have a read here. I am looking at the same thing and finding there is way more to it than I thought.

You cant just buy a radio and slap it on the truck and be off.. (unlike a CB) You need a licence. which I thought was a waste of time, but the more i learn the better idea it is, at least to get you off on the right foot in regards to what you can and can not do.

check out this post. and get in touch with a local radio club they will help you get a licence.

http://bb.bc4x4.com/showthread.php?t=114277

I am thinking I want a portable unit that can move between trucks with me.

good luck.

 

Is a VHF what I would want in my truck first of all ?? we are getting more active in the offroad scene and are noticing that a radio would help out alot. I have no clue what you are all talking about with the lingo. Can anyone recomend what we should get?

Mike

A license!
If you're serious about a VHF in your rig go to Com West or Burnaby Radio and get the Basic study guide. Consider hamstudy.com too. By the time you're through the study material you'll know the lingo people are talking about.
Any cb and decent antenna will do for trail communications, but ham radio is SO much better. It just takes some work to do it legally. Totally worth it IMHO.

As for gear, I started with a dual band, dual recieve mobile rig, then bought a dual band hand held, and just added an HF mobile, so it has become a bit of a hobby in itself. I don't regret any of my radio choices or the order I got them, so I must have done something right for a change!

Stick your head in at the next Coastal Cruiser meeting, there's a number of hams in the club that would be happy to chat about it with you and you could check out a couple of rigs.

 

have a look here, this is loaded with info..

http://www.ve7bar.org/

scott.

 

Start with a cb !


Many of the other trucks will be usin those !

Then go vhf next ! A basic 2 meter single band is almost as cheap as a good cb !

Take the time to get your hamm liscence as thats where you really can see a dramatic increase in abilities !

Bruce

 

I agree with JeeperBruce. Get a CB first, since that's what most fourwheelers use. That'll give you communications with other fourwheelers who are within 5 km of you. This varies, of course. Sometimes the range is a bit better, sometimes a bit less.

The only exception to this suggestion is if you go 'wheeling by yourself a lot. In that case, a VHF would probably be a better bet due to its range and the ability to hit repeaters which would give you tremendous range.

In either case, though, having one of each would be the ideal solution. You could find a decent cb and a decent 2-meter ham radio for $100 ea. Add another $50-75 ea for a cb and a vhf antenna, and you'll be all set (well, you need to get a ham license to operate the vhf!).

You may think it's a big pita to get a vhf license but the first time you talk to someone 50km from your location with crystal clarity, you'll know it was worth the effort.


...lars

 

Theres a good open house to go and see what its all about
http://www.deltaamateurradio.com/openhouseoct27.htm

 

The biggest thing is who do you wont to talk too?

Most 4x4ers have CB but the number of Hams in our community is growing. Look at what the peaple you go out with are using and go with the trend to start.

I know our club is still mostly CB but we seem to always have a few Ham radios on the trail.

 

very stupid question...But...

I am guessing that the CB channels are pre programed in to the unit, and operate on a VHF frequency that is with in the range of the 2m band width that a VHF radio uses? They just dont have the range of a VHF unit. cb 1-2km VHF 30km??? wright or wrong??? I really have no clue....

So If i got a VHF radio can I still here and talk to the CB guys? can they talk to me? or is the CB on a completly different band width and we wont be able to chat with each other?

A bit depressing how little I know about this stuff, I have just never had the need to use a CB or a VHF, but I just bought a TLC that has a CB, drove it 600 miles, and got to talk to no one....ARRRRG...mabey a VHF will be better to hear people with.

scott.

 

CB is a different band. You might be able to listen if your radio is capable but you are not permited to use your ham radio to talk to them.

With both CB and Ham radio the big thing is knowing what FRQ to monitor but with VHF/UHF you can normaly look up repeaters that will be along your route and should be able to find someone to talk to.

 

CB is indeed 26-27MHz so is in a different band as you say. CB's work at best a few K's in the bush. OK for truck to truck comms on the trail, as long as they are very close.

If you use a HAM radio you can get much more than this using simplex (radio to radio), i've used mine truck to truck to around 30K's, and if you use repeaters you can talk 50Kms + and even all over the world using something like IRLP which links repeaters via the net. And with satellite you can talk thousands of miles. There is so much more to HAM than CB.

But CB is simple to operate, you have 40 channels and that's it. With HAM you need a license, use a callsign, know what frequency to use, know the duplex setting, tone settings etc etc and because there are so many frequencies and modes you really need to understand how it all works to get the most out of it (i.e. take a course). You can't just switch in on and talk like you can with CB.

If you get your basic HAM license you can use for example :-

The 2 Meter HAM band is VHF at 144-148MHz
The 70cm HAM band is UHF at 430-450MHz

If you get your basic plus, you get access to HF which is 50MHz and below.

