VHF/UHF HT for emergency use?

Phoo

Observer
I recently got my technician license, thinking amateur radio would be a fun/"useful" hobby (marginal utility is a great excuse for some spiffy new gear). As someone who spends a good bit of time out of the vehicle, on foot, in the mountains, etc., I'm wondering how useful a V/UHF handheld would be out yonder in an emergency situation. Back in ye olde days, CB channel 9 was monitored by emergency services, and supposedly 146.52/446 MHz calling frequencies still have someone tuned in. Assuming I've got the watts to go the distance, whatever that may be, is anyone out there really listening? Programming in the local repeaters would also be an obvious first step, too. I'm curious; has anyone actually had their HAM save their bacon (heyooo!) when things hit the fan? Action packed tales of high adventure are welcome here...
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I don't have a story of harrowing survival, but will say that I try to follow the wilderness protocol when afield. I can't say I do so to the letter, but I definitely monitor 146.520 as much as possible.

http://www.mdarc.org/activities/ares-races/wilderness-protocol

As outback97 says, for a deterministic outcome using repeaters is going to be much better. The chance someone is listening is much higher.

Then knowing which are heavily used is even better. For example here in Colorado we have a linked system called the Colorado Connection that means using one repeater gets you coverage via RF links to all of them including Denver, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Vail, etc.

http://www.colcon.org

To further this hams are now embracing digital modes and Internet linking. Some of this has existed in the IRLP (Internet Radio Linking Project) but it seems to be really gaining traction with DMR and D-STAR. Especially DMR, which seems to be adding users and nodes like crazy. Not to mention with these new low power, multi-protocol hotspots and Brandmeister translation the growth is exploding.

https://brandmeister.network
 

PhulesAU

Explorer
Bear in mind that those are simplex freqs. in the woods you won't have the wattage to punch a signal through to much of anyone. Even a 75 watt mobile unit can't reach that far through the forest. line of sight plays a huge part of what you can do in these bands.
 

craig333

Expedition Leader
Saved my bacon? No. Been highly useful yes. Knowing the local frequencies sure does help. Heading up to Cerro Gordo I got on the air in the morning just to say hello. Guy comes back, we have group heading up in an hour, wanna join us? Safety in numbers.

In Saline Valley at the hot springs my phone rings. There's no cell service there so I was concerned. What kind of emergency must have happened at home? Had another ham phone for me (everything was fine) and slept better that night. That was before I got my Inreach.
 

Klierslc

Explorer
For the handheld, you are pretty limited unless a) you have repeater coverage where you are at or b) you can get to high ground to get line of sight. A better option is to get a mobile radio that can cross band repeat and a GOOD antenna for your vehicle. Then you can program in a random, little used frequency between your handheld and the truck--then the truck can rebroadcast your transmission at full power on your chosen frequency with the better antenna. There are also modes where you can link two radios together to make them alert you when you are no longer in range of the other radio. Depending on what/where you are going/doing, a mobile HF rig with a lithium battery and a precut wire to string up in a tree can allow you to talk around the world--too heavy for a long backpacking trip but doable for a shorter trip. HF will always get you somebody to talk to--not necessarily in the same geographical area, but it WILL be somebody with access to a telephone and a willingness to help. A popular rig is the 817d because it can do HF, VHF, and UHF. The rub is that it will only put out 5 watts--low power operation is great but I'd recommend getting something that you can put out more power if you need it. I'd rather be able to transmit at 100w for 10 minutes and get my message out successfully than transmit for 4 days and not reach anybody.
.
To your other question, 146.520 is on my scan list so anytime I am mobile I am scanning it--it is a solid bet that you can reach somebody, even if many won't respond to a CQ, they will respond to an emergency call. The other very useful feature of HAM radio is access to communication during extreme weather events--the skywarn and ARES organizations are very useful. We had a rare tornado in Virginia Beach about a year ago--I was able to track the exact location of the tornado via the spotter reports on the skywarn net when weather radio simply said "get inside, there is a tornado." It ended up passing about a mile from the house, but still closer than I would have preferred.
.
Beyond the scope of your question, but may be useful info--look into APRS, either HF or VHF/UHF--if you have coverage and the right radio you can connect a cell phone to your radio and send short emails or text messages. These data packets can be transmitted and received even when voice transmissions are unreliable. This can be extremely useful depending on location. Where there is no UHF/VHF coverage, HF will get the job done, but still needs the radio, antenna, etc--bulk and weight.
 

wirenut

Adventurer
I have 146.52 along with several other simplex frequencies programmed into the memories in all my mobile rigs along with all the local repeaters. I often just have the radio in scan mode. So yes, I would possibly hear a call on 146.52 but not likely from an HT in the woods. If you were high up on a mountain then probably. Back in the '90s before cell phones existed I used the autopatch on the local repeater quite often to make phone calls from out in the "wild". I've been stuck in mud, had a flat tire, and probably some other things that it got me out of. I have also answered calls for help on repeaters. One was just a couple weeks ago. A guy's vehicle had broken down in the mountains in an area with no cell coverage. I called his wife for him and stayed by the radio until help arrived. But, he called me on the repeater, not simplex. Likely nobody would have ever heard him on simplex, particularly with an HT.
The suggestion to use a mobile rig for cross band repeat is a good one. I do this a lot when I work in the mountains with no cell coverage. My wife, who is also a ham, monitors the repeater I tell her I'll be on that day. We can communicate well if we need too.
 

REDONE

[s]hard[/s]MEDIUM Core!
Haha! Looking at this pragmatically, I'm surprised that prerunner was able to compile a list that long! Think about it, people who get an amateur radio license and learn how to use their equipment tend to be forward thinking. Forward thinking is how you avoid finding yourself in dire situations. If you're the kind of person to spend a Saturday at the local grange smashing out a radio test, you're probably the kind of person that ties a lanyard to their paddle before rowing across Schitt creek. :snorkel:

The closest thing I have to a "Story" is just that my friends and family like to follow my adventures by checking my location on aprs.fi . I figure that if I'm not where I'm supposed to be when I'm supposed to be there, that's a good number of people that know where to start looking for me.
:safari-rig:
 

outback97

Adventurer
Haha! Looking at this pragmatically, I'm surprised that prerunner was able to compile a list that long! Think about it, people who get an amateur radio license and learn how to use their equipment tend to be forward thinking. Forward thinking is how you avoid finding yourself in dire situations. If you're the kind of person to spend a Saturday at the local grange smashing out a radio test, you're probably the kind of person that ties a lanyard to their paddle before rowing across Schitt creek. :snorkel:
...

I had the same thought... note that most of them involve helping out someone else, not saving themselves.
 

prerunner1982

Adventurer
I believe only one of the stories I listed involved the ham being the one needing to be evac'd, all others were hams who happened upon the incident and were able to provide assistance.

Outback beat me to it.... a $1 short and day late...story of my life.
 
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Phoo

Observer
Thanks for all of the input! Looks like I have much to learn here. The conversation soundly illustrates (for me, anyhow) how little knowledge is required to pass the tech. exam vs. all that there is to possibly know. Recently picked up a little FT-70, so I guess I just need to go take a hike and mess around with it. Though, the idea of having a second, more powerful unit sitting at the ready, in the vehicle is quite interesting. Will look more into that one specifically.

The repeater situation in Colorado is also quite nice. I find it unlikely that we have anything like that out here in the eastern states, but it's also much harder to get away from "civilization" here.

True, I make a strong effort to not be that-guy getting airlifted out of some unfortunate situation, but an extra layer of safety for the solo traveler is nice!
 

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