Radio communications in Mexico

[Mash5]

I am planning a trip into Mexico with about 4 or 5 vehicles. Are there any good options for vehicle to vehicle comms. I am a general class amateur but I understand that we do not share a reciprocal agreement with Mexico. What about CB or FSR? Anyone with experience down there?

 

[efuentes]

We tend to stick to FSR, the military are getting really iffy even with CBs, specially out in the woods.

Saludos

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

I am planning a trip into Mexico with about 4 or 5 vehicles. Are there any good options for vehicle to vehicle comms. I am a general class amateur but I understand that we do not share a reciprocal agreement with Mexico. What about CB or FSR? Anyone with experience down there?

When are you going? and where? Is there room for more rigs?:costumed-smiley-007

 

[Mash5]

So efuentes, is FSR legal?
@ CanuckMariner, Unfortunately this is a family trip right before Christmas. We will be mostly traveling by pavement and only going down to some beach cabins and hanging out. It is my first time down there since I was a kid and I'm hoping it will be the first of many more trips to Baja and the like.

 

[evanthebruin]

Subscribed. I'm headed down for 9 days on November 13th to watch the Baja 1000. Race teams use commercial band just above the US 2m amateur band (150-156mhz?) As far as I know there are no problems. http://www.pciraceradios.com/ sells radios for use on that band.

 

[efuentes]

As far as I know you can use FSR freely, however authorities look very suspicious at you with any kind of antenna sticking out from your car and that will get you searched a lot.

 

[xtatik]

Here's a link that may help.
http://www.qsl.net/wd9ewk/xe-permit.html

It sounds like a complex process, but I know some cruisers that have been through it and said it wasn't too painful.

 

[Mash5]

Here's a link that may help.
http://www.qsl.net/wd9ewk/xe-permit.html

It sounds like a complex process, but I know some cruisers that have been through it and said it wasn't too painful.

Great Info! That may be worth going through if we start going down there more.

 

[Hltoppr]

I've been down several times in baja with my 2m radio on the truck, with no problems. That being said, an ht may be a better choice, as it's not as noticeable.

-H-

 

[1leglance]

As far as I know you can use FSR freely, however authorities look very suspicious at you with any kind of antenna sticking out from your car and that will get you searched a lot.

I am not going to directly challenge a local Efentes

But I have never ever had anyone challenge be about the mulitple antennas I have and the 2 mics easily seen in my overhead console.
Also when I had the FJ Cruiser my ham was on the dashboard impossible to hide.

I am a fluent spanish speaker and have been extra time at checkpoints & border crossings just chatting so there was plenty of time for someone to notice my setup.

Not that I don't think that your radio could be a reason to challenge just as almost anything could be used as an excuse. However like everything else in life you & your attitude/presentation are more important than anything else.

 

[93BLAZER]

Curious myself. I basically thought that you just picked an open freq and start talking.

 

[Ursidae69]

I assume that MX uses the same band plan we do so I try to stick with the open freqs listed in our band plan for simplex. There is a MX license requirement and I have researched it and was not able to figure it out. When I go through checkpoints, I turn off all comms to not raise any suspicions.

One time one of the military guys was trying to tell me his call sign and I wasn't understanding due to my poor spanish skills, so he wrote it in the dust in the side of my rig and then pointed to my Hustler antenna and smiled and then I got it.