Hand held for SHTF and emergency use.

[cycleguy2300]

I will bugging in if things hit the fan. What would be recommended for a good home based " starter " radio for a pure novice?

My feelings are very mission driven.

I want to give me and my immediate family comms so if we are driving in 2x vehicles we can communicate without needing to have any outside infrastructure.

The second mission is to give me and a few buddies the ability to communicate as needed in a security roll.

If you have visions of talking to battle buddies while fighting a war, know it can be done, but keying up is like shining a big spot light into the sky and whoever the enemy is will be able to know EXACTLY where you are and call a fire mission on you within a few seconds. Know that encryption or being digital makes no difference here.

Надіслано з дому вашої мами за допомогою Tapatalk

 

[mogobodo]

I guess it depends on what you define as SHTF. Under my definition, most laws wouldn't be worth the paper they're written on. In that case, I wouldn't worry too much about FFC regs. I'd worry more about not dying.

I agree. There are various youtube tutorials that people have used for academic purposes that show you how to encrypt a baofeng if you were curious.

 

[hullhullhull]

How about a Beofang and operate on MURS frequencies at a power level under 2 watts? I think that would be legal and you would get reps using a radio that could give you more options during SHTF.

Or if that sounds too complicated, get a FRS radio and work within it’s performance constraints.

 

[deemus]

They work really good in wide open spaces with repeaters and simplex

They are not known for spectral purity like a Yaesu is.
In a more dense area like DFW there might be some bleed over but its all my son has and he is in Keller and we talk all the time from Abilene to there on a linked system with no problem

Can you provide a brief explanation of a linked system?

I briefly researched it, but the hands-on info on how to connect, etc. I didn't find.

Repeater, links, not sure how all that is related.

(obviously not an operator but am interested in learning more)

 

[vmax]

Can you provide a brief explanation of a linked system?

I briefly researched it, but the hands-on info on how to connect, etc. I didn't find.

Repeater, links, not sure how all that is related.

(obviously not an operator but am interested in learning more)

There are various networks of linked repeaters throughout the world
Most of them regional
NCTC is a good example
There is a repeater near Albany that is linked to other repeaters directly..usually within 50 to 75 miles range..either directly or thru RF connections
So if you can transmit to one of the repeaters..you are being heard on the whole system at the same time
That is how I can sit at my cabin...over 30 miles out south of Abilene and hit a repeater 47 miles away..which is linked thru a cain of connected repeaters that go all the way up through Plano and even into Oklahoma
My son sits in his house with a cheap handheld near Keller and we can communicate with each other

Some are linked thru internet connections also.
I stood on top of a ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park and talked to a guy in Florida using a 5 watt HT

If you got your HAM license and bought a $75 radio..you could talk to alot of forum members in the DFW and further out

 

[vmax]

GMRS is a good alternative to getting a HAM license
$35 for 10 years
No test
Its a family license..everyone in the house uses a single call sign

There are some repeaters around and i think you can use up to 25 watt radios for much longer distances

 

[deemus]

How do you connect to the repeaters? Do they just pick up a channel?

 

[gll]

How about a Beofang and operate on MURS frequencies at a power level under 2 watts? I think that would be legal and you would get reps using a radio that could give you more options during SHTF.

Or if that sounds too complicated, get a FRS radio and work within it’s performance constraints.

MURS transmission on a Baofeng is technically illegal, unless it's a FCC licensed Baofeng MURS. Same for FRS and GMRS.

 

[mogobodo]

There are various networks of linked repeaters throughout the world
Most of them regional
NCTC is a good example
There is a repeater near Albany that is linked to other repeaters directly..usually within 50 to 75 miles range..either directly or thru RF connections
So if you can transmit to one of the repeaters..you are being heard on the whole system at the same time
That is how I can sit at my cabin...over 30 miles out south of Abilene and hit a repeater 47 miles away..which is linked thru a cain of connected repeaters that go all the way up through Plano and even into Oklahoma
My son sits in his house with a cheap handheld near Keller and we can communicate with each other

Some are linked thru internet connections also.
I stood on top of a ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park and talked to a guy in Florida using a 5 watt HT

Now I know how to post my Walking Dead Terminus message on repeat when SHTF. Thanks, knowledge is power.

 

[vmax]

How do you connect to the repeaters? Do they just pick up a channel?

Repeaters have a up and down link frequency normally and a tone code that must be programed in to your radio this unlocks the repeater

It sounds complicated but its not
A repeater is just a radio..out on a hill with no operator
It hears you on a frequency and simultaneously blast out your transmission on an offset of the same frequency so others can hear and respond

 

[vmax]

Now I know how to post my Walking Dead Terminus message on repeat when SHTF. Thanks, knowledge is power.

Im not telling you anything you cant learn on YouTube

 

[studenygreg]

Not advocating for doing something illegal, just a question. Has anyone ever been charged or convicted for using a radio without a license?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[deemus]

Looking a these. Anyone have experience with these? Comments?


Amazon product ASIN B06Y2697RX

Amazon product ASIN B00JFJUCH8

 

[mongoose]

My feelings are very mission driven.

I want to give me and my immediate family comms so if we are driving in 2x vehicles we can communicate without needing to have any outside infrastructure.

The second mission is to give me and a few buddies the ability to communicate as needed in a security roll.

If you have visions of talking to battle buddies while fighting a war, know it can be done, but keying up is like shining a big spot light into the sky and whoever the enemy is will be able to know EXACTLY where you are and call a fire mission on you within a few seconds. Know that encryption or being digital makes no difference here.

Надіслано з дому вашої мами за допомогою Tapatalk

Basically my needs.

 

[Tnhawk]

How do you connect to the repeaters? Do they just pick up a channel?

A repeater receives a signal at its input frequency and transmits at a different frequency.

 

[gll]

Not advocating for doing something illegal, just a question. Has anyone ever been charged or convicted for using a radio without a license?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Not for just talking to someone... Yes, for interferring with other stations and for criminal activity using a radio.

 

[Maverick44]

Not advocating for doing something illegal, just a question. Has anyone ever been charged or convicted for using a radio without a license?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Yes, it's usually a heavy fine. From what I understand (which is very little), they tend to be doing something blatantly wrong and disruptive to incur the wrath of the FCC (more so, other ham operators who are the ones who usually contact the FCC).

 

[gll]

Yes, it's usually a heavy fine. From what I understand (which is very little), they tend to be doing something blatantly wrong and disruptive to incur the wrath of the FCC (more so, other ham operators who are the ones who usually contact the FCC).

Most of those things are illegal with a license...

 

[Tnhawk]

Looking a these. Anyone have experience with these? Comments?


Amazon product ASIN B06Y2697RX

Amazon product ASIN B00JFJUCH8

Yaesu makes an excellent quality radio. I've used mine since obtaining my license twelve years ago. The battery on a Yaesu is more expensive than a Beofang radio. As I said earlier, you get what you pay for. The improper use of a radio in the aircraft band could result in Federal prison time.

 

[Tnhawk]

How about a Beofang and operate on MURS frequencies at a power level under 2 watts? I think that would be legal and you would get reps using a radio that could give you more options during SHTF.

Or if that sounds too complicated, get a FRS radio and work within it’s performance constraints.

I witnessed the problems of using Beofang radios operating on a MURS frequency recently during a training exercise at Camp Shelby. The amount of disruption from others, using a MURS frequency, made it necessary to use alternate frequencies. While I don't know the power level being used, the interference was almost certainly from outside the boundaries of the military installation.