Recent content by Bill Ruttan

Older FRS transmitters were restricted to 0.5 watts of output power and could not tune Channels 15-22 (where 50 watts is permitted with GMRS transceivers). The good news is that the current generation of FRS transceivers can transmit at 2 watts over Channels 01-07 AND Channels 15-22, as well as...

A useful thing about FRS and GMRS Radios (both hand-held and mobile) is that they are “interoperable“ on Channels 01-07 (max 5 watts) and Channels 15-22 (high power).

While Channel 3 is common to both new and older FRS Radios, there is a significant transmitter power limitation (2 watts for FRS, 5 watts for GMRS). Had a channel in the 15-22 range been designated, a mobile GMRS radio (typically in a vehicle) would have a stronger signal, as they are allowed up...

Real wood does help to ‘warm up’ the feeling of the interior.

The Midland MXT275 “MicroMobile” GMRS Band Radio can also receive all seven NOAA Weather broadcast frequencies. This radio can silently monitor a broadcast and will only sound its ‘siren’ if a 1050 HZ General (NOT S.A.M.E.) Alert is received.

I like your version of the bag (in sand color) that fits in the front of the stowage compartment for the jack. I certainly hope that it goes into production!

The “sweet spot”, for Garmin, is their MXT275 MicroMobile. Just buy the FCC License ($35 for 10 years), plug the radio into your ‘power point’ (cigarette lighter), place the little magnetic mount antenna on the outside of your vehicle, and you are good to go. Oh, one more thing: the Chinese GMRS...

There is cell service in the vicinity of Furnace Creek in Death Valley.

I believe While not exactly ‘two-way’ communications, Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are now available with Return Link Service (RLS). RLS will give the user notification that their PLB emergency signal HAS been received.

OnX Offroad (app) Users: I have discovered (and confirmed with OnX Support) that Trail Numbers (assigned by the Forest Service, BLM) will NOT be visible on the map unless the Activities Filter for “Difficulty” is set to “All” or “Not Rated”.

How do I access the tickets I purchased online for Overland Expo SoCal?

I would be very surprised if Apple decides to charge for “SOS” (not ordinary message) service. This is somewhat akin to 9-1-1 calls that can be made, free of charge, by any phone through any carrier (by Federal mandate I believe).

How can I prevent the vertical control panel on the right side of the screen from overlapping and obscuring the right end of the data field at the top (iPhone 12)?

In case this wasn’t already clear, a higher antenna in base camp will improve performance of radios that rely on ‘line of sight’ frequency propagation (e.g. VHF/UHF ‘ham’ as well as GMRS radios). Antennas can be elevated on lightweight telescoping aluminum poles that are attached to a tripod...

Just trying to regain, with what amounts to a low power HT, a capability that Radio Shack offered to the public years ago…