Radios for SHTF

[tnhawk]

Just from talking to the father in law and research online, the basic license is the technician and it gets you going. I read examples of people getting the tech and general on the same day.

After passing the technician test, you can take the general test immediately, without paying another test fee.  If the general exam is passed, you my follow it with the extra test.  I've seen an individual pass the three tests in one day, but it doesn't happen very often.

[TGO David]

It looks like everything posted requries a ham license. Does anyone have a suggestion for good short range radios. As I said im not looking to chabge my long distance, Im only looking for short range, small groups radios.

 

To be honest, a CB with a linear amp isn't really long range at all.  It may be in your definition, but a legal 2-meter radio has longer legs than that setup likely does.

[Spots]

It looks like everything posted requries a ham license. Does anyone have a suggestion for good short range radios. As I said im not looking to chabge my long distance, Im only looking for short range, small groups radios.
 
To be honest, a CB with a linear amp isn't really long range at all.  It may be in your definition, but a legal 2-meter radio has longer legs than that setup likely does.

Its long enough for what I need. I have tried it in the situations 8 w8ll be encountering and it has plenty of range. Im not trying to reach states away, I've done 50 miles with it and thats more than I'll ever need

Sent from the backwoods of Nowhere

[pegasusrider]

Until SHTF, you can't hand out radios and operate on any frequency without disregard to the other users unless you want to incur penalties.  

 

General Mobile Radio Service also known as GMRS is the most sensible radio system to invest in.  MURS is limited to 2 watts and 5 frequencies.   Repeaters are illegal on MURS. A Ham licenses does not cover individual family members, each must have their own license to transmit.   I know some people are using marine band non-commercial freqs on land and that is not legal. CB radio is prone to interference from skip during certain times of the year and sunspot cycle. FRS is a joke, those 3 inch antennas just don't radiate well, even if they have the higher power GMRS channels built in. These radios cannot even be used on a GMRS repeater, they are simplex only. 

 

GMRS mobiles and repeaters can operate up to 50 watts of power and there are no restrictions on antenna height.  Although the range on VHF is a little better, UHF GMRS signals penetrate buildings better and the signals bounce off buildings in urban environments.  There are 8 simplex freqs where 50 watts are allowed and 7 more simplex freqs for 5 watt handhelds.  A license is $85 for 5 years and covers immediate and extended family.  You can   put up your own GMRS repeater or may find someone nearby with one already on and willing to let you use it for sharing the cost or for nothing.

 

There are retired "wideband" only UHF radios that have flooded the used radio market in places like Ebay that can be bought for a song and reprogrammed for GMRS use. 

[piercedan]

Hey Spots, check these out :

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=330901951848&index=17&nav=SEARCH&nid=88521762214

[Spots]

Hey Spots, check these out :


http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=330901951848&index=17&nav=SEARCH&nid=88521762214

Perfecf

Sent from the backwoods of Nowhere

[enfield]

Those FRS radios are perfect for you.  Have fun!  :surrender:

[RichardR]

I've used a pair of Motorola GMRS/FRS handsets for 10+ years, they've taken a lot of abuse & have reliably slogged through some of the nastiest weather imaginable without any issues other than water damage washing out part of the display screen.

Anyway be prepared to be disappointed with the advertised 30 mile range BS, in real-life use range is limited, on one of the 1-watt GMRS channels they are good for about 2 miles in wooded or urban areas, on one of the .5-watt FRS channels it's about a mile range max, even less in hilly/mountianous areas where the earth itself blocks LOS (line of sight).

If you get a pair, get a pair that can both be recharged as well as replace the rechargeable pack out to accept/take regular AA batteries, not only is it a hassle to recharge out in the field, much easier & quicker to slap fresh batteries in & keep moving, besides once the internal/non-replaceable rechargeable packs go bad, you end up with a junk drawer full of dead but otherwise good radio sets like my BIL.

The rechargeable pack on my Motorola's died after about 2 years of regular use, so I've been using AA's in them exclusively now for the last 8-9 years.

Anyway a couple of other things I've learned is never use VOX (voice activated), always stick with PTT (push to talk), VOX is annoying to everyone else on the channel, especially if you've got a large group of people trying to communicate on the same channel & radio discipline with that much traffic is hard enough to keep up with as it is, without having to hear off-radio conversations, coughing, wind, etc and stuff.

Also subchannels & "privacy modes" are not the same thing as "secure comms" even radios with model specific encryption modes like some Motorola radios use can be easily picked up by other Motorola'swhich have the active channel scanning feature, but granted they are a bit more private than CB comms are.

Anyway all I can think of at the moment, g'luck Spots.