Communication

[AvidC 34]

What does everyone use for communication radios? Anyone have a Ham Radio license? 

[Kenguythe rooster 82]

Actually excellent idea,,short wave ham radio at Walmart 140 $ needs to be very high on must have list. 

[Byron K 17]

No Ham license, only have CB radio

[AvidC 34]

8 minutes ago, Ken Guy said:

Actually excellent idea,,short wave ham radio at Walmart 140 $ needs to be very high on must have list. 

I use the Boafeng UV-5R. You can get them on Amazon for around $25 each. If you dont have a Ham license you can set them up to run on MUR. 

[Kenguythe rooster 82]

Wow great info brother,,, definitely checking that out. 

[Byron K 17]

Thanks for the info I will check it out

[Kenguythe rooster 82]

During these current events unfolding right before are eyes Avid c had a very very  important point. Communication is absolutely a top priority. It wouldn't take much for tyrants to break our commo on this type of media.  Time for leadership and idea on this issue. Great insight on this brother.

[Kenguythe rooster 82]

1 hour ago, AvidC said:

I use the Boafeng UV-5R. You can get them on Amazon for around $25 each. If you dont have a Ham license you can set them up to run on MUR. 

Just ordered 2

[Megatron 1,175]

2 hours ago, AvidC said:

What does everyone use for communication radios? Anyone have a Ham Radio license? 

I wont get the ham license but I also avoid the bofang as well.  The hyt is about 140 dollars and extremely better built and more solid over the bofang. 

 

The perk of a bofang is they make decent training radios but poor choices for a field radio. 

[Dav Harzin 675]

here is the US distributor for official Beofeng radios, much quicker shipping. 

 

https://baofengtech.com/

 

 

[Kenguythe rooster 82]

Thanks brother.

[Outrider 7]

Hey folks, as a Licensed HAM operator, (KD9NXL) If you can afford something better than a Baofeng, get that instead. Good brands to get: Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, to name a few.  Reason being is that while Baofengs are affordable, their quality suffers quite a bit and as a result, they are not as durable and don't produce as clean a signal as better HT's. (Handy Talky) 

 

Also, it is currently illegal to use them to transmit on FRS or GMRS frequencies, as the FCC has not licensed them to do so, even though they can. 

 

I encourage everyone though, to get a radio, learn to use it, and get your license now, Baofeng or not. 

[AvidC 34]

1 hour ago, Outrider said:

Hey folks, as a Licensed HAM operator, (KD9NXL) If you can afford something better than a Baofeng, get that instead. Good brands to get: Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, to name a few.  Reason being is that while Baofengs are affordable, their quality suffers quite a bit and as a result, they are not as durable and don't produce as clean a signal as better HT's. (Handy Talky) 

 

Also, it is currently illegal to use them to transmit on FRS or GMRS frequencies, as the FCC has not licensed them to do so, even though they can. 

 

I encourage everyone though, to get a radio, learn to use it, and get your license now, Baofeng or not. 

This is great info. Good to know we have a very knowledgeable person with a lot of info on communication. Could you post or give some instruction on getting a HAM license and the benefits of having it? Thanks!! 

[Outrider 7]

Sure. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm super knowledgeable, as I'm still new to the hobby, but I'll happily share what I know. 

 

As for getting your license, it's a fairly simple process: Either get one of ARRLs study books or get on whatever your preferred device is and grab HAMStudy.org's HAM study app. I did both while I was studying for my Technician license. Use the book/app to learn about the hobby and study for the required test. Once you feel you're ready, contact a local HAM group and ask about testing. Currently, because of the pandemic crap, online testing is being allowed. 

 

There are 3 Licenses available: Technician, General and Amateur Extra. They grant increasingly more access to the HAM bands, (frequencies you can transmit on) and require more knowledge to pass their test. 

 

Benefits of getting a license now? It's a fairly complex hobby and trying to figure out how to operate or program a radio during an emergency is probably not going to go so well. That would be the practical reason as it relates to a militia, or any local/national emergency really. Other than that, it's a pretty cool skill to learn and a more unique way to make friends and have fun. 

[Outrider 7]

As a side note on Boafeng products: I personally have 2, BF-F8HP model HT's. They are not the greatest for repeater use as they have a noisy transmit issue, but for Simplex operation over a fairly small area, they do just fine. (Simplex meaning one HT directly to another HT) 

 

A boon to the Baofengs is that most can receive NOAA stations as well as FM radio. 

[Guns Coast To Coast 5]

Another vote for Baofeng