Bands, frequency ranges best for receive only emergency info?

[dstefan]

I have traveled off-road, mostly in the SW, for too long with no real emergency communications. Started taking a PLB about 7 or 8 years ago, and added an inReach sat communicator 3 years ago. Since my wife and I almost always go solo and often in areas with weather threats and now especially wildfire threats, I feel the need to have better emergency information to dodge weather and fires as needed. I did add a WeBoost recently, that actually helped a lot in not getting caught in a storm and mired in a bad area on a recent trip, but it's still too hit or miss signal-wise to be relied on.

I have been researching NOAA weather radios, HAM and other things enough that my head is swimming, but I get the basics a little. In the future, I may go HAM, but for now, I just want a good weather radio.

I learned about the C Crane Skywave radios in a thread on ExPo, and it seems like one that allows for both NOAA and 2m HAM reception would be a real good thing. They have several radios that seem like they would provide the most sources of info, not just the NOAA weather frequencies. My confusion is specifically what practical use are several of the bands/frequency options for useful emergency info, beyond the NOAA weather broadcasts, which I gather cover much more than weather.

Several of their more expensive radios provide VHF, 2M, SSB Shortwave, and some aviation frequencies in different combinations. Can anyone give me any idea if the Single Sideband Shortwave is useful? And what about VHF vs 2m? I get 2m is a VHF frequency (I think), but is a broader VHF more useful? I'd rather pay $89 than $189 if the more expensive stuff with all the other frequencies is not useful. I don't care about listening to general radio chatter.

Emergency Band Radios | Long-Range AM FM Radios | C. Crane

Designed with excellent audio quality and reception, our emergency band radios and hand-crank radios allow you to stay informed. Shop C. Crane now.

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[msimmo]

I'd be super interested in an answer to this as well.

Been looking at one of these for a little while

Raddy RF760 SSB Shortwave Radio FM AM SW CB VHF UHF WX AIR Marine Full

The Raddy RF760 is a compact, full-band shortwave radio with SSB function, adjustable bandwidth, and a high memory capacity of 700 stations. It includes a NOAA alert feature, uses a 1000mAh BL-5C battery, and comes with an external wire antenna for improved SW reception. It supports FM AM SW CB...

www.radioddity.com

 

[mep1811]

These are all radio receivers. Since you don't want to listen to chatter why get one? Receiving is not going to help you in an emergency.

Why not get a GMRS or CB ,with tuned antenna, with weather band capabilities and you can get the weather ,if available, and can talk if need be.

 

[Bill Ruttan]

I have traveled off-road, mostly in the SW, for too long with no real emergency communications. Started taking a PLB about 7 or 8 years ago, and added an inReach sat communicator 3 years ago. Since my wife and I almost always go solo and often in areas with weather threats and now especially wildfire threats, I feel the need to have better emergency information to dodge weather and fires as needed. I did add a WeBoost recently, that actually helped a lot in not getting caught in a storm and mired in a bad area on a recent trip, but it's still too hit or miss signal-wise to be relied on.

I have been researching NOAA weather radios, HAM and other things enough that my head is swimming, but I get the basics a little. In the future, I may go HAM, but for now, I just want a good weather radio.

I learned about the C Crane Skywave radios in a thread on ExPo, and it seems like one that allows for both NOAA and 2m HAM reception would be a real good thing. They have several radios that seem like they would provide the most sources of info, not just the NOAA weather frequencies. My confusion is specifically what practical use are several of the bands/frequency options for useful emergency info, beyond the NOAA weather broadcasts, which I gather cover much more than weather.

Several of their more expensive radios provide VHF, 2M, SSB Shortwave, and some aviation frequencies in different combinations. Can anyone give me any idea if the Single Sideband Shortwave is useful? And what about VHF vs 2m? I get 2m is a VHF frequency (I think), but is a broader VHF more useful? I'd rather pay $89 than $189 if the more expensive stuff with all the other frequencies is not useful. I don't care about listening to general radio chatter.

