Reddit mentions: The best portable frs two-way radios

Comms gear prep needs to start, not with radios, power levels or ranges, but with where who you want to talk to is. Where you want to send a signal to is what is going to determine antenna shape and size and frequency and, therefore, which radio - or radios - you might need. I'd suggest making a chart with such information then working from this to the radio you will want, rather than just asking about a radio and a 'decent range'. This is, I think, the best way to be sure that you get gear that will meet your needs and avoid wasting money on gear that won't meet your needs or leave you underprepared.

If, say, you want to talk to your uncle in the next town, 25 miles away, on the other side of the mountain, that's a very different beast than wanting to talk to your wife at home when you are at work across town. Plus, your budget needs to be incorporated into this decision too. I think, in order to help, we'd need more specific information about who you want to talk to and their relative location. Range is important yes; but, so is topology (and this latter is massively important if you want to only use the cheap, popular FM radios for GMRS/FRS; such might work for talking to your wife across town, but most certainly will not go to your uncle).

My preps are based around being out in the deep woods, alone, out of cell phone range, off grid, and wanting to send signals back out to civilization, especially to people I know back in my home town.

I have ham radios: 2m/70cm for short range and an HF for all ranges. Why did I go ham?

Because all the other options - cb, gmrs, etc., we're not good for any practical range; I wanted to send signals from my camp in the woods to people back home.

Indeed, once I got into ham, I got a 2m radio - and even this was out of range more often than not, even to the local repeaters that are often in very high places. Once I'd be 30 or 40km back in the bush, I could talk to no one save for those in my own party, and, given the terrain, even local comms via handheld radios was quite limited - a few km - using handhelds in the bush. Such radios could never send a signal back home.

It is a good idea to have some hand held radios for talking with your immediate partners in your group who are within, at most, a few miles, depending on terrain. There are tonnes of easily found options for this. But, easily powered, portable, off the shelf radios are quite limited vis a vis their transmit power and range. The ranges you see on the packages are, to be blunt, total BS "Up to 36-Mile range communication in open areas with little or no obstruction." Notice the 'up to'. This is the sort of radio to avoid; the range claims are BS and the antenna cannot be removed. I have something similar I bought to play with my young niece - they barely go a mile in town here. Between two people in valleys with a hill between - not good for that either.

For cheap, portable, easy to use for very short ranges, a baofeng, will suffice. I have one for sharing with others; but, I myself use a VX-8. Baofeng are pretty good value for money given what they can do; but, they are not going to work miracles; but, then again, neither will an expensive and fancy handheld; nor will a CB handheld either; none of these would meet my requirements for where I wanted to send a signal.

For my preps, given where I was and where who I wanted to talk to was, I gravitated to HF ham radio, especially what is called NVIS - near vertical incident sky wave - propagation, because this will allow for distances up to 400 to 500 km. To get a 'decent range' on a CB, using the frequencies CB uses (11 metres), would require a lot of power and a high antenna. Whereas NVIS signals on 40m and 80m will bounce way further with less power using a rather low antenna. For my preps, I think 80m NVIS is probably the most important given that this will let me speak to people within my own province on very low power levels pretty much all the time, day or night, from ranges as low as 10 km and going up to 300 to 400km, but, especially within the 100 to 200km range.

I am using an ft817; this radio is easily powered, small, robust; but, not cheap. It is not the best for walking around with; but, then again, antenna's for HF frequencies are a bit too large for carrying around in the woods and talking while walking, though not impossible. I can attach an antenna to this radio and I am able to go intercontinental - more than 10000km is not uncommon.

Of course, there is a bit more of an investment for this route; but, at least you won't be wasting money on gear that will not do what you want it to do. I think it is worth the time to at least get your ham ticket; then using 2 metres and external antennas on your radios, you could get much better range than anything CB, MURS, or gms has to offer.

Whoever you want to talk to and wherever they happen to be, if you want a decent range - don't get any radio that does not have a removable antenna. This is extremely important (and one of the advantages of using ham radio handhelds - even the cheap baofengs have removable antennas). The ability to remove the antenna and attach a cable that leads to an antenna strung up 20 or 30' in the air, is massively important! No removable antenna: don't buy. On my handheld, with the tiny antenna it came with, a few km at best; with the better and slightly longer antenna I bought afterwards, maybe 10km; with the homemade yagi antenna I made for a few dollars then strung up high in a tree, I can get more than 35. Hence here is a rule I suggest you follow in your quest to find what you need (and this is probably the most important thing I will say in my post):

No removable antenna: don't buy.

There are many camps I go to where my handheld cannot send a signal to the repeater with the antenna attached at the radio. I remove it, attach some coax; pull the antenna up the tree 20' and, voila, I can get the repeater. No matter who or where you want to talk to or send a signal, the antenna is always critical; so, never get anything that does not have a removable antenna! Antennas are critical!

Anyway, I found that handhelds, though useful, are too limited in range to be of much use (though a bit more range may be had with a second antenna strung up high); but, with an ft-817 I can talk anyway from 1-15000 km away. Perhaps the best thing I can say is that there are no magic solutions or miracle radios that are going to be cheap, long range, easily powered, usable without a license, etc..

Comms gear prep needs to start, not with radios, power levels or ranges, but with where who you want to talk to is; I think it would be best to get this clearly defined, then work out what radio (or radios) you will need to accomplish this.

I work part time as a FEMA/ NRT response unit.

The reports cites this as: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/wg02/losses.php

it would be devasastating for the first 48-72 hours on grounds that most folks wouldn't know how to get home.

EMS/ first response will NOT be available for the first 24/48.

Expectation realistically is ~a week out. during that time traige centers will be needed. folks have to get to the centers.

i could really go on doom and gloom all day long but instead lets focus on getting your self prepared.

The basic NERT/ earthquake prep is good but add a tarp and staple guns for the blown out windows. add noise canceling headphones/ or just ear muffs for kids cause there will be alarms and noises. debris filter like painters mask for particulates are crucial as well.

As far mission; to survive for a week.

My estimates as i am responsible for the Southern portion of San Francisco is only as good as the advisor that lets me know how many can really commit to the team.

as far as the 101/280 most portions will be rendered useless via obstruction and or destroyed. Both bridges stand well but a 6.5+ will give it the final exam.

older buildings if up to code should be alright (brick/ tougher foundation) the worrysome for me is the rent-lease/ apartments subletting situations that just added an extra water or tapped into the gas line.

tldr; infrastructure will be there just clogged. will need repairs and a band aid will take ~5 weeks for temp, ~4months perm.

i am on ambien right now and feel sleepy but when im awake i'd more than love to recommend yall some resources and classes and things to get in preparation.

for instance teach you how to shut off water/gas/elec then you teach it back to me. mayve go over non running water sanitations.

anyway dont worry, we are resilent and there exists hundreds of me to make best of what we have to this city.

edit:

Hey all, this is a expanded post in response to earthquakes that have been happening all over the place in the world. Some concerns have been raised and I feel like sometimes we take this for granted, or at least its in the back of our heads.

firstly, here are some official responses and resources from the State/ County/ Feds
http://sfdem.org/resources is also a great resource!

Here is the basic NERT or http://sf-fire.org/neighborhood-emergency-response-team-NERT

Schedule of training: http://sf-fire.org/training-schedule-registration

Red Cross recommended items to have and also basic check list: http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4240216_Earthquake.pdf PRINT THIS OUT, YOU MAY NOT HAVE INTERNET!

Here is the FEMA https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/15092?id=3538 this is what they train reserve FEMA response teams about. The Cd-rom is available but I learned via the booklet.

secondly, instead of bombarding and regurgitating ill get to the point on what things I think are nice additions and why:

• I have no idea how your family or living situation is but of course food (I have some MREs) and water on hand but also a filitration pump.
  
  
• Water bladder that fits in a tub is also good https://www.amazon.com/Reservoir-Emergency-Storage-System-Gallons/dp/B00DOMOCCI like that
  
  
• A heater that runs off of available fuels like a butane hot-pot hot plate. Or a jetfuel systems https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000020951-Butane-Stove/dp/B00FGPXVSM/ref=sr_1_6?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1480011136&sr=1-6&keywords=camp+stove is what I have
  
  
• Fire extinguisher that actually works! So many people don’t have one. Also be wary of the cheap ones that spray everywhere and you may have to live by it for some time.
  
  
• (~$18) Ear muffs/ noise canceling for the kids AND you. Alarms will be going off and its really jarring. Tell them it’s a secret mission and you are all on an adventure. Re-assure them things are ok. Trauma through a natural disaster is horrible.
  
  
• (~$15) Particulate filter – I like the 3m brand, and they are sold in packs. You never know what building material will be opened up when things get shaken. In addition to the fires.
  
  
• (~$X) tarps cut to numerous shapes, sand bags, staple gun, duct tape, weather tape, sealant of some kind. It’ll be a barrier between your home and outside and it’s a +1 to making you feel a little more secure.
  
  
• Safety goggles / good set of working gloves – there will be debris you have to navigate through seeing and using hands is very important
  
  
• (`$20) Headlamp – I like the triple AAA kind for obvious sustainability. Having a light makes things must more easy when navigating and in doors. I also have a light lamp like a lantern.
  
  
• Glow sticks/ chem lights. I use red to mark off bad areas or dangerous areas of the home. White/ purple chem lights for trails in home, and green for rooms occupied
  
  
• A survival radio to get news and updates
  
  
• CASH – there may be gouging or not but we don’t know if the Point of sales will be readily available
  
  
• Medications – have a solid plan on how you will get your prescriptions if necessary, maybe talk to your doctor about an extra script. Or pharmacy personnel. I have an extra for my parents blood pressure medication and it was easy as asking for an extra that we rotate.
  
  
• Two-way cheapo walkie talkies in case my family/ part needs to move around and still communicate to each other (baofeng is the rip off of the motorolla but still works) https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-Warranty-Dual-Band-Radio-Improved/dp/B00HX03AMA/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1480011051&sr=1-5&keywords=baofeng like this
  
  
• Kitty litter/ sawdust/ wood shavings – good for sucking up any spilled liquids that may be dangerous
  
  
• Water pump. In case you have a floor level/ basement (I know you east coasters don’t think we have basements) but in case it floods and you shut things off you still need to be able to move that water out somewhere else.
  
  
• Wheel barrow/ or mobile hand-stand dolly. You may need to move things like sand bags or debris
  
  
• Learn where the emergency and main shut off for electricity, gas, water. Maybe do some maintenance and make sure its not stuck!
  
  o Water heater – learn if it’s a gas or electric and if you need to turn it off
  o Home heating – maybe learn about the oil reserve and how to clean and sanction off
  
  
• LASTLY BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT WHERE WILL YOU PUT THESE ITEMS? Do not place them in a danger zone and are in-accessible.
  
  realistic time tables:
  
  
• 1st responders in EMS/ paramedics will be in short supply, the hospitals and clinics will be slammed.
  
  
• Transport will be difficult as most roads in the Bay Area will be congested and people generally will be shocked and confused and attempting to get home..
  
  
• The estimates from FEMA and State of California (http://sfdem.org/sites/default/files/FileCenter/Documents/67-EQ%20Plan%202008.pdf ) is an older copy and has been updated but I can’t find the 2015
  
  
• Realistically, my supplies and plan is to survive in the increments of 48 for life threatening, 2 weeks sustainment, a month before my domicile is secured.
  
  problem #1 – theres a really high chance YOU WILL NOT BE at your domicile/ home as most people commute. I highly recommend you think about a plan to either meet up with family OR some type of emergency plan as a rally-point.
  
  problem #2 – exposure to the elements, your walls might come down, your windows may shatter, your roof may open up, please see the items I recommended on tarps/ staple guns
  
  problem #3 – you are prepared and have all this stuff? Now what? Well be wary – cause what if theres a fire from your neighbors? What if theres a tsunami and flooding? Or some other after effect that can really mess with the plan? I highly recommend a “go-bag/ or bug out bag and a rally point for your family” maybe your community center/ school auditorium, look ahead for designated shelters.
  
  *problem #4 – firearms. This is something to consider. I won’t get into political/ moral/ safety arguments but consider where they are stored and the most safe but useful way you can use this.
  
  re-assurances – last muster from the FEMA, Coast Guard, National Guard, SF/ County resources we mustered in under 24 hours to respond. (please please keep in mind, responders take care of their situation first, that’s a reason to the high response time)**
  
  There are hundreds of us (first responders and personnel dedicated to helping and rebuilding)
  The operation tempo or ideas will be “recovery> stability > rebuilding”
  So I’ve included a lot of information, if anyone wants to question it feel free to open for discussion. Or additional information.
  
  
  

You can get into this without having to spend a lot of money, just look through here. http://hamexam.org/ this is a free easy way to test for your license. But I would start out with http://www.kb6nu.com/tech-manual/ this will help you to understand what is going on and how things work. Then there is another manual there for general class. This is a copy/past that I typed for someone else, some of the stuff may not be useful as you may already know it from your own research. Intro video; for people that what to get into it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHd3dZW1SBc This is what I tell them. It can seem a bit overwhelming depending on how far you want to go with this. First I would recommend watch some videos. I will post some that I think are helpful but could be boring. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qgg_upU_5s This is an old video but, its simple and the military explains things well. Part2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS8xlwyc6G4 I hope that this gives you an understanding of whats going on with radios. This guy kind of gives an overview about ham radio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFLxeASa05k If you buy one of these Baofeng radios, this guy has some videos on programming with your pc using the chirp program as well as videos on hand programming. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LXkkaJkVUM I really recommend using chirp over the factory software if you have trouble using it. I bought the UV-82 with all the accessories from amazon, http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-82-Two-Way-Radio/dp/B00E4KLY34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389311738&sr=8-1&keywords=UV-82 and added the programming cable and mic, most up to date radio that I know of.

Repeaters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJFeY0jZymA basic explanation, there are plenty of videos that show how to get connected to a repeater. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB4R1pgLG84 website that show you where repeaters are located, you have to do a search from the menu, find the magnifying glass .

Now as far as licenses go. There are three classes of operators, Technician class, General class, and Extra class. Technician class is what most people starting out get, and puts you in the operating range of what these hand held radios can do. http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/2010_Tech_Study_Guide.pdf

General class gets you more frequencies to operate on but, you would have to buy or build more radio equipment that is more capable than these smaller radios. http://kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/2011-No-Nonsense-General-Class-License-Study-Guide.pdf

Extra class, well this is for the ham radio junkies, lol. People with this class get a few more frequencies to operate on and have a very in-depth knowledge of diverse technical fields from electronics, radio theories and most likely computers and electrical engineering.

Testing: You have to take a test for each license approved by the FCC, that you would like to get, like I said though a lot just get the Technician Class license. http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training search through here to find out where, when, to take test(s) or take classes. There are also websites to practice taking a test. http://www.eham.net/exams/

There are so many things that you can get into, I think this is some of the basics of it, lol. If you just read or watch a little bit at a time the more you will absorb what's going on and it may start to become fun but if it's not something that you would enjoy as a hobby, at least get the tech license and understand how to use a repeater and learn it like putting on pants.

