Handheld radio

[MapleLeafUp]

Anyone use a radio when they go camping or hiking?

I do alot of hiking with my family in the Trinity alps, and cell phone use is no good in there. Could anyone recommend a good handheld radio? or even a small pack radio. Thanks in advance.

[remfleader]

Not sure this fits your needs, but the SPOT product might work for you.

http://www.outdoorsafetygps.com/

[Niels]

Ah yes, a radio. The radio. There is only one type of radio, and I'd recommend you to get it.
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/4906/radiodynamocm8.jpg

[D.Sigurdsson]

SPOT is not that much reliable.

It uses the Globalstar sats, and in order to be sure your distress message went through it sends a burst of 20 messages, just to be sure one gets through.
So it gives you a falls security.
And lets say that you are in Iceland (for example) and you have mountain ridges to your south then you are unable to see the Globalstar sats.
Here you can see the coverage of the Globalstar network.
http://common.globalstar.com/images/coverage/CoverageMap_noLegend_gess.jpg

[D.Sigurdsson]

Since your post wasn't about beacon but radios.

VHF radio would be the way to go.
Just be sure that you have yours programmed with a freq that you know your local rescue listens to. There is no point in having a VHF radio if you only have it programmed with you and your buddies freq(channel)

[Hauser]

I use VHF versions of Motorola GP344s or GP388s. Pretty light and compact considering capabilities. Nominal range is supposedly 8km, but you can pretty much halve that unless you are using them on two mountain tops 8km apart. Good range of accessories available too. I use mine with a handheld mike with aerial built in, gives better reception keeping the antenna up high on the shoulder. However, I only use them to keep in contact with other members of my group, not with emergency services. Would need something with more power if that was your aim.

[Waterman]

Radios are typically "line of sight", i.e. you need to be in clear sight of one another with any substantial terrain features (a mountain, ridgeline, buildings) in the way. As a result performance of most radios is crap in mountainous/hilly terrain. So you have to keep that in mind when you use them.

I have had decent performance with the newer Motorla talkabout radios and marine channel VHF radios on fairly flat ground. But using them in the mountains means getting on top of terrain features to transmit.....and hoping that the person you are trying to talk to is where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. Not always the case or a possibility in an emergency.

If you are looking for something for emergenct use, a satellite comm of some sort (either phone or beacon) is the best possible choice. But the cost of them can be prohibitive. Best bet is to keep people within visual/voice distance in rugged terrain. A whistle, with a set of pre arranged signals can be helpful as well.

[Galileo]

Try the Yaesu VX7-R multiband radio.
http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=111&encProdID=8D3254BFC69FB172D78647DC56EFB0E9&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0

[Frens]

got a kit of Midland GTX800 from Brigade Quartermaster... cheap and powerful!

http://www.tweedehands.net/pics/00/00/88/92/60/1c.jpg

[D.Sigurdsson]

Try the Yaesu VX7-R multiband radio.
http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=111&encProdID=8D3254BFC69FB172D78647DC56EFB0E9&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0

Please note that the VX7-R is an amateur radio, thus requiring you have a permit/license.

[lt tahoe]

My understanding is that in Europe you are restricted to PMR446-type radios, similar to FRS in the US or Canada, unless you want to get a license for a more powerful radio. If you are just hiking with the fam, a PM446 should be sufficient.

[Niels]

got a kit of Midland GTX800 from Brigade Quartermaster... cheap and powerful!
You know those are illegal to use in the EU?

[D.Sigurdsson]

My understanding is that in Europe you are restricted to PMR446-type radios, similar to FRS in the US or Canada, unless you want to get a license for a more powerful radio. If you are just hiking with the fam, a PM446 should be sufficient.

Correct
...............

[Niels]

My understanding is that in Europe you are restricted to PMR446-type radios, similar to FRS in the US or Canada, unless you want to get a license for a more powerful radio. If you are just hiking with the fam, a PM446 should be sufficient.
LPD433, SRD860 and 27Mhz are licence free too. The first two are useless as they're restricted to 10mW and 5mW.

