Does Anyone Know Ham Radio Range?

Most hand held models can reach any where between 5-15 miles and min of 2 in bad terrain. If you hit a relay all over the world. Baufeng makes cheap reliable hand held models. I know mine reach to 10 miles for sure in low elevation changes.

 

Ham is two different sets of things. VHF and UHF make one category, and without unusual ionosphere conditions, I count on about a 75 mile radius, using the repeater system. This is the kind of equipment you would associate with the Technician's License, though no one says that you couldn't spend more money to get a High Frequency radio and mostly just listen to it.

The next level of licensure is the General License, which is what I have. The General License let's you transmit on most of the High Frequency bands. This gives you a worldwide reach for both sending and receiving.

There is a third level of amateur license, the Amateur Extra license. From the outside looking in, this looks to me like the level of expertise needed for someone who will be designing quite a few radio systems, probably for other people. The Amateur license conveys privileges for the remaining few frequencies not granted with the General.

If you look at the "shack" of a General vs an Extra, there may not be a lot of difference.

 

Ive been a ham licensed operator for a few years and into prepping my whole life

Im an Extra if that matters to you, but in my classes I tell people the only difference between myself and them is I never have to take a license test again.

Saying that before you buy any type of radio and throw your money away get educated first

Ham Radio for Dummies is a book Ive given away many times, and you can find the PDF online for free if you look for it. I highly recommend it for people who don't know a thing but are willing to learn.

Radio is like a menu at the Chinese restaurant. You pick what you want, and ignore the rest once you are licensed. Not laws and regs mind you, but the different modes and freqs you have available

 

I'm interested. I've heard there is new tech that allows even computer communication over the air waves. Is that true? Either way, if SHTF communication / receiving information could be very helpful in surviving.

 

My son has had a ham license for a number of years now, and he also helps with the local search and rescue group from where he lives in Idaho. I would like to have a ham radio; but when I looked at the information that you have to learn to be licensed, I was having a hard time understanding all of the technical stuff.
We always had CB radios, and some of the better quality radios that have sideband can reach quite a ways, especially when skip is good. it was interesting to just listen and see what we could pick up on the CB late at night. With one of the shortwave bands radio, you can listen to the radio talk, even though you can't communicate with it, and I think that just this might be important, although no where nearly as good as actually having the 2-way radio and being able to talk as well as listen.
You can hear airline and also military channels with the shortwave band radios, so this might be a good way to get important information in times of emergency.
Mine is one that can be charged by hand cranking it as well as electric/battery operated; so even when we have no power, I can still use it.

 

You can purchase 2 way equipment & just listen, correct? And need a license to transmit. If SHTF, I don't think FCC will be chasing you down. Lol.

 

When we had the CB's, we had somethat were called "amateur band" or something similar to that. (This was a long time ago, folks). These radios went above and below what the normal CB channels go, and their range was a whole lot further, as well. Since these channels were not as crowded as the regular CB bands, it was also a lot easier to transmit and receive without interference. We talked at least 30 miles fairly regularly, and when skip was good, of course, you could pick up all kinds of transmissions from a long ways away.
I agree that if we were in a SHTF situation, no one would be monitoring what people were doing on the radios, or whether we had a license or not.
We also have a little gadget that my daughter got for us that is called a "Go-tenna" and it is supposed to work with a cell phone if the cell towers are out of range, or not functional for some reason. We have never had to use it; but she said that it is also good for someone out camping or hiking in the mountains, and they have no cellphone reception.

 

Interesting in the cell phone antenna. I inow the mibile phones are capable of more independent comms. But the cell companies don't market "independent " uses cause they can't charge for it. Cell phones can receive FM radio. So I suspect they could also Xmitt just like a CB. For short ranges.

 

Here is a true story about something that happened to me. It was years ago, we lived in a little rental house, and I was sitting in the back room, and playing the Thomas organ and singing along to the music. Suddenly, the organ stopped playing music, and it began "talking" to me, albeit the words were sort of garbled.
I was totally shocked, and could not but think that something was "possessing" my organ, and I had no clue what or how this could happen. After I listened to it for a while, I realized that it sounded like CB talk. Our neighbor had a CB radio and he spent some of his evenings talking on the CB, and somehow, my organ was picking up his transmissions and broadcasting it through the speakers on the organ.
Another time, we had driven out to a friend's house, and as we pulled up into the driveway, we hailed him on the CB to see if they were at home. As we were transmitting, the garage door opened up, and we thought that our friend had opened it.
However, it turned out that no one was home, and the CB had somehow transmitted on the same frequency as the garage door opener and opened the door. Sadly, it would not close it again, and we ended up having to leave it open until they returned back home.
When I lived up near Mt. St. Helens, the military was always doing secret training missions in the area around there, and we often picked up on their transmissions even though I am sure that they would not have been transmitting on the regular CB channels, and one time, it even was transmitting when we had the CB turned off.
Who knows how and why things can transmit when they should not be able to do this.

 

Radio waves are just one a form of radiation. A concept the human race has only grasped for a Very short time thru our existence.

 

The thing about getting the licence for me atleast is that it's a good education in radio tech and communication that will be an asset no matter who you are. You will have an understanding in antennas and some knowledge on the broad concept before SHTF.

Edit: Forgot the meat and potatoes RANGE! All ranges, depending on conditions and equipment.

