Jim Oaks
Observer
Hey all,
I belong to a few online communities, but this one seems to have the best knowledge base with it comes to 2-way radio communications. So with that said, I need some input from the members here;
I just bought a used 2012 Ford Expedition, and it comes with the factory center console similar to this photo:
I use it for road trips with my wife, as well as towing my 18-foot car trailer.
I'm active with (2) groups. One is a group of offroaders where we rely on CB radios to communicate with each other. The other is a group of police car collectors that use FRS/GMRS frequencies. The police car group also uses 464.500 PL 114.8.
Also, some trips take me to places where I have weak or no cell phone signal.
For background, I'm a retired State Trooper, and my with is an EMT with an ambulance company, so we both have some pretty good basic knowledge on radio systems.
What I'm wanting to do is:
1 - Add a radio that will give me FRS/GMRS and 464.500 PL 114.8 frequencies (I realize I will need a license with the GMRS. Not sure what 464.500 PL 114.8 is going to fall under. 464.500 PL 114.8 is a police car show admin freq.)
2 - Add a CB radio to communicate with people I'm going to trail rides with.
3 - Add a cell phone extender to help get a cell signal in remote areas.
4 - Possibly add a scanner.
5 - I also want to get weather alerts/info, so I want something with weather channels. Might be able to get that in the CB.
I don't want to be cutting up the inside of my Expedition installing radios, and space is limited due to the console. There appears to be a removable plastic panel between the panel the cigarette lighter is in, and the top of the console. If so, I may be able to slide a radio back in there.
The problem is that I don't know what kind of radio to get to operate on the frequencies listed (FRS/GMRS/464.500 PL 114.8). Could I get a UHF ham radio and program these in to it? Is there a reasonably priced radio to look for, or stay away from that I might find on ebay?
Before anyone suggests asking what other police car collectors use, I'll tell you they use whatever radio the agency of the police car used. For me, I have to use a Motorola MCS2000. The original agency used a 800 mhz radio, I'll be using a UHF version that's visually the same, but in the GMRS range.
For the Expedition, I'm more concerned about size and concealment.
Also, I'm looking at the Cobra and Midland 75-822 compact CB radios. With those, I could probably mount it under the seat and hang the mic on the side of the console.
And as far as antenna's, I really done want to drill a bunch of holes. So I'm thinking magnetic mount, or NMO antennas on a trunk lip mount attached to the top of the liftgate (will that work on an aluminum liftgate?), or on a bracket attached to the luggage rack.
So what I need is a recommendation on a reasonably priced UHF radio that could cover the freqs I need, recommendation between the Cobra and Midland compact mobile CB radios, suggestions for a cell phone extender, and antenna recommendations.
Thanks!
I belong to a few online communities, but this one seems to have the best knowledge base with it comes to 2-way radio communications. So with that said, I need some input from the members here;
I just bought a used 2012 Ford Expedition, and it comes with the factory center console similar to this photo:
I use it for road trips with my wife, as well as towing my 18-foot car trailer.
I'm active with (2) groups. One is a group of offroaders where we rely on CB radios to communicate with each other. The other is a group of police car collectors that use FRS/GMRS frequencies. The police car group also uses 464.500 PL 114.8.
Also, some trips take me to places where I have weak or no cell phone signal.
For background, I'm a retired State Trooper, and my with is an EMT with an ambulance company, so we both have some pretty good basic knowledge on radio systems.
What I'm wanting to do is:
1 - Add a radio that will give me FRS/GMRS and 464.500 PL 114.8 frequencies (I realize I will need a license with the GMRS. Not sure what 464.500 PL 114.8 is going to fall under. 464.500 PL 114.8 is a police car show admin freq.)
2 - Add a CB radio to communicate with people I'm going to trail rides with.
3 - Add a cell phone extender to help get a cell signal in remote areas.
4 - Possibly add a scanner.
5 - I also want to get weather alerts/info, so I want something with weather channels. Might be able to get that in the CB.
I don't want to be cutting up the inside of my Expedition installing radios, and space is limited due to the console. There appears to be a removable plastic panel between the panel the cigarette lighter is in, and the top of the console. If so, I may be able to slide a radio back in there.
The problem is that I don't know what kind of radio to get to operate on the frequencies listed (FRS/GMRS/464.500 PL 114.8). Could I get a UHF ham radio and program these in to it? Is there a reasonably priced radio to look for, or stay away from that I might find on ebay?
Before anyone suggests asking what other police car collectors use, I'll tell you they use whatever radio the agency of the police car used. For me, I have to use a Motorola MCS2000. The original agency used a 800 mhz radio, I'll be using a UHF version that's visually the same, but in the GMRS range.
For the Expedition, I'm more concerned about size and concealment.
Also, I'm looking at the Cobra and Midland 75-822 compact CB radios. With those, I could probably mount it under the seat and hang the mic on the side of the console.
And as far as antenna's, I really done want to drill a bunch of holes. So I'm thinking magnetic mount, or NMO antennas on a trunk lip mount attached to the top of the liftgate (will that work on an aluminum liftgate?), or on a bracket attached to the luggage rack.
So what I need is a recommendation on a reasonably priced UHF radio that could cover the freqs I need, recommendation between the Cobra and Midland compact mobile CB radios, suggestions for a cell phone extender, and antenna recommendations.
Thanks!