Other notes: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Band%20Chart/Hambands_color.pdf

http://www.sm0vpo.com/antennas/anten.htm

hey friend, i recently wrote a "how to" setup APRS with a HT, Direwolf, and YAAC on linux. copy paste is below ...

edit:

If audio is getting from the radio to direwolf, check the volume levels on the radio output, and check the mic gain on your computer. These are really the only two settings that will affect how direwolf can rx and decode. Direwolf logs out when it receives something, and it tells you on a scale of 0-100 the volume level. I try to shoot for 50-60 and I get very consistent decode.


Tutorial: APRS software user interface, with software based audio TNC, and RF gateway

Overview:

APRS is a tool that was designed to convey information about objects, telemetry, and reporting, as well as communicate between individuals and groups with direct, and group messaging. Many people have the experience, or mindset, that APRS is used primarily for location tracking. This is partially due to the limitations on many hardware implementations of APRS that vendors have provided. One way to learn more about APRS as a broader, and more powerful system is to utilize software to visualize, and interact with other stations, and objects. This short tutorial will discuss how to setup a software based user interface (UI) for APRS that will provide you with mapping, messaging, and object manipulation abilities, as well as how to connect that UI through a software based audio modem, or TNC, directly to a radio, so that other users within your immediate range, as well as the range of any digipeaters will be able to interact with the same local APRS data without any reliance on the internet, or internet gateways.

User interface:

There are several different user interfaces available that have been designed for APRS.

UI-View is a popular piece of software which is no longer being maintained as the original author has passed away.

YAAC is a successor/replacement to UI-View which is cross platform (Java) with a intuitive interface, and many capabilites. We will be using YAAC for this tutorial.

Xastir is primarily a Linux application built on the X windows library system. It is quite functional, but is less intuitive and is currently less activly developed than YAAC.


Audio Modem (TNC):

TNC's originally were AX.25 packet assembler/dissasemblers with the addition of a modem to convert baseband digital signals into audio tones. In the case of a software TNC, it has the same capabilites, encoding and decoding both the AX.25 layer, and data layer to and from audio so it can be transmitted or received from a radio.

Direwolf is the premier audio tnc, which is documented to run on Windows, OSX, Linux, and single board computer Linux environments such as Raspberry Pi BeagleBone Black etc.

RF Gateway:

The RF gateway is probably the simplest piece in the equation. You need only a radio that supports audio in, audio out, and VOX. There may be some complexity if you choose to make your own cables, however there are ready made cables for popular and inexpensive radios (Baofeng) which are available for under $20 from amazon, which feature isolation to protect both your computer, and your radio.

Here is a link to a high quality cable available on Amazon, which works for Boafeng radios: https://www.amazon.com/APRS-K2-Connector-BaoFeng-APRSDroid-Compatible/dp/B01LMIBAZW


Supplementary:

It can be very helpful to have a radio that is capable of broadcasting an APRS beacon to test your setup as you go.

Your laptop may have a single plug for both headphone and microphone (TRRS) or it may have two seperate plugs. If you have two seperate plugs, you will need a splitter to seperate the microphone, and headphone connections from the cable linked to in the above RF gateway section. The cable linked below will split the two should you need it.

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-MUYHSFMM-Headset-Splitter-Adapter/dp/B0058DOWH6/


System setup:

We are going to build the APRS system from the ground up, starting with Direwolf, the audio modem/tnc and the RF gateway. If you are a Linux user, there are packages for direwolf in ubuntu/debian as well as yum based systems:

sudo apt-get install direwolf or sudo yum install direwolf

For Windows and OSX go to https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf and follow the instructions to download the latest release and run direwolf from a command window.

direwolf does not need any configuration for our initial setup, simply run direwolf, connect the audio and microphone jacks between the computer and your radio, and tune your radio to 144.390.

Be certain that you do not have any rx-CTCSS or DCS tones setup. Set your squelch as low as it will go, and enable vox with the lowest setting possible on your radio. Now is the time when it is handy to have a HT that is capable of beaconing APRS data. If you have one, set it to beacon and you should start see data coming in on the terminal where direwolf is running. You may need to adjust the volume on the output of your radio, the output of your computer, as well as the microphone gain on your computer to get everything decoding properly.

Once you can reliably decode becons from a local HT, or from a digipeater within range, you can move on to setting up the YAAC user interface, and connecting it to direwolf.


YAAC, the APRS user interface software we are using, is a Java program and requires that your system has the Java runtime environment installed. For Linux users, be certain that you install the full JRE, and not a "headless" JRE, as the headless versions do not come with the graphical libraries that YAAC requires to run. Also as of this writing YAAC did not work with Java 9, however I experienced no problems using the OpenJDK Java 8 JRE so be sure to check the version you are installing.

After you have the Java Runtime Environment installed, download the self upacking binary for your operating system from the YAAC website at http://www.ka2ddo.org/ka2ddo/YAAC.html#install

For linux users, the file was not set as an executable, so I had to chmod +x YAAC_linux_x86.bin before running ./YAAC_linux_x86.bin

NOTE: YAAC does not extract itself into a directory - so you likely want to create a directory first, then move the self extracting file into that directory so that you dont end up with a bunch of files all over.

After the package has extracted, simply run the YACC.jar program. You can do this from the command line with: java -jar YACC.jar

YACC will ask you if you want help configuring it, select yes and walk through the steps configuring your call sign, latitude/longitude etc. When you get to the part about adding and configuring interfaces, select the option to "Add AGWPE Port". YACC will create a new window with default information populated - you MUST add your callsign, and change the transmit dropdown from "disabled" to "enabled". Click finish, and on the next screen you can decide whether you want to beacon or not (I chose yes) along with any free form comment you want, then click finish.

That is it - you have a basic APRS software station set up that can transmit, and recieve via RF link. You should see objects start to appear on the YAAC map view, and the direwolf command line output should match up with data YAAC is displaying.

Homework:

From here you can learn how to create message groups, chat directly with stations, place objects on the map so that they are only visible to other local RF stations, or so that they propegate out through the internet via a digipeater I-Gate (if one is in range) so that they show up on the APRS-IS backbone (e.g. aprs.fi).

A few more ideas :

I would suggest having a battery-powered FM radio (and extra batteries if it's battery powered, or get one which charges via USB like the one I linked) to listen to the news and get vital information.

Also (if not too late), order a sawyer mini (best) or lifestraw (not as good). If you don't have access to clean water it can help you stay healthy (beware of chemical contamination which cannot be removed by these).

If you have the money, get a Garmin inReach satellite communicator (requires a (relatively cheap) subscription, down to $15ish a month). You can request SOS (much like 911), and send/receive SMS and e-mails, even without cell coverage. Excellent to keep in touch with relatives and in case of emergency. Can be used year-round when hiking, snow-mobile, skiing, ... Don't tell anyone you have this...

Download the offline map of your area on Google Maps on your phone beforehand. Can be priceless to navigate around and doesn't require internet access. Also get the Maps.Me app and download the map of your area too. Google Maps offline maps will expire and disappear from your phone after 30 days (I believe), Maps.Me maps will not.

If the cell service in your area is out of order, use your phone in airplane mode so that it doesn't continuously and desperately looks for a cell to connect to, which will drain the battery VERY quickly. Also use it on the lowest practical brightness setting to save battery power.

If not too late, get big USB power banks (>=10000mAh such as this one) and fully charge them beforehand. It's good as barter items and it can be nice to recharge your things when you have no access to a generator (on the go, or if you don't want to run the generator to avoid attracting attention). You can also get USB lights (this one for instance) and your powerbank doubles as a flashlight with a very long battery life.

Get a first aid kit, and not just one with bandaids... Get a CAT tourniquet, trauma dressing, Celox (preferred) or QuikClot bandage, triangular bandage, SAM splint, ... and know how to use them. Also get the basic medecines (stomach/diarrhea relief, basic painkillers, anti-allergy, and any prescription medecine if you require any). Remember 911 service may be unavailable for some time and you need to be able to take care of injuries. Tourniquets save lives, everyone should have one readily available.

​

I am a radio amateur and in these situations I like to have one or two portable radio for two-way communication but I realize it is not for everybody. Still, a pair of FRS/GMRS radio can be helpful. Please note that GMRS requires a (cheap) license in the USA. I would recommend this model which also allows to be used as a scanner and to program the NOAA weather frequencies (do it beforehand) and some local police/EMS/fire frequencies (if allowed in your juridiction).

Please DO NOT use a radio made for amateur radio use, where you can transmit on any frequency, such as the UV-5R; you may interfere with emergency communications, even if you can't hear them, miles away. Please stick to the FRS/GMRS frequencies. The radio above guarantees safe operation and still allows to be used as a scanner.

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Take pictures of all your important documents (ID, properties, ...) and store them in a waterproof plastic bag. Try to keep at least your passport and driver license with you during the storm...

If you have a sump pump, try to arrange so that it can be battery powered and/or connected to your generator. If using battery power, get a battery charger and/or a generator connection, if the outage lasts and the battery runs down. Sometimes homes are not affected by the main storm but are flooded due to the lack of power around the storm and are still ruined, and that's totally preventable.

Also, beforehand, depending of the situation you might want to BLOCK your main sewage pipe. This way you might avoid sewage backflow into your home. There are normally valves already installed but in case of serious flooding (high backpressure) they sometimes are not up to the task.

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Download a few offline movies on the Netflix app (if you have Netflix). I never lived though a hurricane but I assume after a few days/weeks, you might want some entertainment. You can also download e-books. Bonus if it's survival-related e-books.

​

Hope this helps... good luck to those affected


PS: oooo, thank you stranger for the gold, I think I never had one before ! Happy prepping :)

I live in a forest, so finding wood to use isn't an issue at all.

I just walk around looking for cherry/apple/maple etc. I try to collect as many branches that I might be able to use. Then I split them down the center. Most of the time, you can make a spoon from each half. I try to use branches that are bigger than 4" inches or so.

I like to draw a rough shape of the spoon on the wood. I use a hook knife to carve out the bowl, It takes some getting used to, but it works very nice. It's a little difficult to sharpen though.

Then with a hand saw, I cut out as much wood as possible. I also make a couple relief cuts to make carving around the neck easier. Next I use a draw knife to shape the handle. I also use a good sharp knife. The handle is probably the easiest part to carve, but it's easy to make it off center from the bowl.

The key is keeping the tools razor sharp at all times. After the initial sharpen, you should constantly hone the edge. This is most commonly done on a leather strip that's been loaded with a waxy honing compound. Honing is considerably easier/faster than sharpening, and keeps a wicked edge, but you still need to hit the stone every so often. All you need to do is wipe each face of the edge across the leather, wiping away from the edge of the blade.

Instead of using expensive sharpening stones, you can also just tape some sandpaper to some glass/granite. But I totally recommend the DMT diamond steel blocks. A coarse, and fine, will coast you about $100, but they work great.

It generally takes me about 4-6 hours to carve a spoon. I try to always finish in a single day, otherwise the wood will become dry, and harder to carve. I'll put the spoon in a plastic bag with some of the wood shavings to sit overnight so it doesn't lose much moisture.

I also like to make things on a wood lathe. Like whistles, spinning tops, mushrooms, containers, bowls, trays, baseball bats, mallets, wands, etc.
It's a lot of fun, and there's little stress in getting it right. There's no "right" shape of a mushroom, just go wild.

The radio is an AnyTone AT-D868UV, a dual band (2M+440) with analog FM and DMR. Very popular with the DMR crowd, and even for analog it's a nice step up from the Baofengs.

The color display probably caught your eye. It was one of the reasons I bought the radio; I'm a sucker for nice displays. In DMR mode it shows you the callsign, name, and city of whoever is talking. In analog mode it shows the repeater name or frequency, so not so special in that mode.

This pretty TFT display does have a downside in that it's less usable in direct sunlight than the simple LCD in the Baofengs. (BTW don't be misled by the beautiful looking display you may see in listings for the BF-F8HP or RD-5R. That's not what it looks like; the display is actually identical to the honest photo of the UV-5X3.)

Audio quality for listening on the 868's speaker is nicer than the 5X3, with one exception: there is a "click" in the audio once per second if you're listening to a 2 meter analog repeater or station with a weak signal. AnyTone releases firmware updates about once a month, and they have fixed a number of other problems in those updates, so there is hope that this may be improved. (It's actually a hardware problem - the CPU emits radio frequency interference - but I think they could just wake up the CPU less often.)

Another interesting thing about the 868 is that it takes the same antennas as the Baofengs, and also the same accessory cables/microphones/etc. You don't need the FTDI cable that I recommended in another comment for the Baofengs though; the 868 comes with its own cable.

The 868 sells for about $170, so quite a bit more than the Baofengs but still well within the budget you mentioned.

Regarding the Diamond antenna vs. Signal Stick, each one has advantages and disadvantages. You can coil up the Signal Stick and tie it in a knot so it stays coiled for a nice little pocket-sized package. Its hand-made quality has a certain kind of amateur charm, and buying it supports the excellent hamstudy.org site. The Diamond is more professionally made, still flexible but not nearly as wiggly as the Signal Stick, and you can't tie it in a knot. Both seem to perform equally well.

The Kenwood is going to be a higher quality radio but it won't like gain you much as far as distance on the TX. Gotta start with a better antenna.

the Baofeng is a fine enough radio and at such a cheap price it's hard to go wrong. A buddy has the UV 82 and the earlier one, the UV5. The difference is really minimal as far as output and general performance.

If it were me, for my type of use, I'd go with the cheaper UV 5 and a decent Nagoya antenna. Even better, this UV82 is cheaper yet.

If you're going hand held the Nagoya will be best. If you're inside build a copper J-Pole and put it on your home somewhere high for even better performance. If the J-pole is too much a simple ground plane can be soldered together super easily and will get you great performance as well.

Summary, the HT performance for distance is more about ANTENNA!

If you're just looking into radio to see if it's right for you, which it seems like you are, your first port of call should be finding a radio club. It's easy, just go to this page from the ARRL. They'll help you get your license (seriously, wives of hams often have licenses they never thought they'd get), they're some of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, you can go over to their house and they'll let you try their radios out (you can operate a radio even if you're unlicensed, there just has to be a licensed operator with you), and in my experience, they're really generous and will let you borrow radios or just straight up give old ones to you that they don't use anymore. If you find out that radio isn't really for you, they're usually great friends overall and you'll probably be glad to have met them. They're also really great question-answerers.

___

Now, if you're already licensed and are looking into getting on 2 meters with a Baofeng, here's what I'd buy:

• This Baofeng UV-5R.
  
  
• This programming cable (Baofengs are notoriously hard to program from the keypad).
  
  
• This improved rubber duck antenna, since the stock one is a piece-o-shite.
  
  
• And finally, this cable that will allow you to connect the uncommon (in the ham radio world) SMA connector on the top of the baofeng to the infinitely more common PL-259 connector.
  
  All in all, you're looking at spending about a Benjamin or less on a proper Baofeng setup.
  
  Hope this helps!
  

>I don’t know too much about encrypted chats but it seems like you might. If you ever want to chat more I’d love to learn more or ask you some more questions.

