Trail radios.......

[TwinStick]

So, what are people using ? Are most using CB's or the FRS/GMRS or "rugged radios" ? I am sure many are like me & know just the minimum. I have hunting radios but no CB. Thought & input welcome. Thought it may be a good idea to have this topic, so if someone wants to show up at a PW event, the comms are in order with everyone elses.

I know CB's are 4 watts......................unless it has been souped up, which apparently, can get very expensive ! https://www.thetruckersreport.com/truck ... 061/page-2


I Like these ones. https://pure4runner.com/galaxy-c-97_106 ... -2572.html ---- https://pure4runner.com/cobra-c-97_100/ ... -2525.html

[DamageWagon]

This really depends on your personal needs.

- CB: very common, especially in offroad groups. CB has terrible range and clarity next to other radios, but it's cheap and very easy to set up, and no licensing is required which are big perks.

- FRS/GMRS: very common from the standpoint that anybody can go to Costco and buy a pack of them. The Moab event really changed my opinion of these radios and they turned out awesome! Anyone can run FRS, GMRS licenses are easy to obtain, you can step up to serious power with GMRS, the frequencies overlap, and anyone with FRS, Baofeng, or 70cm/440 HAM radios can communicate together on these frequencies (technically that is illegal but it doesn't make any real difference). This worked awesome for the Moab group.

- HAM: this gives the biggest variety and the longest reach. You can't just say HAM, because there are several different bands used on HAM that are very different and each radio can have very different features. The two most common are 2-meter and 70-centimeter/440MHz. Lower frequencies like 2m reach farther, higher frequencies like 70cm have more clarity in forests, hills, canyons, and buildings. Lots of offroad groups run HAM, and seem to split between both 2M and 70cm. I think more groups run 70cm of the two.

You have to decide your personal needs. They all have pro/cons, like cost, install difficulty, licensing requirements, who is listening, how far and where can you have a conversation.

[LumberZach]

I think ham is by far most popular. CB close second? This is mostly just me hearing people talk with no real info. I want to go ham, but just haven't done all that yet. I do have a cheap cb I'm going to put in one day though.


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[OffroadTreks]

So for the Moab event we used the FRS/GMRS channels, becuase of the reasons DamageWagon suggested. I think aerales might have been the only person with a ham license. Not sure.

So Ham radios have the option to broadcast over onto FRS/GMRS channels, but with even more power. I have a ham handheld Boafeng radio. And it did great for this purpose. You can use this radio without a license if you stick to the watt limit and channel freq limit. Or be a pirate.

Eventually, I might get my technician license. Right now though, I have a GMSR license because of "no test requirement". Just pay $70 bucks to the FCC and you are done. Technically your technician license is in theory cheaper. But time commitment required to study and find a place to test.

I still say though, that FRS/GMRS, and maybe more so GMRS are great trail radios. If you have friends without radios, you can easily give out the cheaper FSR radios you can pick up at Walmart for like $30. This makes it attractive if someone in the group, maybe the leader has the more powerful unit. The handhelds can pick it up. I also believe there are GMRS repeaters you can hit too.

I was seriously considering picking up the Midland MXT115 15w GMSR radio for future outings. A local off-road group here in Idaho also uses GMRS and I've heard over on expo portal it's becoming more popular. But I think I am going to try to find a dual band on ebay just so I can use the overlap and have the option for full ham later on after I get my license.

But I agree, GMSR radios are more than sufficient for trail comms.

I would avoid CB's, they're worthless, limited range, crowded in some areas, and tons of interference. GMRS though will give you greater range. Ham will give you the greatest flexibility of all.

If you are coming to a future Moab event, we are going to stick to this formula. GMSR/FSR overlap channels.

[verdesardog]

I have a 2meter "ham" radio in my truck that I use for search and rescue. Most of the people that I wheel with also have 2 meter rigs....
I have had CB's in other trucks and found it to be pretty much useless.

[agpilot]

I'm gonna pick up one of the new Midland GMRS mobile units trying to decide whether or not I need the 40W one... I have the license and with the coming changes to Part 95, it will be an even better value (more years for same fee). Probably will just get the MXT115 because there won't be many people that can transmit back if I get the 40W.

[DamageWagon]

Antenna/coax quality matters way more than power does

[LagunaH1]

There are new rules & regulations coming for both FRS and GMRS radio services.

As I recall, FRS radios will be allowed to run more power (2 watts as compared to the current 0.5 watts) while GMRS radios get more channels to operate on

[OffroadTreks]

There are new rules & regulations coming for both FRS and GMRS radio services.

As I recall, FRS radios will be allowed to run more power (2 watts as compared to the current 0.5 watts) while GMRS radios get more channels to operate on

The license will now also be valid for 10yrs. Even more attractive.

[LagunaH1]

Yep!

Now, if only it was possible to get a vanity call sign for GMRS.... The call signs they issue are damn near "unspeakable" and really hard to remember. I was issued WQZC486. Try saying THAT quickly, LOL!!!

[OffroadTreks]

Yeah, mine is WQYY380 for GMRS

I put it on the back of my radio. I think I'm going to go ahead and get my technician license however and probably pick up a dual band radio.

[LagunaH1]

I think I'm going to go ahead and get my technician license however and probably pick up a dual band radio.

I think that's a great idea. If nothing else, it seems to me that there are a LOT more ham's than GMRS users. So, if that's true, it would seem much more likely that you'd be able to reach someone via HAM radio if you were ever in a pinch.

On that note: I think it's important to have realistic expectations of what one might expect if there ever was a real emergency and HAM radio was your only option. - But that'd be a bit of a tread-jack to go into so I'll refrain

[chromedragon]

I am at some point planning to add a cb to my rig or at least a hand held. I have my Ham Tech license (Call sign is in my sig) i have a couple of good dual band hand held with a nice magnetic roof mount antenna. I also have a couple of mountable radios but with my luck and where my truck parks daily they wont be in there long so i'm waiting on permanently mounting those.

[Mule]

For vehicle, handheld/portable, or base/fixedpoint use?

CB has its applications. Big power, big antennas, lots of atmospheric issues. I'm not a fan of it, but it is useful in some cases.
Ham/amateur gives you a LOT of flexibility/freedom, bands, features, modes, power... at the expense of needing a license.
GMRS is what we typically use in offroad (moto/snowmo) groups. Radios are cheap, small, durable, with decent range... and damn near everyone has one.
MURS is another option - license-free business-band VHF. Radios are business-grade (and business-cost), but you get 2W and a lot less channel noise from other users.
Commercial/licensed-spectrum ... All yours, whatever you want to do with it - for a (significant) fee.



I like commercial stuff. Well, everything but the pricetag....

[LagunaH1]

That's a nice DMR radio right there!!!

I've become a *big* fan of DMR. Also can't help but enjoy Motorola's radios.....