Emergency Band Radios | Long-Range AM FM Radios | C. Crane

Designed with excellent audio quality and reception, our emergency band radios and hand-crank radios allow you to stay informed. Shop C. Crane now.

ccrane.com

The PLB and inReach radios should cover your emergency communications needs very nicely. To receive severe weather alerts, without having to listen to the continuous broadcast, some Weather Radios will automatically respond to the “specific area message encoding (SAME)” system that NOAA uses. I don’t know if this would work in the backcountry of the Southwest…

Also, recently, while listening to Sirius XM Satellite Radio in my car during an extended road trip, a “Flash Flood” warning for my area was received. I didn’t know Sirius could do that!

 

[dstefan]

some Weather Radios will automatically respond to the “specific area message encoding (SAME)” system that NOAA uses. I don’t know if this would work in the backcountry of the Southwest…

Yeah, I’ve been looking at those, and I like the concept — so far only only finding that in Midland weather radios designed for homes and without any other bands/frequencies for additional information

These are all radio receivers. Since you don't want to listen to chatter why get one? Receiving is not going to help you in an emergency.

Why not get a GMRS or CB ,with tuned antenna, with weather band capabilities and you can get the weather ,if available, and can talk if need be.

To clarify, I am OK with the emergency outbound capabilty of the InReach. The “chatter” I don't want to hear is general HAM talk, etc. BUT, it seems to me that in a true weather or fire emergency, flash flooding, etc. hearing HAM or other nearby broadcasts as to roads open, fire movement, rescue points, etc. would be incredibly valuable. NOAA will give alerts and forecasts, but its limited. And, I want to hear farther than GMRS or CB will allow.

I’m just trying to figure out if just the 2m HAM frequency is all thats needed for that or things like single sideband shortwave (SSB) and or broader VHF reception adds anything useful in addition to the NOAA weather alert frequencies.

 

[mep1811]

There is no emergency Ham frequency. The emergencies you reference would be broadcast on AM and FM radio. A CB or GMRS transceiver will receive just as well as a transistor radio.

 

[Hilldweller]

Around here the NWS will link repeaters across the state when there's a weather emergency and will activate spotters. The repeater that I use is 146.805 +600 PL 100 --- if I spot something I hit that repeater and talk to the NWS in Peachtree City. It's a neat feature and I guess that other states do it as well. Covers the entire state.

That said, a good 2M radio with a GOOD antenna can get you some interesting coverage. And usually during emergencies you'll hear chatter about what's going on over the air. But you'll also hear rag-chewing old guys out in their sheds.

Many jurisdictions still use 2M up in the 155-ish range for dispatch. I listen in; nice to know where a hazmat spill is ahead of time. And you can get all the weather stations on the 2M.

Get your tech ticket and get a ham. It's easy, they're not expensive, and you'll find them useful.

 

[craig333]

2m ham is very useful for exactly what you described. Road closures etc. The only problem is you need to know what repeaters will be in use in those specific areas. Easy enough to learn in your home area, a bit more difficult when you're on the road. I've never heard rag chewing on frequencies in use during an emergency. In an area like mine where there are dozens of repeaters I can use I can also find one to rag chew on if I'm not interested in emergency traffic. An area with one or two repeaters is likely to be emergency traffic only for the duration of the event.

This is why I like a dual band radio. I'll listen to ham on one side and the National Forest or Calfire on the other. Pretty busy today.

 

[dstefan]

Thanks @Hilldweller and @craig333 that’s exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for!

 

[Hilldweller]

2m ham is very useful for exactly what you described. Road closures etc. The only problem is you need to know what repeaters will be in use in those specific areas. Easy enough to learn in your home area, a bit more difficult when you're on the road.....

Holler at the local ARES where you're going, ask them for a short list, program it in before you go. There are ARES guys living on the edge of their sofas waiting for that request.

 

[wicked1]

You could buy a super inexpensive ($30ish) baofeng radio, which will receive 3 bands of HAM and GMRS and weather and FM. It will broadcast, too. If you're not comfortable breaking the law to save your life, either take the easy HAM test (don't need to know morse code or anything difficult anymore). Or don't press the talk button, and only use it to listen.
I think most working people (forest, fire, road, etc) will be on GMRS, so you could listen in to that.

