Back Country Communications

[NMRubicon]

Just curious as to what form of communications most of my fellow Americans are using in the back country? While I know it isn't advisable, I find myself exploring more and more by myself, sometimes an hour or more from cellular service. So I am looking in to either a CB radio, which does seem to be fairly common still in my neck of the desert, or maybe spending the money, getting a license and going the GMRS route, although not sure how many people in my area utilize such equipment, which would in my mind limit it's usefulness. Until recently, 90% of my overland exploring was in areas where my cell phone worked for text and voice, but now I am expanding my horizons.

 

[dreadlocks]

go get your HAM technical license, you'll find 2M/70cm Repeaters in use and being monitored far more frequently than any CB/GMRS frequencies.

I use GMRS for communicating with my own parties since everyone dont have to be licensed, I keep my own radios all programed for our own use, only shared channel I have programed in is the GMRS Emergency calling frequency.. otherwise everything is locked down with hardcoded tones.. If your a loner this is going to be marginally usefull, I hardly ever hear any other chatter on GMRS when in back country, though in the city I could find someone to talk with pretty easy.

For emergency communications I have 2M voice and an AARL Repeater book, and APRS for position/messaging/checking in with those left back home.. my Mom/Sister/Wife monitor my APRS tracker online when I'm out in the mountains without em.

 

[NMRubicon]

Thank you, I will look into the HAM radio avenue.

 

[FlipperFla]

Just curious as to what form of communications most of my fellow Americans are using in the back country? While I know it isn't advisable, I find myself exploring more and more by myself, sometimes an hour or more from cellular service. So I am looking in to either a CB radio, which does seem to be fairly common still in my neck of the desert, or maybe spending the money, getting a license and going the GMRS route, although not sure how many people in my area utilize such equipment, which would in my mind limit it's usefulness. Until recently, 90% of my overland exploring was in areas where my cell phone worked for text and voice, but now I am expanding my horizons.

I agree w/ Dreadlocks 2M is the way to go.

 

[dreadlocks]

A month ago I was setting the APRS (2m Packet Radio) station up in my camper and encountered a bug in the software I was using, long story short: basically it changed my beacon type to emergency without me actually setting it to emergency..

I found out about it the next morning when a big jeep showed up at my house, it was one of the guys on the local ARES team coming by to check on me and my emergency.. I was a bit embarrassed but he was completely professional and very nice, not mad at all he drove all the way over to my house for nothing, he was just happy I was okay... so yeah, HAM's are always listening and ready to help.

 

[NMRubicon]

Looking in to the equipment and the licensing, have to figure out where I need to go to get the exam, and research what type of equipment for the Jeep, and possibly at home.

 

[dreadlocks]

Take the practice tests, any questions you get wrong go research and take test over and repeat until your getting 100% consistently.. then go take exam in person and you'll ace it

I'd suggest Kenwood tm281, very sensitive, rugged (milspec) and simple.. I've picked up two used ones for 65$ each

I use comet 4x4s&r antenna on mobile but it's for gmrs coverage, a 2m monoband will perform best if your just using 2m.. I have a colinear 7dbi monoband on house (10ft tall) and it receives clear packets 70m away

 

[NMRubicon]

Took a practice test and embarrassed myself, given my background, I thought I would only miss a few very specific questions, not 11 out of 35. I certainly need to brush up on my knowledge.

 

[FlipperFla]

Eham.net has good practice exams, I just stuck with it and took them over and over, when I went in and took the exam I blew right through it. I agree again with DL, the Kenwood TM 281 is a great radio, One in my truck and one set up for portable use when we go to Co. to put in the rental Jeep.

 

[ratled]

go get your HAM technical license, you'll find 2M/70cm Repeaters in use and being monitored far more frequently than any CB/GMRS frequencies.

I use GMRS for communicating with my own parties since everyone dont have to be licensed, I keep my own radios all programed for our own use, only shared channel I have programed in is the GMRS Emergency calling frequency.. otherwise everything is locked down with hardcoded tones.. If your a loner this is going to be marginally usefull, I hardly ever hear any other chatter on GMRS when in back country, though in the city I could find someone to talk with pretty easy.

For emergency communications I have 2M voice and an AARL Repeater book, and APRS for position/messaging/checking in with those left back home.. my Mom/Sister/Wife monitor my APRS tracker online when I'm out in the mountains without em.

I thought GMRS had a license requirement, just not as much as HAM

 

[deserteagle56]

Depends on where your "backcountry" is.

Out here in central Nevada I'm part of the local Sheriff's Search and Rescue force. Our SAR vehicles are equipped with Sheriff's Department hi-band radios and HAM radios. But in outback Nevada, especially up in some canyon, neither radio works worth a hoot. Just too far from a repeater. So - for dependable communications we also utilize satellite phones - so far they have worked everywhere. I now have had my own personal satellite phone (Iridium system) for several years. Expensive, but well worth it to me as I often am traveling the back country alone. It's worked everywhere I've tried it.

 

[dreadlocks]

I thought GMRS had a license requirement, just not as much as HAM

They changed it in 2017 so that GMRS is now equivalent to FRS, the only frequencies that require a GMRS license now are repeater inputs or anything over a certain power level.. otherwise its all unlicensed now, since nobody was buying licenses.

I do have a license tho, and have had one for a good while.. the nice thing about GMRS is I'm allowed to let anyone in my family operate under my license without one of their own.. I have a license because I run a GMRS repeater out of my trailer, and my family uses the GMRS inputs.. but I can hand a handheld to my buddy and talk simplex as we caravan through the mountains and he dont need a license.

and @deserteagle56 has a good point, I'm lucky here in Colorado we have a great repeater network and I find most mountain areas do because its sooo easy.. but if your in desert or canyon environment, yeah thats not gonna happen.. might checkout the 2m repeater locations and coverage areas for your specific back country before investing too heavily in getting a HAM setup.

You dont need a sat phone, you can just get an emergency beacon as backup if all other forms of communication fails.. I my self intend on adding one to my kit here soon.. I think you can put an RF frequency into your emergency satellite beacon so as SNR approaches they can try to contact you on radio and get a better idea what the're going to find when they get there.

 

[DaveInDenver]

They changed it in 2017 so that GMRS is now equivalent to FRS, the only frequencies that require a GMRS license now are repeater inputs or anything over a certain power level.. otherwise its all unlicensed now, since nobody was buying licenses.

All GMRS still requires a license, which has a 10-year term and costs $70. The 2017 rules change combined FRS and GMRS, added channels, bumped FRS power on some of the channels to accommodate the bubble pack radios being sold at the time. FRS still doesn't require any license to use and now some of the channels allow 2 watts. But if you go beyond that or use a detachable antenna radio you are using GMRS and are supposed to get a license.

 

[NMRubicon]

So it does look like about half of the area I traverse has good coverage, a couple sit at 10,000 ft or higher so pretty good line of sight for areas in the basin. The county I live in is larger than the state of Delaware, so there are some pretty big gaps between repeaters. The emergency beacon is another great idea.

 

[dreadlocks]

yeah I suppose I coulda worded that better.. but my point is that now there is enough overlap with FRS and GMRS now that unless your running >2W, Detachable Antenna or working/operating a repeater then unlicensed FRS is basically equivalent to licensed GMRS.