mrhabilis
Member
...I have been tasked with researching and finding suitable radios for use at "Burning Man" by "Mobility Camp". We are a camp whose purpose is to assist those with mobility handicaps while at Black Rock City. One of our main gifts to the mobility challenged is that we have an "Art Car" capable of taking up to 12 people plus 3 wheelchairs on tours of the artwork out on the playa.
...Several years ago, we tried simple FRS radios (what a joke) and found that regardless of the claims of miles and miles of distance, they really did not go much beyond ½ mile. In 2015, we tried MURS radios, but with their 2w limit, they too, did not do that well. This past burn (2016), I brought a couple of GMRS radios and found that (on high pwr) we could successfully communicate from camp out to our "Dragonfly" art car in the "deep playa" (at the fence or, as we call it, "the edge of the known world"). Unfortunately, the alkali dust is so corrosive and invasive that one of the radios stopped working within a couple of days. (I think some dust got into the PTT button, since it would not TX, but would still RX.)
...Our main goal is to be able to communicate from camp to our art car in the deep playa (which we seemed to be able to do using the GMRS radios), while also being able to resist the harsh conditions of the Black Rock Desert, plus still be affordable. Secondary goals (if possible) would also to be able to call EMS and other entities within the Burning Man organization.
...My research has found some reasonably priced GMRS radios (i.e. Uniden GMR5095-2CKHS) which are advertised as "water resistant" so my assumption is that if water can't get in, neither will the dust. Plus it should be fairly easy to wash the dust off the radios as needed.
...I have also found some more complex radios (i.e. Baofeng GT-3WP and the Retevis RT6) that can be programmed to use the GMRS frequencies (to use 5 watts and only require a simple FCC license) plus will be able to 'talk' to less expensive FRS radios for short distances within our camp.
...I have abandoned the idea of being able to call any of the Burning Man entities (such as the Black Rock Rangers), since it appears that they all use very sophisticated, digitally encrypted radios. However it does appear that we might be able to talk to the EMS people since it looks like they may monitor MURS channel 5 (154.600 MHz). Unfortunately, that may be outdated information.
...What I am asking is for your opinion on whether the std GMRS radios might be a good choice for us, or should we consider more sophisticated, programmable radios? Also, if anyone knows if the EMS people still monitor 154.600 MHz or not. In addition, if we go with GMRS radios (or any radios that require it) how difficult is it to get the license? Is the license for the camp?, or for the radio?, or for each person using the radio? Please educate me.
...Thanks for indulging me and reading this overly-verbose post. -Mr. Habilis in Indiana
...Several years ago, we tried simple FRS radios (what a joke) and found that regardless of the claims of miles and miles of distance, they really did not go much beyond ½ mile. In 2015, we tried MURS radios, but with their 2w limit, they too, did not do that well. This past burn (2016), I brought a couple of GMRS radios and found that (on high pwr) we could successfully communicate from camp out to our "Dragonfly" art car in the "deep playa" (at the fence or, as we call it, "the edge of the known world"). Unfortunately, the alkali dust is so corrosive and invasive that one of the radios stopped working within a couple of days. (I think some dust got into the PTT button, since it would not TX, but would still RX.)
...Our main goal is to be able to communicate from camp to our art car in the deep playa (which we seemed to be able to do using the GMRS radios), while also being able to resist the harsh conditions of the Black Rock Desert, plus still be affordable. Secondary goals (if possible) would also to be able to call EMS and other entities within the Burning Man organization.
...My research has found some reasonably priced GMRS radios (i.e. Uniden GMR5095-2CKHS) which are advertised as "water resistant" so my assumption is that if water can't get in, neither will the dust. Plus it should be fairly easy to wash the dust off the radios as needed.
...I have also found some more complex radios (i.e. Baofeng GT-3WP and the Retevis RT6) that can be programmed to use the GMRS frequencies (to use 5 watts and only require a simple FCC license) plus will be able to 'talk' to less expensive FRS radios for short distances within our camp.
...I have abandoned the idea of being able to call any of the Burning Man entities (such as the Black Rock Rangers), since it appears that they all use very sophisticated, digitally encrypted radios. However it does appear that we might be able to talk to the EMS people since it looks like they may monitor MURS channel 5 (154.600 MHz). Unfortunately, that may be outdated information.
...What I am asking is for your opinion on whether the std GMRS radios might be a good choice for us, or should we consider more sophisticated, programmable radios? Also, if anyone knows if the EMS people still monitor 154.600 MHz or not. In addition, if we go with GMRS radios (or any radios that require it) how difficult is it to get the license? Is the license for the camp?, or for the radio?, or for each person using the radio? Please educate me.
...Thanks for indulging me and reading this overly-verbose post. -Mr. Habilis in Indiana
