# Let's talk communcation



## johnnyringo (Nov 8, 2012)

What do you experts think are maybe say, the top 5 choices for two way communication, handheld, portable radios? What about weather? I'm starting with a clean slate and I'd appreciate your advise and opinions. Thanks, JR


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Radios need two things...
A. Electricity
B. Someone with in range with a radio. And electricity.

I think radios will work for some time. Your smaller hand held or vehicle portable radios like HAM, FRS/GMRS and CB will be best, but ultimately (and probably quicker than you think) we will revert to the printed word and passing notes like 5th graders.


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

Just a thought, but what about pigeons? They worked well in WWI and WWII.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

We have motorola handheld's that have GMRS,NOAA emergency band and 44 channels(i think) with a 32 mile range,they ran about $80 each with the recharging bases,but I also have a small solar charger that can charge one at a time and a "pocket socket" crank charger.The battery pack in the radio's can be replaced with 4AA's regular or rechargables.I keep all of these and spare batteries in my faraday cage.I'm hoping this keeps them running for a long time.


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## Space (Mar 14, 2013)

bennettvm said:


> Just a thought, but what about pigeons? They worked well in WWI and WWII.


Plus, super bonus, you can eat them if they don't cooperate!


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

grinder37 said:


> We have motorola handheld's that have GMRS,NOAA emergency band and 44 channels(i think) with *a 32 mile range...*


That's in perfect laboratory conditions. My radios advertise a 20 mile range but barely make a half mile and that is in some pretty good desert conditions and over open water. I've found my FRS/GMRS radios to be utterly craptastically useless. It is easier to whisper to the people I want to talk to than to blab on those static machines.


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## grinder37 (Mar 1, 2013)

GTGallop said:


> That's in perfect laboratory conditions. My radios advertise a 20 mile range but barely make a half mile and that is in some pretty good desert conditions and over open water. I've found my FRS/GMRS radios to be utterly craptastically useless. It is easier to whisper to the people I want to talk to than to blab on those static machines.


No arguement there,my first set was motorola (i'm thinking 17mile range) i got off of ebay,when they showed up they looked like a kids toy you'd get at walmart,couldn't believe it as motorola used to be a quality name.Went to radio shack and bought much better models,however,even the better radios say right in the manual that the noted range is with an unobstructed line of site,buildings,terrain and anything else between the radios will shorten the overall range.The first set was squak boxes that could barely make it from one end of my property to the other.The new set has headsets with them and are pretty quiet,i've gotten over 15 miles of range while riding my quad in the woods and in some pretty hilly terrain,so the second set is definately a huge improvement over the tinker toys I tried first (gave those to the kids to tear up).But buyer beware,what was once a decent trusted name brand now has "made in china" all over them.


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## Nuklhed (Feb 17, 2013)

Two shots for yes, one shot for no!


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Keep in mind the GMRS radios usually have 3 different power ranges based upon the channel you select for instance if you have a 25 mile radio it will probably look like this:

Channel 1-5 is true GMRS with maximum range, you may also have a feature that gives you a low - high setting.

Channel 6-15 is (I think FRS) with a lower range 

Channel 16 and higher is lower yet

The point is to read your owners manual to find out, I hunt with a party of 4 and can be separated several miles without line of sight and we can get the GMRS radios to work really well by keeping in the 1-4 channels.

One communications item not mentioned is the Ta-312 field telephone, I have 4 of these in my faraday cage and 1200 meters of wire. I am thinking of putting in a OP this summer and will put in some land line between that and my house.


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

I know zilch about 2-way radios but if I was getting one the main question would be "Who would I want to talk to and how far away are they?"
For example if we've got relatives and friends all within about 5 miles range, I should imagine cheap simple walky-talkies would do.
But for contacting people further afield out to say 25 miles I think we'd have to invest in CB radios.
And if we wanted to chat with people on the other side of the country, HAM radio would be the way to go.


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

There are lots of 'RDF Foxhunt' clubs out there who organise competitions to have fun tracking down small radio transmitters ('foxes') planted by fellow members around forests, cities etc.
The tracking equipment is very simple like this mean-looking dood has got, so in a Doomsday world the starving zombs could soon home in on our radio transmissions and come eat us, or even worse orbiting alien ships could swoop down along our radio beams to abduct us and subject us to highly improper unspeakable medical experiments.
Remember, the Jap Task Force successfully snuck up on Pearl Harbor across half the Pacific by maintaining strict radio silence, so our best strategy would be to follow suit to avoid giving away our position, and only talk on the radio to people if we bloody well HAVE to. The zombs can't eat us if they can't find us..

A 'Foxhunter'-









Introduction to Amateur Radio Direction Finding | Southgate Amateur Radio News

Johnny blows his cover..


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## preppermama (Aug 8, 2012)

I just bought one of these babies yesterday. I've heard good things. Never used a HAM before, but I'm fixin on getting my HAM license.

Amazon.com: BaoFeng *UV-5R Plus* UV 5R+ Dual-Band 136-174/400-480 MHz FM Ham Two-way Radio, Improved Stronger Case, More Rich and Enhanced Features (2013 Enhanced Version): Car Electronics


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

preppermama said:


> I just bought one of these babies yesterday. I've heard good things. Never used a HAM before, but I'm fixin on getting my HAM license.
> 
> Amazon.com: BaoFeng *UV-5R Plus* UV 5R+ Dual-Band 136-174/400-480 MHz FM Ham Two-way Radio, Improved Stronger Case, More Rich and Enhanced Features (2013 Enhanced Version): Car Electronics


I am a ham and also have the uv-5r. You won't regret it. It's a good little radio for not a lot of money. Me and my friends have these because they are programmable for freq's that you normally wouldn't (and couldn't legally right now) use. A ham license is inexpensive and good for 10 years.

With the exception of a few people, like some that live around Leon, the ham community are pretty darn good people too and willing to help you all they can.


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## preppermama (Aug 8, 2012)

inceptor said:


> I am a ham and also have the uv-5r. You won't regret it. It's a good little radio for not a lot of money. Me and my friends have these because they are programmable for freq's that you normally wouldn't (and couldn't legally right now) use. A ham license is inexpensive and good for 10 years.
> 
> With the exception of a few people, like some that live around Leon, the ham community are pretty darn good people too and willing to help you all they can.


I figured the uv-5r would be a good way to try it out without having to invest some bigtime cash. It's gonna be here Friday. I can't wait to get it setup.

I also picked up a copy of Nurse Amy's book with Doc Bones: The Doom and Bloom(tm) Survival Medicine Handbook: Keep your loved ones healthy in every disaster, from wildfires to a complete societal collapse: Joseph Alton M.D., Amy Alton ARNP: 9780615563237: Amazon.com: Books


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## acfink (Dec 19, 2012)

I also have my HAM radio license and I use it everyday. one of the radio's I own is the Baofeng uv-5r, and it is a great little radio for the money it is about 40-50$ so it's cheap and it's an effective radio. it is pretty cool to be able to program multiple different channels/freq. from - Ham freq. (2 meter and 440) /weather freq. /fire,police,EMS dispatch freq. / GMRS freq. / and I think maybe FRS freq. (not 100% sure on that one), and if it was to break, it not a real big deal because its only 40-50$ and not 150$.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

inceptor said:


> ...they are programmable for freq's that you normally wouldn't (and couldn't legally right now) use...


Like???
For example???

I only ask because I'm pursuing a HAM license and I want to strictly adhere to the law. One of these radios is on my list and I do not want to inadvertently break the law due to my lack of experience.


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