Emergency Communications? Ham Radio?

[Outerspace]

Oh, and good call on the Mobile. I want thru the same thing you are now when I started.

Can't beat a good mobile install. More power, better antenna and no hassles.

The hand held in the car was a money pit. Glad you didn't get too far along that road. For the price of a cheap amp, you can have a great 2 meter mobile. And it works better too.

Don't ask how I know this.

Roof is best with an NMO. Fender is a little directional. Not enought to worry about. Just don't transmit on high power with someone standing next to the antenna.

S

 

[ScottBailey]

Why is fender mount better?

 

[HERR42]

it isnt. roof mount is best.

roof mount is higher and most importantly, centered over "ground"

 

[Outerspace]

it isnt. roof mount is best.

roof mount is higher and most importantly, centered over "ground"

That's what I meant.

I'd take a good, well bonded fender mount over a mag mount on the roof.

My Kenwood 270 with a fender mount kills the kenwood 71a with a mag on the roof on 2 meters. Glad I waited on punching holes in the roof as I just got an ATC. The dual bander antenna will go on the other fender.

Thanks Herr42 for the clarification.

S

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

I think it is better to let this thread float and let the other thread sink...

So now, I am leaning toward a 2m 'rig' so that I don't have to drive around in a rolling antenna farm. (In other words, why have all those bands available on the FT-8900R if they're all dead air?)

Which of the three most common maufacturers are recommended? (And yes, I've been to eham.net...)

 

[davinski]

Mark:

I think all the modern 2m rigs are pretty good. I've tended toward the Yaesu brand but I think they will all do well. I have an old 2m 2800 that is built like a tank and has been in 3 cars. Even use it in rental cars. Just get a good antenna and mount it up high. That is probably more important than most other things. I have had both comet and diamond antennas. A little more expensive, but they have lasted. I am sure others will do. Be sure to run power from your battery, consider some filtering, and a nice strong ground lead.

Good luck

dave

 

[HERR42]

Mark:

I think all the modern 2m rigs are pretty good. I've tended toward the Yaesu brand but I think they will all do well. I have an old 2m 2800 that is built like a tank and has been in 3 cars. Even use it in rental cars. Just get a good antenna and mount it up high. That is probably more important than most other things. I have had both comet and diamond antennas. A little more expensive, but they have lasted. I am sure others will do. Be sure to run power from your battery, consider some filtering, and a nice strong ground lead.

Good luck

dave


he's right, all are good. i too have a 2800. got it new for $120 and a hustler 5/8 wave NMO mag mount for $35.

i will get a all band radio, probably an icom 7000 in the future.

one thing that really caught me off guard was that while in humboldt county there were plenty of repeaters to contact but no one was on them! unbelievable! eventually folks were on....but the activity level in some places is surprisingly low. oh well. in any event a 2m rig is far better than any cb set. i have a rci 2970 and will sell it once i get a radio for the garage. i move the 2800 to the vehicle when traveling.
i built a 2m ground plane and put that up outside the garage and yak on that when stuck at home.

one thing that you might entertain is that some rigs can be set up as repeaters. this gives you the ability to use the truck's rig as a repeater ... a big benefit if you carry a hand held HT....they are usually low power devices. if you plan on putting an HT on your belt while hiking this feature could be useful.

 

[davinski]

Herr42 is right, the fact that you can use a dual band radio to repeat out of is quite nice. I use this when I have the HT with me and have the time to look up the local repeaters. I have found that in much of WA and OR that often the repeaters are operational, but no one ever responds to a general call. I am sure that If I called a 'Mayday' they might come on, but often I will listen to repeaters and hear nothing but the hourly chime, if at all. Same in BC.

In Cali, often i was on the Condor Connection. Holy smokes, busy busy busy and always someone. 220 down there made a lot of sense and I often talked with my father from all over the state down to LA. Really was amazing.

When out in the backcountry, I notice that we usually can't get out on any repeaters if we are in a valley or such. Rarely do we have a camp on a ridge, and that makes it tough to get out. Sometimes I'll walk up a ridge, but in an emergency that might be the only way to go with just 2m. Often now, I just put the 2m on the calling frequency and see what happens. Often, get a few local QSOs with a some locals or some of the travelers who do the same. My point is that it can be very lonely on VHF/UHF.

I was thinking of taking the yaseu 2800 and putting a modem and GPS on it to turn it into an APRS radio. We'll see how time permits such. Have all the parts. Just find the time!!

Talk Soon

Dave

 

[rich]

Great topic guys,

Over the years guiding I have found myself in some of the most remote places in the country on rivers and on foot. I have never carried anything for communications and always relied on ingenuity to get through. There have been several times when emergencies have happened where a communication device would have been nice. I have also looked into SPOT and a SAR guy on REI.com gave a great review of why not to buy one here:

http://www.rei.com/product/766529

He highly recommends 406 MHZ EPIRBS and PLB's. These run into the $500 to $700 range and are one way communication only but are truly reliable anywhere in the US according to his review and many others I've read online including on NOAA's site. One of these isn't in my budget right now but I'm looking at some remote Alaska travel, Grand Canyon rafting and some backcountry wheelin in the not so near future that may make it a worthwhile purchase.

