Poll - what kind of comms are you using? (1 Viewer)

[mcgaskins]

I know there is a forum on Mud dedicated to comms, but I'm hoping to get responses here since I'm making an assumption most folks on this forum are not big radio nerds (like me). I feel like forums dedicated to comms attract people who are really technical and advanced with their radio choice, so it's not a good reflection of the overall wheeling population - specifically since it has become much more common in recent years.

I'm on a committee to help plan a big wheeling event next year (not LCDC btw), and we've been discussing what type of comms should be the standard for on trail vehicle to vehicle chatter. Of course CB radio is the long standing, traditional means of communicating on the trail, but some of the more sophisticated clubs and people have adopted ham as their standard while others have gone the easy route and picked up FRS or GMRS. I know for LCDC we've gone with FRS radios, and to my knowledge it's worked just fine. I personally like FRS and GMRS for a few simple reasons - incredibly easy to use/no setup, cheap, ubiquitous. I like ham because of the incredible power and clarity, but it has the highest barriers to entry.

I've outlined a couple of features of each, and I'm hoping you can vote on what method you are using (and it would be super helpful if you are part of a club that mandates a particular choice).

CB radio - no license or test required, 4 watts of power, usually used with external antenna, quality varies significantly depending on terrain and level of equipment and tuning, very common

FRS - no license or test required, generally 2 watts of power, internal antenna/integrated with radio itself, quality varies by terrain and distance (line of sight is key), becoming very common

GMRS - requires license ($70 every 10 years and covers members of your family) but no test, generally 5-50 watts, can have integrated radio/antenna or separate external antenna, quality varies but is generally better than CB and FRS, becoming common but unlikely most operators are obtaining licenses (my opinion)

Ham - requires license and exam ($15 every 10 years), 5-50 watts but some setups can be much more powerful, can have integrated radio/antenna or separate external antenna, quality widely considered to be the best, not as common yet some clubs have pushed to get as many members on board as possible

Please respond to the poll with what you actually use, not what you prefer. I think we'd all prefer to be on ham, but I'm looking for what real world users are experiencing. Hopefully the mods will allow this one to stay in this section

 

[brew8]

Well after 50 years working on radios, I'm actually not a nerd, but I started doing HF stuff on ham radio in retirement. I think a CB"s is likely the lease expensive and open radio service to use in a small group in a small area.

 

[ethernectar]

HAM (dual head Yaesu in the 200, single head Kenwood in the 40 series, plus a HT.
Multiple FRS/GMRS Radios, some to hand-out as needed.
Handheld CB for an occasional Overland Bound meetup.

 

[Sandroad]

I would note that quality of equipment is a huge variable. Clarity, range, ease of use, ruggedness, battery life, accessory availability are all affected by equipment quality, regardless of frequency and power. Whatever is chosen, make some suggestions to your group for your quality expectations.

 

[cmck]

It kinda comes down to what your crew runs.

The most versatile is Ham, it has the most frequencies, most power and the best signal. The folks I run with use Ham and even repeaters at big events.

If your crew is only frs or cb and your not in on the chat, no matter how superior your signal is, your still out of the loop.

I run a 2meter 65watt Kenwood a 40” whip and a 5watt handheld. I studied for about 4 hours and passed the test for a ham license. I can learn more and test out for additional wave lengths.

 

[Ali M]

not sure if possible but it would make sense to change the poll to have check boxes since some of us here use a combination of both CB and FRS/GMRS

 

[Volunteer]

No radio expert and not really interested either personally just wanted something easy that works when with a group. A few years back our club started using the handheld baofeng HAM radios with the better antennas on our trips and they have worked out great. Most of us also have CB's as well but in very wooded areas or where we get spread out the baofeng radios have worked out great and require a minimal investment. With the CB's some would have a good one that was tuned but the majority has mediocre setups and the communication was sporadic.

 

[mcgaskins]

not sure if possible but it would make sense to change the poll to have check boxes since some of us here use a combination of both CB and FRS/GMRS

I have a Yaesu FT60R, 2 Baofeng uv-5rs, 2 Midland FRS and 2 Midland GMRS radios in my truck at all times, so I definitely realize many people use more than 1 mode I'm looking for a single/primary answer though because at an official sanctioned event you must choose one communication method and make it the standard.

 

[mcgaskins]

I would note that quality of equipment is a huge variable. Clarity, range, ease of use, ruggedness, battery life, accessory availability are all affected by equipment quality, regardless of frequency and power. Whatever is chosen, make some suggestions to your group for your quality expectations.

That is very true! When we are on CB, my comms are strong and loud/clear, and I think it's mostly because I have a good quality magnet mount antenna that gets centered right in the middle of the roof. Many people complain when they have a small antenna hanging off the rear of a plastic bumper on the back of their truck, but that's about the least ideal location for it especially with CB. I also think very few people pay any attention to their radios until they show up for a trail run, and they're playing catch up trying to figure out how it works. Even decent equipment can perform badly if you don't know how to use it.

