Homeless Shelter/ Campus Radio

[3Focus1]

I am a retired USN, flight deck guy and have had plenty of experience with military spec handhelds and base-stations. I now have the honor of working at a homeless shelter/ campus. We are looking at a commercial license, have a 3rd party on the hook to help us get an FCC license, and I have purchased a scanner to explore frequencies before I submit for that license. We need cheap radios our guys and gals can use for dependable communication. I also live, down a river channel from the Mission, two miles away and would likely mount something at home so as to monitor Campus communications as well. We have 8 buildings made of sandstone and/ or metal warehouses (and some cinder block walls around offices) scattered across roughly 25 acres of land in the Norfolk, Virginia city limits. We have been using FRS/ GMRS radios in the FRS range, but now have realized and repented of our wayward ways and that we are not using our radios appropriately (legally) and are going to need find another means of legitimate communication. These FRS/ GMRS radios weren't working that great to begin with since I could not mount antennas externally, and the building walls are fairly thick. VHF/ MURS is possible, but UHF really sounds more appropriate for us and would likely be our best bet anyway. With the 500 ERP limit in mind, In another discussion (MURS) I was steered toward inexpensive Motorola VHF Maxtrac for base units, but I see that there are many in the UHF range as well -any other favorites thoughts about antennas, radios/ handhelds?

[MTS2000des]

First thing that comes to mind, good idea you are following to get a license.
Second point, forget old radios like Maxtracs- they are not narrowband compliant and are useless for commercial use, as the FCC has mandated all part 90 move to narrowband (2.5KHz deviation) by Jan 2013.

UHF would be ideal for your application, an onsite desktop repeater (such as a Vertex VXR-7000) with 25 watts should be more than adequate to penetrate those buildings, and allow you to monitor/respond from home. Low cost portables such as Icom IC-F14's or Kenwood TK-3170s make great portables.

As always, you should consult a local expert. Licensing is important, and not that big of a headache, as it can be done online. But it's best to consult someone who has done it regularly and assists you with frequency coordination.

[3Focus1]

I like the idea of the desktop repeater and I just shot an email to the company with whom we are working to see what that means for licensing. If it is a desktop repeater, it would seem that it should mean nothing to them/ FCC. It was good to get some perspective on the handhelds too, as a local vendor seems adamant that we'd be better of with some Motorola CP200s (which I like, but are expensive and if one was misplaced or walked away we would be at a significant loss) I have been looking at the Radius/ Maxtracs and the sellers often claim to be January 2013 FCC narrow-banding compliant. An inexpensive desktop/ base radio would be important in our Men's Shelter Check-In desk as opposed to a handheld, because it would be harder for the unit to be misplaced or worse "walk-away".

[haleve]

Red Dog Radios

Tom is a member here also.

[ff-medic]

Originally Posted by 3Focus1

I am a retired USN, flight deck guy and have had plenty of experience with military spec handhelds and base-stations. I now have the honor of working at a homeless shelter/ campus. We are looking at a commercial license, have a 3rd party on the hook to help us get an FCC license, and I have purchased a scanner to explore frequencies before I submit for that license. We need cheap radios our guys and gals can use for dependable communication. I also live, down a river channel from the Mission, two miles away and would likely mount something at home so as to monitor Campus communications as well. We have 8 buildings made of sandstone and/ or metal warehouses (and some cinder block walls around offices) scattered across roughly 25 acres of land in the Norfolk, Virginia city limits. We have been using FRS/ GMRS radios in the FRS range, but now have realized and repented of our wayward ways and that we are not using our radios appropriately (legally) and are going to need find another means of legitimate communication. These FRS/ GMRS radios weren't working that great to begin with since I could not mount antennas externally, and the building walls are fairly thick. VHF/ MURS is possible, but UHF really sounds more appropriate for us and would likely be our best bet anyway. With the 500 ERP limit in mind, In another discussion (MURS) I was steered toward inexpensive Motorola VHF Maxtrac for base units, but I see that there are many in the UHF range as well -any other favorites thoughts about antennas, radios/ handhelds?

These folks can help. PM / Email these folks. They were in the same boat as you are.

Here is the thread ( Trinity - Explorations ) ---->Doomsday Prepping?


FF- Medic !!!!

[RodStrong]

Originally Posted by haleve

Red Dog Radios

Tom is a member here also.

+1. I've bought lots of radios from Tom over the years, and just last month bought an Icom repeater and 25 Vertex radios from him. He can do your licensing for you as well. Outstanding customer service and he won't hose you. Good luck.

[Wyandotte]

The key to the range of an FRS radio is not how far it will transmit, but how far it will recieve.
All FRS radios transmit the same power. But the more you pay, the further you hear. People judging FRS comms based upon the cheap Cobra or Midland bubble pack radios, with an inferior antenna and not much sensitivity, are not giving it justice.

Before you go thru all the licensing steps and cost, why not consider going and buying a couple good top of the line FRS radios from an outdoors store, like a Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop or Gander Mountain. Take one home and see if you can hear the other radio you bought back at the campus. I think you are going to be suprised.

[rapidcharger]

Originally Posted by 3Focus1

We have been using FRS/ GMRS radios in the FRS range, but now have realized and repented of our wayward ways and that we are not using our radios appropriately (legally)

How is that not legal? FRS is fine for business use. ICOM and KENWOOD even makes some more rugged FRS radios specifically for business use. If you're really itching to go buy some real radios try renting or borrowing some from a local dealer and see if you need a repeater or not. I don't know how big this campus is that you're talking about or how many floors of solid concrete we're talking about.