-=> Joe Delahaye wrote to Tony Langdon <=-   
      
    TL> Here, they gave us UHF, then 18 channels of AM/SSB with a unique band   
    TL> plan, and finally American style 40 channels AM/SSB.   
      
    JD> Originally it was 23 channels.  When the 40 channel sets came in, it   
    JD> became illegal to sell the older sets.  Not sure why.   
      
   Australia had this unique 18 channel setup.  It only lasted a couple of years   
   though, before we went 40 channels.  2 of the old channels weren't in the 40   
   channels, so people would hide away on "Aussie 3" or "Aussie 7", away from   
   everyone else, as only the old 18 channel sets could go there.   
      
    TL> A bunch of us in the sticks used to hang out on both bands. Having 2 bands   
    TL> at our disposal, we were able to setup ad-hoc links manually (speaker to   
    TL> microphone!), and cover quite a wide area. Took a little thinking who had   
    TL> to transmit on which band for the links to work (UHF simplex and 27 MHz   
    TL> SSB), but it was quite effective for linking wide areas without a   
    TL> traditional repeater.   
      
    JD> Igineuity   We used to practice CW on Sideband    
      
   Yes, it was ingenious, and it worked really well.  We'd chat for an hour or   
   more, away from the masses on the repeater across an area well beyond normal   
   local range.  I think we covered distances up to 100km that way.  I was one of   
   the stations with both bands, who was capable of relaying traffic. :)   
      
      
   ... 24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?   
   --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49   
    * Origin: Freeway BBS - freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)