Taxi Driver Online

Can anyone tell me what the cost is to purchase about 10 radios for the setting up of a taxi firm?

Where is the best place to purchase the radios?

Does anyone know about the radio requencies and how you set them etc

Thanks

I guess Radioman is the place to start.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

Hi
It depends on a few things. If you buy them new then you will get charged anywhere from 200 to 250 pounds. If you buy them second hand then you might get them for 100 to 150 (depending on type/make of radio etc).

You then have antennas for the cars so at around £20 per antnena (using mags) thats £200.

Next you will need a radio licence from Ofcom (your radio dealer/supplier should help you with this one). That will cost you about £100 per year.

Next you will need a base station antenna and cable. So this would cost you anything upto £500 to get installed.

Then you have the fitting to the cars. Anywhere upto £40 per car.

So to sum it up:

10 radios 2nd hand @£130 = £1300
10 magmounts @£20 = £200
10 installations @£40 = £400
1 base antenna @500 = £500
1 base station @300 = £300
1 license @100 = £100 (on going est)

So in total its going to cost you = £2800 (more like £3000)

If buying everything new then this cost might be a lot higher. Again depending on what the dealer is trying to screw ...hmm...sorry ...should have said what sort of deal he is trying to give you.

So there you go. Thats a rough guide. It would take two days to do that sort of job and costs could be cut down with base antennas etc but it would have to be looked at.

I hope its answered your questions.

regards
RadioMan

Cheers Radioman, that has made things a bit clearer for me.

However, in Wrexham where i am a private hire driver, you only hire the radio and are responsible for the cost of fitting a radio into your vehicle as well as the cost of an antenna, so this will help to reduce costs.

Have you any idea of where is the best place to get second hand radios and brand new radios, base sets and base station antennas?

Also, when purchasing radios do you have to go through the dealer to get you radio licence or can you get that on your own? Also, who sets the frequency on the radios or is it already preset into them?

Where you going to put your base station aerial.

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A member of the Hire or Reward Industry

Hi
I know of places to get second hand radios not a problem at all. As for radio licence etc. The person supplying the radios should really help you complete the forms as there are a lot of technical questions. I usually do it for the customer as it saves a lot of phonecalls etc.

If you want further info please pm me.

regards
RadioMan

I have been looking in the back of Private Hire Monthly and there are adverts for second hand radios form £50.

Are these radios going to be any good or is it better to buy new radios as buying second hand radios will reduce start up costs.

I would prefer to set up an office with a computer booking system, but with so many around and all at different prices, whats the best one to use?

Hmmmm. Noticed that one went unanswered. lol.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

Got any suggestions.

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There is Significant Unmet Demand for my Opinion.

er..well..under the floor boards is not a good idea...plays havoc with the microwave

in the living room ...er...no...it would f*** up eastenders picture on a monday nite .

i got it.............
why not try..............................THE ROOF

sorry m8.....couldnt resist that

as with ALL base station antenna's...

they should be soaked in fairy liquid for up to an hour BEFORE use.
to insure you cut down on the static

Don't forget the special SWR paint to help the signal get out a bit better (old CB radio Joke)

Bigj555

I remember that joke, but did you know that these days you can actually buy a paint that does that? Well they don't actually call it paint but it’s a special coating that actually enhances the antennas radiation properties.

It's development came from the work done on coating materials use in the American stealth program. Having designed coatings that absorb RF energy, some bright spark essentially reversed the theory to create a coating the molecules of which when stimulated by the RF create an avalanche effect rather like a laser. This is known as the maser principle, (Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) and the net effect is that the coating actually amplifies the signal.

It doesn’t work quite as well on taxi frequencies as it does in the microwave part of the spectrum but even so a good increase can be had. It does buggar all for reception but you can’t have it all ways! Can't remember the trade name for this product but I'm sure Radioman carries it in stock. He keeps it just next to the skyhooks and invisible arial paint.

Bill

So the cost of the licence is £100 for 10 radios for 12 months?? Sounds a bit cheap...

Steptoe

It is cheap!

A licence for voice radio these days cost either £82 or £85 can't remember exactly but it dosen't go on how many cars are on the fleet like it used to. So for 100 cars it would still be £82 per year.

Bill