2-way radios

[Kwaynem]

Not sure if this is the right place probably not so move if you need to I was recently at a gun shop I frequent and he has ham radios cb radios and some hand helds he showed me some hand held that have a 60 mile range and he said I wouldn’t have to take a test just send in a $35 registration fee for my wife and myself for the life of me I can’t remember the name of them is this something that would be useful in a situation where cell phones are down or would it be a bad idea because others can triangulate your location?

 

[JEVapa]

would it be a bad idea because others can triangulate your location?

They would need Direction Finding equipment and for you to stay on the air. I'd think it's not a bad idea.

 

[Kwaynem]

They would need Direction Finding equipment and for you to stay on the air. I'd think it not a bad idea.

Here a while back AT&T had a problem and we had no cell service for half a day is what got me thinking about it and all the storms we been having

 

[Kingfish]

I can tell you for a fact as someone who spent 20 years in the land mobile radio business and has a FCC radiotelephone license as well as an extra class ham license, there is no handheld that will work over 60 miles unless you have a direct line of sight to a repeater located on a mountaintop, then maybe. The $35 dollar thing is for the FRS radio band. Their range is a few miles depending on terrain. Mobile to mobile a little further. If you are in a populated area you might find others to talk to in emergencies, but out in the country it would be pretty scarce. Not many people listen to CB anymore, but it is another tool that might help. Ham radios are probably your best bet for emergency coms. They can communicate over ground wave for dozens of miles and atmospheric bounce can travel around the world. If you just want to have something for emergencies, get some ham gear. I wouldn't worry about having a license if it was a true emergency. The requirements would be waved if anyone was to even know. Just don't use them for non emergency. Or get your license and start learning about when and how to communicate.

 

[Ndenway]

Yeah, back in the day a lot of people had cb's in their vehicles & houses,

Few even had the leaner(?) booster & good antenna that could transmit & receive a bit farther out.

Cell phones became prevalent, & the cb's/equipment went on a shelf in the shed.

I've got a pair of handheld cobras, most days they're good 3 to 5 miles, some days they'll get 8 to 10.

But hell, tshtf a ham & tower are going to be pretty good to have........................be hearing "the chair is against the wall.......the chair is against the wall"........"john sold his pig at market.....john sold his pig at market".................

 

[Kwaynem]

I can tell you for a fact as someone who spent 20 years in the land mobile radio business and has a FCC radiotelephone license as well as an extra class ham license, there is no handheld that will work over 60 miles unless you have a direct line of sight to a repeater located on a mountaintop, then maybe. The $35 dollar thing is for the FRS radio band. Their range is a few miles depending on terrain. Mobile to mobile a little further. If you are in a populated area you might find others to talk to in emergencies, but out in the country it would be pretty scarce. Not many people listen to CB anymore, but it is another tool that might help. Ham radios are probably your best bet for emergency coms. They can communicate over ground wave for dozens of miles and atmospheric bounce can travel around the world. If you just want to have something for emergencies, get some ham gear. I wouldn't worry about having a license if it was a true emergency. The requirements would be waved if anyone was to even know. Just don't use them for non emergency. Or get your license and start learning about when and how to communicate.

Now I have to go back by there just to find out what it is maybe it’s not a hand held it was in the box I may have misunderstood he is a good guy I grew up around the CB radio craze mom and dad had a radio in each vehicle and a base station with a rotary linear antenna they had a world map on the wall with pins in it of places where they talked to people all over

 

[Kingfish]

Now I have to go back by there just to find out what it is maybe it’s not a hand held it was in the box I may have misunderstood he is a good guy I grew up around the CB radio craze mom and dad had a radio in each vehicle and a base station with a rotary linear antenna they had a world map on the wall with pins in it of places where they talked to people all over

Yeah CB is just below the 10m amateur band. One of my favorites for working DX during periods of high sporadic E skip. You can talk all over Europe and Scandinavia with a 10 watt radio and dipole antenna when conditions are right.

 

[Kwaynem]

That radio is a GRMS radio not sure if that makes a difference on range I’m just trying to learn about it

 

[Kingfish]

The GMRS is like FRS and share some of the same frequencies. The difference is GMRS allows up to 50 watts so that is the reason for requiring a license. You can also configure a repeater for it. So I guess if you have a repeater set up with a good antenna, have a 50 watt mobile in two vehicles and send them 30 miles in the opposite direction then I guess you could claim they talked to each other 60 miles apart.

 

[Roy]

This will only muddy the waters.

Someone recommended boat radios to me as a powerful alternative for communicating.

I have no knowledge of any of this. I do not have a boat radio. I have some cheap Baofengs I plan on eventually programming to use for emergencies. I don’t have time to learn about Ham radios or get licensed right now. For the immediate future it’s for emergencies only.

 

[Kingfish]

This will only muddy the waters.

Someone recommended boat radios to me as a powerful alternative for communicating.

I have no knowledge of any of this. I do not have a boat radio. I have some cheap Baofengs I plan on eventually programming to use for emergencies. I don’t have time to learn about Ham radios or get licensed right now. For the immediate future it’s for emergencies only.

A lot of people are using marine band radios for personal communication. There are a group of coyote hunters around here that use them when they’re running their dogs. It’s illegal but the FCC doesn’t seem to be concerned or doesn’t have the resources to enforce it. I have one so I can listen to the barge traffic on the navigation channel. I would use it to call for help in an emergency. The Baofeng radios are great units for the price. I buy one or two whenever Amazon has a special on them. I have six so far. They can be programmed for ham bands, FRS and GMRS as well as LEO freqs if the ones in your area are still using vhf or uhf analog radios for monitoring, however many are moving to trucked digital systems which require specialized scanners but some are using encryption so there is no way to listen to them.

 

[Roy]

5 Watt Radio

A GMRS radio with IP67 waterproofing, 5 days of battery life, and 5-watts of power for optimal range (35+ mile max range). Designed and tested in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the 5 Watt Radio is ideal for adventures that require maximum range or submergible waterproofing, like white-water...

rockytalkie.com

 

[Roy]

Saw this advertised and it looks pretty cool