Just another idea to add to the pot.

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Don't know if this info would help out, but I'm running a Yaesu FT-857D in my truck, with the ATAS-120 mounted to a specialized fender mount that actually attaches to the hinge of the hood of the truck. Places the antenna right up near the cab, but it also allows me to see if it's up or down depending on the band I'm using. One thing I found was that there was a clearance issue on the mount, to resolve this I got a Wilson Fire Ring Cable, routed it down through the fender and in with the rubber boot to the door frame. The mount for the ATAS is a SO-239 connection, so I took a typical 3/8-24 to SO-239 Antenna mount and reversed it on the fender mount, with the SO-239 on top, and the fire ring underneath the mount. Then I was able to just fit a brass 3/8-24 Jam Nut in there to hold the antenna mount to the bracket. Add a thick 1" rubber O ring to the top of the mount, screw on the ATAS, and tunes up perfecctly to what the radio commands.

I got the mount for my GMC from Weare CB, here's the web address:

http://www.wearecb.com/store/accessories-unlimited-augm2-l-s-s-hood-channel-mobile-antenna-mount-gmc-chevy-p-452.html

The cable was from them also, and the 3/8-24 to SO-239 mount was a typical Radioshack off the shelf part in the CB section.


One big thing is to make sure you have a good ground with your antenna and radio. A good ground will help your system to be more efficient, and less chances for spurious emmisions and RFI problems in the truck. (Had a 97 Chevy 1500, couldn't transmit more than 10 W on 2 meters without the computer shutting the engine down, tracked it to a bad ground strap under the CPU of the truck, and after grounding the radio with a second ground, RFI problem disappeared)

Good Luck
73
Matt NA1Q/Mobile

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

FYI-


Yaesu FT-2800M purchased from Gigaparts this morning, plus software, cable, antenna, quick ref. card, and 3 yr warranty. Free shipping for >$200 orders. I added 2nd day for a measly $28, so I should be on air for the pop-up bowl.

Kf5deg

 

[chnlisle]

I'm considering getting another CB. I currently use an icom UHF for truck to truck but I thought a CB might be a good back up and in the boonies Pam enjoys listening to Red Neck radio now and then. I've had them in the past hardwired in but I'm thinking a portable now. Any thoughts?

 

[craig333]

My Radio Shack portable worked quite well for listening. Hard on batteries if you transmitted much. Unfortunately I loaned it out a lot to people who didnt' have a radio. Forgot to get it back from the last one. Range varies widely. From almost nothing to over ten milies across ridge tops.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

I made my first 'contact' last night working with the Spring, TX, repeater (147.300 MHz). I set the PL (or CTCSS) tone to 151.4, closed the switch and said, "This is KF5DEG. I am wondering if anybody can hear me?" About three seconds later somebody responded (I neglected to write down his call sign).

So now, I'm wondering, "How do you talk to somebody without a repeater? Say, for instance, I have an emergent situation-- how do I signal it?"

KF5DEG

 

[CJinCA]

I made my first 'contact' last night working with the Spring, TX, repeater (147.300 MHz). I set the PL (or CTCSS) tone to 151.4, closed the switch and said, "This is KF5DEG. I am wondering if anybody can hear me?" About three seconds later somebody responded (I neglected to write down his call sign).

So now, I'm wondering, "How do you talk to somebody without a repeater? Say, for instance, I have an emergent situation-- how do I signal it?"

KF5DEG


You do it directly on frequency, aka simplex. Just announce that you have an emergency call for help. The national simplex frequency for 2 meters is 146.52 and if I'm scanning, it's on the list no matter the locale. Local areas also have favorite simplex frequencies that you can find out about when chatting on repeaters or local HAM club websites often have lists of local frequencies.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

You do it directly on frequency, aka simplex. Just announce that you have an emergency call for help. The national simplex frequency for 2 meters is 146.52 and if I'm scanning, it's on the list no matter the locale. Local areas also have favorite simplex frequencies that you can find out about when chatting on repeaters or local HAM club websites often have lists of local frequencies.

Thanks for that, CeeJ. I started to realize what you wrote m'self, but I am leery of experimenting with the shared airspace without getting confirmation from some Elmer-like dude.

I guess that makes...

you da' man!

 

[ScottBailey]

Mark,

Have you mounted your rig yet? I'd love to see where you put it...

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Mark, Have you mounted your rig yet? I'd love to see where you put it...

Not being all that into HAM radio, I for now am just taking it out of the box and hooking it up whenever I feel the need to use it. I'm not at all sure I want a parasite attached to my vehicle all the time.

 

[davinski]

mark,

After you take the radio out a few times, you will probably just want to leave it in. I'd mount it, maybe supply a nice cut off switch if you worry about parasites, and use. I talk a lot while on the road to pass the time. Either, on repeaters, or just on simplex 146.52. Enjoy, talk a lot!

de n0xlw
dave

 

[CJinCA]

Thanks for that, CeeJ. I started to realize what you wrote m'self, but I am leery of experimenting with the shared airspace without getting confirmation from some Elmer-like dude.

I guess that makes...

you da' man!


Glad I could help. Enjoy the radio.