Orange County CAF's: up to no good

Might be free. Friday's are usually better but might be able to swing Saturday.

 

Something to say/consider:
I have a CB, HAM, and GMRS radio setups. The reasons:
1) Not everyone has a HAM license. So...
2) the next "best radio setup" is CB (Citizen Band)... some/most HAM's don't think so, but that is their opinion, which they're entitled to.
3) GMRS (i.e. the ones that you can buy from the stores that say "36mi range" or something similar, which btw, technically, you need a license for those radios as well... I won't get into that part... just know and realize that technically you do need one but most people don't). Btw, do NOT be fooled that you will achieve 20, 24, 36, etc miles out of these units.

A little bit about CB, the handhelds, from my TESTING/experiences typically output approx 2 Watts, whereas the mobiles will output the maximum 4 Watts or very close to it. I TESTED my Midland 75-822 HT with a GenDyn R2670B System Analyzer at just under 2 Watts. When I measured the mobile, it was approx 4 Watts (i.e. max output power for the CB bands, period). Thus, the handhelds do not seem to output the max power, probably because to save battery power? Anyways, something to think about as far as output power, at least from my TESTING. Also, as far as CB "range", me and a friend estimated about 6mi (i.e. this was not really line of sight either, so distance could have been greater maybe if it was line of sight, but, most likely, not by much...). He was driving north with a 3ft mag mount (NOTE: I don't necessarily care for mag mounts as they're not as good as an antenna that is actually mounted... from my experiences with radio systems, whether car or otherwise) and I was driving south with my setup on the truck utilizing a 4ft whip connected to a Cobra 19 UltraIII mobile.

A little about HAM, when you get your license, it opens up a very wide range of possibilities. You can do radio-to-radio, connect to repeaters, the web, etc etc etc and "skip", when weather favors (NOTE: skip can be done with CB as well when weather favors it). I have NOT personally talked to people "out of state" on my setup, but during Field Day, one time I was invited to do calls/contacts and contacted a person in Arizona, not too far, but far enough for my first-hand experiences. Anyways, a HAM license is an overall better way to go, but it doesn't hurt to have some sort of "back-up" mechanism and keeping in mind that not everyone has a CB and it is illegal to "cross talk" from 10Meter (HAM) to 11Meter (CB) and viceversa. So, as far as legal aspects, don't do it! Also, for HAM you can output more wattage (i.e. 1500Watts, I'd have to review that part, but I believe it is right around that) whereas CB, it is only 4Watts output, this I do know. CB'rs will use RF Amps to increase this output, but it is highly illegal to do!!!

A little about GMRS, from my understanding, the license is a few dollars for about 5yrs. It's a voluntary (i.e. honest system) mail process. You pay the money and then they mail you your call sign. At least that is how I remember reading it. Plus, you can use those radios, but just stay off of the channels that the GMRS freq are on (i.e. I believe ch1-8 are some, 9 to ? are "open" for casual use, my understanding). Anyways, at this point, I don't even think it is really enforced anymore and/or at all to do, but there are definitely people out there that get wound up if using channels and you're not "properly licensed and/or calling out your call sign" as I have personally experienced one time?! I just ignored it and went on to the next channel when I was TESTING my new radios, at the time, which are Midland GXT-800. For me, kinda hard to say/tell if it is illegal if it is not really enforced???!!! I don't use them that much, and when I do, I stay off of the channels that are "assigned" when traveling with friends family from car-to-car communications when going on fairly long trips that will last an hour or more and/or just to keep in contact with the next car for whatever reason.

So, in conclusion, having the setup that I have, gives me a certain amount of options to me when traveling! If someone doesn't have a HAM license, no problem, go to CB. If they don't have HAM/CB, no problem, give them a GMRS radio.

Cell phones... I basically don't TRUST them because it really is true, if a incident strikes, cell towers are "jammed" to the point of uselessness. Hence, the reason why I have the other options availble to me. I just don't care and/or trust my life all that much in cell phones when/if a natural disaster was to hit. That is just me though!!!

Anyways, hope this helps some people out there. These are my experiences and what I have learned thus far over the years.

BTW, the "rubber duckies" that come with the handhelds, whether CB or HAM, DITCH THEM!!! Get aftermarket antennas. The original ones that come from the factory SUCK!!! Trust me on that!!!

Happy Wheel'n

 

Thanks for the explanation. Are the GMRS the walkie talkies the ones everyone uses at Disneyland?

I would say get a ham license, and use a ham.

 

Im to cheap. Run what i got, its not like we use to save lives. I use to talk shit when most people are less than 100yrds away.
Thanks for the knowledge though.

 

@WileECoyote , do you have a VSWR meter and can you help me tune my Firestick antenna some time?

 

I have no clue about CB, Ham radio... Do they have class that they offer?

 

When and where?

 

I'm free Saturday morning... I'll can do holy Jim since it's not that far...

 

Never been to Holy Jim. What kind of wheeling is it? Saturday morning would be ideal...

 

Imagine a normal road but with a bunch of potholes. Then throw in some trash dirt and you've got Holy Jim. It is nothing magical.

Edit: Screw you Autocorrect...

 

Personally would hit up anywhere but Holy Jim, if you're lookin to do some decent wheelin
Its pretty torn up there right now.
Pothole city.

 

Awesome

Wow that quote was wayyyyyyyyyyyy back. Anyways thanks for the info, I may get the HAM setup @Dangerousd1987 has and get a license after this semester

I'd be down to do Saturday morning depending on when it rains, gotta redirty the 4Banger since Toyota just washed it

It's pretty moderate, there are some areas where you can challenge yourself a little bit. A way to think of it, sometimes cars go back there to reach the hiking trails, although they go really slow. Lots of potholes thanks to rain and after it rains a good amount there's always some mud bogs! Also can't wait to see your truck

Currently it's graded for about a minute of driving past the bridge, although in the future they plan of paving the whole area..... but with the economy that'll probably be a while.

 

Yapp it's pot hole city right in the front mostly, know any other areas we could all hit?

 

I wanna go...

 

Johnson Valley isn't too far, but an all day affair...

 

We all wish you could too . One of us can facetime you while we're on the trails

 

Definitely looks interesting

 

Thanks for the explanation and further knowledge!