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Radio Communication? (Who had what) CB, Ameteur radio, ect

tbalcome

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Brighton, CO
So just got my ameteur radio licence it was fairly easy to get, had to read a very simple book, show up to a test and done. Now I have installed a "2 meter" VHF radio it uses a 17" antenna vs the 48" antenna for my CB! It travels 20 - 50 miles vs. 2 - 4 miles of the CB, it can travel much further with the use of repeaters! The quaility is much improved! I am hopefull that more Jeep's become equipt with ameteur radio so we can improve on trail communication!

The cost of a 2 meter radio?
$15 for licence
$40 for decent antenna
$130 for a decent radio

I would like to know what other people's thought are on this?
 
I'm W1KAS, been a ham since before I owned my Jeep actually. As such I think it's a good idea for sure... I'm putting a CB in my Jeep but pretty much only for jeep stuff.

The Technician license (what I'm pretty sure you're talking about) is indeed pretty easy to get. General and Extra class licenses are more difficult, you need a stronger grasp of radio theory and operation and some basic electronics as well, still not too too difficult. As a plus, they get to use a lot more output power on a lot more frequencies, including some frequency bands that can go literally worldwide with the right solar conditions.

I know there are a couple other hams on here (including at least one who uses his callsign as his forum username.) Haven't really checked too far, but they usually all pop up in threads about installing CB antennas.
 
Yeah, I read the ARRL tech book in a week, sat for the test passed with a 95% the VE's convinced me to take the General and I passed with an 80% But I work in Public Saftey with radio's day in and day out and grand pa was a ham so had some experiance! But I would love to see more Tech with 2 meter or 70 cm in Jeep's!
 
I have a 2m/70cm rig in my Jeep
 
Welcome to the fraternity...

The purpose of the Amateur Radio Service is to provide trained operators and technicians in the case of an emergency or military service. I hope you join a local Amateur Radio Club and get involved in the Civil Service aspect of the hobby.

A CB, with 4 watts will cover the same line of sight distance as a VHF radio with 4 watts. Your increased coverage is due to more transmit power. When you use a repeater the coverage is increased, but generally where we go with Jeeps, there is no repeater.

17" Antenna for 2 meters? That won't fly.

Of all the times I have had a 2mtr radio in my Jeep, I have never spoke to someone on the trail with it. Most Jeep people are not interested in Amateur Radio. Most want to stick with CB, or lately FRS( .5 watt UHF handheld), GMRS (1 to 5 watt UHF FM handhelds, or 25 watt land mobile). For most folks, that fits the bill quite well with minimal investment all around.

Ron
WB9YZU
 
Ron - according to my calculations, quarter wave for center of the 2 meter band would be approximately 20.22 inches, not taking into account feed impedance (5/8 wave works better when used as a whip on a ground plane), the velocity coefficient of an antenna vs free space, or any capacitive hat / inductive base loading used. 17 inches is well within the realm of possibility.
 
Of all the times I have had a 2mtr radio in my Jeep, I have never spoke to someone on the trail with it. Most Jeep people are not interested in Amateur Radio. Most want to stick with CB, or lately FRS( .5 watt UHF handheld), GMRS (1 to 5 watt UHF FM handhelds, or 25 watt land mobile). For most folks, that fits the bill quite well with minimal investment all around.

I think around this area a Ham radio setup in a Jeep is pointless. Now if you're out where IntrepidXJ is and always traveling hundreds of miles exploring the backcountry, It would be much more useful. I may get a Ham setup and get my license when I buy a house and get settled in. My high school electronics teacher had a Ham setup up in our class room. It was pretty cool.
 
Ron - according to my calculations, quarter wave for center of the 2 meter band would be approximately 20.22 inches, not taking into account feed impedance (5/8 wave works better when used as a whip on a ground plane), the velocity coefficient of an antenna vs free space, or any capacitive hat / inductive base loading used. 17 inches is well within the realm of possibility.

Your calcs are off.

Try this formula: 238/mhz, where mhz in this case is 146. You'll get 1.6 ft.
1.6ft = 19.2 in.

Don't sell the 1/4 wave antenna short (all puns intended). In many cases it will outperform a 5/8 wave antenna. It is also a "Natural Match" to a 52 ohm feed line.

Ron
 
I think around this area a Ham radio setup in a Jeep is pointless. Now if you're out where IntrepidXJ is and always traveling hundreds of miles exploring the backcountry, It would be much more useful. I may get a Ham setup and get my license when I buy a house and get settled in. My high school electronics teacher had a Ham setup up in our class room. It was pretty cool.

That is a misconception, here in Colorado we have statewide repeater coverage! Well over half of the rocky mountains you can reach out for help with a 2 meter! And depending on the radio type you can transmit radio to radio with out repeaters 2,500 miles away might come in handy if you are broke down or hurt in the back country!
 
That is a misconception, here in Colorado we have statewide repeater coverage! Well over half of the rocky mountains you can reach out for help with a 2 meter! And depending on the radio type you can transmit radio to radio with out repeaters 2,500 miles away might come in handy if you are broke down or hurt in the back country!

Oh I understand that but here in Indiana there aren't too many real remote areas like out there in CO and UT.
 
Your calcs are off.

Try this formula: 238/mhz, where mhz in this case is 146. You'll get 1.6 ft.
1.6ft = 19.2 in.

Don't sell the 1/4 wave antenna short (all puns intended). In many cases it will outperform a 5/8 wave antenna. It is also a "Natural Match" to a 52 ohm feed line.

Ron

That is what the HAM Radio Outlet sold me and they have tons of 1/4 wave antenna's 16" to 20" like I said above running a 75w mobile im reaching well over 50 miles from the front range of colorado to the rocky mountains! Infact I'm dont even need the full 75w I will have to try again but I belive I was only using 45w
 
Ron
So far with my 75watt 2 meter and 17" antenna I can hit a repeater that is 50 miles away in the mountains and be heard clearly!

Not to sack the experience, but that really isn't any great feat.
Try that mobile to mobile on flat ground and the I'd be yelling "HAZAH!" ;)

Now if you really want to cover some ground, do aeronautical mobile. You'd suprised on how far 5 watts will go when your up 2000 ft agl :D


What kind of antenna are you using on 2 meters that is only 17" tall?

Ron
 
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Depending on how many connectors and how well you terminated your cable, you might even be effectively using less than that.

... reminds me... I need to get a Bird thruline meter at some point. Or rather, I need to get some 1 5/8 EIA flange to UHF or N connector adapters and a few more plugs that aren't for 5kW worth of some band hams don't even have transmit privs on (picked up a 1 5/8 EIA flange thruline and some wacky plug at a hamfest recently.)
 
Currently I'm just running a CB which is worthless here in the mountains other than chatting with other vehicles on the trail, and cell service is no good either. Our local HAM club has a repeater just 4 miles from Roanoke and I plan on getting my Tech license and joining the local club so I can have use of the repeater. To me its a safety issue to have good communications when you are 10 miles either way, deep into a trail.

I've seen way to many off-road incidents and it would be comforting to know that help would just be a call away.
 
...,Now if you really want to cover some ground, do aeronautical mobile. You'd suprised on how far 5 watts will go when your up 2000 ft agl :D,...
Been a while, but if I recall correctly, the Apollo program used 2 watt radios on the moon shots. :D
 
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