Radio for club events

[flarover]

What type of radio is being used for club events?
Looking to buy one and hoping to get suggestions on make/model members are using.
What frequency?

[terayon]

Great question! I'm looking too!

Sent from my STV100-3 using Tapatalk

[acg]

This is a hand held unit which I bought a few years ago on based on a recommendation from Dave Blair:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MA ... UTF8&psc=1

It has worked well for me. It has been a few years and there may be an updated version to this model.

[sailourboy]

As long as you have an Amateur Radio Operator's license!

[acg]

As long as you have an Amateur Radio Operator's license!

Yes, excellent reminder. Craig and I took ours at the Chilliwack Radio Club a few years ago. The next one is offered on Nov 18/19:

http://www.chwkarc.ca/courses/

[sailourboy]

The following usually provide courses:

Delta Amateur Radio Society http://deltaamateurradio.com
North Shore Amateur Radio http://www.nsarc.ca
Surrey Amateur Radio http://ve7sar.net

To name a few, do a google search for your area

[Greg S]

And- In the Cowichan Valley the next course (free) starts September 12th.

www.cvars.com

Link to information on the course is at the middle bottom of CVARS home page.

[flarover]

Does the 8W handheld have enough power?
Anyone have a hard mount unit they suggest? I'm seeing 25-65W units.

[rgallant]

5 to 8 W is plenty for line of site, or back to front of a convoy of vehicles. Bigger full sized radios get better range, but then you need to wire it in and mount your antenna. That is my current project finding a place for the radio body and head.

Just note the cheaper chinese radios can be pretty hit or miss performance wise.

[ANDYD]

A lot of the active members are using the ICOM 2300H, mainly because we did a club group buy a little while back. They are a great little unit and have a good range in the back woods....here is the past thread;

http://roverlanders.bc.ca/roverforum/vi ... &hilit=VHF

Cheers,
Andy

[bhoult]

The Baofeng recommended is a great convoy radio. As a bonus, you can watch two bands simultaneously so if someone in the group is using FRS/GMRS (462 MHZ) handhelds you can keep in touch with them as well as the 2M participants. The problem with the amateur radios is that few people have the license - so unless you always go on trips with people that have the license, you won't have much luck communicating. I have an ICOM 2100H and a CB along with the Baofeng UV-5r and a set of 4 Cobra FRS/GMRS handhelds. I almost -always get 3-5 km from the Baofeng or the Cobras. I just hand the Cobras out to anyone on the trip without a radio so we can tell them what they're doing wrong:) By far the most common band on the back roads is still the CB.