Need cb/export radio advice for our vehicles in case of emergency.

[guesscrazy]

Never know what 2021 will bring. I am going to outfit 3 vehicles with good cb setups. I want to go the export radio route. All three of us are going to get our Ham licenses. We will be spending alot of time in Wyoming and Montana and want alittle extra range. I have budget $500 per vehicle and would like recommendations on equipment. The only CB I have had in years is on my harley and I had to change for better coax and run big copper wire from end to end to get a good ground plane. I haven't had a CB in a truck in years but we live in TN and when the bombing happened our cells were dead. The wife wants us to have alternative comms. Thanks in advance. Lets get my girls good setups so they can call for help.

 

[DaveJacobsen]

if you're getting ham licenses, 10 meter will work. I would get a cheap 10 meter radio & an amplifier. Most 10 meter "exports" an be converted to also cover CB, but of course, using an amp on 11meter is illegal.
I have an at6666 and am pretty happy with it. I also have an RCI2950 that works well. I prefer the 6666.
I have used RM amps and midnight special amps; if you get an amp, do everyone else a favor and get yourself some filters to avoid splattering adjacent frequencies.

 

[trentbob]

I see no one's responding here. I just wanted to gather a little more information and try to understand what your first post on RR is exactly. You have three trucks and a $500 budget for each truck one for you and each of your girls, wife and daughter. You're not sure what 2021 will bring... I agree 2020 has been terrible and politically 2021 could be interpreted as going very much in the wrong direction but I digress.

You live in Tennessee but you expect you will be nomadically traveling in Wyoming and Montana. Each one of you will have your own truck that you want to equip with CB radio to call for help if needed and you are all actively working on amateur licenses now to equip the trucks with amateur radio equipment for extra range.

I'm very curious as to what your game plan is in response to what? Very interesting concept. I'm sure I'm not the only one curious as to what you're doing.

You should be able to get very satisfactory CB radios and 10m ham rigs, everybody has their favorite. No big deal on those short runs of coax. Getting good quality antennas and mounting them in drilled holes is probably your best bet for that extra range.

I'm sure folks here have their recommendations and favorites so please don't hesitate to give us more information as far as what you are doing, exactly what your needs are and what your goals are so as to better help you.

 

[trentbob]

Oh I see someone was responding just the same time I was... Great.

 

[guesscrazy]

I see no one's responding here. I just wanted to gather a little more information and try to understand what your first post on RR is exactly. You have three trucks and a $500 budget for each truck one for you and each of your girls, wife and daughter. You're not sure what 2021 will bring... I agree 2020 has been terrible and politically 2021 could be interpreted as going very much in the wrong direction but I digress.

You live in Tennessee but you expect you will be nomadically traveling in Wyoming and Montana. Each one of you will have your own truck that you want to equip with CB radio to call for help if needed and you are all actively working on amateur licenses now to equip the trucks with amateur radio equipment for extra range.

I'm very curious as to what your game plan is in response to what? Very interesting concept. I'm sure I'm not the only one curious as to what you're doing.

You should be able to get very satisfactory CB radios and 10m ham rigs, everybody has their favorite. No big deal on those short runs of coax. Getting good quality antennas and mounting them in drilled holes is probably your best bet for that extra range.

I'm sure folks here have their recommendations and favorites so please don't hesitate to give us more information as far as what you are doing, exactly what your needs are and what your goals are so as to better help you.

Have some property in WY and a couple friends with ranches in Montana. In the event of some disaster in TN we will bug out to WY or MT. Learned that we are very dependent on cell communications. Always need a backup plan.

 

[K4EET]

Do I understand that you are going to install both a CB radio and a ham radio in all three vehicles? Also, everyone is going to get their Technician Class ham radio license. Is that correct? By the way, welcome to Radio Reference!

 

[alcahuete]

Your ham license doesn't cover you using illegal export radios on CB, so that should not even factor into the equation. You can certainly use one of those on 10m after you get your licenses. You can also go the more traditional route and use 2m/70cm, where you can also use repeaters to increase your coverage. Of course, in the event of a communications failure like you had, the repeaters are likely to be quite busy, used for emergency services, etc.

 

[spongella]

CB at times opens up so in that case you'd have to deal with worldwide signals and a crowded band. I would think getting a GMRS license, which covers your whole family might be a consideration. No test needed, and I think the fee is $70 or so. Getting quality high power GMRS radios (50W) and good outside antennas should do it. I used to have a pair of Motorolas, 50W, GMRS programmed, one at the house with a roof antenna, the other in the car with a roof mount antenna, and got at least 15 mile coverage. If I had repeater access it would be much farther, but very few were in the area, and one of them charged a few hundred bucks annually to use his repeater. Good luck, hope you find a suitable system.

