New Guy

[robie]

Hello everyone,

 

Name is David.  I just recently got my GMRS license.  Hoping to learn from you guys, as I am completely new to GMRS radio.  Got it for the intended purpose of communications while out wheeling, and also for when my family travels.  Sometimes depending on what we're doing we use more than one vehicle to move around, and although I have a CB, there's a lot of random stuff that my kids don't need to hear, and also from what I read, GMRS seems to be a better performing option over CB.  Again, I hope to learn as much as I can from you guys.  Take care.

[coryb27]

Welcome to the community!

[marcspaz]

Welcome!  There is a lot of great information here, and some very talented operators that are here that are field techs and engineers for their career.

 

 

Hello everyone,

 

Name is David.  I just recently got my GMRS license.  Hoping to learn from you guys, as I am completely new to GMRS radio.  Got it for the intended purpose of communications while out wheeling, and also for when my family travels.  Sometimes depending on what we're doing we use more than one vehicle to move around, and although I have a CB, there's a lot of random stuff that my kids don't need to hear, and also from what I read, GMRS seems to be a better performing option over CB.  Again, I hope to learn as much as I can from you guys.  Take care.

 

If I may... if you want to talk about the pros and cons of each service as it relates to offroading in this thread, I would be happy to give you some input.  I'm sure others will too.

 

I go wheeling out in the mountains of WV, VA and PA pretty regularly, and have some pretty capable setups.

 

I understand about the conversations heard on the CB.  I was on it today and its not kid friendly if you are anywhere near a major highway.  LOL

[gortex2]

Welcome. 

[kipandlee]

welcome 

[gman1971]

welcome

[Extreme]

From one 'newbie' to another (also UTV), welcome.

[Elkhunter521]

Hi David. Welcome to this forum.

I understand your distaste for CB radio.

 

Unfortunately CB frequencies are better than ANY UHF frequencies. Especially for family comuications.

 

The FCC has completly ignored their responsibilities in enforcing their own laws.

[Elkhunter521]

OK, done Whining.

 

Please, before you spend a dime on equipment, read the reviews on equipment in other parts of this forum.

 

It will save you money.

[RCM]

Hi David. Welcome to this forum.

I understand your distaste for CB radio.

 

Unfortunately CB frequencies are better than ANY UHF frequencies. Especially for family comuications.

 

The FCC has completly ignored their responsibilities in enforcing their own laws.

How so?

[marcspaz]

How so?

 

I agree to a certain degree, focusing exclusively on mobile comms, if we take repeaters out of the mix. 

 

My own opinion... CB is a much better stand-alone (peer-to-peer) radio service.  In a mobile application, with 12.5 watts on SSB, I can talk 8x further than simplex UHF using 50 watts.  Also, a few times a month, skip lets me talk around the country with 4 watts on AM. 

 

I can talk to central Texas on UHF, too, but I need to be on a mountain top, using a 5 element beam and 1,500 watts.

 

That said, if you include repeaters, UHF FM radios provide great audio quality and coverage area.  Though its still only local comms.

[RCM]

I agree to a certain degree, focusing exclusively on mobile comms, if we take repeaters out of the mix. 

 

My own opinion... CB is a much better stand-alone (peer-to-peer) radio service.  In a mobile application, with 12.5 watts on SSB, I can talk 8x further than simplex UHF using 50 watts.  Also, a few times a month, skip lets me talk around the country with 4 watts on AM. 

 

I can talk to central Texas on UHF, too, but I need to be on a mountain top, using a 5 element beam and 1,500 watts.

 

That said, if you include repeaters, UHF FM radios provide great audio quality and coverage area.  Though its still only local comms.

I'm not talking about repeaters. And for utility, mobile to mobile communications, skip is irrelevant at best and actually detrimental at worst. When I'm trying to talk to my buddy in the next Jeep, I'm not interested in having to compete with signals booming in from Florida or Texas.

