Entry level radio comm set up

[Tnhawk]

With your ham license, a good 2m mobile set up as a base and decent antenna up about 30’, or more, may provide what you need at each site. I’d stay away from the Chinese knockoffs for this application. If you need more directivity than an Omnidirectional antenna, there are some simple 3 element yagi’s that can be built from copper pipe that have a direct connection without an impedance matching network. They can be rotated by a small TV antenna rotator.

Plus you may have a repeater situated where you can often one use it from those three different sites.

I frequently use repeaters on 2 meter at home and while driving to Camp Shelby, MS but don't consider them to be reliable for use in emergency situations. The radio club of which I'm a member, in Memphis, operates several repeaters although one is sometimes inoperable due to costs and scheduling of maintenance issues. While the cheap chinese radios work, I prefer to depend on better quality equipment. My primary use of the cheap radios is to loan to members of my Guard unit when their radios fail.

 

[Tnhawk]

The Yaesu won't let him talk on GMRS frequencies though
Just something to consider

I love Yaesu..I have 5 of them
But I also have several Beofang chinesuem radios for GMRS

Yaesu and Kenwood were the first radios I purchased when I obtained a license over a decade ago. They're still in use and dependable today. Recently I've started using the Alinco DR-735 with EJ-47U digital modulation units which provide security thru encryption of signals.

 

[lonestardiver]

The commercial Yaesu radios will (Vertex), as well as the commercial ICOM and Kenwood radios. Alinco may have one as well. Some of these you can alter to reach into the 440MHz ham band as well.

You also need to consider that most of the Ham and GMRS are wide band radios. Newer commercial radios are narrow band only. Narrow and Wide band don’t play well together as your transmission won’t be clear.

Many commercial radios require a computer to program and you can’t enter in frequencies, offsets, tones, etc from the front panel.

For storm spotting, our local RACES team primarily uses 2m. A mobile with 50 watts of power is the recommended minimum since rain, snow, sleet attenuate the signal. Hand held radios are useless in inclement weather unless you are very close.

Hand held radios in a vehicle might as well be useless unless you are using an external antenna. Even then, 5 watts doesn’t get you far.

I run a dual band yaesu mobile radio on my ATV as well. I do a fair number of events where I need the power even though I am relatively close to the repeaters in use, the terrain does cause issues at time, even in the near downtown Fort Worth area along the Trinity river.

 

[PUCKER]

Nice thread! I just started on my journey to get a HAM license (using hamradioprep.com). Have a pair of Baefong radios with the long whip antennas, etc. (BF-F8HP and UV-5R). Figured those HT radios are a good starting point without going to crazy....yet LOL! I've got a HMMWV so I figured it'd be a decent setup to start, it's my "bug out" vehicle.

 

[vmax]

The commercial Yaesu radios will

I own a FT991a, 2 FTM 7250s and 3 FT3D Yaesus and none of them will transmit on GMRS frequencies without a modification that most people can't do without sending it in and it may void the warranty

A Yaesu is not a good choice for GMRS

 

[vmax]

Nice thread! I just started on my journey to get a HAM license (using hamradioprep.com). Have a pair of Baefong radios with the long whip antennas, etc. (BF-F8HP and UV-5R). Figured those HT radios are a good starting point without going to crazy....yet LOL! I've got a HMMWV so I figured it'd be a decent setup to start, it's my "bug out" vehicle.

Anyone with a HMMWV...I feel sorry for..lol

 

[PUCKER]

Anyone with a HMMWV...I feel sorry for..lol

??

 

[vmax]

??

I have 2 of the money pits

 

[PUCKER]

I have 2 of the money pits

Copy that! LOL!

 

[Tnhawk]

Copy that! LOL!

Rodger, rodger.

 

[@TX_1]

I got my Technician License in 2012 when that capability was needed in the TN State Guard.
The limited range of VHF communications led to obtaining a General and then Extra License about a year later. I frequently used 2 meter for State Guard and local use for several years.
While I still use VHF some, I primarily use one to four HF bands a day. There are several good on line test preparation sites as well as many good local amateur radio clubs to help you obtain a license.

AK4SZ

I ran a Navy/Marine Corp MARS station out of my home for 19 years. Bunch of really good guys.