​

If we had a good following then I know how to setup a fully encrypted web/mobile/desktop chat client. The answer is run your own server in Mexico, encrypt the disks, and use SSL. For super paranoid you can setup a VPN that runs on the chat server, so it's transparently encrypted end-to-end from your laptop. (I'd probably use Rocketchat, it's just like slack but open source, and Pritunl for a VPN)

​

How we can start a community? I know the FBI has agents who are members of local state militias, just in case these people really start planning to restore freedom. Some states even require an FBI background check to join a militia, which just lets the FBI have a list of people to watch closely (I am not sure to what degree they tap people.)

​

Half the counter-measures developed by government agencies are from agents who "observe and record" what groups are doing. The FBI cellular wiretapping system that acts as a cellular tower (but stores and forwards all traffic) was designed so they could put this up in an area with armed riots, and isolate / locate "ring leaders" and take them down. The FBI has realized militant groups quickly disperse once all the leadership is arrested. The system they designed finds "hot phones" or basically phones that have lots of inbound calls or SMS, that's a sign you've found a leader giving directions to the large group. They block internet, and then review the network traffic to tear the group apart.

​

Of course, that's why you can use two-way VHF/UHF radios and I've actually got a cheap ($30) way to send encrypted communications via text over those two way chinese radios (FRS?GMRS). The way you would handle this in a skirmish would be sending encrypted VHF communications to "middle managers" who then coordinate with small squadrons with relayed instructions. The FBI might shut down middle managers, but the overall command & Conquer strategy could keep going.

​

Squadron leaders will have their radios compensated, and the FBI will bust your racket open, but you would have a "rolling frequency strategy" ... if you had a simple pnumonic to rotate frequencies (like based on a memorized pattern) then that would be hard to bust. These radios operate all over the air frequencies, and public safety frequencies.... so you could literally hide your communications one frequency below the airport tower frequency. It would definitely take a while for the FBI to infiltrate that network. Most of their agents are ex-marines who depend on $1,000,000 purchased turn-key surveillance solutions, they aren't radio engineers or computer scientists. Digital warfare is the future path to freedom. :)

Depends on what country you are in and so on.
I have worked professionally in radio for 20 years, I am an RF Engineer and I have government communications contracts in the US.

Assuming you are in the USA, technically the 888 are not legal to use on GMRS but they dd recently pass part 90 certification and new versions should have an FCC ID on them. GMRS is part 95 but may many people have and are using part 90 radios on GMRS because there is a massive shortage in real GMRS radios, The FCC has acknowledged this and seems to not really car much about it as long as the radios are not creating issues in other band like harmonics, etc.

Hams get triggered when people mention baofengs for other use outside of ham bands because they are cheap and originally part 97 ham radios, some hams feel they have been violated by the FCC because the FCC has started granting part 90 and 95 certification on some of these radios. So most of the banter is just hurt feefee's speaking and that typically results in fear porn stories about how the FCC will track you and your kids down and give you all a huge fine for using a non certified radio here and there unscheduled.
I have my ham license and I do not care what people use for a radio, I assume we are all adult enough to be responsible while using a radio, like not talking over someone else, or interfering with service comms like police and fire services. I;m not going to say "He just get your ham license" because I know what its like to have friends and family, some of them may not want a license or they cannot grasp the concept to pass a test, nothing wrong with that not everyone is tech savvy, so you need an easy way out.

GMRS is your best option but you need a license for it, no test, $80 USD and you and your whole family can use it. I reccomend this over a ham license unless you think EVERYONE that will be using a radio can study and pass a ham radio test and remember to follow the ham radio rules..

MURS is 2 watts and you have to use MURS radios but you run a HUGE risk of being on a channel like what Wal-mart uses and if they catch you they can trespass you from their property... They actually think the own MURS channels..

Ok so here is what I suggest, Get a GMRS license, you can goto your local 2-way radio shop (where the police go to have their stuff serviced, not radio shack XD) and ask them to help you apply for a license. they should have no problem with this. Also you can subscribe to the GMRS subreddit.

Now you will need to get some GMRS part 95 radios, Baofeng makes one - https://www.amazon.com/GMRS-V1-Repeater-Scanning-136-174-99mhz-400-520-99mhz/dp/B01LWOLZ8L

This is good because this one will do repeaters where your blister pack cobras and stuff will not. Also this radio will receive VHF and that means it will receive NOAA weather broadcasts.

There are some surplus part 90 radios that have part 95 certification out there but I cannot list them all off, you will have to do that homework on your own.

I would use CB radio for car to car on the road communications and use GMRS HT's for on the ground activity. CB has its perks on the road, you can get traffic reports, speed trap info or just chat with a trucker if you get bored driving XD. CB channel 19 is the main use road channel BTW

You can get your ham license but that is only as powerful as to the fact if you have anyone to contact and you know repeater info for areas you will be travelling in, as mentioned above Would everyone in your family and group be willing, have time and be able to study and pass a ham radio test?

Seriously guys think before you start spewing crap, the OP may have young kids or friends who may or may not be able to understand radio theory well, not everyone is tech savvy in the world, for $80 a GMRS license will allow everyone in your family and group to communicate wit some simple common sense rules..

Yeah its pretty sick. I've not tried for the ISS, but have had middling luck with listening to ham radio satellites with a handheld. Your best (and easiest, cheapest) bet would be to purchase a new radio. While the Baofeng type radios are pretty decent for that, if you are into bang for your buck fun, try your hand at rtl-sdr type receivers. I have one I bought for 15 bucks and hacked it up and had a heck lot of fun! With the radio you have, you are best off getting a local ham that is into tech to hook it up to a signal generator and check the alignment and sensitivity of it for you. It's not super hard, but you sorta need a bit of experience.

This is definitely what ham radio is made for.

You didn't talk about the terrain or the area you need to cover, but for local stuff a simple VHF or UHF setups cover that.

If simplex can't cover it often repeaters go unused like in my area, and can be happily used like I do from my basement 10 miles away with a handheld radio. I've heard of people using it over 30 miles eaily with a mobile setup.

If that doesn't cover it I do know a few people that do HF mobile, but I don't have much experience with that. It has some challenges, but is similar to a mobile VHF/UHF setup.

Look for local clubs, and see where repeaters are. Get everyone licensed; general if you want to do HF stuff for fun later, but IMO just go as far as you can as the license is for life as long as you remember to renew it. HT Boafangs are pretty cheap to get started with, plus at least one programing cable to use with Chirp software, then some better antenna can help too.

A mobile setup is similar I'd say to a CB one. You have a unit that you put in your car and then have fun trying to mount the antenna (drilling vs magmount). Universal radio, DX Engineering, and Ham Radio Outlet are common places to buy equipment.

Anything else?

I've got 2 UV5R v2+ and one BFF8HP. Dad just bought two UV5Rs, neighbor is probably going to buy some soon.

They are fantastic systems. Always get the 15" antenna. I have a NMO truck center mount also. I've used the radio while on my boat for marine VHF, I've used it in low power on the forbidden channels for my kids out hiking. I've used it for FM broadcast reception to listen to something interesting. I've even used the flashlight feature way more than I thought I would. They are fantastic systems.

get the more expensive FTDI programming cable and use Chirp. It worked the first try (once you figure out which COM port the thing wants to work on).

Throwing all the repeaters on there was a piece of cake. I'll admit to wanting a better UI and easier programming away from the computer, but for only $70 (UV5R + 15" whip + cable + shipping) it is really hard to beat. $70 gets you on the air, completely clear signal line of sight to repeaters and it provides a little insurance if you are backwoods hunting / boating on a small craft without a "real" marine VHF on a mast ($200+). If you get a few BNC adapters, then you can quickly change between a homemade Yagi and your 15" whip, or a vehicle NMO / similar antenna. The flexibility is pretty amazing.

once you care about longer bands, higher power, then you can start throwing money around on car or base station setups, putting up your own antenna, etc etc. Why not put <$100 into the hobby once you get your license and sit on that "investment" for a few months and see if you are in it for real.

For me, I'm probably going to stay a HAM for a while and with under $250 into the hobby for the next years. I do enough boating & back country hunting that HAM is very handy. I eventually will have dad and may be a brother that get licensed too (as well as many friends). Going on outings with other HAMs makes things much more fun obviously, rather than just sitting on the local repeater NET and checking in with nothing else to do.

It's the Baofengs that I too started with. Got mine for around $30 on amazon. It's been a dependable radio and has stood the test of time. Great first radio, would recommend. I still use it from time to time while skiing and such when I don't want to put my Kenwood at risk. It still works great and have not had a problem yet.

But let me warn you before you start, you are about to go down a rabbit hole of Ham equipment. Now you get this, and you be happy with it, but next you'll be looking for a whip antenna to go with it. Soon you'll find yourself lusting for an even nicer higher quality handheld. Then a mobile radio for that extra power and reliable signal into the repeater. And with your General will come the HF radios, and with the HF radios you need an HF antenna, and so on and so fourth.

It happens to everyone, but I and many others have found it well worth it.

Good luck on your test. You've got a good community here to help you along the way.


Edit:
This is the radio I chose:
https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-5R-Plus-Range-Radio/dp/B07CMZ2QCF/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=XX0KH7YLS08A&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r+v2%2B&qid=1557289737&s=gateway&sprefix=baofeng+uv-5r+v2&sr=8-3

This one also come highly recommended:
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174Mhz-400-520Mhz/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmrnull_2_sspa?keywords=b-tech+bf-f8hp&qid=1557289868&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1

How far away is your closest repeater according to RepeaterBook etc?

To use a 4W HT (doesn't actually emit a full 4W BTW) in your situation you may need to resort to making a Yagi beam antenna. Something like this https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/9ggxhr/2m_yagi_v2_with_improved_feed_point_and/ though I'm not sure I'd recommend my exact plan for making one. (It works but it's a bit shoddy and doesn't fold up.)

A J antenna is also good and is omnidirectional but also involves getting at least 2m of coax (it's not a handheld antenna design, though it's easy to make with twin lead "tv antenna" cable and some cutting/soldering), some twin lead cable, and some SMA connectors.

Getting a 25W or better "mobile" (car type) UHF/VHF radio like https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-Band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V/ with a reasonably well elevated J antenna is also an option that isn't too horribly expensive if you don't want to "QRP" around with 4W.

You might also want to use this http://www.hillmap.com/ as an easy way to figure out if you have any hills between you and repeaters around you. (This will show you a profile in a line between point A and B, but doesn't do radio propagation modeling. For that there's some other software called Radio Mobile.)

But basically even the best whip antenna isn't going to make it that far with a 4W HT unless you're on top of a mountain or something.

A lot of people start with one of the cheap Chinese radios like the Baofeng UV-5R. Get the programming cable and you can program in your local repeaters using CHIRP. Repeaters are base stations run by the local ham clubs, installed on top of mountains and tall buildings, which re-transmit your signal so it covers a much wider area. Disaster response will center around one or more repeaters, hopefully ones that have backup power. Without a repeater, the range of these handhelds is limited to a few miles (depending on terrain).

It's hard to say whether you'll need an external antenna at your apartment. If you have good line-of-sight to the repeater(s) you want to use, then the handheld and its stock "rubber ducky" antenna might be sufficient. If there are buildings or hills in the way then you might need a better antenna to compensate. There are many options such as a longer whip antenna for the handheld, a roll-up J-pole, or a yagi. None of those would require permanent installation. Antennas are a vast subject and it's hard to know what's best without experimenting.

Some more links:

Silicon Valley Emergency Communications System

Santa Clara ARES/RACES

ARRL guide for beginners

New ham radio operator

This book has everything you need to know to pass the Technician exam. hamexam.org has free flash cards and practice exams.

KB6NU has some No-Nonsense Study Guides including a free PDF for Technician class.

Also check out /r/amateurradio. Beginner questions are welcome. If IRC is your thing, they have a channel at irc.geekshed.net #redditnet. Freenode's ##hamradio is also good.

There are a ton of other resources out there. Hams seem to like making YouTube videos in particular. Ham radio is a huge subject; explore and see what parts you find interesting. Good luck and have fun!

Welcome to the sub! Congrats on passing your Tech.

First up pick up an RTLSDR, these are great little receivers that will cover 30MHz-1700MHz which covers a tremendous swathe of spectrum. Definitely check out the different types of antennas you can make over on Antenna-Theory, the RTL-SDR blog and /r/rtlsdr

Then if you want to transmit on the post popular amateur bands for techs (which are local to your area) pick up a VHF/UHF Baofeng radio like a UV-B5, UV-82 or UV-5R. Not a whole lot of difference between any of them; I think the UV-B5 is the better one, since it has a better antenna and a rotary encoder. But it's very much up to you as to what you get (style > substance after all :) ).

Now from there its a question of what where you are. City? Rural? Nearby airport? Ports or ocean?

Edit: I should start linking to the wiki more often: Baofeng radios and Your First Radio are good places to start.

I made my own USB powered adapter for my Midland two way radios. The Midland's existing rechargeable battery is also pretty good on life, so when it IS charged, I include it but I can't count on myself always being so prepared. I never have to worry about batteries this way. Any device that uses 4 AA or AAA batteries will work on USB power, which is why I selected that radio (and the good reviews). Since AA/AAA batteries are 1.5V when new and 1V when dead, that means that USB's 5V is perfect (New batteries 4 = 6V, dead batteries 4 = 4V, USB 5V is perfectly in the middle). On the Midlands, its SUPER easy. I took a spare USB cable and crimped on some of these connectors. Those crimp 'spade' connectors slipped on perfectly to the existing battery friction tabs. Just look at the battery pack to determine where the USB (-) and (+) should go.

Anyways, my simple USB cord can be removed in seconds and swapped for batteries. I give friends a unit with batteries in case they don't have a USB slot in their car, and then I use the one with a USB so I don't have to worry about batteries!

I was looking for this response! We still do, because, what else would I call it? We do use HT an handheld, and some old fucks still say “handie talkie”.

Also if anyone is interested getting a ham radio license and callsign is super easy, the hardest part is that you actually have to go somewhere to take a test, but studying for it is a matter of playing around with the flash cards on hamstudy.org and reading up on some basics on how radio works.

Getting a radio is easy, Amazon has the Baofeng UV5R dirt cheap radio, the greatest innovation in ham radio in the past few years. Lets you listen and talk locally, and isn’t too hard to program from watching a few YouTube videos and guides. Bunch of options for getting better antennas too that will let you get some better range and do some fun things with satellites.

Hit up /r/AmateurRadio and see what you can do with ham radio!

>I’m gonna assume you forgot to pad the $4.95 price tag to that for APRSDroid. After all, everyone loves to support developers.

$18 dollars for the cable and $5 for the app. You can donate more if you find it useful, but I wouldn't ask anyone to do that right out or the gate. It would be great if you did though, especially if you get use out of it.

>Wait, what? HT to HT?

