Newbie Here Doing Research

[Texas_Flood]

Hello,

Name is Alex, I came across this forum after many YouTube videos referenced this site as a place for knowledge and resources. I became interested in ham radio watching many overland videos. Considering I am looking into overlanding myself, I thought it would be useful and fun to get myself acquainted with the hobby. I recently started studying the technician class and will take the test as soon as I am confident enough to go for it. As far as "equipment" goes I went with a Baofeng BF-F8HP (3rd Gen) handheld with a Nagoya NA-771 antenna. I know it's not the best thing out there but I'll get the "Gucci gear" as I become more interested and decide just how much time and use I'll get out of the gear. Per the threads I've already searched, I looked up some local ham radio clubs and will be looking into getting more information from them as well as this forum. I have already found it to be quite useful and informative.

What I know so far:
Not much. First thing I did was charge the Baofeng to full battery and put the Nagoya on. I did watch some youtube videos on how to program the handheld so I used the proper cord and Chirp to program NOAA, FRS, GMRS, 2-meter and 70cm frequencies. So far all I've been able to pickup is the NOAA station but I haven't messed with the radio beyond downloading from Chirp. A book that I saw a lot was 2018-2022 Technician Class by Gordan West and I just started reading yesterday. Any further information y'all could send my way would be greatly appreciated. Other than the book and this website I've been looking at other online educational sources like ARRL. I look forward to see what this hobby has to offer and the journey it will provide. I'll post some info below in case y'all need the info to help out.

Radio: Baofeng BF-F8HP
Antenna: Nagoya NA-771 15.6"
Location: El Paso County, El Paso, Texas

 

[mmckenna]

Welcome,

For overlanding use, you really will eventually want a mobile radio with a good antenna. A cheap handheld is a good starting point, but will quickly show its limitations.

Contacting your local amateur radio clubs is a good start. Some should offer periodic training and license testing. If they don't, keep looking. Local clubs are also a good way to get in touch with those around you. When you get your license, you'll want to get some practice in making contacts, having friends there to help will be beneficial. The Gordon West books are a good start, but it'll be easier if you have someone to answer questions as you go. If you learn best by reading, then it's a good choice. If you learn better by doing, then working with others might be a better option. All depends on your learning style.

As for the mobile...
If you want the radio for making contacts while on the trail, maybe calling for assistance, or talking to others with you, a mobile can be a much better choice. The big issue is that your vehicle is a big enclosed metal box, and trying to transmit from inside a metal box isn't going to work out very well. You really need the antenna outside the vehicle, mounted high and up in the clear. It should be powered directly off the vehicle battery, not tapped into existing wiring. You'll want a good loud speaker attached to it. Most have a speaker built in, but some can be pretty weak. A large speaker will help with intelligibility. The mobile antenna needs to be permanently mounted on top of the vehicle for best performance.

You will often see the BaoFeng's referred to as "CCR's" or "Cheap Chinese Radios". Some people love them, most hate them. You'll discover why as you progress in the hobby. They are a good starting radio, a good "throw away/disposable" radio, but ultimately you'll want something easier to program. BaoFeng and the other CCR's make mobile radios, but I'd discourage those. Get a good Icom, Kenwood or Yaesu radio if you are going to take the time to mount it in your vehicle. Easier to program, higher quality and better performance. If you are serious about the overlanding, you'll really want that. You wouldn't put cheap tires on your trail rig, so don't skimp on the radio, especially if it's something you might rely on in the long run.

As for emergency use, relying on amateur radio can really be hit and miss. I've tried to use amateur radio a few times for emergencies, but it failed 3 out of 3 times. Relying on hobbyists to be there listening isn't a good idea. Part of your kit should include a PLB, or a Personal Locator Beacon. These are a device that when activated sends your GPS location up to satellites and down to dedicated Rescue Coordination Centers. They are strictly for emergency use, but are pretty much guaranteed to get you help if needed. Also look into the SPOT! brand products.

As a responsible radio user, something you need to be aware of, and I bring this up because there is a whole lot of misinformation on the internet, especially on the Overlanding websites….
Radios need to be "Type Accepted" by the FCC to be legal. The Type Acceptance is specific to different radio services. It's basically a certification for the transmitter that says it meets the various requirements set forth by the FCC for a specific radio service. The CCR's are notorious for being sold without the correct certifications. While it's unlikely anyone will know, as someone who is pursuing their amateur radio license, it's always good to start off on the correct side of the rules.
-These radios cannot be legally used to transmit on FRS. The radio design has a few features that would not allow it to receive FCC Type Certification, specifically power level that is too high, adjustable by the end user, and having a removable antenna. Don't use those radios on FRS if you like to be on the right side of the FCC.
-I'm not sure about that specific radio and GMRS, but GMRS has it's own set of rules and not all these radios meet the FCC requirements.
-Same goes for Marine VHF channels, public safety channels (you -cannot- transmit on those under any circumstances), etc.
The Chinese manufacturers do not care about the rules/laws of the United States, so they have no qualms about selling these things to consumers that are not aware of the rules/laws. Lots of hobbyists will tell you "it doesn't matter", but it does. Yeah, the FCC isn't going to come and chase you down, but like I said, it's always good to start off on the right side of the law.
A good radio for amateur radio use, and it's totally OK to use it as a receiver, just don't put a lot of faith in those things.

