communication equipment

[chiak47]

What do you guys have?
I need a better shortwave, one that I can really fine tune...
I also need better 2 way radios.

What are your suggestions based on experience?

[swampdragon]

I don't have jack shit except cell phones.
I am truly lacking in this particular department badly.
Great idea for a thread!

I was looking at some 2-way Motorolas similar to what we used in convoys in the army.
I'll have to go search for them again on line.
It's been a while.

[abpt1]

Get your self a few cobra cb's from wallyworld for the cars buy a decent base set for the house and a SW .JIC

[ready]

I have some some 2 ways. Some Motorola and some Uniden. I can't seem to get them to talk to each other, though. I thought all walkies could communicate as long as they were on the same channel. I also have a shortwave but I can never seem to get it tuned into anything and even if I did, I can't transmit on it.

I sure hope my cellphone works when SHTF.

[El Laton Caliente]

On the low end the CB equipment is the way to go in my experience. Most of the little walkie-talkies, and I've had three sets, quit on you in no time. The industrial equipment that are intresically safe high end units and several hundred each, but will hold up for years. I've used mostly Motorola equipment industrially.

[swampdragon]

On the low end the CB equipment is the way to go in my experience. Most of the little walkie-talkies, and I've had three sets, quit on you in no time. The industrial equipment that are intresically safe high end units and several hundred each, but will hold up for years. I've used mostly Motorola equipment industrially.

My only commo experience dealt with SINCGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System) and hand-held Motorolas.
I have no experience with CB's at all.
I've never used those little Family Channel radios either.
I have no idea what is the best way to go for use as civilians, or why.

I hope this thread takes off with some good advice and ideas here.

[Sherman]

I have one of these http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...txvrs/3780.jpg
I went to a ham radio class that taught the Technician license that was given by the ARRL. If your interested in getting a ham radio license, you could go to the ARRL site http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training to get one. I plan on getting my General license some day.

[chiak47]

ELC brought the industrial Motorola's up and I never really considered them for my gear until today.

I have used Motorola GP300's on job sites and they work pretty good for the limited area we used them in.
The one's I used look like this...


But the newer ones look like this...


http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2635
The range here says 1.22 miles. Maybe a repeater can further the range of this model. Again... I know nothing about comms as far as how to further their limits.

FWIW...

Here is the current EBAY listings for this radio...
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...Motorola+GP300

Here is a listing and the guy claims he has more than 10 at $129.00+ $14.00 shipping
http://cgi.ebay.com/MOTOROLA-GP300-G...item518dc70e9f

All I really need is two radio's and a home base which IMO can be achieved for under $500. This particular Motorola can also use a ear piece which would work nice if you have your hands full..

Here is a rundown on the specs.
Description: 2 - 8 - 16 channel VHF of UHF Handheld transceiver. 5 Watts of power.


It looks as if you need to program the channels that you want into it and that looks like a hassle in itself or there are people who do that sort of thing as their career.

Also there is a local store here that has a BNIB midland CB radio for around $30.00 that I was eyeballing. I wonder if these Motorola's were compatible to something like that...

[El Laton Caliente]

The little family/deer lease radios (I think they are 10 meter) never seem to last me a year before a malfunction that is more costly to fix the buy more of the damn things. Like I said, I've been through three sets costing from $49.95 to $99.99 and none of them worked for very long of very well.

CB radios I've seen working when 20 years old or more. Come to thinnk about it, I've not too long ago saw a working TUBE model.

There is the grade of SW the HAMS use, ask HDR on those. They are/should be better than the CBs.

The commercial / industrial radios are similar what the military uses. Sealed high quality systems with repeaters and even sat as an option. The drawback here is they are out of most people's price range. A single hand unit is $600 to $1500 plus the base & repeater.

[chiak47]

The drawback here is they are out of most people's price range. A single hand unit is $600 to $1500 plus the base & repeater.

Did you take a look at the model I posted? Would a repeater work with that?

I have one of these http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...txvrs/3780.jpg

I take it you need a license for this particular model...Which leads me to this.
How do you like it and what brand/model is it?

[El Laton Caliente]

Yea, they will handle (really need) a repeater and base unit can be had. And yes these need a business radio licence which I know nothing about.

Sherman's link doesn't work for me.

Be very careful buying these used. Many are stolen and the are easy to trace when turned on!

[pit-sitter]

BTW- of course cell phones will not work when SHTF,
Hell, land lines probably won't work for long

[Sherman]

I take it you need a license for this particular model...Which leads me to this.
How do you like it and what brand/model is it?

Legally, yes you need a license. Licenses are not hard to get. Go to a class or study the ARRL study guide, find a place to take the test, pass it, get your license. Good for 10 years.
About the radio, It is handy on long trips when looking for some entertainment besides the regular radio. The only thing that I do not like about it, is the initial setup. It took me many hours of trial and error to finally get it the way I want.

[El Laton Caliente]

I'm going with CBs...