Maybe I worded that poorly. That podcast was great that you linked. But I guess I still have a question. You can still go directly from one radio to another with APRS, can't you? It doesn't actually need digipeated, does it? It was pretty clear in the podcast that APRS doesn't have close to the range if FM voice, so maybe the small range makes it a moot point, even if it is possible. I didn't mean to suggest APRS would be digipeating at all if you're going "HT to HT". Maybe I should have said if my APRS packet from my HT is heard directly by your HT.

>Apparently the Kenwood TH-D72A has built in digipeating capabilities. What the hell. That’s somewhat scary.

This little guys looks great for APRS, and I would love it for that. To OP's question though, the price tag might be prohibitive

Not sure about the specific knife linked to, but what you're looking for is a hook knife. Here's an amazon link: http://amzn.to/1gM5iIp or just do a google search for hook knife. Roy Underhill has a pretty good video of a spoon carver using one in episode S06e02. I tried to find a link to the episode, but the best I could do is a promo from youtube: http://bit.ly/1fKRppr. Your local PBS affiliate (presuming you're in the US) likely has the episode available to watch for free. Otherwise there are plenty of youtube videos detailing the use of a hook knife as well. I hope this helps.

>I dont know Im only 14 and I just dont feel like I would fit in with a group of adults.

I'm 38 and I still don't feel like I fit in with the ancient guys at most of the clubs. The good thing is that a lot of them are really smart and passionate about the hobby and really willing to help you out. With having something in common (radio) you just may find you do fit in.

But, you can also go another way and learn on your own (or get started on your own so they know you're serious).

Here is a bunch of different resources for reading up on the things you'll need to know to get that license. And a great place to go through the multiple choice questions you'll have to answer is http://www.hamstudy.org/. All of those are free, and actually taking the test will cost you $15.00.

With a technician license and a $50 radio you could be on the air talking on local repeaters or doing even more interesting stuff like making an antenna for that radio so you can talk to the ISS.

Excellent list. I didn't see some things though, like:

• 10 liters of water isn't enough. Think of one gallon a day per person for 30 days. So, 30 gallons per person to last you a month. Throw in an extra 20 gallons to clean clothes and bathe. For three people, that's 150 gallons.
  
• flashlights
  
• survival knife
  
• extra set of clothing, socks, etc.
  
• soap, towels, wash cloths, kitchen scrub pad
  
• dishes to eat, pots/pans to cook
  
• buckets to wash clothes in or wash dishes
  
• solar shower
  
• maybe high power sling shot to keep feral dogs at bay or predators
  
• firearms sound mandatory, along with plenty of ammo, in a case of course, with cleaning kit
  
• laptop & charger (you never know when you might get electricity back or even wifi)
  
• USB charger for phones, extra battery packs for phones
  
• tourniquets in first aid kit
  
• multiple first aid kits, one for each person,
  
• individual backpacks
  
• duct tape
  
• more duct tape
  
• carabiners, parachute cord, lots of it,
  
• steel toe boots
  
• hammocks
  
• 25 mile walkie talkies
  
• 10,000 watt dual fuel generator along with a two or three 40 pound propane tanks.
  
• Zippo lighter
  
• sunscreen, chapstick, sewing kit, sunglasses, sleeping bags, sheets, more rope, cord & duct tape.
  
  I often wonder if I'm too paranoid, but my mind always keeps going back to climate change. I posted this the other day and have been talking about this being a reality in a couple of years to the point that now my wife (who is much smarter than I) is now seeing news reports all over the place stating exactly what I've been saying. She just sent me an article yesterday that says look at places 500 miles South of where you live...that's what life is going to be like in a couple dozen years.
  
  The shit is real, it's happening, and people refuse to prepare. They didn't prepare in New Orleans, or Paradise or any other place where there are natural disasters. If your family & friends live in the Pacific Northwest, then show them this article about the Cascadia Subduction Zone. If that doesn't scare them, then maybe do some quick Googles on Bing for Coronal Mass Ejections and how they'll frag any transformer in their path, setting us back 100 years. If people aren't prepared, they're screwed.
  
  And no, I'm not even prepared. All I have is 30 gallons of water in the garage I have to clear out every 6-9 months, along with some freeze dried food. I prepped our daughter, but not ourselves.

^^What he said. I don't have a Baofeng, but I've read up on them.

You need the programming cable if you want to name your saved channels.

Also, get the $20 programming cable, not the $9 one, unless you're really good at device driver debugging. The cheapo cables have knockoff chips in them that are not supported by the official drivers. It's a headache.

THIS should be the legit cable. SHOULD be.

Happy hamming!

EDIT: Second also on using CHIRP. The Baofengs are well supported by that software, and it's cross-platform, unlike the manufacturer's software.

I only wish the CHIRP guys would choose to support the TYT U/V HTs sometime this decade. :'(

Agreed BUT the whole reason I purchased the thing was to monitor APRS. This kind of goes to what original is saying, its a nice feature but its not done well for the price you pay.

If I have GPS off, beacon off, and APRS on. What does that use 3-4 times the battery of just listening to 144.390 on audio? Its absurd that the radio's power usage shoots up reading the few bytes of the aprs packet compared to driving a .75w speaker.

Throw that aside, just money wise.

TH-D74A was recently on sale for 479.99. Compare it to a kit to make the baofung comparable functionally. TriBand, wide recieve, aprs even assuming you have no phone.

Triband uv-5 https://www.amazon.com/Mirkit-Baofeng-Battery-Tri-Band-Operator/dp/B07MWCT2J1/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=baofeng+uv-5rx3&qid=1565973762&s=gateway&sr=8-4 $35

Audio Cable https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-APRS-K1-Interface-APRSDroid-Compatible/dp/B01LMIBAZW/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?keywords=baofeng+pc+audio+cable&qid=1565973835&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr1 $19 complete rip off but whatever

Amazing SSB/AirBand/AM/FM wide reciever to compliment it https://www.amazon.com/SSB-Shortwave-Scannable-Aviation-Operated/dp/B07HXKR479/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ssb+shortwave+receiver&qid=1565973865&s=gateway&sr=8-3 $170

Cheap android https://www.amazon.com/Total-Wireless-Rebel-Prepaid-Smartphone/dp/B07GBRB3SB/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=prepaid%2Bandroid%2Bphone&qid=1565973981&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1 $40

APRS Droid, Repeaterbook Proximity Search - Free

260 bucks gets you the same functionality, granted in pieces. Is 200 bucks really worth DStar it being bundled into one piece. You would arguably get better AM/FM/SSB reception with this setup and could load a dozen books onto the android phone to use as reference on the go.

We use the Baofeng BF-F9 V2+ with Nagoya 701c antenna and QHM22 waterproof speaker/mic.

While inexpensive, these are full fledged HAM radio transceivers, not toys. You can't just take them out of the box and turn them on like walkie-talkies you buy at Walmart. They have to be properly programmed to talk to each other on the right frequency, including any tone coded squelch you wish to use.

Not that I'm a HAM radio expert or anything, but you do have to kind of know what you are doing to use these. They are capable of transmitting on frequencies you absolutely should not be using, like police, fire, ems, s&r, government, commercial, etc. It's also worth noting that unless you have an FCC license, you can't actually use these radios legally. However if you are just using them for occasionally dirt bike chit chat, using them responsibly, on the correct frequencies, and not pissing off other users, the chances of being caught are basically zero.

Bottom line is that these cheap Chinese HAM radios work great for dirt biking I have had great success, they have much better range and performance than cheap 'bubble-pack' FRS radios. But they do take a little research and effort to learn how to use them.

I need help choosing my first radio. I want to get it just after my exam in late December (after Christmas) so that I can order it right after I get my license (hopefully!). I've narrowed it down to 4 radios. I'm on a bit of a budget, so that's why I'm going really cheap.

1. [Baofeng UV-5RA] (http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5RA-136-174-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B009MAKWC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408887006&sr=8-)
   
   
2. [BaoFeng UV-5RE] (http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Improved-Stronger-Enhanced-Features/dp/B00C83AU9S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1408887006&sr=8-5&keywords=ham+radio)
   
   
3. [Baofeng UV5R] (http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1408887006&sr=8-3&keywords=ham+radio)
   
   
4. [BaoFeng UV-5RB] (http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5RA-136-174-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B009MAKWC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408887006&sr=8-1&keywords=ham+radio)
   
   This list is in no particular order but I would prefer to get the UV-RE because I want the emergancy alerts and the flashlight (I'm not sure if any of the other ones have those).
   
   I have also found what seems to be a [good, cheap antenna] (http://www.amazon.com/NAGOYA-NA-771-Antenna-BAOFENG-KG-UVD1P/dp/B00BY3XN7E), an NA-771, but I would like to know if there are any better, cheaper ones out there that connect to the radios I stated above.
   
   My price range for everything is about $45, but I will go to $55 if I have to. I would also be open to any better radios out there that are within my price range. Thanks in advance for your help!
   
   Tl;dr - I need a $45 radio and I need you guys to help me decide on one, or lean me towards another one.

This is a pretty good start. I've put together a couple of notes.

• The duct tape you listed is a rip off. What I did for my bug out bag was buy a roll of duct tape, then wrap it neatly around a pencil.
  
  
• Instead of a SOG fixed blade knife, you might consider spending $20-$30 more and getting a ka-bar. I've personally had bad experiences with SOG and love the ka-bars I have. If you go this route, be sure to find a true ka-bar... there are a bunch of fakes out there.
  
  
• For radios, I would get something more versatile. The downside to the one you listed is they don't support many bands. Also, I may be wrong, but I'm very suspicious of the 35 mile range that is listed. The BaoFeng UV-5R is a hidden gem that does everything the motorola you've listed does and a whole lot more. the only downside is you need a HAM license to operate one legally (assuming you are in the US) https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A
  
  
• The carabiners you've listed don't appear to be CE or UIAA certified for climbing. Here is a link to a set I recently bough that are both CE and UIAA rated and are more than strong enough for climbing with equipment. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6DD42Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc
  
  
• 550 paracord would do the same job as the speciality shoe laces you've listed for cheaper.
  
  
• You can make your own snare kits, fishing kits, and first aid kits for much, much cheaper that what is in your list.
  
  
• I personally would skip the bit kit unless you have a very specific need.
  
  
• The "Maxpedition Single Sheath" is very expensive for what it is. You can find something equivalent for about 1/4 the price.
  
  
• The bag you've listed may not be big enough for all of your gear. This is difficult to gauge, but your choice of bag is important.
  
  All that being said, I think you've done a good job of planning and selecting products that will be useful. I've been waiting on my wife to put together a sewing kit, but your post has spurred me to buy one instead (I don't think she's ever going to get around to it)....(this is the one I ended up buying: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015L46N96/ref=pd_luc_rh_sbs_02_01_t_img_lh?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1).
  
  Thanks and best of luck with your prepping!

I'm a bit late to the party but OP if you want something similar to a walkie talkie style communication you might want to check out HAM radio. Me and a few friends have these BaoFeng radios (link below). Pretty cheap $32 and very far range since it's using repeatedr stations (which are towers that you can use to communicate farther). Depending on certain types of setup you can reach people from different countries. You would need to get a HAM license but it's very easy to get.
Plus no monthly subscription fee :]

If your interested maybe check out r/hamradio or r/amateurradio

Link to BaoFeng radios.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1527700526&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=baofeng&dpPl=1&dpID=41xV3DDhxBL&ref=plSrch

Thanks for your feedback! Here's another one I was looking at that is a bit pricier but claims to have a greater wattage output:

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-82HP-High-Power-Radio/dp/B00Z52HP10/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I did some searching on Amazon for a 50W mobile radio, but there aren't many options. Any model in particular you recommend for this use case? Ideally something I could pick up from a Best Buy or order from Amazon one-day shipping.

I don't plan to use these regularly until licensed, but want something in case of an emergency this weekend during the hurricane.

Thank you so much!


Edit: another one I was eyeballing - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=emc_b_5_t#customerReviews

Yeah. I'll admit. I did my research about the Baofeng radios. I was going to get a couple of these. But I read somewhere that the UV-B5s were improved and much better.

I initially thought to myself, "So I'm getting an improvement on something that was a piece of junk. So I'm getting a piece of junk that is slightly better than the other piece of junk."

I was completely wrong. Sure, I use my Yeasu FT-7900 when I'm in my Jeep. But when I'm at home I use the UV-B5 exclusively to hit the repeaters nearby. I'm in Charleston, I can hit the USS Yorktown repeater, both MUSC repeaters, a 70cm repeater down the road a piece and another two meter repeater 'round the way a bit. These are great radios.

I've also used these radios helping out with hour annual bridge run, they did great.

• Potato
  
• Fancy Potato
  
• DMR Potato. $110, but close enough.
  
• Nice Mobile Antenna + mount
  
• Cheapie, but still good mobile antenna
  
• RTL-SDR
  
• Upconverter for your new RTL-SDR
  
• A snazzy enclosure for your new upconverter for your new RTL-SDR
  
• A bunch of RG8X coax
  
• Or about half as much RG-213
  
• A chest harness if you do event volunteer work or just like to play whacker.
  
• A nice desk stand to organize all your HT's
  
• Dry or wet dummy loads
  
• Raspberry Pi starter kit
  
• A Ham Radio Deluxe license
  
• A bitchin' yagi antenna
  
• Hamsticks and dipoles and verticals, oh my!
  
• High Sierra JAWS mount. Ridiculously useful.
  
• Antenna tuner or a nicer one for a tad over.
  
• Antenna analyzer
  
• Cheap straight key or a nice paddle for a bit over budget.
  
• Coax switch
  
• Powerpole all the things!
  
• Rigrunner for all the stuff you just powerpoled.
  
• Scanner
  
• Headset
  
• Analog or a digital SWR/watt meter
  
• A Pelican case to start working on your go box.
  
• A sweet atomic wall clock for the shack.
  
  That's all I can think of for the moment. I may add to the list as I think of more cool sub $100 ham toys.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Hi - I recently bought the exact same radio and had the exact same problem as you. It frustrated me for a few days until I figured something out... the UV5RV2+ does NOT cover all of the VHF ham bands. I'm guessing you're having problems anytime you try to input any frequency that starts with 144.? After going crazy and realizing that was the problem, buying a programming cable and trying to see if I could use CHIRP to expand the frequency limits, I finally noticed in the product listing on Amazon (I'm guessing you got yours from Amazon too), and actually says in small print "Covers 145-148 MHZ." (The VHF ham band is 144-148 MHZ.)

I hate to say this, but this is an absolute garbage radio and will give you nothing but problems because of this limitation. The original UV-5R's seem to be ok and cover the entire range, but THIS specific radio does not and from what I can tell, there doesn't appear to be a way to fix it. I have returned mine and am waiting for a refund. My recommendation would be to return it and get either an original UV-5R or similar radio, or to spend a bit more and pick up a used Icom, Kenwood, or Yaesu which will give you better performance overall. Nothing against Baofeng's in general... when they work, they work. I actually have a set of BTech GMRS handhelds (BTech seems to be the American distributor for Baofeng), and those are absolutely awesome... I love them.

