Hi all,
I had some basic questions that google isnt really helping with so Im here to get the answers. I offroad in the mountains a lot and this year i had a circumstance that really would have been smart to have the proper radio for emergency communication. I know this requires a license if i pursue getting this radio. I have a cb midland 75-822 that i could buy an magnetic antenna for, but much of what ive read suggests a cb in the mountains isnt much better than a walky talky sooo...
Welcome!
I do a fair amount of off roading, mostly in UTV's in Northern California and Nevada, so take my input as a guy that's driven through Colorado many times, but not spent much time off road.
I am an amateur radio operator. I also work in the 2 way radio industry.
-Is ham radio my best chance to reach out for emergency contact when deep woods?
Individual people will have different definitions of "emergency". To me that's a immediate threat to life, limb or property. To me getting a flat tire in the woods isn't an emergency, it's probably not your definition, either.
In an emergency you want to contact someone who can get you help on the way ASAP. Any two way radio can fill that role, but ONLY if there is someone on the other end of the radio that knows what to do. That's the hard part. Simply owning a radio won't do you any good if:
You don't know how to use it.
You don't have the right radio for the job.
You don't have the right radio for the application
You have no one to talk to on the far end.
You don't have it installed/programmed/setup correctly.
You don't have power.
And probably a hundred other things.
The issue with Amateur radio is that it depends solely on volunteer cooperation. In other words, no one is being paid to sit at the far end and listen to the radio. That makes the ability to reach someone who can help you a toss up.
Nothing against amateur radio. If you have the correct equipment you can often reach someone 24x7, but there are a lot of variables involved.
VHF/UHF radios that are so common are -primarily- line of sight. In other words, your antenna has to be able to "see" the other antenna to have a two way conversation. Back in the mountains this can be difficult. Repeaters can provide coverage that extends beyond your own line of sight, but there has to be a working repeater, your radio has to be programmed to use it, and there still has to be someone listening.
That's a lot of "if's" for an emergency.
HF (High Frequency -short wave-) radio can get you communications around the world, but there's a lot involved. It requires some big antennas, more expensive radios, and more knowledge to make it all work right. Chances are you'd always find someone to talk to, problem is they may be in another state, country, continent, etc.
If you want to reach someone in a true emergency, then you need to be looking at a Personal Locator Beacon. This is a small device that picks up a GPS signal and will transmit that to a satellite. The signal gets routed to a center that will decode that signal and do something with it. 24x7. As long as you can see enough of the sky to reach a satellite, it'll work. It won't work in a cave, bottom of a well, etc.
Using that signal, they'll know the PLB ID number, which would be tied to you, a brief note that you can have added to your ID number file and your GPS location. Any activation of one of these PLB's get treated as a true emergency and someone will (eventually) come and find you.
A PLB will run you from $200 or more. No license required, and all you need to do is properly register it. Every couple of years they have to be sent in to the manufacturer to have their internal battery replaced. The current models do not have a user replaceable battery.
The other option is the "Spot" units. These are a subscription service, so you are paying a monthly/annual fee for the service, plus the cost of the device. This will quickly cost more than a simple PLB, but it does give you some options like a "check in" function that will send an e-mail to a predetermined list saying "I'm OK and providing your location". The other is a "I need assistance" type non-emergency message that is intended to reach family/friend and let them know you are OK, but need some help. There is also a service you can buy that does a "breadcrumb" type trail that others can access on line. In addition to these non-emergency functions, ther is the true "SOS" type function that does pretty much the same thing as the PLB.
But, like I said, all that will cost you. The devices are not as durable and stories of awful customer service from the service provider abound. Some I ride with has one, and he likes it. On the other hand, when we got one to keep with us, we went with the PLB model.
Either one will work.
Amateur radio, CB, GMRS, FRS, etc. are all good things to have. You may be able to get help on one of those, but it is NOT guaranteed. The flip side is that if you are monitoring the right frequency/channel, you might be able to hear someone else calling for help, giving you the chance to be the rescuer. You can also use those for trail communications, talking to others, etc, so they do have their place. I'd still recommend a CB as the default choice with at least a VHF amateur radio also.
The other option, a good, but expensive one, is a satellite phone. They'll work almost anywhere and give you the opportunity to call whoever you want. But, figure on $1500 or so for the phone, $50/month for basic service. Drawback is that they do not work well under the tree canopy, so you do need a view of the clear sky.
Sort of comes down to budget and picking the best communications tools for what you perceive to be the situation you'd most likely run into. I'd recommend at least two of the above options, with a strong preference for a PLB/Spot type device as one of them.
- is this what forest service, rangers/ search and rescue use?
No. They use specifically licensed channels that you will not have access to with your amateur radio or amateur radio license. Some search and rescue teams do have amateur radio operators, however they would need to know what channel/frequency you were on to make contact.
- ive seen some videos of jeepers using CB and ham for more serious comm in their rig but i cant see how, do they have two individual radios or do some hams allow you to use both?
The current FCC rules require them to be separate radios. Sure, some guys ignore the rules and do it anyway, but there's a lot you need to know to do it correctly. Also, think of it as the "all your eggs in one basket" scenario. Separate radios would be a benefit, plus if done right, legal.
- do you recommend any radios or set ups for a jeeper? i see kenwood hams a lot in videos but clearly i have much to research on this.
A good 2 meter band VHF mobile would be a good place to start. Kenwood makes great radio, you won't go wrong with them. There are also other manufacturers, Icom, Yaesu, and a few others. Asking for advice on brands is like asking what brand of car you should buy, everyone will have a different opinion. None of them wrong, all good brands, but you'll get a lot of people telling you what brand they have and why you should buy the same. Not always helpful.
Other option is a dual band VHF/UHF radio. These give you a bit more flexibility, but neither has a huge advantage over another. The radios will cost more, they are often a bit more complex, but still a good option.
More importantly than which radio is "which antenna". Your radio is ONLY as good as your antenna. You need to pay very close attention to the type or antenna you chose. This is a big deal, and because you are in a Jeep, it makes it a bit of a challenge. The important thing is to figure out what radio you want and then pick the antenna from there. My only word of advice is to avoid the low end Chinese stuff (both radios and antennas) and to stick to known good brands. There is some real junk out there, and you do not want to be relying on cheap junk in an emergency.
thanks for entertaining the newb ?s, im strongly considering my investment and education into this radio for my safety.
Amateur radio is a great tool to have at your disposal, but it's a tool, not a solution on it's own. Knowing how to properly use the tool is a bigger part of the success. The amateur radio test alone won't teach you much. It's important to find someone to tutor you and assist with getting the equipment set up and how to use it. It's not necessarily easy, so make sure you nail that part down or you may find your frustration level rising.
As for me and my family, we run commercial VHF radios in our UTV's. Every UTV has a mobile radio with a permanent mount antenna. The radios are programmed to use a couple of 2 meter amateur radio frequencies. They are invaluable on the trail, as it's really easy to get separated. I would not ride without a radio, either in a group or on my own.
We're mainly concerned about talking between family members (they all have their amateur radio license), so not much in the way of random contacts. We do have the radios programmed to use local repeaters where we frequent, as well as a few common "calling" channels.
