back in the ussr
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Does anybody have Ham radios in there rig or is it just CB's?
CB or HAM in your Rig?
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wadle5
New member
Looked into HAMs for the possibility of longer range, but the upfront costs of testing and the gear is usually more. Have found in most off roading/overlanding alone or single I find the more common theme thus better ways to communicate is with a CB. For this reason I ended up getting a decent CB cheap off of craigslist.
mikey's2010SR5
New member
Running a HAM in mine. It's the way to go out if you have others in your group that run it. Plus if you go out pretty far and are off the beaten path you still could reach someone or a repeater for help more so then with a CB.
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Oneluv13T4R
New member
Both
This would be the same as if you were out by yourself, the help you or someone else may need is using the one you may not have.
These two radios cost total $110 bucks and done and they have worked perfect anywhere i have been.
[MENTION=123406]back in the ussr[/MENTION] Carry both just in case your out doing trails with a group some people may only have one or the other that way you can hear all that is going on not just one.
This would be the same as if you were out by yourself, the help you or someone else may need is using the one you may not have.
These two radios cost total $110 bucks and done and they have worked perfect anywhere i have been.
Attachments
Running a modified Yaesu FTM-400D HAM radio, 50W capable, on a motorized antenna mount - Diamond K9000LRM (folded down when not being used), mounted on the roof within a Gobi roof rack (having the front lights protecting the folded down antenna), a 38" Diamond dual band antenna NR770HBNMO (3.0/5.5 dBi gain), GPS included with APRS (automatic location transponder)
Regularly, I can communicate point-to-point with HAM Simplex frequencies. Or hit up repeaters.
In case of emergency :frisky:, I can reach out to FRS/GMRS, MURS, Business Band "dot" radio frequencies, Baja race frequencies (Weatherman and various PIT crew), marine band (CH16 and all others), etc...
One great feature of this radio is that it supports X-band repeat, ie. you can run your car as a local repeater to support "around the camp" communications, or to support a local tactical deployment of a SAR incident etc...
Some useful info:
Mag 7 Race and Pit crew
http://www.mag7race.com/
http://www.mag7race.com/pdf/channel.pdf
http://www.4x4ham.com/
Regularly, I can communicate point-to-point with HAM Simplex frequencies. Or hit up repeaters.
In case of emergency :frisky:, I can reach out to FRS/GMRS, MURS, Business Band "dot" radio frequencies, Baja race frequencies (Weatherman and various PIT crew), marine band (CH16 and all others), etc...
One great feature of this radio is that it supports X-band repeat, ie. you can run your car as a local repeater to support "around the camp" communications, or to support a local tactical deployment of a SAR incident etc...
Some useful info:
Mag 7 Race and Pit crew
http://www.mag7race.com/
http://www.mag7race.com/pdf/channel.pdf
http://www.4x4ham.com/
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Panzerpatty
New member
How did you learn to operate that stuff? What did the prep for the HAM license look like?
It's fairly easy to get a HAM license, and the question pool is available. Learning how to actually operate stuff, and what conventions people typically use, is more difficult.
As others had mentioned, getting the license is not *that* big of a deal, search locally, there have to have some HAM club who provide free or close to free classes plus getting you "licensed".
They probably can also teach you how to communicate on local repeaters (those are more structured).
To communicate point-to-point is much less structured.
Now, learning to hack the radio is a little bit more involved. But if you can find someone who can guide you thru, and purchase the right stuff, you can end up with a high power mobile/automotive installed radio that *can technologically* communicate 2-way on HAM, FRS/GMRS, MURS, business-band, baja-race, marine band, etc... a WHOLE lot of others.....
They probably can also teach you how to communicate on local repeaters (those are more structured).
To communicate point-to-point is much less structured.
Now, learning to hack the radio is a little bit more involved. But if you can find someone who can guide you thru, and purchase the right stuff, you can end up with a high power mobile/automotive installed radio that *can technologically* communicate 2-way on HAM, FRS/GMRS, MURS, business-band, baja-race, marine band, etc... a WHOLE lot of others.....
2014 Warthog
New member
As others are likely saying, get both!
I have FRS, CB and HAM on all trips. Frequently use two and once used all three on a single run. (It's fun trying to figure out which radio a call came in on sometimes)
If you were for some reason only able to get just one. CB is the one I use most often, even though it sucks. HAM is 10x better. 10x clearer, 10x the range. (1000x when using a repeater)
I use the all-in-one hand held Cobra CB, easy to stow in the console when not in use. For HAM I have this: KENWOOD TM-281A | 2M 65W 200 MEMS TRANSCEIVER W WX ALERT
Cheap, powerful and modifiable for emergency broadcast on other frequencies within the 2M band. And finally a pair of Cobra FRS radios...