If you want to stay with a lower price point, I might recommend upgrading at least to a BTech radio. This will give you 3 bands, and should give you no problems: https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-5X3-Watt-Tri-Band-Radio/dp/B01J2W4JUI

I found out the same thing as you the hard way... the radio you have simply does not cover all the VHF/UHF ham frequencies. Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

Not sure what OP is using, but I tried a few different models while trainhopping, and I highly recommed Baofeng digital scanners. Excellent range, huge memory bank, kickass battery life, and can take a beating.

Even better, they are really affordable and theres a wide variety if you wanna get fancy.

The 30 dollar model (UV-5r) will work for most hobos, but the BF-FH8P for 60 dollars is a great, great scanner.

Welcome!

The link you posted doesn't work. It got truncated somehow. Try pasting that again in the comments.

I always recommend the Baofeng UV-5R to the budget-minded. It costs $27 and is pretty good in performance (from my use and from what I've heard from others). With the stock antenna on this radio, you should be able to get a few miles of range in open spaces. You can upgrade the antenna to a "quarter wave" antenna to better that range. The higher up your antenna is in the air, the farther out you will be able to reach with your radio -- UHF/VHF radios are all 'line of sight'.

You will also be able to use local ham radio repeaters in your area to talk to people around you. Repeaters will greatly enhance your range as they are typically built on tall towers or hill tops. You can look for repeaters in your area on RepeaterBook. Under "band", select 2m or 70cm (the UV-5R supports both bands)

However, you're going to need a ham radio license (at least a Technician class) to transmit. Also, your family is going to need ham radio licenses to transmit. If this does not work for you, I would recommend FRS/GMRS radios or CB radios which can be used without a license.

I've been using these Motorolas for seven years. They're rechargeable and have built-in flashlights too. You can plug in a small earpiece with mic for great sound or a hand-held mic/speaker like law enforcement uses. You must at least use an in-ear phone to be able to hear. I don't know any two-way radios that can be heard over 300 loud partiers. We currently use an ear bud and speak directly into the radio.

I believe these exact units have been discontinued. However, Motorola and Midland both make similar radios for simlar money. I mean, here are six rechargeable radios, with charging bases and earbuds for $65. They have good reviews and free shipping. Here's a pair of rechargeable Motorolas with earbuds for $80 and free shipping. Here is Amazons Two-way Radio Store.

~Good luck!

At under $50, the BaoFeng UV-82 is practically disposable and for the money and it does a fine job. Are there better handhelds on the market? Yes but BaoFeng's quality continues to improve and for the money, they're excellent entry points. They're also insanely common at this point so getting assistance on setup and use is easy to find.

There are plenty of YouTube vids available to walk you through setup and use. Just understand that the FCC doesn't take kindly to your broadcasting without a license. Take some time to get your technician license before you broadcast -- until then, you're more than welcome to listen.

FRS is legal for business, its basically a 'citizens band' and can be used by anyone for anything as long as they obey the legal limits of frequency and power etc.

HOWEVER, if you use it then, you can't get mad when kids in their backyard are interrupting your radios and you hear them come out of your speakers when talking to customers. They have just as much right on that frequency as anyone else so keep that in mind.

But, if you want really cheap and for just in-building use then FRS or GMRS is probably fine. Lots of businesses use them ok. Make sure you get some that have PL/privacy codes, that can help quite a bit. FRS/GMRS radios would probably be much more likely to work if you were using them in an area where there is not much in the way of housing such as a business district or downtown etc.

The Motorola MS350R/MT350R's are pretty much the best radios available these days if you go the FRS/GMRS route.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PGM9PO
https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MT350R-FRS-Weatherproof-Two-Way/dp/B0072LAAA0
https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MR350R-35-Mile-22-Channel-Two-Way/dp/B001UE6MJ8

They also support hand-mics, ear mic's and other accessories which might be handy in a work environment like you describe.

What your family member is looking at buying is a Baofeng UV-5R. It is actually not designed to be a scanner but is a ham radio that can transmit/receive public safety bands. It is perfectly legal to own these radios and they are extremely common. Unlike most other radios however, they will do nothing to prevent you from transmitting on bands that you're not allowed to transmit on. So while it would be perfectly fine for them to get that radio, they just have to be very careful not to hit the transmit button.

If they are dead set on purchasing one, I would encourage them to get their amateur radio license so they can learn how to properly operate their radio, learn all about the relevant laws, and communicate on the the amateur bands that the UV-5R can transceive on.

I went with the very affordable Baofeng option that was brought up in a thread a couple weeks ago. You can manually program it or program it from a computer using free software (/u/theman00 has been posting .csv files for all drivers/broadcast channels that you can upload directly, all at once). This radio IS a transceiver, but you can disable the transmission capabilities. 127 programmable channels that you can assign the driver or broadcaster names to. I used mine at the Indy 500 and it was great.

CHIRP is freeware that works really well for programming this and many other radios.

Amazon links below:

radio

headphone adapter

USB Cable

Note: Programming it with the USB can be finicky because Windows will continually try to update the driver to a newer version that isn't compatible with the chip. Its an easy fix, but you'll have to go into the device manager and roll back the driver to the older one. Instructions Here

Edit: added link to CHIRP software

Yeah but you don't have to spend much at all to just put your toe in the water. Study for and pass the entry level technician exam (which is super easy, it's a memorization effort) and get an inexpensive 5 watt handheld that can reach your nearest repeater and you are on your way for well under $50. It's fun.

Random, I thought it was the same across the board. In my state it's $14 per test session, not test, so if you wanted to take all three tests in one go, you could.

Look into the Baofengs, especially the UV-5R which just dropped in price. Very easy to use, and easy to program, all you need is to know where your local repeaters are. If you want, toss a mag-mount antenna on to it, which you can pick up for like $17. Or, you can make one from a coffee can.

At the very least, this little radio will get you on the repeaters and chatting with other local hams. My advice to to start setting aside money for a better radio as soon as possible, though, wait around for a ham fest you can go to or keep an eye on Estate/Garage sales.

There are also a number of apps that will let you play radio more or less for free. EchoLink, HamSphere, stuff like that. But you need to have your callsign to use them.

What's your budget? :-)


For starters I'm a big fan of the btech units. I recommend a dual band or a tri band unit. I've been using this and it's quite good:


https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-Band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V/

They're not bad for $130.


However, make sure you:

• get a triband or dualband antenna! I have a Comet dual-band vertical antenna on my roof for 2m/70cm FM operation.
  
• get a decent 13.8v power supply for home! I picked up the analog meter version of this a couple years ago and run almost everyone on my desk from it: https://www.amazon.com/TekPower-TP30SWV-Digital-Switching-Supply/dp/B00L2K263Q/ . It's $140 but it's well worth the money.
  
  • but obviously i only transmit from one at a time, purely to not burn out the power supply.
    
• get good coax! For VHF/UHF you wanna get LMR-400 to minimise loss over longer distance coax runs.
  
• get a SWR meter that'll do VHF/UHF as the output amplifier will overheat and burn out if you run it into a badly matched antenna. I er, burnt out the dual band version of the above when I got my technician ticket - I was used to more spendy radios that have mismatch protection (ie, reduce output power) but this radio doesn't.
  
• get the PC programming cable for it.
  
  Once you get more familiar with the radio-y bits you can look at the kenwood, yaesu, icom, alinco, etc VHF/UHF units. There are some very nice ones but you want to know what you're doing so you don't make them unhappy. It's better to learn that on a $130 radio.

We've used a couple brands over the years, but these Midlands have worked best. https://smile.amazon.com/Midland-GXT1000VP4-36-Mile-50-Channel-Two-Way/dp/B001WMFYH4/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1484274173&sr=8-17&keywords=walkie+talkies

We bought ours from Dicks sporting goods with a coupon. We live in the burbs so we have to use a high channel like 32 to keep out interference.

Our daughter has rules like she has to tell me when she goes to a different friends or the park and she has to tell me when heading home so I can keep an eye out.

Thanks as always. You're always a wealth of information.

I was actually looking at these on eBay and found they are also some on Amazon. Number one best seller too!

Baofeng UV-5Rプラス トランシーバー デュアルバンド 5色選択可！無線機 アンテナ！イヤホンマイク付き！ブラック 並行輸入 https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0097252UK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9jPlxbPGYHP1B

So I assume that HAM radios are OK? I wouldn't need a license to use something like this?

Hey, a little late to the party, and while this is not a comprehensive list, I can tell you that I always end up needing these things

• Headlamp - cannot emphasize this enough
  
• Knife
  
• Walkie Talkies
  
• Extra Pair of Socks
  
• Hammock
  
• Air Pump for if you have an air mattress/anything inflatable
  
• Extra Batteries
  
• First Aid Kit
  
• 50-100ft of paracord- you never know what you need some rope for until you need it
  
  Hope that helps and good luck, sounds fun!

Well, it won't be illegal to order anything under the regulations, nor will it be illegal to have them shipped to you. I don't think this would be a customs issue at all. Customs doesn't know whether each item has received approval for sale, just as they don't know if the CE, UL , FCC, etc. markings are valid on devices.

The onus would be on the seller, they would be breaking the rules, but the item itself would not be illegal to possess.

There are already tons of items that have dodgy approval markings on them. Customs doesn't care. They are interested in finding contraband, not figuring out whether device A, with this certain chipset, was approved for sale, while device B, with this other chipset, was not.

For instance, this radio makes you a criminal the moment you hit the transmit button on certain bands. It is not part approved for communications on HAM frequencies, and you must possess a HAM license to use it if it was part approved. It is sold on Amazon and is hugely popular.

Sounds like an HT would be a good first addition.

• Baofeng UB-82 - Dual band HT, great for local communication, repeater access, etc etc. You can also monitor other public service frequencies/weather band. $37.50
  
• Handheld mic for the Baofeng - Nice if you keep it on your desk in a charger, or if the radio is clipped to a bag or something, you can still access the mic (it's also a speaker). $6.37
  
• USB Programming Cable - Easily program memory channels with your computer. $20.46
  
• Upgraded antenna for the HT - This one is pretty big, plenty on Amazon of various size which will vary in performance, but anything should be better than the stock antenna. $16.99
  
  Well that's $81.32. Remaining could be spent on an extra battery, a power cable for the car etc etc.

TYT TH-9000 is an "OK" monoband rig, but the PA gets damaged when it overheats. OTOH, it can run 60W and it has a nifty D-sub connector that can interface with controllers and such.

I'm currently using the BTECH UV-25X4, and I've been pretty happy with it for 1.25M use.

Either of these are about half of what the Alinco rig costs, but the Alinco is a higher-quality radio than either.

Add a 3-element Yagi to an HT, and that can work pretty well on the 1.25M band, too.

Here's some more info:

Checkout /r/amateurradio, as well as the ARRL website, which has a ton of helpful "what is" and "how to" info. They act as the primary membership and advocacy organization for ham radio.

Find a local club here: http://www.arrl.org/find-a-club

Broadcastify and WebSDR are some ways to listen to ham radio via the web, and the low-cost RTLSDR USB dongle or a Baofeng UV-5R radio are some cheap ways to start listening to the RF spectrum in your area.

https://hamstudy.org/ is the best way to study for your license, which has free practice exams (pretty much all you need to pass is rote memorization). Otherwise you can read the free No-Nonsense technican class guide or buy a license manual from the ARRL.

Finally, find a test session here and get on the air!

My ideas:

• 2 meter transceiver - Baofeng A great and cheap introduction into amateur radio. For those already a ham, I don't need to say anything more about the Baofeng.
  
  
• Baofeng 3800mAh Battery Double the capacity of the original battery. Makes it more unwieldy though.
  
  
• Weller Analog Soldering Station Imagine using an actually good soldering iron!
  
  
• Weller Industrial Soldering Gun If you like making antennas.
  
  
• APRSTM GPS position Encoder Broadcast your GPS coordinates through radio.
  
  
• Radio Astronomy Kit Listen to radio emissions from the Sun and Jupiter.
  
  
• Oscilloscope Kit See the a visual of RF? I haven't played with oscilloscopes.
  
  
• 20M CW Transceiver Kit Get 2 and practice morse code with a friend.
  
  
• Arduino Uno Starter Kit Arduino does more with electronics and Raspberry Pi more with Python programming.

There is something that these guys, who are responsible radio amateurs, aren't telling you. I myself am marginally responsible and would rather see you get interested in radio as a hobby than play it all by the book.

So, I will tell you that although everyone is right in telling you your radio is not a CB, in my opinion it's better than a CB. It's the awesomest walkie-talkie ever! By that, I mean that it can likely be programmed (or might even already be programmed) to operate on the frequencies that typical walkie-talkies operate on. That means those little Motorola/Midland/Cobra/Uniden radios that you, our friends, and everybody has, can possibly talk to that radio. They are operating on a band called GMRS, which can be good over much greater distances than typical walkie-talkie distances with real antennas and some power. The difference between your radio and the walkie-talkies is that they put out 0.5-2 watts of power, and your radio looks like it does 10 or 25 watts.

To be clear, operating on the GMRS band technically requires a GMRS license (except for a few channels it shares with FRS, where you can transmit up to half a watt bla bla bla bla), even though virtually no one who owns those walkie-talkies ever gets the license. And there may even be some additional restrictions about power level in mobile stations etc. whatever.

To get operating, you would need:

A replacement whip for your antenna, which probably originally looked like one of these. Or just a new antenna. There are much shorter ones, too. Just note that if you get the whip only, it's very important that it is "tuned" to your frequency of operation, in this case "GMRS", or 462mhz. That means the wire is exactly some fraction of that frequency's wavelength, such as 1/4 (most common), and some other electrical engineering hand-waving.
To program your radio, with
A programming cable, and
the programming software
*the service manual will be helpful I hear.

The bummer is that it seems the programming software is extremely proprietary. So it'd have to be programmed by somebody who does that stuff - a dealer of those Motorola radios, for example.

If you can't find somebody to do that but this has been intriguing for you, consider getting an inexpensive radio that's a ton more versatile and think about getting a license to talk with us amateurs!

Let's see if I can help...

Two cables exist for USB to serial control to the radio. One has the FTDI Chipset and one has the Prolific Chipset. The difference between the two is that the FTDI is bullet-proof reliable and will be one less headache for you as a ham. The Prolific is hit or miss. Some people have luck with it, and some people don't. As a new ham, I wouldn't want someone to get too frustrated which is why I recommend the better cable. The bonus is it works with Kenwood and Wouxun radios as well.

Good luck!

Dear Pi-people,

I want to make wall mounted phones and hang them throughout the city. You can leave voicemails or talk 1-0-1 if someone is on the other line. It will be a closed network of about 10 units.

Your advice on mic/telephone: i think the shoulder mics are really cool for this project. But i have no clue how to connect it to the pi. Will an usb soundcard be ok? I don’t know if these 2 pin connectors on the shoulder mics fit the standard usb cards.

Furthermore I don’t know if the PTT (push to talk) will still function or how to make that interact with the pi; recognising when mic is on or off (maybe sound levels?).

Second option would be to attach a “retro” phone. Anyone have any experience/ suggestions? Regarding software as well (Is Asterisk a solution or Mumble + voicerecord for voicemail?)

