Legality of Radio Use in an Emergency

[kayn1n32008]

I condone, encourage and suggest that people be properly prepared to survive critical incidents of all types, including ones that take place in rural areas where communications are a problem.

I work in remote areas, where the only option is a satellite phone or two way radio. I also have a SPOT beacon that can track and leave a bread crumb trail. I also have a LMR radio with almost every resource road frequency in it for work as well.

I have yet to need a modded hammy toy to get help. My ham radio is the last option, and only for ham frequencies.

If you are planning to use a modded hammy toy to get help then you are not preparing for emergencies.

As for PRBs, they are great, and the newer ones that allow you to send text messages are also great, but then again there's nothing like being able to actually talk to the helicopter pilot who is circling about looking for you or the rescuers on foot who can't find you.

Devices like SPOT and Inreach have built in GPS that transmit coordinates. Based on personal experience, SPOT will be heard by the Globalstar system, in as little as 5 minutes and as long as about 10 minutes. SPOT claims a 95% success rate in under 20 minutes.

As to trying to communicate with a circling helicopter, air and is the way to go. Heck in most places there are airliners always in view, a 'mayday' on 121.5MHz will likely get you help quicker than coming up on a public safety repeater. If I had to take only one radio for 'just in case' an air and radio would be it.

Common sense is the obvious answer here.

You are right. Being prepared with the right tools will make any emergency much easier to deal with. A pre-programmed modded hammy toy is NOT being prepared.

Ugh and I thought we would avoid the annual beatings of the dead horse.

Peanuts - Popcorn - Reynolds Wrap

There will always be those like ka0nhh who think a modded hammy toy, preprogrammed 'just in case', that give ham operators a bad name.

Doing it, if it is your Only Option is One Thing Planning/Preparing to Do it.... well.... is Premeditation :roll:

Anyone that thinks reprogramming their ham rigs is 'being prepared' is an idiot. Being prepared is having the right tools to perform the task at hand.

In the back country, with no phone service, being prepared is a sat phone, or a PLB(SPOT/Inreach), a GPS receiver, and maps(as well as knowing how to read them)


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[slicerwizard]

The fact is that it is not illegal to possess a radio programmed on frequencies you do not have a license (or permission) to transmit on under federal law.

Please don't revive any more year old threads, especially if you're going to hand out bad advice.

 

[wb6sub]

That is why I have programmed in my XTL5000's and XTS5000's with public safety because when I drive through the Nevada Desert it is common not to see a person for hours, no cell phone coverage, no ham repeaters in range but the public safety is hard to hear so I am pretty sure that it will be hard to get into those public safety repeaters too. Sat phone is an excellent idea if they have something like pay for the sat phone and have minutes available if you use it but sit in the glove box in case of anything.

 

[KevinC]

This has been answered correctly, argued, answered incorrectly and beat to death.