Radio communication

Want to get some type of communication other than a cell phone. Mostly “wheel” solo but sometimes with people. Inform me on HAM, GMRS and CB.
What’s more common and practical?

 

See the Ham threads.

If you are licensed ham than that’s always the best. 25-30 miles or more.
CB is cheap and easy if you’re buddies use it. 3-4 miles reliable.

I have both since a number of guys in New England still like CB. See the electronics link in my build thread for my setup.


GMRS are useless toys to use at Disney. Line of sight range.

 

Both is best. CB for truck to truck and ham for distance. Getting the ham license is not bad and worth the time. My set up is pretty basic compared to Cudgel's (awesome!) but it works.

 

It really depends more on who you wheel with. Alone, GMRS and CB are useless, HAM can be useful, but not always, depending on where you go. If you're with a group that all have CBs, your HAM us useless, and visa versa. I currently have a couple GMRS radios (one for me, and one for a friend), and they've always had plenty of range for truck to truck coms. There was a time when this numb nut missed a turn and kept going for a few miles, but he didn't have a radio at all, so....

If you want a truly universal comms system for emergencies or just for communicating with the "outside world", you have a couple choices. The first, and what's been around for longer is the SPOT. Although it is not a 2 way comm system. It's basically just a "push here in case of emergency".

If you want true 2-way long range (i.e. literally unlimited range) communications, go with a Garmin InReach. If you have GPS reception, you have comms. This is really the only true Satellite communication that isn't redonk expensive (sat phone), but it does have a monthly or annual fee for the service. It's all text based, but what Millennial out there doesn't prefer texting anyway, lol. The people you're communicating with don't need one, either, it can go to their computers or phones, too.

Sure, it's not as "techy" and you don't get the broverlander points like with a HAM radio, but IMO it's the best universal solution.

Sometimes simple is better. I see a lot of rigs out there with 15 different screens and radios all over their dashes. That's cool and all, but I've never felt stranded or inadequate with my GMRS radio sitting in my cup holder. The people who care about me know where I'll be and when to start looking for me should i not show up. If I did a lot more solo or small group back country expedition type stuff, 100% I'd get the InTouch.

The GMRS radios are nice (get the nicer ones, at least) because you can hand one to a friend who is new to off-roading, too.

 

I'll get a license for Ham, but what ham radio do you use? thanks

 

I’m happy with my iCon dual band. 5100.
Decent write up in my build thread. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cudgels-build-thread.600420/#post-20174395

I like the remote head, crisp sound and dual transceivers among other things. .

 

This just isn’t true. I think you are mistaking GMRS for FRS. Most of my local off-roading groups primarily use GMRS radios for communication these days.

They have plenty of range to talk within your group and it’s easy to have extra radios to let the new guy that doesn’t have one borrow.

GMRS is so popular for trails these days I installed one of the higher power truck mounted midland units.

Don’t bother with CB, GMRS has just as good of range these days and CB is becoming less and less common. I have had one for a decade and have yet to go on a trail run where the group is running CBs. I pretty much only use it to talk with truckers when I’m stuck in traffic on the interstate.

HAM is great if everyone in your group has one and is licensed but that isn’t super common either. As was mentioned above I’d much rather rely on my garmin inreach in a real emergency than a HAM radio. HAM is cool but I think it makes more sense if you are interested in getting into amateur radio as a hobby. Not really worth the hassle just to talk to your buddy in the next truck down the trail.

 

Get a satellite phone. You have communications from anywhere in the world.
Or get an emergency personal locator device that has the option to texting. A personal locator can save your life if you get into trouble in the back country.

 

At that point just get a garmin inreach. $12/month base plan opposed to sat phones starting at $50/month and going way up from there. Both use the iridium satellite network so exact same coverage.

plus inreach coverage includes their dispatcher service so they contact the appropriate authorities for you opposed to you having to know who to call depending where you are on a sat phone. Can’t exactly just call 911 on a sat phone.

I’ve also read about people hitting the SOS button on their inreach when a forest fire started while they were climbing mt Whitney. The dispatchers reached out to local authorities and then informed the user the best route out to safely avoid the fire without actually having to mobilize rescue crews.

 

This^^^

 

It all depends on what your local clubs are running. All of the clubs I interact with gave up on CB and now run GMRS. I have a ham license and GMRS license so I can operate GMRS at its full power.

most of the time we travel in packs so GMRS blister pack radios work fine but those of us with truck mounted radios have the better range.

If your an apple phone person the new iphone 14 has a satellite emergency system / messaging system.

 

Ham is fun but you gotta convince your buddies to take the test too

 

News flash ... Garmin inReach discontinued ... https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/garmin-inreach-explorer-discontinued.787056/

Interesting indepht about in-Reach devices at least.

 

They discontinued the large handheld but are still making the minis and all the other inreach devices.

stand-alone handheld GPS units are becoming obsolete due to apps like Gaia GPS which have a superior user interfaces and constant map updates.

I have an inreach mini which I love and use all the time. Have never been interested in the explorer (way bigger and heavier than I want to carry around in the backcountry). I’d wager they’re discontinuing it because no one is buying it.

 

Thanks for that. Guess I jumped a bit quick.

I can look into Gaia ... I have Trailforks on my phone but cannot comment on which is better.

I know about "superior interface". Even my 7 year old Garmin 5-in GPS has more useful display of data than the crayon-world GPS in the truck ... one feature truck GPS does NOT have is "street you are on" on bottom and "next expected crossroad" at top.

Remote SOS function of the inReach seems good to have.