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-QHM22-Platinum-Rainproof-Shoulder/dp/B00Z4X3MM6/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1518681063&sr=1-3&keywords=shoulder+mic

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=zg_bs_3015427011_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TEF3DD19MRMX3V5B2PSN

Thanks in advance!

Sat phones are nice but have ongoing cost. You can get them used for a couple hundred each, and a service plan will run you approx $75-$100 a year for a prepaid card (maybe a little more if you have activation fees) - the prepaid cards expire if you don't use them in time. I would recommend the BaoFeng (get an 8 watt min.), you can get a full kit for under $65 Amazon. It would also be a fun 2 day class with you and your spouse. Class Ham classes are free, and the license is $15 for the exam.

Get a community assembly/neighborhood action coalition going. We'll need those dual power structures to be ready.

Get your mutual aid game up. First aid trainings, tool libraries, dry canneries (yes this is from the LDS church, but they know their shit).

Get a ham radio and license, and get a comms network going with your comrades. Figure out how to get water if the power goes out (your water might too) - this might mean a generator for your well pump, or a huge bottle of iodine tablets for drinking rain barrel water from the roof of your building for a while.

Get a shotgun. $200 gets you a good one, you can hunt small game up to deer with it and a pump action is easy to maintain and not likely to be outlawed anytime soon.

Start today.

If I understand it correctly, in Canada GMRS does not require a license. You cannot use the F8HP because it is not type-accepted for
GMRS, but Baofeng does make a GMRS type-accepted radio that I believe is legal for use in Canada: the GMRS-V1. You'll need to double check Canadian regulations on GMRS, but that is probably the safer legal option. It's 2W to be compliant with limits on GMRS outputs, but that will still get you pretty good range.

Edit: fines for business caught doing illegal stuff are usually harsher, so I'd make sure you double and triple check Canadian law to make sure you are in the clear for anything you decide on, not just rely on what people tell you.

The one downtown in 1998 and Gallatin in 2006 and Murfreesboro in 2009 are the strongest in recent memory. We get them, however they are usually weak and short lived. Rarely do we have strong long track Tornadoes. I wouldn't worry too much about it, doesn't hurt to prepare but it's not going to be life altering every year. We do get heavy downpours and strong straight line winds often, but as long as you have everything covered and secured, you should be OK.

Video 1998 Tornado: https://youtu.be/2fk0-LvNFB4

Video 2006 Tornado: https://youtu.be/XyZbkyBt2yw

Video 2009 Tornado: https://youtu.be/2QP-DOSUc4c

Get yourself one of these so you can listen to NOAA Weather Radio on 162.550 MHZ and The Middle Tennessee Emergency Amateur Radio System http://www.mtears.org https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A and optionally get licensed so you can participate in MTEARS http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed

You could get a radio as well. A Baofeng UV-5R, the most common radio for airsoft, is only $25 and is very helpful if you have a group that uses them.

Also, watch what they do and learn from it. Try to see how and why they beat you so you can prevent it next time.

If you're just straight up getting outgunned, there isn't much you can do. Upgrade your gun, get a better one, or just play better.

If you can't beat em, join em! Ask if you can play with them for the day. Maybe you'll learn a few things.

Does he have a handheld radio?
If not, Amazon has the Baofeng UV5R or Baofeng UV-5RA for less than $35 each (same radio, just different styling - I have the UV5R).
May we (I) also recommend getting this $7 programming cable so he can program it from his computer (easier than doing it by hand). And this $8 antenna will allow the radio to perform better than the one it comes with.

If he does not already have a radio like this, such a gift would surely surprise him and keep him busy all during Christmas.

I'd take the money you'd spend on an 8w HT and go with a 4 or 5w HT and a better antenna.
It'll get much better results.
Something like a roll up slim jim J pole is a great antenna for portable and even base use.
A simple Baofeng like this one is decent.
Jus know that more than half of Baofengs don't meet FCC spurious emissions regulations compliance. Buy at your own risk.

I originally thought it'd be fun to be able to talk with my friend who lives in a neighborhood about a mile away from me. After scratching the surface of two way radios, I soon found out that might not be so easy. I've looked at Midland, Uniden, Motorola, etc. And I just can't decide which would be a good option. So, my question to all you folks is, what two way radio should I be considering? I would love the option of NOAA access in the event of an emergency but it's not necessary. I'm also not looking to spend too much.

This keeps coming up as an option. Should I be reluctant or just go for it? Any better options?

Thanks in advance for at least reading.

I don't know about laws in other counties, but in the USA you need to take (and pass) an exam. More info here: http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training. The entry-level license isn't all that difficult (and there's practice stuff online to get a sense of what kind of questions are asked). It's 35 questions and you must get 26 of those correct to pass.

As for the radio, I believe you can buy one and still use it to listen without a license. But do not transmit without a license. There's some pretty cheap ones on Amazon that get good reviews like this one. As a beginner, there's probably not much more you'll need out of a radio (and at ~$35 you're not making a huge investment into a hobby that you may not be sure about).

After using a Sena setup and talking back and forth with my brother on a 1500 miler a few weeks ago - I think we've come up with the perfect solution (and we considered apps as well.)

We were thinking the solution is to get a few of these radios and assuming you can get the squelch dialed in to limit background noise along with a voice activated microphone into the helmet and it should work out pretty well!

I second getting a license.

But I think your best bet would be getting a satellite or leasing some orbital bandwidth. Companies like United Launch Alliance and Golden Spike can offer you launch space. Satellites tech is good enough that building one is purely a DIY effort.

Just kidding. In fact I am only making fun of the HAM suggestion.

My setup isn't BIFL, and they are strictly consumer grade, but they are pretty sturdy. They were the suggestion of my 1SGT.

http://www.amazon.com/Midland-GXT1000VP4-36-Mile-50-Channel-Two-Way/dp/B001WMFYH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376766043&sr=8-1&keywords=frs+radio

If on the trail with your radios you get some blisters, consider getting a medical degree. It'll open up access to all sorts of medicines that just aren't available over the counter.

You can make contacts with just a standard “rubber duck” antenna and a cheapo Chinese radio. Checkout this video to See this in action. This radio is usually around $30 on Amazon.

Of course a better antenna will help tremendously. Better radio would help too. Depends on how deep you get into the hobby :-)

Get a Baofung UV5R or similar from Amazon for about $30. It comes with a charger and if you set it up right it holds a charge for a good while. You will need a technician class licence from the FCC to transmit on it but it works great for hitting local repeaters on 2 meter and 70cm bands. I wouldn't bother with cb personally, the ham bands have further reach and repeater networks expand that across the state and even nationwide.


Edit to add:
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_B0svzb4DRCC35

Also, get the programming cable and download chirp software to set up the radio with your local channels. There's plenty of tutorials on YouTube etc.

I've wanted a HAM technicians license for years now as a secondary to my main hobby (FPV drone racing and freestyle) but I'm terrible at studying and terrible at tests. I would like some info as well. Book studying doesn't do it for me. YouTube videos have been the most helpful so far. I just don't know if I'll find the time to learn enough to pass the exam.




Edit: OP, I bought this handheld transceiver a year or two ago and for the price its really good. The brand came recommended from a friend that is a HAM.

BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_7XRYzbNXHTYE9

Honest question, I have a CB and just have not heard anyone else transmitting when I've been out wheeling. The only time its been used it when I went with a jeep club, once Does anybody still use one?


Secondly, what are opinions on 2 way radios instead? Such as the BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174MHz VHF & 400-520MHz UHF) Includes Full Kit with Large Battery


or

Midland Micromobile?

I'm really curious to here everyone's thoughts. When I get out I'm usually out in the mountains in Colorado with little cell reception, and was wondering if either of those would be useful should an emergency present itself for contacting the forest service or other emergency services.

Thanks all & happy Jeeping!

Welcome! Nice to see that your interested in the hobby I myself just got licensed about 2 months ago now. I recommend picking up a cheap Baofeng UV-5R from amazon for about 35$. Then hop on over to www.repeaterbook.com and look for repeaters in your area to program and listen away! That's what I did before I got my ticket just don't key up the repeater.

Yes, you absolutely need a license to trasmit (talk). You can buy the radio and listen without a license, which is still pretty handy.

I have this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B009MAKWC0

and I'm pretty happy with it. Dirty cheap and seems to work very well. Thinking of buying another one actually.

No problem with the info. Glad to help. /r/amateurradio is a pretty helpful sub if you want to try it out.

A good first radio to cut your teeth on is the Baofeng UV-5R. It's cheap and kinda sucks but at $30 price point nothing else comes close. You must get the USB programming cable. A better antenna is a good idea too. I've been using mine to try and hit the ISS lately.

I'm learning too; a great way to accelerate learning is to buy a baofeng 5 (link below) and try to find and listen to conversations on the 2m and 70cm bands. It greatly helped me understand concepts in the ARRL Technician book (studying for the test).

https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B009MAKWC0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1510632052&sr=8-4&keywords=ham+radio

going to move up later to better/stronger gear, but this little baofeng is pretty fun, plus there's a lot of vids on youtube (many made by preppers) on how to use it.

then after you're licensed, you can use the baofeng 5 to listen AND talk via 70m and 2m bands (e.g., via repeaters)

I posted in another thread but here's my setup. With it, I can listen to the broadcast AND flip to any of the driver's channels. Super cheap.
> You can buy a baofeng UV-5R on Amazon for $30, a programming cable for $8, a headphone adapter for $10 and just program it every year. This is my setup. It works well and I'll be posting the file you can import into this radio. I usually use over the ear protection over my headphones.
Baofeng UV5RA Ham Two Way Radio 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band Transceiver (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009MAKWC0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VtVhzbHQ6NMNG
BTECH 2 Pin to 3.5MM Adapter with Push-to-Talk Button (Adapts 2 Pin BaoFeng/Kenwood/BTECH Radios to 3.5mm Headsets with in-line Mics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019YJMRZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_bsYAluLHSuWOJ
Baofeng Programming Cable for BAOFENG UV-5R/5RA/5R Plus/5RE, UV3R Plus, BF-888S https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP0I474/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tvVhzbM7VNDGE
I'm not sure my link for the actual radio is the cheapest on Amazon. Also the programming doesn't let you transmit so no worries there!

https://www.reddit.com/r/INDYCAR/comments/6bmhxv/scanner_rental_questions/dhrl7wl/

I'll also add at Indy you can listen to several channels including the radio broadcast, the track PA, track officials, etc.

If you are going to transmit on simplex frequencies then you don't need the CHIRP software.

If you only plan to use a couple of repeater frequencies then you can learn how to program it manually. It is a very frustrating process compared to other handhelds like Yaesu and Kenwood.

I have a couple of Baofeng radios which I want to use on a number of repeaters and found it so frustrating to do the programming manually that I use CHIRP. I'm also a member of a RACES team so I have a number of repeaters programmed into my Baofeng radios and the best way to get it done correctly and in a timely manner was to use CHIRP.

One word of caution DON'T GET KNOCK OFF CABLE. Most of the time they don't work. Only get the GENUINE programming cable made by BTech. Here is the link to it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Programming-BaoFeng-Kenwood-AnyTone/dp/B00HUB0ONK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527191826&sr=8-4&keywords=baofeng+programming+cable

Good Luck,

Scott - K7JSG

Yes... This is a huge problem... This is why we do not use standard radios with 22 channels for 122,000 people. Look into UHF/VHF radios. Something like this. Technically you need an FCC license for it but 🙄. Easy to find a free channel because there are thousands.

Welcome, fellow codeless extra!

Me and two of my friends did zero to extra in the same session. Can only imagine what the VEs thought.

youtube channels, david casler's is a good one to cover the basics of what you've already been tested on. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaBtYooQdmNzq63eID8RaLQ

Read the Gordon West books, they're a pretty light and simple introduction to the various concepts. Find an elmer to help guide you. And don't be afraid to make mistakes.

low cost beginner radio, the UV-5R V2+ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HX03AMA/ and /r/Baofeng to ask questions about your potato.

This is a good idea. Get your own license. Also, if he doesn't have a handheld yet, buy yourself and him each a cheap HT like a Baofeng. They are not the greatest radios, so you will probably want to upgrade at some point, but it's a great way for you to get into the hobby and you both having little handhelds means you will more likely be able to find a chance to use them.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A

Generally, UHF is better suited to urban environments. The shorter wave length of the frequencies has an easier time of being reflected and bouncing around off glass windows and other metal surfaces to reach the repeater or other intended station.

Almost all the Baofeng HT's (handheld transmitters) are dual band and will work on VHF & UHF. Personally, I would recommend the Baofeng BF-F8HP 8-watt model. It can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174MHz-400-520MHz/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501540520&sr=8-1&keywords=BAOFENG+f8

If the 1.25m band (220 MHz) is popular, you can look at the the UV-5x3 tri-band model. It can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-5X3-Watt-Tri-Band-Radio/dp/B01J2W4JUI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501540679&sr=8-1&keywords=UV+5x3

Yeah, this radio is probably the most popular starter radio. That works on the 2M band which has a range of a couple miles. There are a lot of repeaters in the 2M band, though, if you live near a big city in the US. Many are networked with other repeaters, too, so it's possible to talk with people all over the US via 2M.

In general, ham radio is for whatever you want it to be for. In terms of practical uses, it's used for communication while on the road (similar to CB), communication in disasters/emergencies, or communication while hunting/camping/hiking. It's also used for more casual purposes to talk to astronauts on the ISS or to chat with other random operators in other countries across the globe. Global communication requires use of a lower frequency than the 2M band, though, so that sort of thing isn't possible with a handheld. Many people also have fun building their own antennas and tinkering with radios and that sort of thing.

Most ham radios have a scan mode, but they are terribly slow. Mine is barely faster than one frequency hop per second. If you want to stay up on traffic/police events and that sort of thing, you're better off with a dedicated scanner or hitting the CB frequencies. Also, in my area the emergency services have switched to a digital trunked system, so there's no way to pick it up with an analog radio. It's still possible to listen to digital systems (as long as they aren't encrypted) but you need special equipment.

You can have a radio and listen/scan without a license. The only thing regulated by the FCC is the act of transmitting.

Be sure to check out /r/amateurradio

So depending on the type of carving you want to do. Like this is a good knife for spoons like wood spoons or salad tongs. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00343VCCK/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?qid=1420451007&sr=8-14&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

some of these no matter what. I wish idid when I started. So many wasted bandages. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002IY0IS/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?qid=1420451150&sr=8-17&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

The exacto set. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004Z2UD/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1420451349&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70 is a good starting set. Eventually if you like carving you might upgrade to something like this. I have this kit. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0020LOY7C/ref=mp_s_a_1_28?qid=1420451227&sr=8-28&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Your options depend on how much you're willing to spend, and how much you're willing to trust other people.

Sure you could pay someone, how much? No clue, but let's try some napkin math. It's roughly 1500 miles or about 42 hours (normal driving, uhauls are slow as shit so it'll likely be way longer than that) according to google. An hourly driver makes on average 20 bucks an hour, or 840 bucks, plus food, plus lodging plus flight back to texas (you don't expect them to drive through the night right?

