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Trail Comms

dwa2469 said:
got my GMRS license today WRAF336. It is only $70.00 for 10 years and allows you to broadcast up to 50 watts. It is way too cheap to risk IMHO. Also, allows anyone in your immediate family to communicate with you as well.
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Details on how?
 
Very simple, go to FCC ULS, fill out form request gmrs license, pay fee and done. Got mine next day. Emailed me a
PDF official copy
 
Bringing this back up. What's everyone's likes/dislikes/recommendations for handheld radios for trail riding?
 
ridered3 said:
Bringing this back up. What's everyone's likes/dislikes/recommendations for handheld radios for trail riding?
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Rugged had a great sale on their 5 watt handheld kit. I got a couple for my father in law and myself. Havent used them yet but have heard good things.
 
I have been rocking these Chinese listening devices.
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Has anyone programmed the rugged radio handhelds? Looks like it take a propriety software that cost 25 bucks! Can it be done with chirp?
 
I'm no expert so take this cheap advice as you will.

If you want a mobile 25/50/100 watt radio with full featured headset/PTT/VOX/bluetooth, etc. you need to pony up and go Rugged. They have an extra plug wired into the rear of the radio that adapts to all their accessories. Rugged makes it plug and play, but you pay for it. I have yet to figure out how to adapt a headset to my 25W Baofeng mobile radio.

Most of the Baofeng/Chinese 5w/8w handhelds have ports (Kenwood Style) where you can connect universal headsets/PTT buttons etc. and is fairly easy to add some basic accessories. Biggest problem is these radios usually come with crap antennas so buy a quality antenna when you buy the radio.

The hard mounted radios are nice in that they haven no batteries and are always in your rig, but if you leave the rig your coms are lost (ie. spotting someone up an obstacle). This is usually the exact reason you have a radio installed and now cannot use it for the intended purpose. Handhelds are nice because they are portable and can be attached to you at all times and transferred easily to different rigs. But they have batteries that must be charged and not as much transmit power. Personally I have a unit mounted in my rig and will be buying a basic handheld for when I leave the buggy.

Try to find a radio that supports CHIRP. All these radios can be programmed manually or with alternate software, CHIRP is just the most widely used.
 
I have an adapter for the 2 pin side connection to Peltors. I am also running the helmet kit. I haven't had any issues with the Baofeng/ Amazon radio stuff so far.
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Waffle said:
I've made the switch this offseason after loosing my group at Harlan last time there. I just can't keep cb antennas from getting knocked around, damaged, and killing the swr along with the range.

My solution. I've installed a waterproof TYT th-8600 dual band mobile. Bought it new for $95 and it's the exact same one that Rugged relables and sells for $250 as the RR rm25r-wp. No programming needed if you know the frequency. Just type in the code on the handset and you're there. Using Stico flexiwhip nitinol antennas to reach out. So far I'm setup with a 6" antenna for uhf to connect with walkie talkies. Later on I'll add another Stico flexiwhip trimmed at 18" for vhf.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.randl.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php%3Fproducts_id%3D72969&ved=2ahUKEwi108yJwvfeAhVCx1kKHZKkAXUQFjALegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw0IAte6uNThscEUVbCZn3Qa
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Exact radio I use in my rig. I can talked to people in Evarts from Putney clear as a bell. I also carry a handheld for spotting. Makes it easy to give drivers direction without all the yelling and pointing.
 
Waffle said:
[quote Exact radio I use in my rig. I can talked to people in Evarts from Putney clear as a bell. I also carry a handheld for spotting. Makes it easy to give drivers direction without all the yelling and pointing.


Putney to Evarts? Nice! I'm assuming thats using 150mhz VHF and not 450mhz UHF. Correct?
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Yup....VHf. It will reach from Middle Fork to Putney or Evarts in UHF.
 
So if a person wanted to use these for rockcrawling comps(spotter/driver) and wanted voice activated, is rugged radio the only way? I ask because I want to have a radio setup that can be used fro comps, then with group rides too. Used to do the CB dealio, but more and more of our group do not have them...
 

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