Trail Comms - Comment thread and poll (1 Viewer)

What radios do you already have? Please select all that apply.


  • Total voters
    21
  • Poll closed .

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Joined
Aug 10, 2018
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Location
Bozeman, MT
At the 11January2022 406 Cruisers Meeting we talked about updating the Club Bylaws, specifically the Minimum Vehicle Requirement to have a CB Radio. I think it's been a fairly universal experience that CB leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to trail comms in our area. We took an informal poll of the people in attendance at the meeting to see what equipment people already have, but I thought it would be a good idea to put this poll up here on MUD to collect more data. I'd appreciate it if you could encourage the folks you know to weigh in. The poll will be open for 10 days (closing on 24January2022). This poll is purely for data collection.
 
I just have hand held cb. It is garbage. But it doesn't make sense to have the main governing body TLCA have a different requirement than local clubs. I'm also not a member of either and won't be on any group runs.
I have a Garmin inreach if I need backcountry comms.
 
I just have hand held cb. It is garbage. But it doesn't make sense to have the main governing body TLCA have a different requirement than local clubs. I'm also not a member of either and won't be on any group runs.
I have a Garmin inreach if I need backcountry comms.
Your point about TLCA having a different requirement than our local club is very valid. However, (apparently) TLCA isn't actually using CB at their own events. It may be a case of the requirements lagging behind the reality on the ground.
 
Your point about TLCA having a different requirement than our local club is very valid. However, (apparently) TLCA isn't actually using CB at their own events. It may be a case of the requirements lagging behind the reality on the ground.

It's okay if you call me a conspiracy theorist but here's the reasons I will never have a ham license.

 
asking for a fren. i wonder if its a violation of federal law if i never updated my address since i got my ham license
 
personally I love the idea of having three radios.

CB- to talk to Joops
GRMS- talk to Toyota club
HAM - super secret frequency for those who know
 
It's okay if you call me a conspiracy theorist but here's the reasons I will never have a ham license.
There are several reasons why the remote "ham shack" is a thing.

That said, the license/test is probably the biggest stumbling block for the adoption of HAM. At least it's the part most people talk about. CB has no licensing requirement while GMRS and FRS both have a no-test license.
 
asking for a fren. i wonder if its a violation of federal law if i never updated my address since i got my ham license
I have a fren with a similar situation. I believe that our frens could probably have their licenses revoked, if the FCC had enforcement staff to deal with code violations at that level. As it is, it takes them months or years to deal with illegal transmitters and pirate radio stations.
 
Bumping the thread for visibility and to ask that if you've already participated would you pass a link to this thread on to your friends and neighbors.


I sometimes wonder if there are people who don't come to meetings or trail rides because they're lacking some piece or have the "wrong" piece of the Minimum Vehicle Requirements. If anyone in that situation happens to see this post, I do hope you come to a meeting. There's no better place to meet up with folks who can lend you gear or help you get set up with what you need.
 
FWIW Cruise Moab will be FRS radios again this year.

FRS/GMRS channels for Cruise Moab
Interesting. Based on the very limited reading I did, it looks like 5 watts wasn't quite cutting it for them last year. At least, not in every situation.

The test seems to be the most significant barrier that steers people away from HAM. Not the only barrier, but the most significant one. I wonder if more people would be interested in getting the license if the club organized a test-prep class, figured out how to make it really cheap or free, and maybe even provided lunch.

I've heard of them being done in a single day with the test at the end, but that would make for a long day. I know that one of the guys from the local HAM club puts on a class over a handful of weekends, but that's a ton of time to invest. Somewhere in between is a sweet spot.
 
For Rubithon, most of the runs require ham and at the springs the chairman and people running the event listen to the repeaters and use them to for communication with the run leaders and to get word out if someone breaks and needs parts or if someone is injured and needs airlifted out (this has happened more than once). Not everyone has their license before going to Rubithon, so they are asked to have the ability to listen in in case of an emergency, which if there is an emergency they are legally allowed to transmit. Maybe that is how the club should go about this for minimum requirements, have the ability to listen in and transmit if there is an emergency. A cheap $35 boafeng from amazon will meet the requirement, no test, no transmit, ability to listen and hopefully after hearing how good ham is compared to other forms of communication they will pursue the license.

Rubithon is also the only event the TLCA actually puts on, they are sponsors for the rest of the events.

As it was found out a few years ago on the Morrison, a licensed ham at the front and at the rear of a run works just fine and keeps people from falling off the edge. Sponsored club runs should have that at minimum in my mind
 
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Bumping again. Poll closes tomorrow. Please respond to the poll and encourage others to do so too. The more people who respond the better understanding we'll have of what equipment we all are already using. Thanks!
 

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