[oldsoak]

@mapleleafup - problem with portable radios is that you need someone at the other end. If you are talking keeping a group of people in comms that arent far away then FRS type is Ok ( depending on terrain and distance. ) If you are talking safety net where you are miles from nobody , then you've got to be on a radio net thats being monitored or else cries for help will go unheeded. Where I used to go hunting in NZ, access was chopper only and there was a team of volunteers who used to man an HF radio net that you could call in on if things got a little dire. You hired a radio off them, gave them as much info as you could and called in at set times to let them know you were ok. I dont know if you get the same in Canada at all, but it might be worth looking into. If you are going serious wilderness, then amateur/HAM radio is what you'll need.

[D.Sigurdsson]

LPD433, SRD860 and 27Mhz are licence free too. The first two are useless as they're restricted to 10mW and 5mW.

Not many are using the CB (27MHz) anymore (atleast here)

All Low-power communication device (PMR, FRS, LPD433 and SRD860) are crap in heavy terrain (big hills/trees between groups) But are very good in flat terrain (low urban/desert)

[Niels]

Not many are using the CB (27MHz) anymore (atleast here)That's only good news if you want to communicate between two or more individuals. One reason many people stopped using 27Mhz, is because it was too crowded back when it was popular. It's not bad if you want to talk from car to car, but that's about it.

All Low-power communication device (PMR, FRS, LPD433 and SRD860) are crap in heavy terrain (big hills/trees between groups) But are very good in flat terrain (low urban/desert)
True. You're going to need a (basic) licence if you want to transmit beyond a couple of kilometres.

[D.Sigurdsson]

NOTE: It is not legal to use Marine band frequencies for Land-Land communication (applies in most if not all countries)

Many people have bought Marine VHF radios (not USMC :D) and use a low traffic channel to communicate within groups.

~$100 radio on cabelas (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0043135018833a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=vhf&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=vhf&noImage=0)

[Niels]

NOTE: It is not legal to use Marine band frequencies for Land-Land communication (applies in most if not all countries)

Many people have bought Marine VHF radios (not USMC :D) and use a low traffic channel to communicate within groups.

~$100 radio on cabelas (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0043135018833a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=vhf&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=vhf&noImage=0)
I believe you have to register (no licence needed) marine VHF radios since 2008. You have to be careful that you don't get on channels used by actual marine traffic. If you do that, I suppose you will not be interfering with anyone as the frequency band is reserved for marine radios both on land and water.

[D.Sigurdsson]

If registration is becoming SOP then atleast it hasn't reached me.

Yeah low traffic channels like maybe
72 156.625 156.625 Non-Commercial (Intership only)
77 156.875 156.875 Port Operations (Intership only)
88A 157.425 157.425 Commercial, Intership only.

If you are inland and in heavy terrain traffic on those might not even be an issue.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/vhf.htm

Boaters should normally use channels listed as Non-Commercial. Channel 16 is used for calling other stations or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m or greater are required to guard VHF channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16, when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Users may be fined by the FCC for improper use of these channels. See Marine Radio Watch Requirements for further information.

[paul13usa]

http://www.headsetusa.com/ TRY THE BLACKBOX RADIO me and 5 guys use it on the border ,samsclub has the basic radio cheaper but all acc. you'll have to go threw these guys,thoart mikes work great ,we tryed everything and these are the best,they're are also coming out with a repeater,great qualitu for the price

[Straker]

If it is only for emergency communications have you considered a satellite phone instead? (Rates are pretty dire for non emergency usage)

Coverage should be pretty good satellite wise as long you don't intend to go really far up north.

However, if you do go down this route remember the through life costs of line rental etc. I seem to remember that a lot of satellite phone providers aren't bound to provide 999/112/911/ coverage without line rental like most mobile providers are.