 

[linuxgod]

FYI some of the GMRS channels are unlicensed as of ~2015, which is why you can buy 22 channel FRS/GMRS radios all over amazon now. Anyone buying an FRS radio now is probably buying one marketed as FRS/GMRS.

I use FRS because it's cheap and easy and for an event like the LCDC it's convenient to have a spare I can loan out.

One of these days I'll go take the HAM tech license exam

 

[Markuson]

I have all four types...but last year at Cruise Moab, the type that repeatedly proved useless was CB. We eventually gave up on CB on two trails because no one could hear each other.

I think the new king of “commonly owned comms” should shift to FRS...with encouragement for folks to seek HAM. CB is just too sketchy in real group use.

While HAM would be great (and tends to be used in most groups now), FRS has been (in my experience) far more consistently usable than CB, and it’s not a close call. At this point, the only reason I keep a CB in my truck is because I often wheel alone, and keep 4 types of radios for options in an emergency.

 

[Markuson]

PS... For significant events, I think we’ve reached a point where it is reasonable to ask people to bring a HAM handheld no matter what..so they can at least listen without a license...and “reach out” in an emergency.

Now that hand-held HAMs can be had for $40...I think it’s a reasonable requirement. It will only take one emergency to absolutely justify.

On the other hand...FRS in every truck would work for one common scenario...

Scenario:
-You are following a rig and see the driver about to make a dangerous mistake.
-You grab your radio...and try to stop him, but he’s on another comm type...and over he goes...

The relay routine sucks:
There are usually folks on the trail who end up relying on someone repeating info from one type to another type. Repeating general trail leader or tail-gunner comms is is a considerate thing to do...but is really only for general info on the trail. -Not for emergencies.

For urgent line corrections? Immediacy is everything. This is why I hope that at least ONE type of comm is common to the ENTIRE trail group (in every single truck). HAM or FRS would work for this and both are cheap.

 

[elkeye]

PS... For significant events, I think we’ve reached a point where it is reasonable to ask people to bring a HAM handheld no matter what..so they can at least listen without a license...and “reach out” in an emergency.

Now that hand-held HAMs can be had for $40...I think it’s a reasonable requirement. It will only take one emergency to absolutely justify.

On the other hand...FRS in every truck would work for one common scenario...

Scenario:
-You are following a rig and see the driver about to make a dangerous mistake.
-You grab your radio...and try to stop him, but he’s on another comm type...and over he goes...

The relay routine sucks:
There are usually folks on the trail who end up relying on someone repeating info from one type to another type. Repeating general trail leader or tail-gunner comms is is a considerate thing to do...but is really only for general info on the trail. -Not for emergencies.

For urgent line corrections? Immediacy is everything. This is why I hope that at least ONE type of comm is common to the ENTIRE trail group (in every single truck). HAM or FRS would work for this and both are cheap.

After the 2018 LCDC, I decided to take the HAM Technician License Exam!

The range & clarity of inexpensive hand-held HAM radio(s) is impressive.

Got a CB, 2 GMRS/FRS hand-holds and am now looking at various 2m/70cm band HAM options.

 

[M1911]

At this year’s LCDC, I had an FRS and a cheap handheld ham. Reception on the ham radio was far superior to the FRS.

 

[mtn]

On a trail run last spring, both I in front and the gunner had our Kenwood TM-D710's set to transmit our positions over APRS. I could see where he was every time he made a turn. When he was a mile behind me I would pull over and wait, and when he was almost caught up I would get back on the trail. I've never had an easier time keeping a group together.

 

[jamesg]

mcgaskins, I'm glad I came across this thread. I've just begun looking at radios for my trips and I want something by next summer. I was going to go with a GMRS radio on Ruggedradios.com; most likely a 60w and a couple of 10w handhelds. However it looks like I should go with HAM and buy a License. I'm curious about the laws with respect to enforcement and fines? Best just to get a license. So for me I have switched to committing to a Ham.

 

[eizenjin91]

I actually use something not on your list. With a background in Baja we always use race radios (Icom, Kenwood etc) with race channels. Weatherman is a Business Band VHF channel. But can’t use it in the states without a license. So after research I decided to go a unique route. I applied for (super simple online) a 10 year FCC Mobile business band VHF license and received it no problem. It authorizes myself and 4 other mobile units (so anyone traveling with me) on 7 specified “business band” VHF channels anywhere within the US for the purpose of “day to day communications during expedition trail guide service”. The reason I went that way rather than a HAM license is that anyone can use it. People I go with regularly use VHF mounted radios in the vehicle but I have 3 handhelds so if I meet someone along the way on a trip I’m going to travel with for a few days or a friend of my buddy shows up etc I just pass them a handheld. With a HAM every user must be licensed individually and if one person in a group isn’t then no one can use it.

 

[brew8]

I have the same thing I use for Family stuff I have 4 portables and use the mars mod on mobiles. I use a yeasu that you can open the receive only frequency for transmit.