hand helds

[punisher1130]

I realize everyone likes to save a buck but if you are relying on your comms for an emergency then maybe consider a multi tier approach. HAM, SPot or other combinations of devices / services.

Back to the HH question The beofengs are awesome right up to the point they are not. I've had 3 UV5R. Each has had issues making them useless. Even when working the audio quality, intermodulation distortion and frequency drift were not acceptable. I'm not an isolated user with issues. I've led several trips with groups of 10+ vehicles and each time there is at least one beofeng user... with issues. I'm sure you'll find plenty of advocates (this thread included) but I would recommend something of higher quality.

Our Comm stack: Cell Phone, HAM radio, SAT Phone, PLB

I do have an app on my phone that will work without data or signal and it does have a S.O.S. option on it but I never got to test that function so I don't know how well or if even works with no signal or data so I am looking for kind of a fail safe option that is budget friendly, I know tall order but I am open to see what is out there and I am not really stuck on a set price I just know my safe cap is $250 or less ( preferably under $200).

 

[texascrane]

Is there any options that I don't have to pay to use? If not cant the SPOT be operated in a way that I only pay when I need it ( meaning I turn it on before I head out)? It doesn't say on the site.

With the delorme inreach (which I have), you can pay $25 per year and then switch it on or off as needed. I think the basic plan is $15 per month when you need it (handful of texts and you pay extra for tracking). For $65 you get unlimited texts and tracking. The ability to not only hit the SOS button, but then text them with details of your situation is a huge plus from my perspective.

 

[punisher1130]

With the delorme inreach (which I have), you can pay $25 per year and then switch it on or off as needed. I think the basic plan is $15 per month when you need it (handful of texts and you pay extra for tracking). For $65 you get unlimited texts and tracking. The ability to not only hit the SOS button, but then text them with details of your situation is a huge plus from my perspective.

I agree, very valid points, but I don't think id be out there but maybe once or twice a year doing a week or 2 at a time, cant afford much past that with how my work runs, so I don't see the need for something I have to pay over and over to use so little, granted if that is my best and only choice then it is what it is but if there is a option that is just as good as SPOT but doesn't require payments than that would be the rough id prefer.

 

[pugslyyy]

I tend to look at the annual expense cost of emergency stuff, like medivac, repatriation, communications,etc rather than focus on monthly cost optimization, etc.

Our annual costs are - global Medivac, global SAR, and global comms. For me it is all in the "insurance policy" category, a cost of doing business.

Everyone's situation may be different, but at the end of the day I want to be able to push a button and get my wife and myself back to a US hospital, if necessary. It costs me a couple of hundred bucks a year, and to me it is worth it.

 

[RobRed]

The ultimate OH SHIFT button is the personal locator beacon (PLB). Global, SARSAT, Single use.

Not tied to a commercial service like InReach or SPOT.

No monthly or annual cost. Cost of device, $250. good for 5 years before battery change.

 

[punisher1130]

I agree pugslyyy its a great insurance policy to have in that sense but what RobRed just mentioned is little more along the lines of what I'm looking for, there when I need it, out of my mind with no regular maintenance when I don't, like my CB in my truck. I apologize if I seem to be talking in riddles I have a hard time trying to say what I'm thinking of at times.

RobRed is there a brand you would recommend for the PLB or would any do?

 

[Frdmskr]

My argument against the Chinese stuff is they are bought to be disposable, when they work. If you are bringing a piece of kit and want to make sure it works, then buy something that has a good reputation. If it has a bad rep, it may be because its not worth carrying and having your life depend on.

 

[punisher1130]

My argument against the Chinese stuff is they are bought to be disposable, when they work. If you are bringing a piece of kit and want to make sure it works, then buy something that has a good reputation. If it has a bad rep, it may be because its not worth carrying and having your life depend on.

I completely agree, with anything I buy I always look for reviews 3 stars or better, any less and I wont pay any attention to it. In a situation like this dealing with emergency and matters of life and death, I look at 4 stars or better for the simple fact it needs to work period.

I also compare reviews to how many were sold, for example if something has a 4 star rating with really good reviews but only sold 6 lines of the product then ill ignore it since the product in question hasn't sold enough to be properly tested in the field, but on the flip side of that if the product has a high rating of 4 or 5 stars with good reviews and has sold thousands of them, then that product has my attention, of course from there it depends on price if I can afford it or not lol.