I have FRS, CB and HAM on all trips. Frequently use two and once used all three on a single run. (It's fun trying to figure out which radio a call came in on sometimes)
If you were for some reason only able to get just one. CB is the one I use most often, even though it sucks. HAM is 10x better. 10x clearer, 10x the range. (1000x when using a repeater)
I use the all-in-one hand held Cobra CB, easy to stow in the console when not in use. For HAM I have this: KENWOOD TM-281A | 2M 65W 200 MEMS TRANSCEIVER W WX ALERT
Cheap, powerful and modifiable for emergency broadcast on other frequencies within the 2M band. And finally a pair of Cobra FRS radios...
Technologically, HAM and FRS can be combined, a dual band VHF/UHF can cover both.
The only one that is NOT possible to combine is the CB which is at a much lower frequency (that's why it sucks).
OffRoadGuy
New member
Difference is like night and day. 2 meter win hands down, but I have both. Yaesu FT-2900R 75 watt max power. Learn about using repeaters to call for help when needed.
tornado_chase_hike
New member
I install 2m/440 ham mobiles in every vehicle I primarily drive. I have been licensed for many years and enjoy being able to use those radios when near other hams. I have used CB radios from time to time. I currently intend to add both radio types to my new 4Runner to maximize potential contacts.
Something to keep in mind is the substantial difference between handheld ham and mobile ham radios. With handhelds with no external antenna, your are effectively limited a couple miles assuming you aren't using repeaters. With a 50+ Watt mobile with a quality external antenna, you might get more than 10 miles mobile to similar mobile. Sometimes you can get more than that, and obviously repeaters and especially linked repeaters can get you hundreds of miles. The required technician class license is not hard to acquire. I mostly remember it testing RF rules and common sense.
CB radio is an AM radio transceiver legally limited to 4 Watts AM. The build quality of many of the radios is suspect. While you gain a lot from using an external antenna, you never get the kind of range or quality you get from the 144 MHz FM radios. The upside is that everybody can legally use it, they are very easy to use, and you can buy one for $40.
Something to keep in mind is the substantial difference between handheld ham and mobile ham radios. With handhelds with no external antenna, your are effectively limited a couple miles assuming you aren't using repeaters. With a 50+ Watt mobile with a quality external antenna, you might get more than 10 miles mobile to similar mobile. Sometimes you can get more than that, and obviously repeaters and especially linked repeaters can get you hundreds of miles. The required technician class license is not hard to acquire. I mostly remember it testing RF rules and common sense.
CB radio is an AM radio transceiver legally limited to 4 Watts AM. The build quality of many of the radios is suspect. While you gain a lot from using an external antenna, you never get the kind of range or quality you get from the 144 MHz FM radios. The upside is that everybody can legally use it, they are very easy to use, and you can buy one for $40.
paddlenbike
Member
I grew tired of the lack of range with the CB and worse yet, the number of redneck truckers amping their signals where no one can talk over them. I finally bothered to study the ham materials and get licensed. While I only use my ham radio for 4WD trips, the range, clarity and lack of trucker talk is very much appreciated.
Dawg4Runner
New member
Ham...
Yaesu FTM-350AR w/APRS
Yaesu FTM-350AR w/APRS
BrianSD_42
New member
The $50 handheld Ham on Amazon works pretty darned good for emergencies and general chatter.
howlindaug
Junior Member
Ham gear. Years ago I was in a very remote area of Northern Michigan by myself, screwing around, in the rain on very slippery clay trails and got my rig hung up. I wasn't going anywhere. No winch. Called out on my ham radio, barely hit a 2m repeater and got some replies. In about 30 minutes a fellow ham and off-roader showed up and pulled me out. He was about 40 miles away.
This $30 radio from Amazon is plenty amazing! I think everyone should have at least 1 if not 2 or 3...
http://amzn.to/1Lk6QJj
Something like this used to be $150-$200, and that would be difficult to suck up as compare to the $50 CB. Now, these $30 ones just make it all possible and affordable.
This radio can be mod'ed to do all those that I mentioned before, ONLY lacking the best-in-class high-gain antenna and the transmit power. But this is a handheld... not a car-installed setup....
Jeff614
New member
Yaesu vx-8r handheld and unfortunately only a small Midland CB with a Wilson 5000 to help make up for the radio.
Have been pondering a way to mount my Connex in my 5th gen since I test drove it but sadly no solutions yet for something that big. Even built a slipseat box for it but still didn't quite work out the way I hoped.
- Jeff
Have been pondering a way to mount my Connex in my 5th gen since I test drove it but sadly no solutions yet for something that big. Even built a slipseat box for it but still didn't quite work out the way I hoped.
- Jeff