If pass the advanced test you can build your own gear.

Try and meet up with someone with a HAM radio and get the basics, then take a course!

 

Correct me if I am wrong but

CB = uhf (ultra high frequency)5 watts output....resulting in limited range and communication.

HAM = vhf (very high frquency) usually around 40-70watts of output (unmodified)...resulting in much better range capability.

I have a kenwood vhf radio that has been reprogrammed with local BC frequencies. I love it for traffic situation updates. I also use it to chat with others who just want to just bullsht.

Range is good. If I am in Abbotsford I can talk to guys all over the LM

I bought my radio used from a board member here. With the radio antenna cable and antenna bracket I think I have like $200 into it.

 

Correct me if I am wrong but

CB = uhf (ultra high frequency)5 watts output....resulting in limited range and communication.

HAM = vhf (very high frquency) usually around 40-70watts of output (unmodified)...resulting in much better range capability.

HAM = HF*, VHF, and UHF

CB is in the range somewhere between HF and VHF

If you can remember that Hz (Hertz) is just cycles per second (a wave, that your radio makes) and MHz (Megahertz) is millions of cycles per second.

When someone refers to 2m, or 70cm they are just refering to the height of the wave. You need to be able to determine this for the test i think. I just found a cool calculator http://www.csgnetwork.com/freqwavelengthcalc.html and you can see at the bottom where cb falls in around the 11m mark.

There is diferent broadcasting characteristics depending on the band 2m, 11m etc... And where i believe most cb's are 4-5 watts (and yes sometimes you can skip them off the atmosphere) most vhf, uhf rigs start at 5w for a handheld they can be as high as 60w for in car units.

*HF refers to High Frequency and if you achieve 80% or better on the exam you get basic(+) which means you can operate hf too. It is not widely used in 4x4's, VHF serves the propose of close range com up to 30-50 km or more. Where as HF is used to communicate world wide (with skip off the atmosphere). It pretty amazing but a little pricey to get a nice mobile(in car) HF rig ...

 

^ yup good post.

lots of misconceptions on the bands and what HF, VHF and UHF means.

Typical CB is at 26-27MHz which is HF.

Also with HAM you can get thousands of watts, depending on the frequencies you are using. Anything over 50 Watts gets dangerous. And if you get your full license you can build your own.

 

Getting your amateur license is definitely the way to go in my opinion.

But like others have said a CB might be ok for you to start out with. It really depends on what people you are going to wheel with use. I had a VHF (commercial) and a CB in my Jeep at the same time. In 4 years I never turned the CB on because everyone I wheeled with had commercial VHF radios or Ham radios. So I ripped out the CB.

One other consideration are FRS radios. I always have one in my Jeeps. When our club takes out new people we always ask them to bring along a FRS radio if they have one. Most everyone does. They have good enough range for wheeling in a group but they have way better audio than CB. It's always a good back up also. Oh and they are cheep and you can put it in your pocket if you leave the vehicle so no one steals it.

 

Good to know. I always thought that cb was uhf. That is what somebody told me awhile back. Thanx for setting that straight.

 

OH DAMMMIT.... Now what the hell is a FSR radio.... thanks, I was just getting a handle on this :whiteflag: ...theres another option???????

:read :cwm36:
I'll just use my cell phone...lol

 

Ok. So, is it possible to buy one radio that can be installed in a Jeep to cover CB, UHF, VHF and HF? Because if I need multiple units my ideas about a radio are gonna be scrapped. Well maybe I'll do CB if that is the popular choice.

 

You will need CB to monitor and transmit CB, you can get one radio to monitor and transmit HF, VHF and UHF, but very pricey. There are dual banders to monitor V & U HF as discussed in the Frequency use post. Start with a CB if you have no radio as most use that. More wheelers are adding VHF in addition to CB but you will need a license for VHF UHF and HF useage.

 

I will sell you my brand new cb radio with brand new coax cable and a 3ft firestick with bracket for $100 :soso

 

very smecking at $1400. I better be able to call ET if neccessary. I cant believe that I havent been able to find a simple mobile CB pkg via googling.

 

I cant believe that I havent been able to find a simple mobile CB pkg via googling.

What exactly are you looking for? If you want a small radio, get a Uniden 510 or 520, about $100 at Burnaby Radio. Or get a refurbished Cobra for $30 from Radioworld.com in Toronto. Pick an antenna - I like the Wilson Flex 4, it'll about bend over on itself without breaking - an antenna mount, and some coax. Any radio shop can help you put this all together.

Or just take 4Lo up on his offer.

 

I have a Uniden 520 that I have been using for almost 10 years. Liked the cpmpact size as I could remove the ash try (smoker's package for those with newer XJs) and install the radio vertically in front of the shifter in our '90 XJ.

Rob