People think that CB radio is dead, but in fact it is still very well used by truckers and people on the road a lot like RVers. With GMRS usage picking up and repeaters throughout the country, you would think most have moved off CB radios.
Baofeng UV-5R is a ham radio that works on 2m and 70cm bands. It is so popular that there are significantly more of these units sold than the number of ham radio licensees out in the world. Granted I have quite a few of these since no two are alike, more on that later in the review, and they break so people replace it with another Baofeng UV-5R. What makes these radios so popular is you get a very simple dual band ham radio for an amazingly low price.
The most interesting configuration whether you are doing SOTA (Summit On The Air) or POTA (Parks On The Air), or setting up a base camp communication station, is using a Solar Powered Battery Bank with your ham radio gear.
GMRS is a great way to communicate at distance for basecamp or survival situations. With the right radio, you should be able to communicate in the right terrain for about a 10 mile distance. With access to a repeater, that can be extended further. With linked repeaters, that can go across state lines and in some cases, multiple states. If you have made the decision to own a GMRS radio, whether it is an HT (handheld transceiver) or a mobile unit, there are some fundamental things you need to know.
There are a lot of acronyms for everything these days, and it would be nice to have a place to go to find ones specific to a category, in this case, communications.
This one is a loaded question. A good ham radio is one that works when you need it. Here are my favorite ham radios, in no particular order, for survival.
This is definitely the most asked when I tell people that I have a HAM radio for adventuring and survival. It is a 5-step process in getting a FCC Amateur Radio Technician license.
A SitRep or situational or situation report was derived from the military during the Vietnam war era, and it is a good way to assess and understand the situation, understand any actions taken and still needs action, and anything else that may pertain to the situation so anyone and everyone can be updated. It is a good way to communicate in minimal time what the situation is, how to prioritize action items, and get things accomplished.
Building a Meshtastic transceiver for sending text messages without cell service and/or internet access is a good way to provide communication for your group in camp or survival situation to check in or communicate with your team. The range between two people is somewhat limited, but in an open area, it can go quite far (records are greater than 150 miles). I have tested them for over 1 mile where one device is in a home surrounded by antennas, metal, etc., and the other device outdoors with buildings and walls that limit the distance you can communicate. In the open, I easily got 10 miles.
Yaesu VX-8DR is an HT (handheld transceiver) amateur radio. The VX-8DR is the American version and the VX-8DE is the European version (if you are in the U.S., make sure to get the VX-8DR). This radio is discontinued but can be found on the secondary market though it is rare. Why is it rare and why I am reviewing a discontinued item? This is one of the best amateur handheld transceiver radios for survival out there. I have yet to see a replacement, though many have tried.
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