But hourly for a job like this doesn't really work, per mile makes more sense. Truck drivers make .28-.40/mile (or there abouts) so you're looking at 420 to 600, plus lodging and meals and a flight back to texas.

Regardless of pay, you're trusting someone with all of your personal belongings and a car, over 1500 miles, and multiple days to not just take off with you stuff or some how bamboozle you. Hiring someone for something like this that isn't a close friend is something I could completely avoid

Shipping a car cost 750-1500ish (it really, really depends) and that price includes all the drivers costs. This also allows you and your SO to then drive the uhaul and towed car together while your other car makes it way too the east coast on a rig.

I haven't moved across the country in a long time, but renting a uhaul and a tow trailer for a trip like that is not cheap, which I'm sure you've already seen the quotes for, so hiring someone or shipping your car might put you out of your budget.

If you don't have a friend that will help for just airfare home, meals, and lodging (no pay for driving) then your most cost effective (and lowest risk) option to it to just suck it up and drive separately. Get a pair of two way radios These tend to have pretty good range as long as you mostly stay line of sight, plus you'll have your phones incase you get too far apart.

Set a route with checkpoints that if you're not in contact with each other, you stop until the other one arrives. Use some type of phone app to also monitor each other's location, this give redundancy incase you're out of cell service or a checkpoint gets missed. Have your nightly stops planned as well.

I might have some suggestions, but a lot of it comes down to why you don't want to drive apart, some reasons you can work around (like I did above) but others (medical issues, etc) might mean you need to plan more or up your moving budget.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

My first radio was a Baofeng Uv-82. Their quality is variable, and I was lucky to get a good one. They're cheap, but may not be the best choice for a new ham just due to the potential frustrations.

The repeaters in many areas are pretty quiet, though I understand southern CA to be more active.

The Yaesu FT70DR is a good choice, quality for price. Any of the major radio makers (Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu) make decent HTs.

The Baofeng (and other value-price Chinese radios, like Tytera), offer a lot of value for the dollar. Their sketchy quality can be frustrating for a new user (you may have a bad radio but just think you're not doing it right). Having said that, my first radio was a Baofeng UV-82 and it works fine.

I program it with Chirp (free programming software used by many), via a programming cable. If you go that way, buy the real programming cable from Btech, not one of the cheaper (<$10) clones. It's not just a simple cable, it has a chipset in it, and Windows drivers are an issue with the clones.

Oh, and if you're already studying for the Technician, go ahead and review the General material too. It's not a big stretch from Technician to General, and if you pass the Technician ask them to take the General right after. No extra cost to you, and you may pass it! The HF digital modes are quite popular and not real hard to get into. My next radio was an Icom IC-7100 since it could do so much at a reasonable price. It's still my primary base station.

I havent browsed it much myself, but there is a sub (/r/gmrs) for GMRS stuff. The GMRS certified one is called the GMRS V-1 and is like 55 bucks on amazon with prime shipping. I just recently started getting into the GMRS stuff myself for camping/hunting stuff as I like the range and ease of getting a license vs ham radio. GMRS is just apply and pay the fee vs having to test for ham.

Do you need these to be mobile? Do you care about delay? Do you care about voice quality?

Yes to any of the above?

Buy a walkie talkie and use that. Might be able to hook into it with the headphone jack and an ADC and process the signal yourself. You'd be making a modem essentially.

No?

433 MHz RF can get 1km at low baud rates with a clear line of sight. This can be improved with a directional antennae setup (parabolic, can, ect.). You could set up a bunch of repeaters with a car battery, solar panels, waterproofing, and the RadioHead library to handle the transmissions.

Good day everyone!

I just have a quick question about the "accuracy" of the Tx frequency shown on a radio display.I'm planning to purchase the Baofeng UV-5R (Link below) as my first handheld transceiver.

I was wondering, if I select 453.212 MHz as my transmission frequency on the display, what frequencies am I actually transmitting on? Would someone on 453.213, 453.222, or 453.312 be able to hear my transmission?

In other words, what is the accuracy of the transmitter?

Thanks!

Link to Amazon page for the UV-5R that I am planning to purchase. https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A

I started with a Baofeng UV5R, programming cable and a Nagoya 771 antenna upgrade. http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A?ie=UTF8&keywords=baofeng%20uv-5r&qid=1465418044&ref_=sr_1_4&s=electronics&sr=1-4
Scroll down a little and you'll see all offered for $49.58.
Where do you live? We can help you find a local club, the folks there will be more than happy to welcome you.

Buy this.
BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6ijlDb6C1FTJD

Then this.
Electop 2.5mm Male to 3.5mm(1/8 inch) Female Stereo Audio Jack Adapter Cable for Headphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GC6LR84/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XjjlDbW1X24P6

Then this.
Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs, Shooters Hearing Protection Ear Muffs, Adjustable Shooting Ear Muffs, NRR 28dB Ear Defenders for Shooting Hunting Season, with a Carrying Bag- Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L1U9L5W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tkjlDbTJP2Q4C

And use a pair of nice in ear headphones.


Budget and works great.

Get an Amateur Radio license and start talking with other hams.

Here's how:

• Go here, Find a convenient exam time (it's a pretty easy exam), and put it on your calendar
  
• Take some practice tests on Hamstudy.org, and study with their flashcards.
  
• Take the test and get a callsign
  
• get a Baofeng UV-5R
  
• Find a repeater in your area, and start talking with some people!
  
• Subscribe to /r/amateurradio
  
  Oh, and
  
  
• have fun!

This is also much easier and cheaper to do than most people realize.

• Amateur Radio License. Fee is about $5-$15, depending on club administering the test, I got mine after about 5 hours of studying. There's a ton of free online resources, or fairly cheap online tools.
  
• Transmitter. Big Red Bee is $60
  
• Transceiver. Baofang sells one on Amazon for $28
  
• Build a yagi antenna for around $20
  
  All in, you're looking at well under $150 for something that will work really well, last a long time, and will give you a license into another potential hobby.

I was reading some of the questions on the the Baofeng Amazon page. Some were saying that although they could broadcast on FRS, it is considered illegal to because they are higher power than FRS? So, I am under the impression that the Baofeng isn't exactly a simple handheld to handheld option. Having the ability to listen in to local police/fire/EMS and other information has piqued my interest.

 

Would it be possible to have legal handheld to handheld communication like during caravans/convoys/general use for around 1 mile with the Baofeng? The more that I'm trying to look into it, the more it seems that If I want to listen in to the above and/or find other things to listen to, get the Baofeng, but I won't ever be able to use it to transmit. I'm under the impression that I would never be able to transmit because of this thread from 2 months ago on this sub. I see several posts saying that all the frequencies are in use and should never be transmitted on. How and what do you guys transmit then, if all frequencies are in use?

To meet my physical needs, I'd need to purchased something like the Midland GXT1000VP4

This is the best solution I have found. Both PTT's have a "helmet" mounted button that is easy to use while flying (without letting go of the brakes).

​

Baofeng UV-5r

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=baofeng+uv-5r&qid=1566220318&s=gateway&sr=8-4

​

UK Intech PTT (high quality German PTT)

https://www.uk-intech.de/index.php/produkte/helmset

​

Parasupply PTT (medium quality Chinese PTT)

http://www.parasupply.com/revamp/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/20/products_id/87

Quick question, do you think I could use an over shoulder speaker/mic with this kind of radio? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001WMFYH4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1K8GGN0TNB5LY&coliid=IFIHTVET24H0B&psc=1

If so, what kind of over the shoulder mic would you recommend? I want to be able to hear it and have good quality, but under 30 dollars would be nice as well.

I would say 1.25m or 70cm. If one or both of you can put an antenna up in the air a bit (just TV antenna height, nothing fancy) you should be able to talk to each other easily.

For maximum communications you could go for directional antennas pointed at each other.

VHF, UHF, and above only requires a Technician level license (lowest tier) in the US, which is very easy to study for and get. Hamstudy.org is bloody great for getting you to memorize all the answers and pass the test.

----

as for the economic side of things, a Baofeng UV-5R V2+ should be more than good enough, and you can pick one up for $34 off Amazon. The UV-5R does 2m and 70cm,

Gecko45 is that you?

You'll be the guy/girl at work that is "too good" for the standard equipment and your coworkers/boss might react badly. Do you really want to be "that guy"?

FRS frequencies are 0.5 watts from a handheld, not 2 watts. You'd be using 10 times the legal power. It also means the battery will go dead 10 times faster while transmitting.

MURS would go through walls better then FRS. CB would go through walls better then MURS, but CB needs an 8 foot tall antenna to be efficient so it isn't practical.

My suggestion, get this: https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MURS-V1-Manufacturing-Personal-Business/dp/B075VBP9YG/

It is the only Baofeng that is type accepted by the FCC for MURS. It's also cheap.

You won't need the programming cable as these are set correctly for MURS out of the box.

Amazon has trouble keeping them in stock because they are powerful for a handheld and US-legal without a liscense.

It will only work to other MURS radios, so you'll want 2 of them.

I use a baofeng https://amzn.com/B007H4VT7A and it is your pretty much best pick for a airsoft radio.

From there you have to decide what type of headset or mic you want. Top end is bone conduction headset or a throat mic, I myself just use a shoulder mic as I am not a stealth player.

http://www.coderedheadsets.com/product-p/battlezero-k.htm

Look up the next time your area is doing licensing, take a bunch of practice tests online (when I did it in 2008, they were exactly the same as the real one. Save up the $15, pass the test, get your call sign, buy on of these if you don't have much money. http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A. Find a repeater and listen to old men talk about doctors appointments and bad traffic! Of course if your friends do it you can talk about whatever you want, just follow the rules and standards. Good luck!

Carving and turning go together pretty well- what you learn in one will help you with the other and vice versa. (Technically turning is a type of carving- the lathe is a rotary, reductive carving tool). Turners and carvers also share an affinity for using green wood that is relatively rare in the modern woodworking world as a whole. If you're not going to be able to get in to turning right away because of the cost, you could always get a couple knives (a hook knife and a straight knife) and go find some green wood & whittle some spoons.

If you want to go the Baofeng route, there's a $40 one that could work. It's not very fast for scanning random frequencies, but if you program it with the software it will scan the memory quite well. I've got the software with all the local frequencies saved and could program it for you if you wanted. It can also listen to the NOAA radio as well as broadcast FM.

This is the hook knife that I use... there are lots of youtube videos about using and sharpening these knives. It is pretty fun to use once you get a good edge and learn how to wield it.

Thanks for this suggestion! After a lot of browsing around Amazon, this seems like the right Motorola model, with good VOX according to the answered questions, $64/pair.

What is the difference between this version and this version with respect to capability (that a regular person might use)? Getting 5 for the price of roughly 2 seems pretty nice if they have roughly the same capability.

> https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-QHM22-Platinum-Rainproof-Shoulder/dp/B00Z4X3MM6/

I'm pretty sure this is the one I have. Maybe my Mazda3 is noisy, but I can't hear anything on the road. It works great on my desk.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HUB0ONK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 that's the one I bought. No driver needed. However, make sure that you really have the portion in the HT seated very well and snug. On my first few tries mine wasn't really plugged in well, though I thought it was impossible to be more so. Really make sure it's snapped in there. Though that Amazon page says no drivers needed, and it was true for my El Capitan Mac, you would need one for linux.

BTW, you can use the nearly worldwide APRS network to track position and other data wirelessly, for free. You will need an Amateur Radio license to use it, though, a VHF radio like this, and some sort of modem to encode and/or decode the data like this, or an Arduino set up to do so. Also, being Amateur Radio, you are limited to non-commercial use and everything is in the clear.

No problem. There appears to be a slightly newer, "improved" version here for $34. Or you can get the same version I have, here for $26.

Either way, basically the same radio, may as well just go with the cheaper of the two. Both are the same unit internally; but if things like a multi color backlight for the screen are important, the $34 dollar one is better.

With either, you'll also need a headphone adapter plug, 2.5mm to 3.5mm, here for around $5.

FYI there's also this one, I do not own it, but it's Baofeng's version of a "commercial" mic. Reviews are good, just again, FYI.

http://www.amazon.com/QHM22-Platinum-Rainproof-Shoulder-AnyTone/dp/B00Z4X3MM6

Best bet on a GMRS portable right now is this, imho. Otherwise, "Walmart bubble-pack" radios work well too.

But ya GOTTA BUY THE LICENSE.

BTECH GMRS-V1 GMRS Two-Way Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver (136-174.99mhz (VHF) 400-520.99mhz (UHF)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWOLZ8L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_H7TpDb2GF0WRX

Thanks a ton for the advise, I didn't even think about possible counterfeits on Amazon. Are the NA-771s from NAGOYA on Amazon also possible counterfeits or should they be fine? If there's a risk I can go with the BaoFeng but is almost twice as much (which also makes me wonder about a fake...).

I looked into the programming cables some more as well and will likely go with the more expensive one to avoid any hassle.

Thanks again!

Most free flight guys I know use the 2m ham band. You need to be licensed in the US to use these things.

Most frequently seen: http://www.amazon.com/Yaesu-FT-250R-Amateur-Transceiver-Desktop/dp/B004H5MSNQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395337840&sr=8-1&keywords=yaesu+ft250

New champion due to price: http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-Dual-Band-Improved-Stronger-Enhanced/dp/B00C83AU9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395337899&sr=8-1&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r+plus

Most of the PPG folks use FRS radios. Something about the motor itself seems to cause interference on the 2m band.

One big thing that no one else has mentioned is that even if all of the staff did get amateur licenses, you cannot use amateur bands for commercial purposes. I would strongly consider a MURS radio in your case if a commercial license won't be considered by your employer. I use MURS radios frequently and I've had a lot of luck with them. Check out this handheld: https://smile.amazon.com/BTECH-MURS-V1-Manufacturing-Personal-Business/dp/B075VBP9YG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524595798&sr=8-3&keywords=MURS+radio

You may also have luck dealing with a local company that can sell you better radios. We use commericial Kenwoods that have been locked to MURS Blue Dot.

Yeah, I really dont either. The Baofeng (pofung now) HTs are very inexpensive for what they are. You can get a pair, with mics and USB programming cables for well under $100. You'll then be able to hit local 2m and 70cm repeaters and do simplex between the two. This is my starting point. My next exam session is about 2 weeks from now. I hope to go 0 to general

edit
If you're not familiar, check here:
http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5RA-136-174-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B009MAKWC0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406179764&sr=8-1&keywords=baofeng

you'll want an aftermarket antenna and the USB programming cable as well

https://hamstudy.org is basically the best website for studying to get the test.

There are 3 license levels- Technician, General, and Extra. Technician allows you to use VHF/UHF and higher frequencies on a radio like this. On VHF/UHF, you usually use a repeater to extend your range.

General lets you use the HF bands, which are propagated all over the world by the ionosphere. Extra just allows you a little bit more use of the HF bands.

Keep in mind that once you pass Tech, you can also take the General and Extra tests right afterwards.

The Retevis radios look like Baofengs with different branding. The one you mentioned looks a lot like the Baofeng UV-5R.