 

[wirenut]

In considering a radio for use on the Ham frequencies the first thing you'll need is a license. While there are plenty of Ham radio HT's I could recommend I don't think it's quite the answer you're looking for. If you're in a remote mountain area it's entirely possible that a little handheld radio and stubby rubber antenna aren't going to get you in touch with anyone. Your best bet would be using a repeater that covers the area. This would require knowing the repeaters in the area, what they cover, having them programmed in the radio, etc. You would also have to have someone else listening to that repeater at that time to help you out. Depending on the repeater, time of day, and use patterns this may not be the case. Usually, if you announce an actual emergency someone will answer but that's no guarantee at all. If you really want to rely on this thing for life and death I think one of the paid satellite based service is a much safer bet. No reason not to have the Ham radio anyway. If nothing else it would be entertaining to talk to whoever you could while you're out and around.

 

[texascrane]

I look at the ham radio as a way to potentially get it touch with somebody when you've got a problem, but you're not quite ready to call the cavalry. My order of escalation is 1) solve it myself, 2)Try to get a hold of somebody on the ham radio, 3) use the text messaging capability of the inreach to contact friends/family, and 4) If it's a real emergency (or has become one), trigger the inreach or plb SOS.

Of course there are situations that would never justify an SOS call and ones where that's the first thing I'd do - common sense applies. But I like having options for getting help in situations where you can't solve it yourself, but you don't need to call the air force either.

 

[punisher1130]

Think someone mentioned that a few posts back, for emergency I am going to go with the PLB, for weather I'll use the Ham.

 

[punisher1130]

I look at the ham radio as a way to potentially get it touch with somebody when you've got a problem, but you're not quite ready to call the cavalry. My order of escalation is 1) solve it myself, 2)Try to get a hold of somebody on the ham radio, 3) use the text messaging capability of the inreach to contact friends/family, and 4) If it's a real emergency (or has become one), trigger the inreach or plb SOS.

Of course there are situations that would never justify an SOS call and ones where that's the first thing I'd do - common sense applies. But I like having options for getting help in situations where you can't solve it yourself, but you don't need to call the air force either.

I have the same way of thinking, I know my limitation and what I can handle and it takes a lot to put me in a S.O.S. position, for me it would be a matter of if I am a position where I cant get out like both my legs are broke or something.

 

[pugslyyy]

I agree pugslyyy its a great insurance policy to have in that sense but what RobRed just mentioned is little more along the lines of what I'm looking for, there when I need it, out of my mind with no regular maintenance when I don't, like my CB in my truck. I apologize if I seem to be talking in riddles I have a hard time trying to say what I'm thinking of at times.

RobRed is there a brand you would recommend for the PLB or would any do?

Yeah I totally get the whole cost/benefit argument - you have to figure out what gets you the biggest bang for your buck. If I were just thinking lowest cost emergency beacon then the EPIRB it the way to go. We were sold on the inReach because of the global 2-way comms (text based), just was not a better option for us.

 

[k9lestat]

Here's my vote for the cheap Chinese stuff..

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R...8&qid=1459218851&sr=8-1&keywords=baofeng+uv5r

I've got a couple of these little BaoFeng's and really like them. A lot of the guys in our local SAR teams are switching to these from the surplus Kenwood's we'd been using. Sure they aren't as tough, but the batteries do last forever and for the weight (and certainly cost) I can carry two to three of these things (I don't) compared to the Kenwood and it's extra battery.

I find them pretty easy to use, but I think they are quite different in setup from traditional HAM sets. They don't manually program/adjust the same as my Yaseu at all. I got a cable to go with them from Amazon as well and just program in all the settings I need from my desktop.

Agreed. Awesome price point. I have had two for over a year. Dropped them, dunked one completely. Gave it time to dry out and removed the battery. It still works. I've been running one as a make shift mobile. I can hit my clubs repeater 30 miles away. Got one of the knock off Kenwood mics with the antenna on the mic. I tested it and it works. But I use the mic in my vehicle but run a dual band magnetic antenna.

I would upgrade the from the stock ducky antenna to a long one.

I have FMRS and gmrs and murs for monitoring. Programming with chirp is painless.

The only ht radio I would upgrade to would be the 82 maybe.



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[4x4junkie]

Maybe I should mention the extra $10 spent on a GT-3 buys a longer ducky antenna too (in addition to the better receiver). The UV5R is very old-skool in the world of CCRs.