Comms & Comm Stuff - CBs, FRS, GMRS, HAM

[Silverback]

For some "cheap" no license required handhelds these are pretty nice.. not sexy but they fucking work and thats the point.
Amazon.com: PLAY X STORE 5-Mile 16-Channel UHF Two-Way Radio,8W Walkie Talkie: Sports & Outdoors

 

[tx_shooter]

I'll post some links to some bitchin handhelds when I get on my pc. But for those that have not used a ham. Shut your ignorant pie hole. You are just making yourself look like a mouth breathing retard. There is NO comparison to a CB. Unless you want to talk to truckers and set up a glory hole at exit <insert your moms exit here>.

The only real experience I have with the better radios was in the military and I damn sure do not want to hump around a big green box again.

 

[TacoXpo]

The Chinese HAM handhelds are dirt cheap ($30) and with an external antenna, not a bad deal.

 

[Silverback]

The Chinese HAM handhelds are dirt cheap ($30) and with an external antenna, not a bad deal.

Very true.. but "technically" you need a license. Although the ones I posted operate in the 450Mhz range so they probably do as well. LOL They are just not as fancy.. only 16 channels vs. 1000 or whatever a HAM offers. But they do have great range.

Also have 2 pairs of these http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-888S-Two-Radio-2pcs/dp/B00ECW9DB4 Not as powerful.. 2 watts vs. 8. But they are head and shoulders above those Motorola handhelds. I have a pair of those that cost $80 or so and they suck... royally suck compared to these cheap guys. We use them around the house as an intercom system. Again though, they operate around 450 Mhz so I'm betting that "technically", they should be used with a HAM license only. But for $24 its hard to beat.

These are also nice.. http://www.amazon.com/Version-Dual-Band-Transceiver-400-520MHz-65-108MHz/dp/B00YMN42ZU

 

[TacoXpo]

• SMA Female to SO239 Female Adapter $8.00
• Tram 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet Antenna ~$21

 

[tx_shooter]

Interesting picture with info regarding antenna placement on a vehicle. With this in mind I will be better off with a mag mount antenna on the roof than a permanent mount antenna almost anyplace else.

Disclaimer given to me by friend who provided the info:
good guide for antenna placement. remember, every 3 dB is double the power or half the power.
granted, he is referencing a 2 meter 5/8 wave antenna here, but the physics should hold true regardless of the frequency.

 

[tx_shooter]

I had one radio but then I found a package deal on the other two. They came with chargers and handheld mics. Now to find a fire sale on the upgraded batteries and antennas. I did manage to get the Chirp software running right last night to program them all with the FRS and GMRS channels.

 

[Silverback]

Gonna need to hit you up for this Chirp software to enable FRS and GMRS channels.

 

[tx_shooter]

I will get a thread with files and settings going. Mainly so I do not forget them again.

 

[TacoXpo]

I had one radio but then I found a package deal on the other two. They came with chargers and handheld mics. Now to find a fire sale on the upgraded batteries and antennas. I did manage to get the Chirp software running right last night to program them all with the FRS and GMRS channels.

View attachment 20164

Very nice.

 

[tx_shooter]

Something relaxing knowing everything has a place. I have room for one more radio in there if I decide to get one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H79MVF2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[tx_shooter]

@MatthewMay1

Few posts above - see the vehicle antenna placement

The saved db in shortening the line is still lost in the antenna placement below the roof line. The problem being that the roof is a large metal surface to refract and reflect the radio signal that is perpendicular to the antenna.

 

[balakay]

Mount a 3db and 6db antenna on your rig and use this to switch between them as needed.

https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Switch-Amateur-Two-Way-Radios/dp/B00478M6QC

 

[Taco Loco]

Mount a 3db and 6db antenna on your rig and use this to switch between them as needed.

https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Switch-Amateur-Two-Way-Radios/dp/B00478M6QC

that’s cool didn’t know about those

 

[balakay]

that’s cool didn’t know about those

Me neither. It just hit me as a "I wonder if it would be possible to..." idea and I googled it. No idea of the reliability or anything else.

 

[tx_shooter]

It takes a few minutes to switch out antennas on an NMO mount.

 

[MatthewMay1]

@MatthewMay1

Few posts above - see the vehicle antenna placement

The saved db in shortening the line is still lost in the antenna placement below the roof line. The problem being that the roof is a large metal surface to refract and reflect the radio signal that is perpendicular to the antenna.

Yeah I’ve seen that diagram before. Seems like a 3db drilled in the center of the roof is the ideal location, even though it’ll be shadowed by the RTT behind it. The mount can also be used for a ham radio in the future if I decide to upgrade again. Worst case, I don’t use the mount and just cap it off.

Mount a 3db and 6db antenna on your rig and use this to switch between them as needed.

https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Switch-Amateur-Two-Way-Radios/dp/B00478M6QC

Ha. Not gonna have 2 antennas for one radio. That’s a lot of hassle

 

[tx_shooter]

Corner or back of the roof is still pretty good.

 

[MatthewMay1]

Kind of a cool video here with these guys using the stock antennas

 

[tx_shooter]

Would have liked to see them swap over to the upgraded antenna at 50 miles to show why antenna selection is important. But I understand they were reviewing the "out of the box" product. Still hitting 34 miles with the little stock antenna is good.