Brian.Whitaker
Trail Grom
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2022
- Messages
- 11
OTG folks -- Although I'm just getting into overlanding and appreciate the info shared here, I am an experienced radio operator and support EmComm for my community. As I didn't see many references to radio comms on the site so far, I figured I'd start a thread and try to strike up some discussion on this and offer help where I can.
I'm planning a trip to the Lost Coast here in a couple of weeks, and here's the way I'm looking to use radios:
() Right now, we are the only vehicle, so radio comms will be to anyone monitoring in the area and less likely vehicle-to-vehicle in a group.
() I've had a GlobalStar sat phone which I've never found to work reliably; I gave that up for sat messaging service on my Garmin GPS66i. I'll be futzing with that thing a lot ahead of the trip. It sends messages to mobile numbers, which only then can be replied to. I'll be sending out a few messages to friends here before I head out to establish that line of comms.
() I'll be looking for a GMRS repeater in the area, and will map it's coverage in a site mapping tool I pay for. I figure if there's a repeater in the area, that's the best channel to be monitoring and use, even if only for simplex.
() I'll be looking for an amateur repeater in the area, again trying to anticipate coverage. I'll favor 2meter b/c of terrain and better chances of finding someone on. I'll also monitor 2meter FM simplex calling frequency (146.520MHz).
() My rig is a Yaesu FT8900, which I've mod'd for GMRS operation. Antennas are a quad-band (10m, 6m, 2m, 70cm) and a dual-band (2m, 70cm). Both are broad enough band at 70cm to do OK for GMRS. 70cm is at about 440MHz... GMRS simplex and repeater outputs are near 462.500MHz, and the repeater inputs are at 467.500MHz.
() Because it might be fun, I might also look into the possibility of packet operations. Hams can use packet BBSs and also nodes on a network called Winlink to exchange messages with the internet. This is something you'd do from camp, and not while driving, of course. Packet is generally on VHF.
() Lastly, I operate HF voice and data modes as well. From camp, I'll likely set up to be able to operate on 40 and 80 meter bands in the evening. Hams can send Winlink messages over hundreds of miles to a relay station with internet access to get messages to/from the internet.
There's a lot to do and experiment with here with radios, and being mobile and camping with radio is a heck of a lot of fun! I'd encourage anyone interested to start with a GMRS license -- fee only, no testing, good for the whole family! That's like the radio gateway drug to amateur radio Feel free to contact me here or offline about any of this. I'll try to make it a point to include some feedback about radio comms from my trip.
Brian.
AG6WR, WQSK720
<amateurcall>@arrl.net
I'm planning a trip to the Lost Coast here in a couple of weeks, and here's the way I'm looking to use radios:
() Right now, we are the only vehicle, so radio comms will be to anyone monitoring in the area and less likely vehicle-to-vehicle in a group.
() I've had a GlobalStar sat phone which I've never found to work reliably; I gave that up for sat messaging service on my Garmin GPS66i. I'll be futzing with that thing a lot ahead of the trip. It sends messages to mobile numbers, which only then can be replied to. I'll be sending out a few messages to friends here before I head out to establish that line of comms.
() I'll be looking for a GMRS repeater in the area, and will map it's coverage in a site mapping tool I pay for. I figure if there's a repeater in the area, that's the best channel to be monitoring and use, even if only for simplex.
() I'll be looking for an amateur repeater in the area, again trying to anticipate coverage. I'll favor 2meter b/c of terrain and better chances of finding someone on. I'll also monitor 2meter FM simplex calling frequency (146.520MHz).
() My rig is a Yaesu FT8900, which I've mod'd for GMRS operation. Antennas are a quad-band (10m, 6m, 2m, 70cm) and a dual-band (2m, 70cm). Both are broad enough band at 70cm to do OK for GMRS. 70cm is at about 440MHz... GMRS simplex and repeater outputs are near 462.500MHz, and the repeater inputs are at 467.500MHz.
() Because it might be fun, I might also look into the possibility of packet operations. Hams can use packet BBSs and also nodes on a network called Winlink to exchange messages with the internet. This is something you'd do from camp, and not while driving, of course. Packet is generally on VHF.
() Lastly, I operate HF voice and data modes as well. From camp, I'll likely set up to be able to operate on 40 and 80 meter bands in the evening. Hams can send Winlink messages over hundreds of miles to a relay station with internet access to get messages to/from the internet.
There's a lot to do and experiment with here with radios, and being mobile and camping with radio is a heck of a lot of fun! I'd encourage anyone interested to start with a GMRS license -- fee only, no testing, good for the whole family! That's like the radio gateway drug to amateur radio Feel free to contact me here or offline about any of this. I'll try to make it a point to include some feedback about radio comms from my trip.
Brian.
AG6WR, WQSK720
<amateurcall>@arrl.net