They were shutting things down then, some are still attached to alphabet agencies. It is not the same as it was. Will never be that again.

 

[@TX_1]

As others have mentioned, if there's any interest whatsoever in building a usable setup it is worth getting your ham license. That will let you legally practice on air, so you'll know when you need it that your gear is not only operational but you will know its true capabilities. IMHO getting access to the HF bands and setting up some type of antenna that works decently there is the appropriate SHTF radio. When things go sideways you don't want to be shut down because some nefarious actors took out the repeater. With HF you can communicate directly over long distances. A measured spool of wire can be a perfectly suitable antenna too.


Sage advice here. I love SDR, but it will (likely) never match the performance of a tuned analog circuit. What you gain in versatility you give up in sensitivity. I have a HackRF-One, and it is sure a lot of fun, but it's darned near deaf.

Lack's "sensitivity.", and selectivity and quality of audio. We are trying to solve our local issues for 5 counties. It will be our solution. This can be done all over the state and interconnected.

 

[lonestardiver]

Something to consider if you have your ham ticket, if you are using dual band handhelds and have a dual band mobile as a base, you can set the base for cross band repeat and dual band operation on the HT’s. Your HT would transmit on 2m and receive on 70cm.The base would receive on 2m and transmit on 70cm. This allows for your other locations to do a variation of the same.
Then you transmit on 70cm and the base would transmit on 2m. This allows your other locations to communicate but still allow for local ops. The proper use of CTCSS encoding will help to keep things ordered.

Note that is illegal to mix radio services, GMRS and HAM as an example.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[TexMex247]

Good stuff here y'all. Turns out I have a baofeng uv-5r that a buddy gave me over 5 years ago. I slid the battery in and it powered right up! I'm going to buy an extra battery for it and find the charger for this one. From what I gather here I need to do some homework.

It would be great to make a trio of these work across my 3 intended locations with whatever supplemental antenna, etc. Although if I need a specific radio license to do that I consider that step one.

 

[vmax]

It would be great to make a trio of these work across my 3 intended locations with whatever supplemental antenna, etc. Although if I need a specific radio license to do that I consider that step onone.

If you have a structure high enough at each location you can mount an antenna (Comet GP) and run feedline down into the structure and use a cheap adapter to connect your antenna cable feedline to your hand held
People do it all the time
Only thing being is you will only have the max 8 watts I think those put out.
Figure about 1 watt mile with no big terrain in the way.

 

[vmax]

Lack's "sensitivity.", and selectivity and quality of audio. We are trying to solve our local issues for 5 counties. It will be our solution. This can be done all over the state and interconnected.

What in the hell are you even talking about or talking to?

 

[Tnhawk]

Good stuff here y'all. Turns out I have a baofeng uv-5r that a buddy gave me over 5 years ago. I slid the battery in and it powered right up! I'm going to buy an extra battery for it and find the charger for this one. From what I gather here I need to do some homework.

It would be great to make a trio of these work across my 3 intended locations with whatever supplemental antenna, etc. Although if I need a specific radio license to do that I consider that step one.

The uv-5r operates in the amateur band which requires an FCC license. The Technician test covers radio fundamentals, propagation, radio wave basics, bands and operating regulations.
A few hours in class or on line will prepare you to pass the test.

 

[vmax]

The uv-5r operates in the amateur band which requires an FCC license. The Technician test covers radio fundamentals, propagation, radio wave basics, bands and operating regulations.
A few hours in class or on line will prepare you to pass the test.

Or...he can start off by applying for the GMRS Call sign for $35 for 10 years with no test and only transmit on that band.


Then he can take his HAM Examination later

Same Radio..2 uses

 

[MountainGirl]

How much does heavily wooded areas affect line-of-site? There are no terrain or structures to interfere...but we're in the middle of the thicket. Thanks -

(Appreciate the thread, btw. Learning, here)

 

[Tnhawk]

How much does heavily wooded areas affect line-of-site? There are no terrain or structures to interfere...but we're in the middle of the thicket. Thanks -

(Appreciate the thread, btw. Learning, here)

Vegetation will absorb VHF and UHF radio waves. Fog and rain absorb UHF but have little effect on HF and lower VHF. Signals can be affected by small movements of an antenna, due to multipath propagation. A small change in the height above ground or nearby conductors can affect the signals.