 

[guesscrazy]

Do I understand that you are going to install both a CB radio and a ham radio in all three vehicles? Also, everyone is going to get their Technician Class ham radio license. Is that correct? By the way, welcome to Radio Reference!

Yes all three. are going to get our license.

 

[trentbob]

Have some property in WY and a couple friends with ranches in Montana. In the event of some disaster in TN we will bug out to WY or MT. Learned that we are very dependent on cell communications. Always need a backup plan.

Okay thanks, that explains it a little better.

 

[guesscrazy]

Your ham license doesn't cover you using illegal export radios on CB, so that should not even factor into the equation. You can certainly use one of those on 10m after you get your licenses. You can also go the more traditional route and use 2m/70cm, where you can also use repeaters to increase your coverage. Of course, in the event of a communications failure like you had, the repeaters are likely to be quite busy, used for emergency services, etc.

We will keep the cbs at low power unless there is an emergency.

 

[guesscrazy]

CB at times opens up so in that case you'd have to deal with worldwide signals and a crowded band. I would think getting a GMRS license, which covers your whole family might be a consideration. No test needed, and I think the fee is $70 or so. Getting quality high power GMRS radios (50W) and good outside antennas should do it. I used to have a pair of Motorolas, 50W, GMRS programmed, one at the house with a roof antenna, the other in the car with a roof mount antenna, and got at least 15 mile coverage. If I had repeater access it would be much farther, but very few were in the area, and one of them charged a few hundred bucks annually to use his repeater. Good luck, hope you find a suitable system.

Might do GMSR also I like to be prepared and the wife and daughter are on board. Antennas everywhere.

 

[jaspence]

10 meters is not a reliable way to communicate. Where I live the noise level is so high that band openings are rare. When 10 is good, Europe on 10 watts is possible, but when conditions are bad, 100 watts doesn't get much.

 

[sloop]

In a true SHTF situation you will want "reliable" communications (between the vehicles I guess). Go with GMRS and/or 2 meters simplex (if all are licensed). 50 watts is all the power you will need, installation is easier, and the cost should be in your budget. I live in the foothills of NC and can easily hit repeaters 90 to 100 miles away from my car with 45 watts. I would estimate that you could easily get 50 miles (with a good antenna) once you hit the plain states. Remember the radio signal to a repeater is technically simplex until the repeater picks it up and retransmits it.

 

[jhooten]

For what an export cb will cost you can buy a good used FT-857 or IC-706 MKIIG which will also give 6, 2, .7 meters.

 

[138BG]

Personally I would never rely on 10m "export" radios and garbage amplifiers nor the 10 and 11m bands for the safety of my family. Others have already listed better alternatives. Possibly a better alternative would be one of the emergency satellite phones that are available.

 

[MUTNAV]

I read your original post as your spouse agrees that communications that don't rely on cell phone networks is important, and you both want a backup for when it fails, and possibly (if everything goes south from there) to move to a safer area.

I struggled with this "problem" for years, and took a very deliberate approach to solving it, while considering ALL of the options (including using license free LowFer band and super slow morse code (QRSS)).

I agree with most of the posts, I'd avoid doing anything illegal though ( CB with an amplifier, or a 10 Meter retuned for CB use). If EVERYONE is going for their licenses, then 2 meters and APRS may be a good fit.

Otherwise I would have suggested GMRS and 70 Cm ham.

It really depends on how much time and effort you and your family really want to invest, and your actual goals.

Some other ideas (that happen to play into Radio Reference perfectly), is that once you have the ability to communicate with family, then LISTENING to what is going on may be super helpful (GMRS, FRS, CB, AM/FM radio, Marine Radios, and Dispatch frequencies for Emergency services) can ALL carry good information.

That way you have something useful to communicate to your family (about routing and such to avoid problems).

If you all upgraded to General class licenses, then NVIS can support good communications for several hundred miles.

Thanks,
Joel

 

[krokus]

I have to agree with the "avoid the CB" thing, unless you want it for general traffic info, while on the highway. 2m band ham radio will be more reliable, with less garbage to filter through. As an added bonus, a good 2m, or 2m & 70cm, antenna is much shorter than a CB antenna.

 

[slowmover]

You want to talk to a designated group ONLY or everyone within the local region?

How complicated a radio? Who operates?

Look to where gear ought to be mounted. Things can get crowded in a hurry (potentially defeating the purpose).

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