 

Even SSB is pretty irrelevant for that use. Just about all the Jeepers I know use AM if they use CB. In fact that's the only real advantage I see to using 27 MHz for trail communications: they're ubiquitous and dirt cheap. It's possible to have a complete mobile setup including antenna and mount, for right around $50 if buying brand new.

In fact, going down that path a bit further, buying a brand new popular GMRS mobile setup including antenna costs $250. That's from a company that even CBers consider to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. I'll concede one thing: I would rather have a Cobra Model 19 (which can be found for as little as $20 new) and a 4 foot Firestik antenna than the aforementioned barrel-bottom-scraping GMRS mobile radio and antenna. And I don't know about 8x, but I don't doubt that that CB setup will beat that GMRS setup.

 

But, again for trail communications, I would rather have a $100 pre-programmed for GMRS, 25 watt commercial mobile radio working into a $25 hard-mounted 1/4 wave antenna than any CB setup. That's assuming my buddies have similar setups. If all they have are blister-pack radios and are unwilling to let me help them get setup with a decent radio and antenna, well I might just have to revert to CB again. I have both, so it's no big deal.

 

Now, if we're gonna talk about skip and working other states while mobile, I'm gonna bring up the subject of 40 Meters. I've worked quite a bit of 40 Meters mobile, mostly with the same or less power than the typical SSB CB radio. And with those setups I can work entire sections of the country, covering several states, all the time, every day. I don't have to wait for the skip to come in because the skip is always in on 40M.

First time I ever drove across the country with a setup like that, I was driving from Alabama to Lake Superior with a 20 watt MFJ SSB Adventure Radio to a Hamstick mounted on a Hustler 5" mag mount. The entire setup was less than $300 brand new, and I was into a couple of different 40M mobile nets the entire way.

[marcspaz]

 

 

 

You hit on some very good points.  I always say each band/service has its purpose.  If I am talking close proximity while Oscar Mike and don't need/want my signal circling the globe, UHF is perfect.  VHF can be good for local.  Around here I get between 9 and 15 miles on simplex with just 5 watts on 2m.  I get about 35 miles on 10m and 100 watts.  Then when I need state/regional... 60m or 75m NVIS.  Around the country and/or global, 20m and 40m.  That is the very reason I tell people that Amateur Radio is the best all-around solution.  We have an option for every type of comms needed.

 

I mostly use CB and GMRS for comms compatibility with friends who are not Hams.  I helped get my friends GMRS and CB stuff setup. I personally have a Galaxy DX 959 and a 1/4 wave steel whip.  We all spent time grounding all the body panels, antenna mounts, etc., to get max performance.  I can talk 8+ miles on AM almost no matter what.  On SSB I am talking 16+ miles reliably... 22-24 miles regularly (squelch wide open and 21 or 22 signal report).

 

Originally, we were comparing CB and GMRS.  Bringing Amateur Radio into the mix, I fully agree with you, 40m is outstanding for long range comms.  I was on 40m while driving around in my Jeep last night.  There was a contest going on and I could here people from Virginia, as well as coast to coast.  I even talked to a guy in Berlin (DK7YY) while driving around.  Some of the folks in Cali where kind of quiet, though.

 

Going back to OP's statement about GMRS being better for trail riding... I think its all opinion based.  While I like the range of CB better, I like the audio quality of UHF FM and extremely low height of GMRS antennas.  I'm less likely to snap an antenna.

 

Anyway, I don't really believe in better or best.  I just believe in the right tool for the job.  That is why, in my Jeep, I can work 80m/75m, 60m, 40m, 20m, 11m, 10m, 6m, 2m, 70cm, and GMRS.  No matter what needs to happen, I got it covered.  ;-)

[Elkhunter521]

In the case of someone that either has no fcc license, or at most, a license that you get for a $70 check (no testing) a CB has better range, especially in the hills. It is also cheaper, but no CB fits in your pocket.

 

In a vehicle, both are good.