Newbie question need info pleas. ok a friend a i do lots of hunting ,and what we do is set up base camp with a outfitters tent .Now we need radios ,vhf radios we want good coverage ,good reception now we want a radio in base camp one in each of our truck and each a portable ,now i know that HAM radio and comercial are bought vhf what will give us better coverage or will they both be equal?? what should we go with ?
VHF radio
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tunnelmot
Member
Depends on how much effort and money you want to invest to get your comms set up.
You are correct about VHF...good choice for outdoors/woodsy settings.
For a full base setup (assume you have commercial/generator power) any VHF mobile powered by a power supply should allow you to reach out. Since were talking VHF, then you would need to get your Ham radio licences. Not a big deal, but everybody in your group will have to get their tickets.
For a license free alternative, you gould go with MURS, but you will be limited to 5 watts of power, but you can put up a base antenna, and even get commercial mobiles (cranked down to 5 watts of course) but with some planning and taking your time,ith antennasoax/etc, you can be surprised how far you can reach. The mobiles andbase may have to relay messages for the handhelds, but you should be able to keep up with everybody.
(I beleive the 2 high channels are wide deviation and 5 watt but correct me if I;m wrong...I need to go to bed. Getting googly-eyed staring at these forums)
Good night,
Rich
You are correct about VHF...good choice for outdoors/woodsy settings.
For a full base setup (assume you have commercial/generator power) any VHF mobile powered by a power supply should allow you to reach out. Since were talking VHF, then you would need to get your Ham radio licences. Not a big deal, but everybody in your group will have to get their tickets.
For a license free alternative, you gould go with MURS, but you will be limited to 5 watts of power, but you can put up a base antenna, and even get commercial mobiles (cranked down to 5 watts of course) but with some planning and taking your time,ith antennasoax/etc, you can be surprised how far you can reach. The mobiles andbase may have to relay messages for the handhelds, but you should be able to keep up with everybody.
(I beleive the 2 high channels are wide deviation and 5 watt but correct me if I;m wrong...I need to go to bed. Getting googly-eyed staring at these forums)
Good night,
Rich
VHF radios
Only problem, is that transmitting on Ham Bands without a License OR out of the Ham Bands with Ham radios in any case is blatantly illegal and you could end up with the Radio-Mounties on your case!
Same goes for Marine Radios on land. These are US FCC rules, but assume Alberta has similar?
If there is an equivalent to Business-radio or MURS VHF bands where you are, that would be safer and legal and keep Sgt Preston and King off your trail..
Mac
Only problem, is that transmitting on Ham Bands without a License OR out of the Ham Bands with Ham radios in any case is blatantly illegal and you could end up with the Radio-Mounties on your case!
Same goes for Marine Radios on land. These are US FCC rules, but assume Alberta has similar?If there is an equivalent to Business-radio or MURS VHF bands where you are, that would be safer and legal and keep Sgt Preston and King off your trail
.. Mac
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Thanks for info guys so i guess i could get a ham radio course , so are ham radios stronger than 5 watts ,and yes we will have a generator for power at our base camp,and how well will portables work out there woodsy area , like from portable to portable and also from portable to base
Make sure to take note of the game laws too. I know that around here there are limits on communications used in conjunction with hunting activities.
slicerwizard
Member
Portable to base? How tall are you willing to make your base antenna?
chrismol1
Active Member
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If you ever wanted to put in a base radio or mobile in your truck, you would need a license from the authorities up there, or find out what you can and cant do from your government. it all depends on your government laws, you would need to apply for a license if you want a high power base and mobile.
you can probably find some kind of VHF license free radios up there
you can probably find some kind of VHF license free radios up there
Not Motorola specific so moved to GenScan.
Unless you're interested in Amateur Radio as a hobby, learning experience and experimenting forget it PLEASE! The last thing we need is a bunch of klutzy CBers cluttering up the bands annoying everyone, what we need is people with a serious interest in radio communications, not hunting alone. If that is your primary aim and all you're seeking is radio facilitation please seek other means.
I second the motion.
PHOENIX_SCANNER
Member
As if what hams talk about is so important and earth shattering that someone lacking in proper radio etiquette need not apply, LFMAO.
