New to radios

[srbecker58]

First off, I do see there is a new operator section, but I am not sure I am considered an operator without being licensed, so I posted here. I have a few questions that I am trying to answer and have yet to find an answer.

A little about me first. I am not a dooms day prepper, but I did buy a Btech UV-5X3 for emergency situations. I dont really plan on making radios a hobby (at least not yet), but merely purchased the device for a real world emergency, loss of power, natural disaster situations, back up for camping/hunting when cell phone service may not be great etc...

Now, my quesitons:

1. In a true emergency, I read the 3-3-3 rule. Channel 3 for 3 minutes every 3 hours. Channel 3 referring to either MURS 3 or FRS/GMRS 3. Is that a good or bad rule of thumb?

2. If my buddies also have a radio and we wanted to communicate in an emergency, what is a good plan for that? Use an FRS/GMRS frequency on its own? Program in privacy tones? Pick an unused frequency?

3. Do privacy tones supply any type of actually privacy? For example, FRS 3 (462.61250) can be heard on any standard 2 way radio such as motorola, midland and so on. However, if we program privacy tones, do that make the conversation less likely to interfere with other users of the FRS 3 frequency? I understand it does not encrypt or scramble, I am just asking if it reduces the interference our conversation would cause on other FRS 3 conversations without our specific privacy tone.

4. How would I go about properly programming a privacy tone (if my question 3 is accurate). Do I do just the PL tone, or do I do a TSQL tone, or DTCS codes? I have been trying to learn but just cant wrap my head around the tones and codes aspect.

5. Is the radio I purchased an OK radio for emergency situations?

6. When importing frequencies from Radioreference.com, are those set up properly and can they be trusted. For example, are the offsets, PL tones, type of tone (tone, TSQL, DTCS), Mode (FM vs NFM), all set properly to upload to a radio and use/listen or will they need some finessing?

7. Do you have any other entry level advice for me (other than get my license)? I am looking into it and may do it in the future, but just getting into things and really dont intend on making this a hobby, but more of an emergency backup, SHTF type situation.

Thank you in advance for any assistance, answers, and/or advice you can supply.

 

[KevinC]

Moved to the GMRS/FRS/MURS forum.

 

[srbecker58]

Thank you!

 

[nd5y]

1. 333 was created by some prepper group. It's only useful if you know for sure that there are other people in your area that follow it.

2, 3, 4. Don't use tones unless you know exactly what you are doing. They are just a receive filter. All they do is prevent you from hearing other stations unless they have the same CTCSS or DCS.

5. What do you expect to use the radio for? What type of emergency? Who do you intend to talk to? Do you want to contact random people to come and save your life? There may be better options than cheap Chinese junk radios that likely aren't legal to uses unless you have an amateur radio license.

6. The radioreference database is croud sourced. Depending on your location the data may or may not be current or accurate.

 

[mmckenna]

^^^^ This.

Cheap Chinese Junk radio. You will see them referred to on here as "CCR's" Or Cheap Chinese Radios.
They are not high quality radios. They are not mid quality radios. They are absolute bottom of the barrel Chinese junk, and even at $15 each, or whatever people are paying for them now, it's over priced.

Will it work? That depends entirely on what you want to do with them. In some situations they are fine. In many/most, they are not. They are low tier hobby radios. Don't confuse them with anything resembling quality or reliability.

Relying on the cheapest Chinese junk radio you can get for "emergencies" brings about the same response from many as if you told us your emergency communications plan relied on two soup cans and a couple hundred feet of kite string.

Using a radio in an emergency is only as good as the person on the other end. Relying on making random contacts in an emergency does not meet any definition of planning or even 'prepping'.

These radios usually do not meet the FCC requirements for use on anything other than the amateur radio bands, where the requirements are very very limited. They do not meet requirements for FRS, GMRS, MURS, business or public safety radio use.

If you want to use this in an emergency, your likely best option is to get your amateur radio license. That will at least give you access to repeater systems that stand a better chance of reaching someone in an emergency. Ham radio operators will also often engage in random radio contacts, which can at least keep things interesting.

Beware of what the preppers tell you. In my experience most of them have zero understanding about how radios work, what's required and what the realities are. To most of them these things are simply props in their theatrical war playing games.

