Single unified communication system for Overland Bound members

[Greg767]

Now if we could only get everyone, or at least a majority, to agree on a platform.

 

[Renegade]

I have 3 radios at all times-

CB
FRS/GMRS
Dual Band Amateur

Everyone I have ever rode with had at least one of them. I doubt there will ever be a single solution, as no solution works best in all situations.

 

[Captain Chaos]

One thing to remember, logging trucks in the US run cb. Canada is GMRS, I believe. Whatever channel that site is using is normally posted. Being able to know where they are is worth monitoring a radio channel, at least in the PNW.

 

[britz]

One thing to remember, logging trucks in the US run cb. Canada is GMRS, I believe. Whatever channel that site is using is normally posted. Being able to know where they are is worth monitoring a radio channel, at least in the PNW.

After our campfire conversation last night, Im sold on getting a GMRS license for Canada trips, etc. even though I use all the before-mentioned. I can't stress enough, especially for people who don't live in logging territory but want to explore these areas, it's imperative to know where and when loggers are rolling.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Captain Chaos]

After our campfire conversation last night, Im sold on getting a GMRS license for Canada trips, etc. even though I use all the before-mentioned. I can't stress enough, especially for people who don't live in logging territory but want to explore these areas, it's imperative to know where and when loggers are rolling.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using OB Talk mobile app

I’m looking into GMRS right now! I still don’t want three radios, but we think it will be for the better.

 

[RyanC]

I just started looking into GMRS for the first time since the FCC rules changed last year. Holy cow there are some nice radios now! Midland is killing it.
https://midlandusa.com/product/mxt275-micromobile-two-way-radio/ This is a nice 15 watt radio
https://midlandusa.com/product/mxt400-micromobile-2-way-radio/ This is a 40 watt beast! I imagine with a 70 cm antenna you could do pretty well.
I just really don't want to spend that kind of money but they look very nice!

 

[mylilpwny]

I just started looking into GMRS for the first time since the FCC rules changed last year. Holy cow there are some nice radios now! Midland is killing it.
https://midlandusa.com/product/mxt275-micromobile-two-way-radio/ This is a nice 15 watt radio
https://midlandusa.com/product/mxt400-micromobile-2-way-radio/ This is a 40 watt beast! I imagine with a 70 cm antenna you could do pretty well.
I just really don't want to spend that kind of money but they look very nice!

I have the Midland mxt115 it is the last gen version of the one you mentioned. I have swapped out the factory included atenna for a Browning 5/8 over 5/8 with a Browning mag mount.

My complete gmrs set up, including license, was cheaper than my cb set up and much better performance. I do have a back up emergency cb that stays in my truck but not hooked up unless needed. The great thing about gmrs (and ham) over cb is the ability to use hand helds and communicate with the radio in the rig as well. This makes spotting nice as you can give clear vocal instructions easily.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using OB Talk mobile app

 

[britz]

I'll have to look again, because I programmed GMRS and FRS channels on all my hams, and I get a family chewing the rag all the time like no other on a GMRS channel on the 2 portables, but I couldn't pick up any GMRS channels on my 8900 hard mount the last 2 trips. At least being able to monitor, in the case of loggers above the border, would be a tremendous help.

 

[Kent R]

I'll have to look again, because I programmed GMRS and FRS channels on all my hams, and I get a family chewing the rag all the time like no other on a GMRS channel on the 2 portables, but I couldn't pick up any GMRS channels on my 8900 hard mount the last 2 trips. At least being able to monitor, in the case of loggers above the border, would be a tremendous help.

I have the same issue, even though we are not technically allowed to use our Ham radios with GMRS ;-) my portables get some interference and the mobile doesn't, could be the PL tone setting. I am going to get a dedicated GMRS mobile just to elevate the hassle.

