Long distance Walkie Talkies

[Raven]

TBH, it wasn’t to do with the look or feel. I realise now after the advice through the comments and more research that its HAM we’d need to go with if we went ahead. Atm we’ve just set up a series of what to do if pre-defined processes/responses to certain situations.

Thanks

[Chunk]

Hi there, well HF (high frequency) would do the job however the size of the radio maybe not what your after. DMR (digital mobile radio) maybe exactly what you need! Assuming your a HAM

YouTube DMR radio

[preppergb]

Wew use a mix of UV5Rs and UV8s in 5 and 8 watt reprogrammed using CHIRP freeware to only operatate on PMR channcels Digi and analogue, we fitted em with long folding extension antenna to maximise range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMk65t14s9c

[blue90]

Surely if you are to rely on phone signals, satellites etc etc it kind of voids the need for radio, just use your mobile and call people.

[steptoe]

Ok old thread i know but hoping more will get said on the ham side of things , i have got myself a big old base station and an anttenna that when up you would struggle to know hehehe yup you do not want people knowing what you have in the house if your in a SHTF time and want to stay put , we are looking at a couple of smaller hand held units that if my wife had to go out on a run or i or my niece we could use them to keep in touch and repot back ever 30 mins so base can track and keep them safe ie if they are on a medical run or food run or fuel then the base could come out to help if thye run in to trouble .

Anyone recommend a good small ham radio set that can go mobile ie not car mounted but hand held that could cover say 25 miles radius

well i hope andy has some ideas lol

[rik_uk3]

Ok old thread i know but hoping more will get said on the ham side of things , i have got myself a big old base station and an anttenna that when up you would struggle to know hehehe yup you do not want people knowing what you have in the house if your in a SHTF time and want to stay put , we are looking at a couple of smaller hand held units that if my wife had to go out on a run or i or my niece we could use them to keep in touch and repot back ever 30 mins so base can track and keep them safe ie if they are on a medical run or food run or fuel then the base could come out to help if thye run in to trouble .

Anyone recommend a good small ham radio set that can go mobile ie not car mounted but hand held that could cover say 25 miles radius

well i hope andy has some ideas lol

25 miles on a handheld is possible in good conditions but to be honest if your operating in built up areas/woodland it ain't going to happen.

I'm a radio ham and will tell you what any ham will tell you...its all about your Arial/antenna, they make or break a station. Handhelds work but work a lot better plugged in to a good antenna and even then you might not get 25 miles without using a ham repeater station. You could look at using a good magnet mounted antenna on you car which will help to some degree.

Ham radio is a fantastic hobby and has changed dramatically these last thirty years or so. We've had ham satellites since the 60s but while we still use microphones and morse code keys (I love Morse) digital radio is here (look up FT8 and JS8call) . I've talked all over Europe today and in an hour or so the North American hams will be on air so I'll be chatting stateside later but then .....I've got good antennas

[steptoe]

Hi Richard
Thanks for the reply , yes your right the radio died a death when the mobile phone came in , i use to be on the cb back in the 80's and had a couple of older friends that where on the ham side of it , most of us just bounce on the fm/am and sidebands yup i know naughty but then your 18 and young you do whatever you like because you have a shield of steel around you .

I am working on getting my licenece because at home i know ican wizz up a nice big anteena but i want5 it to be somewhat stealthy as well but on handhelds i have never really known them , i have been watching the videos on the new fade of the folding baofeng antennas some say greta others say just a fade .

Thanks for the reply and again i think Ham will be the way people talk when the grid goes down , i do worry because there will be all these people pulling there hair out my game my this my that as they have let their phone dictate their lives

[rik_uk3]

The folding 'tactical' antennas are not up to much. We did some tests and found the Nagoya antenna's to be very good and a lot cheaper.

You can do the Foundation test online these days and its very straight forward; much of it is about the law/rules of ham radio with not a lot of tech stuff to learn. My grandson got his aged 12 and I know of a young girl of about ten who passed. Your limited to 10w output but to be honest thats fine in conditions are good and even on poor days you'll work Europe...learn Morse and work the world on 5w

Less obvious/publc antennas are end fed long wire or dipoles. The little Baofeng are good radios and cheap; I've got a couple and in the mancave hook them up to a wire 'J pole' antenna hanging off two 6' bamboo garden canes I strapped together and that gets me into a repeater station I can't access from the Nagoya.

Its as great hobby. Tonight I chatted with a ham in Portugal, a nice fella, a gentleman; he talked about the Queen's death in a rather touching manner. I then spoke to a brit ham who lives in Spain and he's really peed off with the fact that when his son sends him Tetley tea bags and Oxo cubes from England he gets hit with Spanish VAT and import duty because of Brexit (The Tetley bags and Oxo cubes you can get in Spain are not the same he said)...you meet all sorts

Get your license

[steptoe]

The folding 'tactical' antennas are not up to much. We did some tests and found the Nagoya antenna's to be very good and a lot cheaper.

You can do the Foundation test online these days and its very straight forward; much of it is about the law/rules of ham radio with not a lot of tech stuff to learn. My grandson got his aged 12 and I know of a young girl of about ten who passed. Your limited to 10w output but to be honest thats fine in conditions are good and even on poor days you'll work Europe...learn Morse and work the world on 5w

Less obvious/publc antennas are end fed long wire or dipoles. The little Baofeng are good radios and cheap; I've got a couple and in the mancave hook them up to a wire 'J pole' antenna hanging off two 6' bamboo garden canes I strapped together and that gets me into a repeater station I can't access from the Nagoya.

Its as great hobby. Tonight I chatted with a ham in Portugal, a nice fella, a gentleman; he talked about the Queen's death in a rather touching manner. I then spoke to a brit ham who lives in Spain and he's really peed off with the fact that when his son sends him Tetley tea bags and Oxo cubes from England he gets hit with Spanish VAT and import duty because of Brexit (The Tetley bags and Oxo cubes you can get in Spain are not the same he said)...you meet all sorts

Get your license

Thank you for the heads up , i should look in to it more but right now we are trying to finish other jobs and i have to wind down the polytunnel grows for winter and so on lol there is never enough hours in a day , but i do have a full set up and could be up and running in a few minutes if need be and well i am sure if it was a end of world type days or just a no power no food type days being on a ham sradio would be least of the things the police or whoever would be looking at .

I would like the online course that would suit me better tna most as i am still staying away from people due to not being able to have the jab first one caused huge issues for me and since nearly all the nurses and doctorsand other staff have recommend to not have any others .

i wonder do you have the link or site that your kids used i can then look it up thanks

[steptoe]

@rik_uk3 thanks mate i have found the essex online site and registered for the course online thank you i thought it could be done online as you here about other countries where people live hundreds of miles from towns doing it so i figured we must btu thank you you have nudged me to doing it