TLDR;
Best option is to study and get your technician class amateur radio license. That'll let you get the most out of these radios legally. Anyone else who wants to use the radios will also need to get their amateur radio license.

If licensing is not of interest, then sell the radio and buy a couple of FRS radios or CB radios. Those will be easier to use, likely of much higher quality, and more likely to be useable in an emergency.
As for listening to public safety agencies, get a scanner. Life will be easier.

 

[iMONITOR]

5. Is the radio I purchased an OK radio for emergency situations?

No, not in my opinion. Typical range of these radios are only between 1-2, maybe 3 miles. I don't know of any organizations, groups or individuals that routinely monitor any of those frequencies that would be able to assist in an emergency.

 

[srbecker58]

Thanks nd5y! Good answers there. As far as your question of what I expect to use the radio for. My intent really was all of the above that you mentioned. I plan to use the radio for listening and communicating to people in my area if the need ever arose in any type of emergency. I plan on using it as a scanner for fun. I plan to use it to contact my buddies who also have radios in an emergency situation where cell phones may not be available or functional, and yeah, in the worst case scenario but the most unlikely, to reach someone, anyone if I ever needed assistance.

Thanks everyone! I am here to learn, so thank you for your insight and being straight forward but not condescending.

Now, the better question then, what do you recommend as an entry level/ middle of the road for someone in my situation? Say I do get my technician license, what is a good radio to start off with?

 

[mmckenna]

Now, the better question then, what do you recommend as an entry level/ middle of the road for someone in my situation? Say I do get my technician license, what is a good radio to start off with?

Thanks for not taking my post as condescending. We get a ton of these questions very similar to yours, probably several a week. All good questions, but often people will buy the radio first and then try to figure out how to make it do what they want. That's usually a backwards approach.

Radios that do double duty as a scanner and a two way radio usually perform poorly as one of those. Usually the scan speeds are painfully slow. Also, these radios won't do P25, which is often needed for public safety scanning.

A dedicated scanner is often a better tool as it gives you a lot more capabilities and flexibility.

As for a good radio. It really depends on what everyone else is using. If all your buddies have, or are wiling to get their amateur radio licenses, then that's a great way to go. There are a lot of repeaters you can use to enjoy some great coverage.
If they won't get their amateur radio licenses, and you just need simple communications with some better range, there are two good options:

GMRS, but not the cheap consumer radios. Get a better radio with a good antenna. There are a number of options depending on your budget. There are GMRS repeaters, but far fewer than on the amateur radio bands, and many GMRS repeaters are private and not open for public use.

MURS, Multi Use Radio Service is a 5 channel VHF radio service that is a good option for some. Those VHF channels can work well in rural areas.

And while some may not agree, don't over look CB radio. A good CB installation can work well, if it's done right.

Really, it comes down to budget and how much time/effort you want to put into it.

 

[srbecker58]

Ok cool! There is a lot to take in lol. Now you had me right. I bought the radio based on the suggestion of a buddy who does have his ham license, so I figured he knew what he was talking about. I have however experienced my first CCR issue of it not picking up certain FM frequencies and seemed buggy, so I am returning it and now looking at what my other options are.

My local PD does use P25, that was another device I was looking at but they DONT seem cheap. I would like to get a P25 capable scanner for my house just to be nosey and listen in on. Any recommendations there or am I better off starting a new thread elsewhere?

As far as the radio goes, lets say I want to future proof myself. I currently am not looking to get my license, but lets say in the future I will. What is a decent radio to pick up that will give me acceptable functionality on the amateur bands as well as be a good radio for emergency situations?

CB is likely not going to be a route I got because I would like my radio to be a mobile or handheld unit. CB's are not, right?

Sorry for all my noob questions, I am learning.

 

[iMONITOR]

srbecker you'll never find a one-does-all solution. There are so many variables, options, limitations, pro's & con's it's almost impossible for any of us to answer that question for you. If ten different people attempt to answer that you'll probably get 20 different answers. Most of us have gone through this ourselves and are still uncertain as to what's best. Any communications that require any distance will need to go through a repeater. Repeaters are expensive and require large antennas at great heights to work well. Effective lightning protection is also expensive and would likely require someone who specializes in that filed to create an effective grounding system. You also require a license to run a repeater, power 24/7, maintenance, ETC. If you pursue amateur radio they have different bands, frequencies, analog, and numerous digital modes.