Whenever I want to listen to something truly boring (I am talking about something more boring than listening to walmart comms here), I click on the ham radio scanlist.
Really, and truly, 99% of what I hear is people just working their butts off, trying to think of something to say just to have a reason to key up. The usual conversation goes something like this:
Person 1: "Yep, I'm just driving down main street coming back from the electronics store, how do I sound?"
Person 2: "You sound great. Is that your new handheld?:
Person 1: "Yep, I just finished taking it apart yesterday and putting a different colored case on it. I sold another one just like it on ebay last week and am getting a great reputation. Now another guy wants me to mod his radio just like mine"
Person 2: "Yeah those radios sure do look nice. How am I coming through?"
Person 1: "You are sounding good, is that your new microphone?"
Person 2: "Yep. I found it at the last hamfest and finally hooked it up. They don't make them like this anymore"
Person 1: "Yep. I talked to Sam today and he just bought a new radio too."
Person 2: "Yep. I heard that from George today. He was on the west repeater. I heard he bought one of those Chinese radios for $40 off ebay and the DTMF doesn't work correctly half the time."
Person 1" "Oh well, that's what you get for buying Chinese junk radios. He should have spent the money and bought a real one."
Person 2: "Well, I'm gonna go get something to eat now, we'll talk again tomorrow. Well, anyway, you take care now..."
Person 1: "OK, have a good night (callsign)".
Person 2: "You too now. (callsign)".
(***Edited for brevity; the actual conversation would take up about two more pages, but would say little more than what I posted above.)
And don't any of you even try telling me this is in any way an exaggeration, because you know as well as I do that it isn't. I have never in my life heard a more generally useless series of conversations as what I hear on the ham bands. I literally use that scanlist to go to sleep to when I am having a hard time sleeping, no lie.
Is it a cool hobby? Sure. And it expands the mind, no doubt, as well as being of assistance sometimes in emergencies. So don't get me wrong, I can respect the hobby for what it is.
But the level of discourse is only different from CB'ers in that there isn't any cussing and they use callsigns, and are a bit calmer. As far as deep meaning or real importance, eh, no.
So I find it more than a little ironic that hams tend to be so "stuck up" about those among the great unwashed joining their ranks. It would seem that you could use support. And maybe it wouldn't hurt to actually teach the new people a few things and help them out. Then again, most hams I know are a rather grumpy and anti-social bunch.
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That was an impressive representation of the typical ham qso. Accurate, too, I must say. I know... I participate in conversations of that level daily.
But really... you missed the point. The protectionism you see from hams is because we have a good... no, a great thing going. And there are people who get licensed so they can make use of the utility aspect of it, you know, as a means of communications. A lot of boaters fall into this category, to use just one example. Many of them learn the rules, and are an asset to the hobby. They use one hobby to enhance another.
And then there are people who need something for their buddies to communicate with. They're not interested in rules, they're not interested in radio as an art, or a hobby, or learning anything about it. They just need to talk, and they just need a frequency to talk on. They are not necessarily an asset to the hobby. There are other services that are well suited to that particular need.
So, are we "stuck up"? Ok... you can look at us that way if you wish. I've been called worse.
'round here we just pick up both mobile and hand held vhf marine radios. good prices on ebay with good power
and range.
there's enough channels and being "inland" you don't have t worry about interfearing with any marine traffic.
N
N_Jay
Guest
You should at least let the person know they would be violating federal laws when you give out such valuable advice.:roll:
N_Jay, haven't you figured out by now that nobody cares about your constant screaming "that's illegal!"?
Forget about VHF HAM or Marine radios. Use FRS/GMRS or CB SSB.
N
N_Jay
Guest
One: I am not SCREAMING, as THIS WOULD BE SCREAMING, and this is not.
Two: That fact that some are vocal in the fact they don't care, does not mean all don't care. (And some here say I think I am a "know it all"?? You just inferred that you "know it all" on this topic. Go figger. :roll::roll
Three: The fact that some (not all, unless you have competed a statistically valid survey) don't care, does not mean that others should not be informed.
Good day,
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