GMRS or HAM radio?
- Thread starter Wildman
- Start date
As for hazard, I did say "Will it cook or kill you? Probably not. A smartphone next to your ear probably does more damage."
That knowledge just changed from "un-controlled environment" to "controlled environment".
The first sign I found of a leak was a teachers thumb getting hot. There was no detectable heat like resistance in a switch, just the sensation. Weird.
RF cooks stuff in a microwave and a microwave oven uses “microwave” and as I understand it, the wave length is smaller than the orriface on a human head. Especially mine. Free entry to the brain. Ok, so it’s milliwatts, one of my favorite meats is slow cooked. What is Bluetooth freq? I know Wi-Fi is 5.something ghz.Must not comment. Must not comment...
There I said it for you. Lol
I totally believe in your camp. I prefer analog days.
USAF radar and EW tech types from the 1950s can tell you about real microwave "hot spots" in their shops and how common they were. Probably still are. And it wasn't pissy little emissions fromm hand held radios and cell phones. As far as anyone knows they didn't drop like flies from brain tumors and cancers although one I know told me he thinks most of them probably ended up wearing eyeglasses because of it.
I knew guys that would zap birds sitting on the electric wires across the street with a wave guide and high power microwave RF!
SailorEd
Member
I feel like chiming in because, well, we're all family here. I often go offroad with my girl... solo. Is that smart, nope. Am I sometimes nervous, yep. But even when we were offroad in Death Valley, Joshua Tree, BigBear, or just local on some national forest fire roads, there were always some people I could flag down if SHTF with my TJ. I really, really try to be prepared: food, water, fuel (sometimes, like in DeathValley), tools, spare parts, tire kit and compressor, HiLift , battery jump pack, a pew pew, and electronics (Midland MXT275 stand-alone GMRS, Baofeng HAM handheld (GMRS accessible), Gaia GPS app on my iPhone, and an ACR Personal Locator Beacon).
So to answer your question, Wildman, in my case my "main, upfront" unit is the Midland MXT275 stand-alone GMRS that remains powered-up and scanning. All others are locked away for emergency. And as you've read, it's kind of a toss-up between CB and GMRS but I decided on GMRS as I feel there are plenty of folks with both mounted and handheld units that I'd more likely be able to ping in the event of emergency (and I can access local repeaters too). Oh no, I think I'm dizzy again... 😵💫
, battery jump pack, a pew pew, and electronics (Midland MXT275 stand-alone GMRS, Baofeng HAM handheld (GMRS accessible), Gaia GPS app on my iPhone, and an ACR Personal Locator Beacon). So to answer your question, Wildman, in my case my "main, upfront" unit is the Midland MXT275 stand-alone GMRS that remains powered-up and scanning. All others are locked away for emergency. And as you've read, it's kind of a toss-up between CB and GMRS but I decided on GMRS as I feel there are plenty of folks with both mounted and handheld units that I'd more likely be able to ping in the event of emergency (and I can access local repeaters too). Oh no, I think I'm dizzy again... 😵💫
I run solo 99% of the time too. We need a "so-cal" come and get me team for those uh-ooh moments. My Jeep is fixed up, repaired, etc. right after a trip, so she is always ready to roll. Just an idea. Not sure what a ACR is but assume it is a sat communicator of some type. I run a inReach. we need some coordination and a few rules and I think it could work for stranded so cal Jeepers.I feel like chiming in because, well, we're all family here. I often go offroad with my girl... solo. Is that smart, nope. Am I sometimes nervous, yep. But even when we were offroad in Death Valley, Joshua Tree, BigBear, or just local on some national forest fire roads, there were always some people I could flag down if SHTF with my TJ. I really, really try to be prepared: food, water, fuel (sometimes, like in DeathValley), tools, spare parts, tire kit and compressor,HiLift
So to answer your question, Wildman, in my case my "main, upfront" unit is the Midland MXT275 stand-alone GMRS that remains powered-up and scanning. All others are locked away for emergency. And as you've read, it's kind of a toss-up between CB and GMRS but I decided on GMRS as I feel there are plenty of folks with both mounted and handheld units that I'd more likely be able to ping in the event of emergency (and I can access local repeaters too). Oh no, I think I'm dizzy again... 😵💫
Here is a little trick for when cell service is bad. Send a text with all your info, GPS coords, parts needed, etc. to someone who can help. Connect your phone (strip it down to be as light as possible) to a drone and send it up 400'. Often you will be inline with a cell tower somewhere. Once a signal is found, off it goes. It reminds me of how far and fast morse code goes compared to voice on analog.
In Washington State we have the Washington Offroad Recovery Network (WORN) o Facebook and nearly every recovery is an unprepared person out there all alone. A lot of the recovery requests really make me shake my head.
Maybe SoCal has the same kind of thing. I think Oregon does.
Socal does indeed have recovery groups, one of the best uses of FB but you have to have service. CA the risk is really low if you keep your head. Just set your spare tire on fire and the entire state will be there in five minutes with firehawk helicopters.
So it has to be done via facebook? The type of group I would be interested in is not a social media group. Mostly local guys who need a hand with recovery or repair, not just someone who can yell help and a group heads out recovers or repairs and then criticize/post the recovery. I am thinking more real friends, not someone who clicked the friend box. A weld repair, maybe a driveline tube, etc.
I can tell I am in over my head here. I'll keep it to my few trusted guys. I have a group of four guys that run alone almost 100%. Experienced and prepared guys. Funny but never had to recover any of us. Lots of cool pics and I love the inreach when you get the message, it shows the location with satellite imagery. It has kinda turned out like pins on a map game. We just used to track/check in for safety/recovery, now it's just a fun game of pin on the map.
Back in the 80's, District 37 (so cal) races used to burn a pile of tires a mile or so from the start line. We called it the "bomb" or "bomb run". I can still remember the smell of riding through the smoke.
Ya, there are hundreds of guys that are on facebook that will jump in their rigs and be there to help in hours all over, no charge, no bullshit. There are thousands that leave useless comments, who cares? It's a tool in your kit, you can use it or not. Friends are great, allot of friends are better even if that means some scumbags. There are guys out there willing to help, sometimes you have to speak their language to get the help.
OP
After all this talking about stuff I'd forgotten I'd bought these radios years ago. And to my surprise they still worked and had a charge in the batteries. I'd guess I'd bought them 6-8 years ago and have them in my bugout bag I keep in my bedroom.
Yea, it's Facebook but Facebook is just the portal. No socializing, no bullshit, no conversations, no commentary, no criticism, just recovery requests and recovery coordination and it's heavily moderated to keep it that way. Members will drag their ass out of bed or leave work and spend their hard earned money to extract any stranger who asks for help as long as the "victim" has the legal right to be where they are stuck and a tow truck won't respond because it's an off-road location. It's better than what you are wishing for.
OP
Once you decide what bands you want to use, lol! They are old enough that they are likely unlocked to the common frequencies, and may need some firmware updates. PM me if you want some help with them. I've gone pretty much full retard with the radio hobby as it is used in offroading.Now I just need to learn how to use them...