TONY Spring Meet n Greet at BHM 4/17

What is everyone using for comms?

 

You shouldn't *need* sliders on the easy side of the park. Unfortunately I haven't been on the rockier side. I assume they'd be more relevant over there. I was happy to have them for some tight turns between trees. But I could have made it without them.

 

Good question. Didn't think of that. I don't have anything, but wouldn't mind grabbing a handheld if necessary....is it necessary?

 

Gmrs is the most common
Just make sure it’s at least gmrs not frs in the long run it will be useless. CB use to rule the off-road game but the forecast has moved. Gmrs you can still get away without a license like you need with ham and the range of gmrs is plenty for most events and needs of people off-roading,hiking in groups, or camping

 

I'd suggest GMRS or FRS if you pick something up. Those will work with pretty much anyone else's FRS, GMRS, or ham radio. I'd avoid CB, since everyone else would need a CB for that to work.

If you don't have one or can't borrow a spare from someone day-of, you'll have to honk your horn if you need something. And get out of the car to see what everyone else is planning or why we're stopped.

 

I use the baofeng, I know @Checkers10160 and @mabepossibly use them as well. They're a cheap useful option

 

For GMRS or FRS get a Baofang UV-5R.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NCQJMM5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_A3DWX88MN3JW9CPGEQD4

 

Just keep in mind that it's technically illegal to transmit on FRS/GMRS frequencies with that radio. Even though everybody does it.

 

I have gone out with people "if you hear my horn that means I flipped over"

Anyway, as far as licenses and radios....

CB - Citizen band, no need for any license, just the radio. Handhelds work, but are mediocre. Full setups are better, but other than for off road, they're relatively useless for us. Truckers use them, and usually just bitch at each other at merge points, and discuss if rest stops are open. I just did 7300 some odd miles out to LA and back - google can reroute me easily, I don't have a 53ft trailer to worry about. If I did, the CB comes in handy for road/highway closured and reroutes (IE: 10 is blocked, trucks won't fit on exit 17, take 22 and then go up and around....Tacoma fits everywhere, no worries, just follow the google). Very few people have them other than truckers nowadays, as most trails coms have gone to....

FRS - Family radio service, these are stock radios you buy from the store and have 20 some odd channels pre-programmed in. They cannot change the antenna, and the face must only show the channel numbers. They're limited in power - they can only transmit up to a certain wattage (more on that in a second). NO LICENSE IS REQUIRED for FRS radios on the FRS bands.

GMRS - General Mobile Radio Service, a license IS required, no test is required. It was (still is, for now) 75 bucks for 10 years from FCC. Recently, they reduced that to 50$/10 years (might be even less, can't remember). These actually use the same channels as FRS (IE: Channel 9 on FRS is Channel 9 on GMRS). A GMRS (and FRS) radio needs to be accepted by the FCC, for example, programming any old radio to transmit on the FRS/GMRS frequencies is not permitted. GMRS adds the use of repeaters, and some more power.

https://www.buytwowayradios.com/twr-fgrqrc.html



So, on channels 1-7, FRS and GMRS are about the same. 8-14 they are exactly the same and limited in power, and 15-22 GMRS can blow away FRS. In this range though, you also get GMRS repeaters.


HAM - Doesn't actually stand for anything, technically it's "Amateur radio license", Ham is just the common name for it. Might be because back in the days of CW (Morse code), amateur operators (versus the pros) were "ham fisted". Whatever. This one needs a test, is (was) free, soon to be the same cost as GMRS license. You get a call sign, lots of rules, lots of power rules, etc.

Kicker - If I, amateur radio licensed, get a radio and program frequencies, I am limited. No matter what my level of certification is though, I cannot (legally) put in, say, 467.5875 MHz frequency and broadcast on any radio OTHER THAN an FCC approved FRS or GMRS radio. That is channel 9, so either way, it'll only be 0.5W.

SO THAT being said....

As long as you know the FRS GMRS frequencies (somewhere on the internet I'm sure they have a list) you COULD in theory I GUESS....put those into a Baofeng UV5R or any other radio (which I GUESS you could find on Amazon). Which will TX at 8W (I believe, I might actually be wrong on that one!)

Realistically - the FCC isn't running around the woods in the middle of NY for a bunch of idiots saying "go left", they got bigger fish to fry. "Officially", IE Off road clubs etc, have to be on the up and up for obvious legal/liability reasons.

(I have an amateur license and I have a baofeng in my truck that I have programmed for RX only!!!!!!!!....... on the GMRS/FRS frequencies.



TL;DR -
Legally - use these on channels 1-14, 15+ has repeater chatter but you can still use them if you were so inclined. No license required and they'll do the trick. No fancy dancy programming needed or anything like that.

$189 Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio, 2 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-T10...keywords=FRS+radio&qid=1617655348&sr=8-4&th=1

 

True. These things are the 58mph in a 55 zone version of FCC illegal.

 

Interested in the meet. Wish I could make it but it's my kids' opening day of baseball and I'm coaching them both, soooooo - hopefully next time!

 

You can move me to the going list I’ll be driving there Saturday morning hoping to convoy with @mabepossibly and who ever else we can pick up

 

@atpage you going friday or sat?

 

Offer still open for anyone that wants to head over together further downstate (i84>17)

 

anyone in roc area im around and going sat morning as well if ya wanted to caravan

 

Have to wait on a closer weather report. But probably Saturday morning.

 

If everyone turns out this will be one of the biggest ones we've done so far! This is awesome!
We will be driving out Saturday morning. Leaving from Waterford around 07:00. For comms we're old school, just hand held cb at the moment.

 

For the caravan from Albany, how about we meet at the Pilot at the top of I-88 in Rotterdam at 7:30, leave at 7:45? Google maps has BHM as 1:59 from Pilot.

Who is meeting up?

@mabepossibly
@jmferg
@adk_tacoma
@gabbo2112

 

I’m down to meet there will have to google where the pilot is in Rotterdam is tho, I’m coming right at ya from Greenwich can meet in Albany too

 

I figure it would be a central spot. No matter what part of Albany or Saratoga you are coming from it will send you down I-88.

Get on I-88 from the Thruway. Pilot is the first exit past the toll plaza, very hard to miss.