version is amber/orange. Unless you can get a guarantee of quality please purchase the green screen rig. The Amber screen rigs had problems with over-heating and blowing some of the internal circuitry. That’s how both mine died. Yes, I would still have another one. They are that good!

If money is no object, then as with every hobby, things can get ridiculous. There are CB radios (yes, CITIZENS BAND) rigs, such as Cobra and President that can cost hundred of pounds. Generally though, these rigs have 15-20 frequency sets and are capable of broadcasting on AM, FM, SSB, USB and LSB. Don’t worry what all these mean, suffice to say that these rigs are not legal for use in the UK.

Both of the rigs above are a nice compact size and will do the job beautifully for many years. So, you’ve got your rig. Now you need an antenna.

ANTENNAS AND MOUNTS

The Thunderpole Orbiter is probably the most durable and easy to set up antennas available. For a measly £15 the antenna is spring loaded (look at the bottom of the picture on the left) which allows it to bend without breaking. The spring isn’t just for longevity though, it does actually serve a purpose. I won’t go into the techy details as this is supposed to be a basic guide! I have had one of these antennas for a few years and never had a problem with it! Mounted on a magnetic mount it can make a Classic Mini looker like a bumper car or radio controlled toy though - not to everyone’s taste!

The guys at Knight’s CB Radio give lots of information on each antenna that’s available and you would be wise to go look at their range and make an informed decision. If you have lots of cash to splash then seriously consider the K40. It’s expensive at £40 for the antenna alone (you need to buy a mount for it too) but it is widely considered to be the best antenna on the market. Want something a little “different”? Consider a Pama Spark - the base is shaped like a spark plug!

To go with the antenna (assuming you haven’t just gone gooey eyed and bought a K40!) you need something to mount it to and connect it to the rig. There (as with everything) are a few options. If you are looking for a permanent solution then a gutter mount (on the Classic Mini) is the ideal solution. It comes with the antenna mount and the connecting cable. Just screw it on (allen key grub screws), plug it in and away you go. Of course, this means that the mount is always on display and in some areas that’s not always ideal. The antenna will just screw into the mount.

For a less permanent solution (ie one that can be easily removed and stowed in the car) you will want a mag mount. These are hefty magnets that will attach to the roof of the car and allow you to just screw in the antenna. Bear in mind that if you are getting an antenna like the Thunderpole Orbiter (above) then you will need a larger mag mount. Prices start at around £8 for a mini mag up to £35 for a triple magnet mount capable of holding a washing pole up in a hurricane (do not quote me on this!). Seriously consider something like the Sirio Mag-145 (left) as a decent all purpose mag mount.

EXTRAS

The only extra you might need is an external speaker. Rigs all come with one built in but with the noise generated while travelling in a Mini they are difficult to hear. An external speaker (dependent on your rig) will just plug into the back of the rig and allow you to put the speaker wherever you want to make it easy to hear.

Basically, that’s all the kit you need. You will need to adjust the antenna (SWR) so it doesn’t blow your rig up but that is beyond the scope of this article. It will be covered in a second article in the future.

For the moment I suggest you read the SWR Introduction at Thunderpole on how to do this. If you someone with a SB already then chances are they will have an SWR Meter and patch lead you can borrow to set up your antenna.

FITTING THE RIG

As with anything Mini, there are numerous places to install the rig. If you have a centre console then on the side or inside is perfect. Many people (me included) have them installed on the passenger side under the dash. You will need a live (switched or direct) and earth power feed to the rig and you will need to route the cable for the antenna within the car. If you’re using a mag-mount don’t forget to leave enough spare cable to put the mount on the roof! Many people simply put the cable through the door aperture and onto the roof. This is perfectly acceptable and the cable can withstand it. A gutter mount is a little more difficult. Bear in mind that running a cable from inside to out will breach the door or window seal and unless you have checked carefully will allow water into the car.

Have fun with your new radio!