Cost Effective Communication Between 2 Vehicles Out West

rk911 > thank you for the additional "stab" at it. In that last bit, I was attempting to get a definitive answer concerning jumping up to a 32-mile handheld vs the 16-mail one I currently have...in the circumstances with which I am trying to use it and the answer appears to be...no point in doing that. Then I was also asking if any of them have better construction/components and Bumpy gave me some insight into one he has.

Justme > I will go check that out. I suppose if I am going to spend any additional money, might as well get something that boosts my cell service.

Thank you!

Samanthahhi wrote:
rk911 > Yes, I have bought a pair of Motorola Walkabouts 16-mile range and testing it out, I am not so thrilled.

>>I am trying to determine if it makes ANY difference to get the ones that are 32+-mile range.<<

As in my original post, I had mentioned that our main use for them is when we are caravan-ing a few miles apart and no wireless signal is available. And all the other ins and outs of this discussion are great, but are only serving to confuse me thoroughly.

I will give you 3 answers in "Suggestion" order, You may stop reading after the first if you wish.

If you main use is caravan use, where even a few miles apart is actually a long distance. I'd go with FRS/GMRS (Do get a license if you go GMRS) GMRS is good and Ive used it with fair results. One GMRS license can cover 5 radios, cost is 80 bucks for 10 years last time I had one. (Lost wife, no longer need GMRS)

The number two recommendation is CB.. I know some have warned about the need for the antenna to be near the cab.. Forget that, you can mount it on the rear bumper if you like.. Or mirror mounts, in fact mirror mounts are very good for your application. "Twin Truckers"

Properly mounted they favor signals to the front and rear, and tend to ignore those from the side, though on a "C" this may be not as pronounced as on an A or Pickup with trailer.


Third answer, is Ham Radio.. but this requires that there be a LICENSED operator in every vehicle,, It does however give the greatest range.. Depending on the frequency I often chat with folks miles away (VHF/UHF) or states away (HF) though HF is a bit of a job on a mobile.

Francesca Knowles wrote:

camperpaul wrote:
As many have alluded to here, height is might.

In November of 1974, I escorted a Mr. Oscar Seven (that was the name on his airline ticket) to California where he took a ONE WATT wideband frequency translator and installed it place 912 miles above the surface of the earth.

:h

There's a place in California that's 912 miles above the surface of the earth?

OSCAR = Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio.. The seventh in the series... There are today many satellites carrying Amateur Radio frequency translators, Digi peaters, telementary units and even one with a microphone and video camera attached that sends live Audio/video orbiting the earth (We call that one the International Space Station) I got it right off.. Never talked to Oscar though, Do not (yet) have the proper antennas for the job.. Will fix that some day, easy to build antennas.

Samanthahhi;
Not meaning to confuse any further, just offering one more tidbit.
Here is another idea, If you want to use your cell phones. Look at the cell phone signal booster, by Wilson electronics. Its called the SLEEK 4g cell phone signal booster. sold by Best buy. Model 460107 SKU 3610007. A little pricey but it works. It uses the Bluetooth technology. In a no-signal area, with any make phone, no signal at all in this area, Mountains in Utah, I used this device and had bars to make calls with, it is also more convenient with the Bluetooth remote ear device if you have one, just use the speaker to listen to, and talk normally thats what I did to see how it would work. Its cradle is dash mountable. Check it out. Get cheap handhelds for the kids to play with.

Samanthahhi wrote:
rk911 > Yes, I have bought a pair of Motorola Walkabouts 16-mile range and testing it out, I am not so thrilled.

>>I am trying to determine if it makes ANY difference to get the ones that are 32+-mile range.<<

As in my original post, I had mentioned that our main use for them is when we are caravan-ing a few miles apart and no wireless signal is available. And all the other ins and outs of this discussion are great, but are only serving to confuse me thoroughly.

I am overwhelmed...so unless that one last question can be answered to, I think I sort of give up trying to get my original question answered.

I truly appreciate the discussion and information and suggestions. Anyone want to take a stab and this last specific concern, it is absolutely welcomed!

I think your question has been answered and I frankly do not understand your confusion. i'll take another stab at it.

no...you will not come anywhere close to a 16-mi range let alone a 32-mi range using any handheld radio marketed to the general public. that includes FRS, GMRS, MURS and CB. advertising and marketing claims do not and cannot trump physics.

you might get 2-mi usable range from those radios under ideal circumstances...flat terrain or open water otherwise you should expect to be able to communicate 1-2 miles and your experience with your pair of FRS radios confirms that. use your existing radios and adjust your expectations.

If you get a cobra, I would recommend NOT getting the one that has all the guts in the microphone with just the small box that's mounted. it is quite a chunk to try to hold if your hands are small, and it has a speaker in it about the size of a nickle that is dreadful to try to listen to. I plugged and external speaker in to make it useful and that sort of defeats the purpose of an all in one unit.
bumpy

Okay...got it!

For me, the CBs + antennas are more than I want to spend for a one time need. If this ever comes up...it will be in another year.

I just need the definitive answer about the FRS vs GMRS and I believe enblethm(sp?) answered that.

Yes, plan to use cell service as much as possible.

I will go with the Cobra recommendation as you really don't know until you actual use one, which has better guts. My forte is computers, etc, not radios et al. Thanks for the recommendation/review on the cobra.

And thank you all for the education. I have a nearly encyclopedic knowledge on this stuff now...LOL! But that's required if you want to make the most informed decision, right?

Samanthahhi wrote:
rk911 > Yes, I have bought a pair of Motorola Walkabouts 16-mile range and testing it out, I am not so thrilled.

>>I am trying to determine if it makes ANY difference to get the ones that are 32+-mile range.<<

-- snip --

I truly appreciate the discussion and information and suggestions. Anyone want to take a stab and this last specific concern, it is absolutely welcomed!

In an effort to de-confuse you:

Those inflated range claims are only valid if you have a GMRS license and are using a repeater.

When using the FRS frequencies and 1/2 Watt your best range will be about two miles.

Your best bet for what you want to do is to install a CB radio and a BIG antenna on each vehicle. That will give you an almost reliable communications range of five to ten miles.

Those cheap "walkie talkies" are not much better than toys.

Yes, the newer ones are better. How much is a question! I liked the Cobras better then the Motorolas. They seem to have better sound and range. The Motorolas were the old two channel and the Cobras are many channel.
Staying closer together will help in sight may not be always possible.
Keep your cell phones charged. They still could work in many areas.

Samanthahhi wrote:
Anyone want to take a stab and this last specific concern, it is absolutely welcomed!

Keep each other in sight or meet up at predesignated points. Just like the old days before we all began to think that we can't go ANYWHERE unless we're electronically leashed to someone else, if not the whole wide world.

Ever wonder how on earth Lewis and Clark ever made it from Missouri to the Northwest Coast without losing track of each other? See line one above if so.