As others said, you'll have to research the areas you're going in to see what frequencies people use there. Scanning doesn't really work because the talk is usually too infrequent to catch it.
Even for weather radio, you have to do your research and be familiar w/ the area. I was recently out w/ no reception for cell/internet. The sky was getting stormy. Checked the weather radio, and it gave us a forecast which meant absolutely nothing to us. Occasionally they'd mention a town or county I was familiar with, but usually not. And we didn't have a paper map to check.. (We were not in a situation where we'd get lost.. so didn't bring backup paper maps)

 

[dstefan]

You could buy a super inexpensive ($30ish) baofeng radio, which will receive 3 bands of HAM and GMRS and weather and FM. It will broadcast, too. If you're not comfortable breaking the law to save your life, either take the easy HAM test (don't need to know morse code or anything difficult anymore). Or don't press the talk button, and only use it to listen.
I think most working people (forest, fire, road, etc) will be on GMRS, so you could listen in to that.

As others said, you'll have to research the areas you're going in to see what frequencies people use there. Scanning doesn't really work because the talk is usually too infrequent to catch it.
Even for weather radio, you have to do your research and be familiar w/ the area. I was recently out w/ no reception for cell/internet. The sky was getting stormy. Checked the weather radio, and it gave us a forecast which meant absolutely nothing to us. Occasionally they'd mention a town or county I was familiar with, but usually not. And we didn't have a paper map to check.. (We were not in a situation where we'd get lost.. so didn't bring backup paper maps)

Thanks — I’ve come to a similar conclusion. I got a CCrane Skywave radio for an upcoming trip which won’t be too remote, so should suffice with the WeBoost and will pick up the Baofeng after. Will likely take the test, cause why not?

 

[wicked1]

I passed practice HAM tests w/out studying.. Just found some practice tests, took them. Passed. I have a background in geeky things like building drones and amplifiers, and other various electronics projects.. And that was enough. Even if you don't, there are plenty of online resources w/ practice questions, and once you go through those enough times to remember the answers, you'll pass the test.

If you get a little in to ham.. (You don't need to much, it's not that complex). Look in to APRS. With the use of an old phone or tablet (with GPS), you can use it for showing your location or tracking someone else. If there's a repeater around, you can send your location to the internet where someone at home could see where you are. You can send and receive texts and emails. (Good luck finding that sort of repeater way out in the wilderness, though.. There are some, but not many. Or get really geeky and set one up yourself at the edge of cell reception, then you can go beyond that w/ your radio and still be in contact. (Just need a cell phone and handheld radio to make an APRS internet gateway))
When we're camping, sometimes I'll give someone in our group an APRS radio (handheld radio+old phone), which I can decode back at camp.. It puts their position on a map, so I know where they are if they're out hiking alone or something. We can send text messages through that system, point to point. Or switch to a different frequency to talk.

 

[dstefan]

I passed practice HAM tests w/out studying.. Just found some practice tests, took them. Passed. I have a background in geeky things like building drones and amplifiers, and other various electronics projects.. And that was enough. Even if you don't, there are plenty of online resources w/ practice questions, and once you go through those enough times to remember the answers, you'll pass the test.

If you get a little in to ham.. (You don't need to much, it's not that complex). Look in to APRS. With the use of an old phone or tablet (with GPS), you can use it for showing your location or tracking someone else. If there's a repeater around, you can send your location to the internet where someone at home could see where you are. You can send and receive texts and emails. (Good luck finding that sort of repeater way out in the wilderness, though.. There are some, but not many. Or get really geeky and set one up yourself at the edge of cell reception, then you can go beyond that w/ your radio and still be in contact. (Just need a cell phone and handheld radio to make an APRS internet gateway))
When we're camping, sometimes I'll give someone in our group an APRS radio (handheld radio+old phone), which I can decode back at camp.. It puts their position on a map, so I know where they are if they're out hiking alone or something. We can send text messages through that system, point to point. Or switch to a different frequency to talk.

The more I learn about it the more capabilities there seem to be with HAM. Thanks for opening the door a bit more!