NW WA Meet / BS Thread

I've got a uniden set. Fine if you are within a mile and decent line of sight. The marketing of the radios up to 20-35 miles is bullshit.

 

You shut your dirty mouth. Coors Light is a delicious golden beverage, and I enjoy urinating often.

 

The 20-35 mile range is under "perfect" conditions, which you'd never see. It's a theoretical number based on the power output they're capable of. Since you have a "set" I imagine you're also talking about the handheld units which are far less capable than the vehicle mounted systems.

I plan to get a vehicle mounted one with like a 6" antenna. I'd expect to see a range of a few miles under most conditions (especially considering that on my rack it'll be like 20' in the air).

 

Yes a handheld set that my wife and I used on a road trip. I was not super impressed by their capability. I realize 35 miles might be perfect conditions with one person on a hill in a desert but I kinda expected more range than just a mile. Hope the vehicle mounted one works better for you.

 

I would too, on a road trip. Unless that road trip was through only city streets.

 

Nope all interstate travel with not much else around.

 

More than a few times we switched back to FRS even though transmit is only .5 watts it was clearer than the GMRS....

 

Weird. Wonder what the disconnect was.

 

Ideally, you'll want at least a 12" antenna for GMRS to match the half-wavelength of 462-467Mhz

 

FWIW, GMRS requires a license too. The odds of getting caught are nil, but I could see some busy body cranky old retired HAM guy who likes a challenge gathering enough info for the FCC to open a case. It does happen and the fines start at $16,000.

I'll use whatever the group is using, but my preferences are HAM, GMRS, FRS, signal flags, CB, in roughly that order. Then again, I do 99% of my exploring solo, and it's difficult to beat HAM when you're out in the boonies, especially if you bump up to a higher license.

Edit to add: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs

 

Yeah, $85 for 5 years. I mentioned it in my original post about this. I also read that the chances of getting caught are similar to those of winning the lottery. I'd pay $1.40/mo for the license though.

After this generation of HAM users die off I'll consider it.

 

I paid for a GMRS license for exactly that reason......some people apparently treat it as a hobby tracking "illegal" radio communications.

 

They're the same people that have Conexs buried in their backyards full of gas masks and non-perishables. Come for their guns, they'll give you their bullets.

'Murica. #MAGA

 

How does one determine if you do or don't have a license?

 

It's been a while since I've tested, but if I recall I spent $15 for my general and it's good for 10 years. The question pool for technician and general were 300 possible questions each. Some of it was just remembering a few equations, the rest was memorization. It was a pretty easy test IMO, but I've had to prep for several exams where the question pools were 20,000 questions per section for five sections, so I might be biased. I've backed off my HAM stuff a bit since the radio was stolen out of my truck and I've been spending more time at home and on shorter day trips.

And I wouldn't expect this generation of HAM users dying off to change much. The serious HAM guys make TacomaWorld look like a kid's sand box when it comes to opinions and right vs wrong. I see it getting passed on to the next generation so long as there is a license involved.

 

I wasn't aware of a test for GMRS... Are we still talking about that?

Or are you talking about the HAM test? I won't be taking that. As I said before, I don't need a class/test to talk to someone on a radio.

 

No test for GMRS just for HAM

 

We're planning to head down to the Salem area as well, but probably heading inland rather than toward the coast. Higher elevation on some FS roads seems like a good plan to maximize our chances of clear sky and finding a place to pull off and camp Sunday night. If anyone knows a good trail or campsite in the area that would be awesome.

 

@AWilson013 the license for GMRS is $70 and there is no test. If you get one of the nice 40w mobile radios (not hand held) with a roof antenna, you should be able to hit another one like it at 5-10 miles fairly easily. There is a repeater in the city that would allow you to talk 20-30 miles around town. The thing i havent been able to figure out is wether i should go for a GMRS/FRS radio or an older UHF radio that will do both. But they need some kind of mod or something to make it work. They cost about half as much though.

 

Just get a damn CB radio like the rest of us! Always wanting to be different haha