Overlanding and Amateur Radio are a great combination. I do a lot of UTV riding and everyone I ride with has their amateur radio licenses. All of us have permanently mounted radios in our buggies with antennas mounted on the roll bars. I'd not go out riding without a radio ever again, they are a life saver.

Good luck and enjoy the hobby!

 

[Texas_Flood]

Hey mmckenna,

Thanks for the welcome and the info! As I progress I'm sure I'll end up getting something like a kenwood tm-v71a with an antenna mounted to the leitner cargo rack I plan on putting in the back of a tacoma. The PLB is something that comes up a lot in the overlanding videos. Although I don't plan on going solo it certainly is an item I would like to get as well. It's kinda hard to weed through a lot of the antenna's that are cheap knock offs so any reputable vendors would help. I figured I could keep the baofeng in a pack just in case I need it, possibly on a paramotor if practical and simple line of sight. I tend to wonder off too far from the truck sometimes, especially if I'm somewhere new. I've been scanning the channels but haven't caught anything so far. Hopefully tomorrow will have some better activity around the scheduled times as I would like to listen in. I say I want it just for overlanding but knowing me I'll probably end up with a gucci shed.

 

[W5lz]

Amateur radio is a fun hobby all by it's self and if you are interested in it by all means get that license. Having said that, I think thre are a few other things you should also consider. What do other 'overlanders' use? If you intend talking to them and at least get in the same band, a handheld, or radio of any kind is sort of useless, right?
Mounting the radio and antenna <-- the difficult thingy, can get complicated, sort of. Certainly not impossible, but 'different'. Depending on the terrain, you can almost count on knocking the antenna around/off. Is that a 'killer' right there? Nope, but you will learn all of those cuss words pertaining to radio stuff! (Never turn down education!)
Weather is another one of those 'thingies' to keep in mind. Radios don't particularly like getting wet. Wrapping the thing to keep water out is a nice idea, but it also won't allow heat to get out and radios don't like heat either. So just mount the thing under the seat or whatever, right? Okay, but how do you see the thing then?
Lots of 'catches', right? BUT, nothing you can't 'get around'...

 

[nd5y]

I've been scanning the channels but haven't caught anything so far.

Depending on how far you are from the RF volcano known as Mt. Franklin your CCR might be overloaded from all the TV, FM and other stuff up there. Putting a better antenna on it could make it worse so don't be surprised if it can't hear weak signals.. The stock antenna could actually be better.

 

[mmckenna]

Hey mmckenna,

Thanks for the welcome and the info! As I progress I'm sure I'll end up getting something like a kenwood tm-v71a with an antenna mounted to the leitner cargo rack I plan on putting in the back of a tacoma.

The Kenwood would be a good choice. Just remember, always pull power for the radio from the battery, always.
As for the antenna, you have to be careful with cargo racks. Most antennas require a ground plane under them, and cargo rack mounting can be a problem. For optimum performance, you want the antenna in the center of a ground plane with at least 1/4 wavelength (19inches at 2 meter band) of metal in all directions extending out from directly under the mount. Usually what I see is the antenna gets mounted at the front, side or rear of the rack, and that will work, but create a lopsided radiation pattern. In other words, you'll have directions where the antenna doesn't work as well. You also want the antenna well out in the clear, not up against anything conductive, like coolers (full of cans) metal jerry cans, etc.
Ideal location is center of the cab roof with a permanent NMO mount through the body.
As for antennas, skip the amateur radio/hobby grade antennas, go with name brand commercial stuff. Larsen NMO mounts are my favorite, been using them for 30 years. As for an antenna, the Larsen NMO-2/70 is a popular choice.
Done right, it'll outlast your vehicle. I've got 30 year old Larsen antennas I'm running.
Using the right stuff won't be a problem off road. I run a Polaris Ranger UTV and have an antenna mounted on the top of the roll cage. The antenna has a spring base and is well mounted. I've hit tree branches at 35-40mph and suffered no issues, other than a very light bend at the very tip of the whip. Hobby grade antennas won't survive that kind of stuff, and that's what I learned 30 years ago.

The PLB is something that comes up a lot in the overlanding videos. Although I don't plan on going solo it certainly is an item I would like to get as well.

A PLB is the "right tool for the job" if you are looking for emergency help. Usually everyone in our group is a long active amateur radio operator, and even we all know that the PLB is the right tool for the job and that relying on hobbyists to be there in an emergency isn't a wise idea. Someone in your group should have one. You can get them for around $200, but they'll save your life.

It's kinda hard to weed through a lot of the antenna's that are cheap knock offs so any reputable vendors would help.

Larsen, Laird, Antenex, Maxrad are really the only ones you should be looking at.
Do NOT put a Cheap Chinese Antenna or amateur radio grade/hobby grade antenna on an overlanding rig, it's just asking for trouble. Avoid Browning, Tram, Diamond, anything you buy at a ham radio shop, anything with a name you cannot pronounce.
The antenna is the most important part of your setup. I'd rather have a cheap radio and an expensive antenna than an expensive radio and a cheap antenna...

I figured I could keep the baofeng in a pack just in case I need it, possibly on a paramotor if practical and simple line of sight. I tend to wonder off too far from the truck sometimes, especially if I'm somewhere new.

Always good to have a portable. Only issue with packing them away for an "emergency" is making sure the batteries will be good when you need them.