Don't count on the generosity of strangers in a SHTF environment. Odds are they won't respond to offer assistance. They'll want what's yours! Shelter,food, water, tools, guns, radios, batteries, medical supplies, clothing, vehicles, gasoline, generators, ETC. Some will be willing to kill for it. Watch the TV series "The Walking Dead"...not too far from reality with regards to the living.

This site might help you find some of the information you're looking for:

Buy Two Way Radios - Lowest 2 Way Radio Prices Anywhere!

Buy Two Way Radios - Your source for both business radios and personal FRS / GMRS 2 way radios. Offers two way radios from Cobra, Icom, Kenwood, Midland, Motorola, Uniden, and more.

www.buytwowayradios.com

 

[KK6HRW]

You may want to join a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in your area. CERT offers relevant training for emergencies in your neighborhood and some groups also utilize radios for situations in which phone systems, internet, and even electricity go down.

 

[geh6]

First off, I do see there is a new operator section, but I am not sure I am considered an operator without being licensed, so I posted here. I have a few questions that I am trying to answer and have yet to find an answer.

A little about me first. I am not a dooms day prepper, but I did buy a Btech UV-5X3 for emergency situations. I dont really plan on making radios a hobby (at least not yet), but merely purchased the device for a real world emergency, loss of power, natural disaster situations, back up for camping/hunting when cell phone service may not be great etc...

Now, my quesitons:

1. In a true emergency, I read the 3-3-3 rule. Channel 3 for 3 minutes every 3 hours. Channel 3 referring to either MURS 3 or FRS/GMRS 3. Is that a good or bad rule of thumb?

2. If my buddies also have a radio and we wanted to communicate in an emergency, what is a good plan for that? Use an FRS/GMRS frequency on its own? Program in privacy tones? Pick an unused frequency?

3. Do privacy tones supply any type of actually privacy? For example, FRS 3 (462.61250) can be heard on any standard 2 way radio such as motorola, midland and so on. However, if we program privacy tones, do that make the conversation less likely to interfere with other users of the FRS 3 frequency? I understand it does not encrypt or scramble, I am just asking if it reduces the interference our conversation would cause on other FRS 3 conversations without our specific privacy tone.

4. How would I go about properly programming a privacy tone (if my question 3 is accurate). Do I do just the PL tone, or do I do a TSQL tone, or DTCS codes? I have been trying to learn but just cant wrap my head around the tones and codes aspect.

5. Is the radio I purchased an OK radio for emergency situations?

6. When importing frequencies from Radioreference.com, are those set up properly and can they be trusted. For example, are the offsets, PL tones, type of tone (tone, TSQL, DTCS), Mode (FM vs NFM), all set properly to upload to a radio and use/listen or will they need some finessing?

7. Do you have any other entry level advice for me (other than get my license)? I am looking into it and may do it in the future, but just getting into things and really dont intend on making this a hobby, but more of an emergency backup, SHTF type situation.

Thank you in advance for any assistance, answers, and/or advice you can supply.

Found some good info here: www.twowayradiobasics.com

 

[srbecker58]

Thanks everyone! In short, I have decided to go GMRS for now and get my GMRS license and buy some GMRS specific radios as to not break any laws with the BaoFeng radio. I do however plan to keep the BaoFeng as well.

 

[lbpd16]

What radio did you decide to go with?

 

[srbecker58]

I decided to return the Btech UV-5X3, purchased 2 cheaper Radioddity GM-30s for messing around with and have a Wouxun KG-905G on order as my main radio. All handheld currently. Might pick up a base or mobile in the future if I use it enough and the price is right...

 

[hill]

CBs can be either mobiles used in a vehicle or handheld units. Handhelds really don't work great in this frequency band, since the antenna really can't big enough to be effective at 27 MHz.

 

[srbecker58]

My main use is going to be camping/hiking but I also have a bunch of repeaters around I can hit so that's really what steered me to GMRS over other options.

 

[hill]

In order to use a GMRS you really need to contact whoever runs it to receive permission, prior to transmitting on it.

 

[srbecker58]

Yup. I got my license, contacted all local repeater owners, even open ones to ask permission and get the pl tones. So far, all have been accepting.