2m radio range

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B

belaw

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
May 26, 2007
Threads
81
Messages
590
Location
Baton Rouge, LA
I've been reading all of the posts on this forum I can find and I'm seriously thinking about getting my technician class ticket and putting a FT 2900 in my 40. Most trail communication here is cb based, but I like the idea of being able to reach out and talk to someone when necessary when I'm out of cell phone coverage.

I'm still confused about what kind of range I can expect from 2M. Some sources talk about 4-5 mile range, while I see other posters talking about hitting receivers 80+ miles away. I realize that the antenna set-up makes a world of difference in tx range, and I will probably end up using a tire-carrier mounted half-wave antenna, which would extend about 18 - 24" above the top of the truck.

What I'd like to know is:

(1) What is the real-world transmit range for station-to-station 2M communications in flat terrain?


(2) What kind if range can I expect for communicating with a repeater?
 
I don't have the numbers you are looking for but...simplex (radio to radio) is very clear and the range is substantial based on applied power and othe variables when compared to CB...audio quality is far better.

Duplex (radio to repeater to radio) would have even better range since most repeaters are sitting on high ground on top of normally tall antenna masts.

I'm speaking about 2meter radios...its important to make sure people are talking about apples vs. apples... 2 meter are the most common radios for the 4wd community to the extent I've seen. Of course there are other radios that are far more expensive...

I'm a newbie to HAM so maybe one of the "old dogs" will add some useful info.
 
I'm not a radio guy at all, but just for reported real world experiences... we have several times reached base camp from over 30 miles distance radio to radio with untuned antennas even using Icom V8000s (75 watts) This is with moderately hilly terrain between us but no major obstructions. Once you put a mountain in between you of course commo goes away.

With flat ground and tuned antennas I would expect a lot more.

We usually run at 5 watts and that suffices for most commo needs.


Mark...
 
The answer is: it depends.

If you are talking mostly simplex, it depends on line of sight, relative altitude, terrain, quality of antenna and radio power.

I can tell you we have talked radio to radio over 100 miles on low power with favorable conditions.

You can easily talk from 1 end of the Rubicon trail to the other, with or without a repeater. If your frame of reference is CB you will be astounded.

Truck to truck level ground is many miles but elevation, even a taller antenna will help. It's realistic to expect 10 miles routinely but can be much further and occasionally less depending on conditions.

I've talked from Death Valley to friends in Mojave by accident. They were on and I was on and we had not previously known the other was out and about. That's got to be 150 miles or so.

I can talk from my driveway in Sacramento, to a repeater 90 miles away, and from there to most of Northern California. I've talked in remote Southern Utah to a Sinbad repeater and through echolink to a friend in San Francisco. It's very flexible.

Bottom line, it works extremely well in our little niche. There really is not a comparison to CB so put that out of your head. It's the difference between a Toy Car and a real Land Cruiser.

It also depends on your friends also having 2M radios so factor that in as well.

Get your tech license, and don't look back.
 
The key to getting your friends on board is to get one other guy to join you. Then let it slip that you two are talking smack on 2M about the CB guys. :lol: JK

Once your friends hear how well 2M works compared to CB they usually come around.
 
yup, many many miles. I've reached repeaters over 100 miles away with barely 5 or 10W (I think) from a hill about 400' high. And with a simple short mag antenna too.
 
Everyone has made valid points. CB is 11 meters on the HF band, and legally transmits with 4 watts. Since it is HF, it's noisy. 2-meter is VHF FM and transmits with 5 watts from a hand held and 50 watts normally and up to 65 watts from a some mobile radios. The audio is much cleaner and noise free.I've never heard of anyone regretting earning their license; you'll be glad you did.
 
The farthest I talked on 2m simplex is about 225 miles. Okay, here's the catch, I was on SSB [single side band], not FM on 50W with just a portable dipole.

On 5W hand held with rubber ducky antenna on 2M simplex, I talked from the top of Mt Baldy (elevation 10,068') to Rosarito, Mexico which is 130 miles.

In the city it's hard to say due to buildings and other obstacles. But I have gotten up to 14 miles mobile to mobile. But if you're in the flat desert, you'll get great range.
 
I am a ham newbie. I've not had my ticket for a year yet. Several of our local GCLC members made the switch to 2m in preparation for our annual Moab trip and we've tested the radios out in a few of our local wheeling spots. 90% of the time I am astounded by the clarity and distance over CB, which is mandatory for our club events. However, and this is something that we still need to test further, there have been times when it was difficult to reach someone. It really depends so much on the terrain. In the hills with some trucks on the other side, it can be difficult to communicate.
But (and this is HUGE), the ability to use a local (or even not so local) repeater can eliminate that. This is something that ham radio has in general that blows CB right out of the game. There are 2m repeaters everywhere you look. It's a good system.

I also went very basic-basic with my hardware to test the waters. I'm 2m only with a decent antenna. No frills, no bells. This may change in the near future.

Do it.
 
Farthest I have gone is 150 miles from the the Mojave Desert area to Catalina Island (yes I had some elevation helping, but still had to go over some higher mountians). That same repeater had coverage down into Mexico. I was running a 1/2 wave antenna mounted on the roof

A high elevation repeater (good luck with you being in Baton Rouge) will provide a huge range. Over *level* ground in the desert many miles (easily 15-20). Then you have linked repeaters that greatly broaden the range.

If you can see the station you can talk to it. Not so with CB when the atmospheric static is high.


CB is junk compared to a modern 2m unit. The only reason to have a CB is to comm with your Luddite trail buddies.
 
I'm not sure how linked repeaters wk out west. Here in Ga the linked repeaters aren't always "linked" unless there's some WX situation, or some other potential emergency possibility. Has anyone said D-Star yet? This set up is really cool in many ways. I don't see the benefit for comm on the trail, in normal situations, however. But it might come in handy in other types of emergencies.

73, James - KF4AQO Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD
 
JamesR said:
I'm not sure how linked repeaters wk out west. Here in Ga the linked repeaters aren't always "linked" unless there's some WX situation, or some other potential emergency possibility. Has anyone said D-Star yet? This set up is really cool in many ways. I don't see the benefit for comm on the trail, in normal situations, however. But it might come in handy in other types of emergencies.

73, James - KF4AQO Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD
Click to expand...


Check out the Sinbad system in Utah.
Sinbad Desert Amateur Radio Club

Amazing state wide coverage even from some of the most remote spots in the US.
 
Thanks for the link to the club. It sounds like a good organization. I belong to the Athens (Ga) RadionClub

73, James - KF4AQO Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD
 
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