 

[brien]

I have my amateur license and a GMRS license so I run ham, GMRS, and CB in the rig. I absolutely HATE using anything other than ham though. An amateur license in the U.S.A. is FREE in many places (or a maximum of $15) so really everybody should strongly consider getting it if you wanna get serious about this hobby. The first level exam, Technician, is a small question pool that can be easily committed to memory within a week of moderate study. The radios are just so much more capable, and it leaves open the opportunity to do so much more. A decent beginner 8W Baofeng (BF-F8HP) can be purchased for less than the cost of a GMRS license.

Being able to run APRS in your rig is a huge benefit in our hobby. Let loved ones know where you are in real time. Monitor status/location of all enabled vehicles in your convoy, etc. Send text messages from the wilderness, etc.

CB has awful interference because the 11m band is so crowded, GMRS/FRS increasingly have the same issue. With amateur bands, there's so much room that I've never had a problem getting an open and quiet frequency for use. When it comes to emergency communication, ham radio wins hands down, not even a competition.

If you are serious about this hobby, and you really do go out to remote places, I urge you to strongly consider getting at least the first level amateur license if you don't already have it.


I hope we can all at least agree that CB is absolute rubbish. :D

 

[Kent R]

Im thinking this thread is just a repeat of several others, It all goes back to ham is king and if you have no interest of getting a ham lic. then consider GMRS. CB is an obsolete platform.

 

[brien]

Im thinking this thread is just a repeat of several others, It all goes back to ham is king and if you have no interest of getting a ham lic. then consider GMRS. CB is an obsolete platform.

Yep, these threads pop up pretty regularly, and every time I see one it feels like it's just people looking to be talked out of going through the "work" of getting a ham license. The test really is easy, everybody, just do it!

 

[Kent R]

Yep, these threads pop up pretty regularly, and every time I see one it feels like it's just people looking to be talked out of going through the "work" of getting a ham license. The test really is easy, everybody, just do it!

Lots of conversation on the back ch about this so I am thinking we might see something fairly soon.

 

[GatorDoc]

I think the best approach is to establish preferred channel /freqs for each platform, rather than try to proselytize and convert everyone to a certain platform. I'd wager that people will convert once they see how much better things are, without being beaten over the head with it.

I have CB, GMRS, and HAM, and plan to keep all of them in my vehicle in some form (mobile or handheld) for the foreseeable future, because they all have their uses.

Lets also not overlook an important part of the initial question; "I hear all the talk about HAM, CB, and the rest of the alphabet soup of radios but wouldn't it be great to know if I see a badge that I can say hello too?"

Realistically, if you randomly spot a badge and feel the need to hail someone, there's only a couple of circumstances where you can't just walk over and say hi, leave a note, hunt them down like a stalker, or lure them into your van with candy.

If you're at an established event or get together, this becomes even easier.

The issue is when you're OM, particularly where speed (highway) or distance (off-road in open country) makes flagging them down to talk face to face impractical.

CB is easy, there's already channel 19 for hailing, then switch to a less busy channel or other platform after you've made the initial contact.

FRS/GMRS and HAM are more difficult, since they aren't as ubiquitous and there are far more options.

On top of that, there are existing regional standards long established by other groups, as well as other factors, that may have an individual monitoring a local freq or channel instead of whatever standard freq OB comes up with. You still can't talk to that guy unless you can figure out the freq he is on even if you have the correct gear.

People who are serious about the community will almost certainly have one or more of these platforms, and will likely make the effort to monitor a designated channel/freq once it's been established, so why not go that route, if the point is to be able to enable communication with as many people as possible?

 

[Winterpeg]

The only time I didn't like using CB for comms was when a certain party or parties didn't have their CB tuned properly and/or a partially broken antenna.

I was at the FJ Summit recently and we ran into that a lot.

I can only assume I would run into the same problem with HAM radios? Or are they more plug and play.... Or are they even harder to tune?

That being said... it's only a matter of time before I get a HAM as well....

And yeah.... a few standard channels would be good. The only problem with that is that in one area there may be too much chatter on a particular channel so people in that region/area do not use that channel as it's too cluttered.