Advantages:
1. pretty reliable
2. spares & repairs readily available
3. decent performance
4. you can talk to the neighbors
5. any 12 volt power will operate or charge most units

Disadvantages
1. about anyone can listen in

[Mac_Muz]

I am not deep into this, since my hearing is poor, but i do have 2 cb radios in a little use. I can sort of chase my wife around and understand her meanings and practice hearing the sound on victim truckers when I get the chance. If there is a hand help radio set that works well for hearing impaired I'ld like to know. A range of say 6 miles in the hills?

In my gotta bug out dead last senario, I would pack up my gear, and take my wife to a selected place already selected just walking. I would range for wild weeds from there to conserve what is there now. Since Y2K I created a dozen caches, but still would want to leave them alone as much as possible. A radio to say 'it's me' so she don't place a 7.62 rnd between my lights could be handy. It might be possible to get a car battery into these places but i would have no way to charge it. Having a cb wouldn't run down a good battery if it wasn't used alot, but I would have no idea who I was talking too, and am not sure i like the idea for that.

HAM radio is way over my top. I couldn't power it with out noise. HAM or Cb I wouldn't be able to know if i could trust what I was hearing anyway.

[El Laton Caliente]

I am not deep into this, since my hearing is poor, but i do have 2 cb radios in a little use. I can sort of chase my wife around and understand her meanings and practice hearing the sound on victim truckers when I get the chance. If there is a hand help radio set that works well for hearing impaired I'ld like to know. A range of say 6 miles in the hills?

In my gotta bug out dead last senario, I would pack up my gear, and take my wife to a selected place already selected just walking. I would range for wild weeds from there to conserve what is there now. Since Y2K I created a dozen caches, but still would want to leave them alone as much as possible. A radio to say 'it's me' so she don't place a 7.62 rnd between my lights could be handy. It might be possible to get a car battery into these places but i would have no way to charge it. Having a cb wouldn't run down a good battery if it wasn't used alot, but I would have no idea who I was talking too, and am not sure i like the idea for that.

HAM radio is way over my top. I couldn't power it with out noise. HAM or Cb I wouldn't be able to know if i could trust what I was hearing anyway.

A solar charger is available for RVs and could charge a 12 volt battery enough to run / charge a CB.

[Prometheus168]

OK... as the resident HAM nerd lemme set you boys straight! GMRS and FRS radios are fine for Line of sight plus MAYBE another 1/2 mile or so. Under optimum conditions. The ones you see that advertise 7-10 mile ranges are from the top of a mountain transmitting to a receiver in a valley with a total unobstructed LOS. To extend the range you need a repeater and a tall place to put it, but wait.. that tall place needs to have, you guessed it, a pretty clear LOS, so forget that hill over near your bug out hide and think TOWER. That tower can be a water tower, a tall building, taller the better. I would suggest getting your HAM Tech license, and buy a Yaesu Vx-6R. This gives you a much better range due to its transmit power, custom frequency's, local repeaters that are already available, and a damn good radio.

I have a truck mounted Yaesu 857-D that gives me ability to transmit on any legal frequency (plus my General license) and a Vx7RB. Plus provisions to install my CB(just did not want to junk up the truck with more antennas)

Hope this helps....

Rusty

[Mac_Muz]

Yeah there is solar chargers, but don't have one right now, but the state does out on the highway. Will those work? LOL I got a nice gennie that runs on propane, but to run it on a bad day might be more trouble, or err bring more trouble than it's worth.

.............
GMRS?? FRS?
..............

Each one of us would have a different place to be and to attend.

I know my cb in the truck can reach out a few miles from the top of the mt where I once lived. Used it in a ice storm to make a phone call. Relayed to a guy, to another guy who made that call. I got my reply. Probably for me that was the best i could do and still depend on a stranger.

Asking if the sun is out in California , my being in NH isn't going to be all the usefull. But I am curious to know about what those in the know would do and so use a good radio for. My personal situation would be unlike most anyone else. I already live where everyone else wants to come to live in the woods and hunt their deer now. I don't like the city anyway so I sure as hell won't be packing up a cage and driving to any big city.

I won't wanna see any one from any city much either. Don't like that right now.

[Prometheus168]

GMRS/FRS are "Family band" radios

Rusty

[El Laton Caliente]

OK Rusty, here is what my goals are:

1. Outfit three highway vehicles,
2. Two or three tractors / ATVs,
3. Two or more hand held units
4. And a house base with 12 volt back up power.

Most of the use will be on 40 acres and the surrounding neighborhood, on the lake or vehicle to vehicle on the road.

I was looking at buying:

A higher end automotive CB with solar charger, 12 volt battery, 120 volt convertor-charger and roof mounted antenna. The lake is about 164' elevation and the house, on a hill, about 225' with the antenna at about 260' or more. There are no taller hills around within several miles.


Two mid-range CBs for the trucks.


Two of these:
http://www.gijoesradioelectronics.co...idCategory=121

for the small car and/or tractors/ATVs. Add a cigarette lighter plug and they are moved quickly.

And a couple handhelds:


I'd be looking at a grand plus and I'm not sure I want to part with more...