Common old 80ch UHF question

[gasgrassorarse]

Hi all,
I wasn't sure where to post this, so felt this was the appropriate section.

So I've been asked to gather some information for a small town, small business (subsidised childcare centre, located just 2 streets back from a major highway) in relation to the use of UHF handhelds for their room to room communications. *EDIT* Their handhelds are 5 watt.

I checked the ACMA website (USELESS) but did manage to find some info on the various truck and caravan sites indicating which channels could be used for simplex or duplex, repeaters etc but I need some real, credible sourced info.

So the questions are as follows:
1. Is a business using the common 80ch UHF frequencies for everyday use required to register or licence?

2. Which channels are they able to use and which should they avoid (Any easy to use channel charts that uneducated childcarers could easily follow)?

3. Would you consider this a safety risk as anyone listening could also gain information about their routines, child names, staff names, and other personal or business information that they transmitted.

4. Is there a better way they could do this at a reasonable cost, as low as possible?

[Kazzaw]

1 no
2 avoid 5 and 35, tonnes of charts show which channels are safe to use
3 personally I would, we use them at work but we refrain from saying something over the radio that we wouldn't want to tell the public, always assume someone is listening. Also keep in mind that though unlikely you may get interference from others using the same channels
4 most childcare centres ive been to have a phone in the room rather than using wireless comms. Although UHF is cheap and easy, it's publicly accessible and not a dedicated resource

[gasgrassorarse]

1 no
2 avoid 5 and 35, tonnes of charts show which channels are safe to use
3 personally I would, we use them at work but we refrain from saying something over the radio that we wouldn't want to tell the public, always assume someone is listening. Also keep in mind that though unlikely you may get interference from others using the same channels
4 most childcare centres ive been to have a phone in the room rather than using wireless comms. Although UHF is cheap and easy, it's publicly accessible and not a dedicated resource

Thanks for your reply. im an oldie from the 27mhz and marine SSB days and nowdays just a scanner user. Only got a basic, foundation level knowledge of UHF stuff so thought it best to ask their questions.

At the moment they've been using ch 3 but that's a repeater channel so I suggested they move to another channel (and selected 24 as more suited).

They were using the phones but after NBN they were told that they would have to install a mini exhange pabx type system to talk from room to room as they only have the one phoneline connected to all 4 rooms plus the office and the cost isn't really something they can justify as its a subsidised centre in a small rural community that has a fairly low income base and UHF became the accepted way to communicate over a fairly large building and yard area.

I was really concerned when I was told the types of info they transmit and made some suggestions on how to limit that info. Staff and or child names and sometimes parent or carer names, "kid counts", and other info that I personally wouldn't be comfortable transmitting as more than one off.

Thanks again for your reply.

[Vkfour]

I have to agree with Kazzaw, UHF CB is publicly accessible to everyone, so names and other details would be out there for all and sundry. Maybe a wireless intercom may be a better way to go but make sure you encrypt it.

[railscan]

Hi all,
I wasn't sure where to post this, so felt this was the appropriate section.
So I've been asked to gather some information for a small town, small business (subsidised childcare centre, located just 2 streets back from a major highway) in relation to the use of UHF handhelds for their room to room communications. *EDIT* Their handhelds are 5 watt.
I checked the ACMA website (USELESS) but did manage to find some info on the various truck and caravan sites indicating which channels could be used for simplex or duplex, repeaters etc but I need some real, credible sourced info.
So the questions are as follows:
1. Is a business using the common 80ch UHF frequencies for everyday use required to register or licence?
2. Which channels are they able to use and which should they avoid (Any easy to use channel charts that uneducated childcarers could easily follow)?
3. Would you consider this a safety risk as anyone listening could also gain information about their routines, child names, staff names, and other personal or business information that they transmitted.
4. Is there a better way they could do this at a reasonable cost, as low as possible?

There are a number of reasonably cheap commercial DMR handhelds on the market that would better suit the scenario you have mentioned. A commercial simplex assignment with even basic privacy (encryption) enabled would be better than UHFCB. Enhanced privacy takes voice security to a higher level. Either way most casual listeners will be defeated by privacy. Any decent communications company can advise you on options.

A licence is around $800 for the first year, then $200 every year thereafter, adjusted from time to time.

Given the nature of the business, do it right the first time.

[gasgrassorarse]

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated and I've since passed on this quality info for their consideration.
Thanks again to all who contributed.