CB or Marine VHF

Technician · Jun 10, 2015

Trying to figure out what everyone is using to communicate on the trail?

bgredjeep · Jun 10, 2015

CB is going to be the most common. One of the guys here bought a pallet of retired emergency service handhelds and mobiles and sold them to the group. These are awesome imo. The handheld I got is 5 watt Motorola, has great range, and really clear sound. The mobiles (mounted in a vehicle) are something like 50 watt. He programmed them to a proper freq range and we can all communicate.

Here's an example you can program to match, but everyone you want to talk with will have to get a similar type of radio.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MAULSOK/ref=pd_aw_sbs_422_1?refRID=1KKPXNJJSR8FWY3V34NH

cumminsontherocks · Jun 11, 2015

We need to figure this out before windrock Whit!

Technician · Jun 11, 2015

cumminsontherocks said:
We need to figure this out before windrock Whit!

Y'all do. I will not be at windrock

zjtrey · Jun 11, 2015

cumminsontherocks said:
We need to figure this out before windrock Whit!

When ya'll gonna be at WR?

1tfrot · Jun 11, 2015

I'll have a CB in the buggy, but I also carry 2 handhelds from rugged radios. gonna test them for the first time this saturday at the dunes

June dog · Jun 11, 2015

Cb and old school bull whip. Love it. I just wish everyone else had one . Makes it nice being able to talk going down the trail.

jta · Jun 11, 2015

The Baofeng is cool but technically you need to be a HAM to use them. I have a couple of them but haven't really used them yet.

Rockwells607 · Jun 15, 2015

I have a hand held, thought it was gonna be great... It's been drove over , lost 10 times , batteries are alwAys dead, bouncing around the floor board, if it had a chord and was attached it wouldnt be lost or drifting around ... I quit useing it

poolman · Jun 15, 2015

A buddy I ride with installs VHF radios for a living and he gave me one to put in my rig. Without a doubt the best way to go. We can talk clear as a bell 10-15 miles away :****:

kushKrawlin · Jun 16, 2015

I just always holler really loud. Thoght Bout cb but no one I ride with has one. Would be cool I think. It looks like it would be when I see about 20 JK's in a line talkin anyways ... I even thought bout a set of Walky talkys for when riding with a buddy that don't have a cb. Dam It just hit me... This could really help when I'm lost as ****... Could Ya talk from one side of a park to another? I have no clue how far they reach. I'm out on the whip antenna. There's just somthing that won't let me do that. No way

Neal3000 · Jun 16, 2015

Isn't it an fcc violation to use marine bands for non-marine use?

ecoast · Jun 16, 2015

Re:

Correct... But I don't think uncle Charlie will come door knocking...

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

jta · Jun 16, 2015

If you really want to get out you need a HAM set up. Those little boafeng radios talk way farther than a cb even with the stock little anntena. You could really get out with a mobile unit. We got our HAM license through a local jeep club.

poolman · Jun 16, 2015

kushKrawlin said:
I just always holler really loud. Thoght Bout cb but no one I ride with has one. Would be cool I think. It looks like it would be when I see about 20 JK's in a line talkin anyways ... I even thought bout a set of Walky talkys for when riding with a buddy that don't have a cb. Dam It just hit me... This could really help when I'm lost as ****... Could Ya talk from one side of a park to another? I have no clue how far they reach. I'm out on the whip antenna. There's just somthing that won't let me do that. No way

Fawk a cb. If you can't see them with a cb you can't talk to them in the mountains. VHF is a good radio you'll never be lost. And if I'm early or late I can talk to anyone and find out where there at. I can talk on 90% or better of all places at Harlan, and it's big, 7k or better I've been told. For those that know I pulled in at Putney and talked clearly to guys at mason jar. It's a good ways away

Caver Dave · Jun 17, 2015

jta said:
but technically you need to be a HAM to use them.

Correct. While there aren't roving bands of FCC Nazi's ready to pounce on folks for unlicensed use... others will triangulate your location, drop the dime, and the FCC will show up PDQ. That does happen often and the penalties are huge (think 5-figure$) and/or time in the pokey. Spending a few hours & $12-15 to be legal is a no-brainer.
Stupid simple to get your license. I used a couple of online study tools, mostly rules/regs, but some light electrical theory. When you consistently get 85% correct on the practice tests, go take the real test and get your ticket. We regularly have kids take & pass their HAM Technician exam... the last I remember was 6 y/o.

jta said:
Those little boafeng radios talk way farther than a cb even with the stock little anntena. You could really get out with a mobile unit.

My Baofeng F-11 will reach repeaters 30-40 miles away on the stock antenna and with a mag-mount car antenna about double that... on 5 watts. Have a mobile unit (10/25/50watts) that will really reach the beach

K4ICK