Side note - Looks like they spelled the word "Professional" wrong on this radio.

Edit: Just thought I'd mention that if the Baofeng radios pique your interest, there's a whole sub dedicated to them.

Awesome! Thanks for the input. I ended up going with a pair of these.

I just posted this above but here they are again. Also I used a basic leatherman knife at the very beginning and it definitely was nice to get a real woodworking tool, especially since it took me about 15 or 20 hours. Other than these I used sandpaper and a file (briefly).

Morakniv Wood Carving 164 Hook Knife
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00343VCCK

Morakniv Wood Carving 106 Knife
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IW5YN8

Get a portable 2 meter ham radio. The 7 NOAA weather radio frequencies are between 162.400MHz and 162.550MHz, which is FM in the 2 meter band. Anyone can listen to ham broadcasts and you only need a license to broadcast. There are radios that fit your requirements out there. Also, you can listen to your local county repeater (if there is one, depending on your location) which may have a SkyWarn net up when the weather gets bad, or there is a local emergency. Also gives you the capability of communication if the cell towers or power goes out (*with license).

Extra bonus points for taking a few days to study and get your Technician license, which is pretty easy, and you can broadcast on 2 meter, as well as a select few other bands.

the radio I carry with me daily is here:

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Band-Improved-Stronger/dp/B0097252UK

It may not be the best, but the price is right. This will also pick up your local FM radio broadcasts if you switch modes, which can be very helpful.

Those are great, however, with them being ham radios, a license is required by law to talk on them.

Having said that though, it's only illegal if the fcc catches you using them.

Considering your price range and use, you'd be better suited getting these.

You would still technically be required to purchase a gmrs radio license, however, since these are set up more like generic walkie talkies, they would be easier to use than the one you mentioned.

NOTE###

I am not recommending that you violate the law. I'm simply giving you facts. Do with those facts what you will.

On our last trip to France our crew hailing from three different countries didn't feel like paying outrageous roaming charges so we purchased these: http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A . They're cheap and reliable, and can be set up easily by plugging them into a laptop. The batteries will get you through the day with no fuss. You get dual watch (for monitoring an emergency channel for example) and digital channel selection. They work remarkably well as long as you remain more or less in line of sight, but if your buddies are on the other side of a ridge you won't be able to talk. Check local regulations and allowed transmitted power before use.

I don't like removing my gloves to pull out my expensive phone in an environment where it can be easily lost or damaged, so I found the radio+earpiece setup much more practical to use. It's especially great for guiding a group down a difficult area. Radioing taunts to my snowboarder friends while riding the chairlift got me some surprised looks though :)

'inexpensive' and 'built into goggles' is not going to happen.
What is 'cheap' to you? $20/$50/$100/$200?

Hands free is the other part that jumps from cheap to expensive.

The basic answer is something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-16-Mile-Channel-Battery-Two-Way/dp/B004RG0YMM/ref=sr_1_3
but they don't meet your requirements, other than cheap.

The quality answer is something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/BCA-RL-10000-Backcountry-Access-Link/dp/B00HZLMHFS/ref=sr_1_1

US skiing? You don't happen to have an FCC license for HAM radios do you? That could be another option.

What you're describing is HAM radio.

$15 covers the license. You'll learn a lot to pass the test too.

Get a few of these. Watch Slick deals for the best price.
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A

One of these would be a good idea.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004WKH00M/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1479097005&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=ham+radio&dpPl=1&dpID=51MrErlT3tL&ref=plSrch


As far as I understand you can communicate within two miles or around the world. Depends on the frequencies you use and the antenna setup.

That radio doesn't transmit. How is that going to be useful for communication?

You should study for a ham technician test, which is easy peasy and a 10 year license costs $15. Then, pick up something like a Baofeng dual band radio and a roll up antenna. You'll be able to get up to 60 miles range (or so) with that setup, and you'd be hard pressed not to be able to find a repeater station within 60 miles. Climb a big hill or mountain and you're virtually guaranteed a contact.

Why don't you get one of these for $19. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LMIBAZW/

It also prevents the ptt button from being pressed constantly from the grounds for the mic/speaker grounds being bridged.

I've used it with good success for aprs from my phone and transmitting other digital modes from my computer.

First things first, come check out /r/amateurradio. Good group of guys over there.

The books from the ARRL are generally used to study for the exams:

• Ham Radio License Manual for Technician (most basic) class
  
• General Class License Manual to upgrade your license to General - this is the really fun license to have, because you get access to the HF (shortwave) frequencies
  
  You can usually find older editions of these books at libraries or from other hams. The older editions are still relevant, but the specific questions in the question pool will be out of date.
  
  The big ham radio store is Ham Radio Outlet although that is certainly not the only avenue. For example, you can get cheap handheld radios on Amazon.

I purchased a UV-5Ra recently for approx $30. I don't understand what makes this UV-82 a deal per se vs. picking up one of these guys. In the link you provided, the UV-82 is described as having a louder speaker. I mean, that's cool and all, but the rest of the specs look like the 5Ra.

I'm recent to HAM - I got my technicians license in the fall. So I'm keeping my eyes open for cheap entry-level stuff. If there's a reason this one is boon over the cheaper Baofengs, please let me know. I'm all up for HAM stuff that's below the $50 price point. 'Cuz I ain't got money fo dat.

Did you have that specific stock antenna on it or the older one that didn't have the tapered base? I've seen multiple measurements backing up the newer tapered base (as in OP's image) has NO difference to something like a Nagoya NA-701. The older Baofeng antenna, that looks like this, was definitely shit.

Of course if you put a longer antenna on with more gain you can do better.

If you are looking at those cheap radios its worth concidering and takeing a look at some murs radios instead. Will cost a bit more for 2 radios but have some pros over FRS walmart radios (in my opinion so many answers to whats the best radios/frequencies seem to be "it depends")

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-Use_Radio_Service

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VBP9YG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_jJ9zDbXD08PSN

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JCTH8FB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_GO9zDb5PXQQRM

My recommendation also is licence free.. if you dont care about being licensed or want to get required licenses then there are other options

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001WMFYH4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fYX6BbPE8DCT8

Something like these would probably work best for you. Or other GMRS/FRS radio

Lol you can buy that radio for $27 on amazon. It's pretty much the cheapest programmable radio you can buy

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A

Using a Nagoya UT-72 Mobile Antenna) with a Baofeng UV5R

I bought this antenna to improve my reception for when transmitting inside my apartment. It is 19" high and has a 14' feed line. Basically, I mount this thing outside my window so that I can transmit and receive freely without the physical interference of being inside. It is, however, still on the side of a building. I have tested all of the repeaters stored in my radio(in or around Portland) and I can hit about 9 of them, all located either 1 or 2 miles east or west of me. My question is, is this expected given the mounting location(on the south side and second story of a 4 story building), or am I experience significant losses from the feed line. I have not tested transmitting with the stock antenna, but it almost seems that reception is better with it.

I recently purchased a btech cable that I can directly connect to an android using aprsdroid into a spare baofeng I have. It works but not as full featured as my D74. It sure is cost efficient, though. And I have two baofengs that are just sitting here. I was able to put one into service again.

BTECH APRS-K1 Cable (Audio Interface Cable) for BaoFeng, BTECH BF-F8HP, UV-82HP, UV-5X3 (APRSpro, APRSDroid, Compatible - Android, iOS) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LMIBAZW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qJ-KBbH87CRHS

I ordered from amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007H4VT7A) and didn't have any problems shipping to Ottawa. Exchange, shipping and duty pretty much doubled the price in CAD though, but still pretty cheap.

The Baofeng UV-5R blows everything else out of the water at its price point of $24: https://smile.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A

You might want a different antenna, but otherwise it works great. Splurge for the programming cable if you don't want to manually dial in frequencies, but it's not totally necessary. Not sure if it would work for police scanning or not, but should be easy enough to check. I doubt it, though.

FWIW I gotta recommend Duracell's Procell for bulk batteries. :)

Also if youre into radio stuff, have you checked out these VHF/UHF handsets? They are freaking amazing.

$36.48 & free shipping on Amazon, with different accessories.

http://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV5RA-136-174-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B009MAKWC0

You might like this antenna better:

http://www.amazon.com/NAGOYA-NA-771-Antenna-BAOFENG-KG-UVD1P/dp/B00BY3XN7E/ref=pd_sim_e_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=13W3X4FT6YCPNXARMW7E

Doesnt seem to have too positive reviews lol

I went with the cheaper cable at first, and it worked with the Chinese software. After contacting the manufacturer, they recommended a different cable which worked like a champ.

Midland radios do well. We refer to them as bubble packs because they tend to come in that really sharp plastic packaging that are rounded so they look like bubbles. Something like [these] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001WMFYH4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451406976&sr=1-1&refinements=p_4%3AMidland%2Cp_85%3A2470955011&pi=SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=41XbIQv63VL&ref=plSrch)

CM048M $184.95

Lower Facemask $11.90

Smith Boogie Regulators $29.99

MAG AKM Box of 5 $34.99

M22 Vest 199,00 zł or $65.77

Baofeng UV-5RA $36.00

Battery Charger $4.49 - Use a power cord from an old linksys router or other device (12v-15v DC)

2x 7.4V Lipo $10.05 x 2 = $20.10

BBs $9.99

Use any clothing under your vest, hat is optional.

Total: $398.18 for a Syrian Rebel kit, includes spare Lipo to play all day and a radio to praise Allah over the airwaves.

Family Radio Service (FRS) walkie-talkies are an improvement over CB's with less interference and good range. Here's a pair on Amazon for less than $25.

You can get a BaoFeng UV-5R. My team uses it and it is usually under $45 CND
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480-Dual-Band/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377007716&sr=8-1&keywords=baofeng

It is compatible with any Kenwood 2 pin accessories. I would recommend Z Tactical accessories.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xz+tactical+kenwood+2+pin&_nkw=z+tactical+kenwood+2+pin&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Cheers!

I'm still pretty new, I just got my license in July. check out /r/amateurradio and /r/HamRadio.

Ham radio is a very wide topic, but for your emergency situations chack out http://www.arrl.org/ares and http://www.usraces.org/ and http://www.eastcoastdistrict.org/

You can start off with pretty cheap 2 meter band radios like this: http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-TRI-POWER-Dual-Band-Transceiver/dp/B00MAULSOK/

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Can't go wrong for 26 dollars and the amount of accessories available is crazy. Also they work great and get good range up to 15 miles with an upgraded antenna.

I have a VZ unlimited plan as well. I just turn off the data so I can get calls. Depending on where you go it may or may not work (CDMA vs GSM). I did take several calls before, I never saw the charge on my bill. If you are in a large city or a tourist area there is wifi just about everywhere, try viber which is free and works well. I once bought a long range handheld from amazon when there was no wifi available on a ski trip, worth every penny.

> Getting your ham license is easy-peasy. Study for the technician level exam took about four hours. The test costs $15 and that gets you a call sign and a ten year license.

Pro-tip: You don't need a license for emergency use and HAM operators will always be glad to help in an emergency situation.

Get something like the BaoFeng UV5R and learn how to use it. If you don't mind the extra weight (1.1 pounds) it can save your life.

Super-Elastic Signal Stick
& a HandMic
A programming cable would be a great add as well.

That app looks pretty good, would it be compatible with the Baofeng cable: https://www.amazon.com/APRS-K2-Connector-BaoFeng-APRSDroid-Compatible/dp/B01LMIBAZW

We use these and just hang them from the chest straps of our hydration packs. It's nice for the "hey you guys alright back there?" When you get a little bit ahead of the group. Or for helping set up photo ops. Obviously, you have to stop and use your hands as is, but they do have headsets that work with them. Mostly just a nice thing to have when you're in the middle of nowhere. Just in case.

No real leads on used equipment other than the usual ebay, CL, etc. but maybe the message boards related to the hobby. But I would start with a bao-feng UV-5R (or set of them) and then learn about external antennas. Cheap and great

I used a Baofeng UV5RA. Cheap little radio I've had for a while, but it works beautifully. I just upgraded the antenna and have a decent headset.

Edit: Note that this is a transmitting radio, so you need to be ham licensed to operate it.

Are there particular models that this would apply to?

From a comment on Hacker News:

> The trouble is this thing: "BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174Mhz VHF & 400-520Mhz UHF) Includes Full Kit"[1] This cheap radio is sold as a "ham radio", and requires a ham license. Large numbers of non-hams are using it in the GMRS service at higher power levels than allowed. It's popular with "preppers", even though it's not very rugged, is complicated to use, tends not to put out as much power as claimed, and the battery tends to come loose.[2] The FCC's concern is that it allows 8 watt blithering over a wide range of frequencies by people with no clue how to use it properly. There are GMRS radios made for hunters which are much more suitable for wilderness use - waterproof and easy to use.[3]
>
> [1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAULSOK
>
> [2] https://offgridsurvival.com/baofenguv5rv2review/
>
> [3] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PGM9PO/

• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18098689
  
  Should I be ordering a bunch from Amazon to stockpile them? :)
  

I'm with you--the most ultralight weather/emergency radio is none at all. It's definitely the kind of item that you're packing based on fears and not necessity.

Think of it this way, if you're actually able to get weather radio reception from a cheap handheld radio then you're not that far from civilization (30-40 miles max, i.e. a couple days of hiking) and have an escape if weather unexpectedly goes south for good. Otherwise without reception you're carrying a half pound brick.

If you do run into trip-ending weather that could have been prevented with a weather radio then IMHO that's almost certainly a failure in planning, not gear selection. Be smart and aware of the sky and weather you see throughout the day. Don't plan trips that might run into severe weather without a plan for dealing with it in the field--i.e. don't go out to spend an afternoon at the top of a lightning-prone Colorado 14er, or go hiking through a river canyon during the rainy flood season.

For disasters and emergencies I'd much rather be carrying a satellite beacon like an InReach, again a radio is useless once you're away from civilization. If you really need it most sat beacons can get weather reports for an extra cost/fee too.

For non-hiking emergency preparedness I'd go batteries too. Those hand cranks are gimmicks and you'll waste important and precious food calories keeping it running.

If you really must carry a radio, go get an amateur radio tech license and carry a little Baofeng HT: https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A They can receive everything (including weather radio) and transmit so you can reach out to the local park rangers, SAR, etc. Spend a couple days studying the flash cards and tests at https://hamexam.org/ and find a local tester from https://www.laurelvec.com/ The basic tech license is easy and just requires learning the basic law/policy for using radios (i.e. you don't have to be an electrical engineer).

I use these.

GXT1000VP4, 50 Channel GMRS Two-Way Radio - Up to 36 Mile Range Walkie Talkie, 142 Privacy Codes, Waterproof, NOAA Weather Scan + Alert (Pair Pack) (Black/Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001WMFYH4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uQOTCb3340AS3

I have 2 sets. Lithium ion batteries are amazing.

Yes it will get you on the air. I am not sure about the external antenna they show but you can always build something.

I noticed it's not a buy it now auction. If the price gets any higher, I would head over to Amazon Instead and buy the radio and programming cable. You don't have to get a hand mic but it's up to you.