 

[theBROFESSOR]

Im kinda the opposite of you...I bought them all instead of wanting to concentrate on just one. Most offroad events require a CB because they are so common. But if you ever go on a trip with others GMRS beat the heck out of a CB any day of the week. I have the HAM but mainly for emergencies. It would be nice to know which channels others are running on so that when I am not running with a pack I can have them all on and monitoring traffic to try and find others while out and about. Good Idea. Not sure if itll work but I'm willing to turn them on for sure.

 

[brien]

The only time I didn't like using CB for comms was when a certain party or parties didn't have their CB tuned properly and/or a partially broken antenna.

THIS.
Yep. that's my biggest issue with CB radio. With CB, any old Joe Schmo can go buy a radio, but typically, they lack even the basic knowledge of how they work, so therefore a majority of people who have a CB "installed" in their rig have it setup incorrectly, usually not tuned and not grounded. This means that 90% of the comms on a trail run using CB radios is "CAN YOU HEAR ME?", "WHAT, YOU ARE BRAKING UP!", "HELLO? HELLO? RADIO CHECK!?". It's maddening.

I could have my CB tuned absolutely perfectly yet it doesn't matter one lick since it takes all radios installed correctly to effectively communicate.

I can only assume I would run into the same problem with HAM radios? Or are they more plug and play.... Or are they even harder to tune?

One of the benefits of ham radio is that everybody who has a license has at least been exposed to the very basics of how they work and how they need to be set up as far as grounding and antenna length (tuning). Additionally, most beginner amateur operators these days start off with inexpensive handheld radios that come ready to use with relatively decent range right out of the box. When it comes to installing a mobile ham radio into the rig, licensed operators should also already understand that it has to be properly grounded to the vehicle - it's even a test question, if i recall!

And yeah.... a few standard channels would be good. The only problem with that is that in one area there may be too much chatter on a particular channel so people in that region/area do not use that channel as it's too cluttered.

This is essentially a nonexistent problem, which is probably why this thread has veered off course so much. Both CB and GMRS have just a handful of channels which can easily be monitored with scanning by most modern radios. The radio is placed into "scan" mode and it will just cycle through channels until it finds one with a signal, when the signal goes away, it will continue back into scan mode. When i'm just doing highway driving and not in a convoy, i leave my GMRS and CB radios on scan most of the time. There is also already an established calling channels for CB - channels 9 and 19, and I believe there's one for GMRS, too, but i don't recall. 15 or 20 i think.

With ham radio every band (think of these as groups of frequencies you have access to) has a well established calling frequency, 146.52 is the 2m band calling frequency, for example. On top of that, many off-roaders have adopted 146.46 as the off-road calling frequency - this is true for the Western portion of the U.S.A., at least. Many hams will monitor the calling frequency (either 146.52 or 146.46 or both) or a well-known local repeater system when they are not in a coordinated group run.

 

[Michael]

Hi All!

I admit I have not read the whole thread and I'm jumping in to say that I think the original poll and question is a very good one. Typically OLB has used the following channels for comms on the trail:

1. HAM: 146.460
2. CB: 16
3. GMRS: 6

I am wondering if we should change the HAM frequency. I'll look into that. Reason: 146.460 is the unofficial-official off-road frequency, and I've had to excuse myself to another channel when speaking to OLB members. Still - it may be good as a starting frequency.

 

[brien]

I think 146.46 is great to continue using and promote as a calling frequency with an explanation of calling frequency etiquette, which is generally: make contact, then QSY to a new, typically nearby, frequency for extended conversations.

"Lets move up to 146.535 to continue this conversation"

 

[Michael]

I think 146.46 is great to continue using and promote as a calling frequency with an explanation of calling frequency etiquette, which is generally: make contact, then QSY to a new, typically nearby, frequency for extended conversations.

"Lets move up to 146.535 to continue this conversation"

I'm good with that - Done. Does anyone know of a reason NOT to use 6 as the GMRS freq?

Look at us all here makin policy :)