 

Ham radio range depends on the frequency you are using and the power. Antenna efficiency works and affects this as well.

In short you are talking about an entire system here.

I keep with me in my daily BOB one of those Baofeng 8 watt walkie talkies for which I have learned to program myself..manually ...no computer. I believe in manual override when I can do it.

The Rubber duckie antennas from the factory on most walkie talkies are marginal at best. You can get better antennas for some walkie talkies but not all of them.
I use three different techniques for making my walkie talkie get out better and with more range.

I use a more efficient antenna. Sometimes I hook up my Baofeng walkie talkie via a antenna adapater to a magnetic mount antenna on the roof of my car or van or truck for extra range. I can also hook up my walkie talkies to my base station antenna at home...but already have radios with more power output at home.

I go for altitude. I go to a roof of a building/altitude. This building at work is some 85 feet up in the air.

I put a body of water between me and the party to whom I want to talk. Water will carry signals a longer distance with fewer signal losses. If you can get both altitude and water...better yet.


I am currently listening to my Icom 706 Mk II radio hooked up to some 50o feet of 12 gauge black insulated wire from Lowes. This is my HF Antenna and I can also tune it on the CB bands and go there to say hello to people I know on those bands. This antenna I can tune from just above the AM broadcasting band ...to the 50 MHZ band...on this Icom radio.

For UHF/VHF I use a home made J pole antenna about 60 feet up in a tree...made on these plans at this link.

http://rberger.com/radio/Dual_band_J-Pole/J-Pole_construction_plans_for_the_model.htm

My antenna is the one on the right with three elements instead of just two elements.

I was making my own antennas when I was on the CB bands ..but the ham elmers helped me to refine it and take these skills further for the ham bands.

I keep a Baofeng walkie talkie with me daily because they are inexpensive and work well for the price. I can afford to lose one and or damage one and not be out a lot of monies. I also keep a short wave set which tunes in aircraft and also Single Side Band transmissions as well as the am/fm bands.
I keep spare AA batteries on hand for my short wave set and mag lite as well as spare batteries for my Baofeng walkie talkie. If you operate out in the field much you learn that spare batteries are necessary. I do the same with my cell phone ..I keep two spare batteries on me at all times for my phone. I do not want to be running around like a headless chicken looking for wall electricity jack. Also...I will not purchase a phone for which I cannot change or remove the battery at my discretion. I want options in my gear...not tied to a companies whims.

Nonetheless there are things you can do to make your set up get out further if you know how to do it.

Knowing and or finding someone who knows is the key.;

I am on the Chesapeake Bay of Virginia as I type this out and hear my friend out in Tennessee talking on one of the nets.
I will be joining him when I get this posted and we will talk for about 30 or 45 minutes and catch up on the latest.
We have a handful of long wave frequencies where we like to meet and then go to the Extra portion of the band to get away from a lot of the radio traffic. It is much quieter there.

He just retired and moved out to near Johnson City, Tennessee a distance of some 400 miles. We have made the trip with as low as 5 watts but the copy was very weak. We do ok most nights at some 75 watts but have had to go up to some 250 watts during the summer when the static/noise levels were much higher.

The trick is to make the connection with as little power as you can. Were I in my truck I would be putting a body of water between him and me...the river to the west of me about five miles down the road.


Hope this helps some of you to sort out a lot of the confusion.

WatcherChris.

 

Very good info. I also live on Delmarva.

 

ahhhh..ok...I am just outside of Langley AFB in Hampton.

Thanks,
Watcherchris

 

Lots of solid info here. I have a couple of the Boafeng radios and 2 yaesu vx6r radios for portable use. Keep in mind, in many emergency situations, the repeaters may not be working. If any of them are, they will be overrun with emergency traffic. Your handheld radios have a very short range without using a 100 watt repeater on a mountain. Depending on the terrain, 3 to 15 miles maybe. Its line of sight so as another member said, altitude helps. But IMHO, the best thing to have is a good hf rig and a wire antenna. Wire antennas are quite effective and depending on the height, can give u solid regional coverage (300 miles or so) to 3000 miles if you can get it above 35 feet or so. Just dont think you can buy equipment, dont bother to get a licence, and can use it in an emergency. Like anything, its a learned skill. Can I buy a AR15 and instantly be a soldier when the time comes. Nope, you gotta train. FYI, Im a general class for 20 years and am always finding new things to learn. I have also worked with extra class holders that passed the test, but dont operate much. I had to sit with them and translate many transmissions because they never developed and ear for understanding transmissions that were weak or lots of noise on the band. So, if you want to be effective, you gotta learn, not just buy.
Hope this is helpful.
Xcalibr8

 

This information by Xcaliber8.....is Q5 all the way.

Nicely stated olde man...nicely stated

And A very 73 to you and your house,

Watcherchris.

 

Have two women preppers for whom I am working up inexpensive J pole base station antennas.

One is a ham and the other not.

I will be hooking them up two Beofeng UV 5 R radios and chargers. They are some 12 or so miles distant as the crow flies.
Not sure they can make the trip simplex but we will find out.

Going to hook them up on some of the local repeaters ...for reception but also going to try to get them to make contact on the MURS Frequencies.

https://www.w4zt.com/freqs/murs.html


One of them unlicensed is going to get their ham license eventually and hopefully they can work the repeaters...but until then on these radios the MURS will have to suffice ...or perhspsed CB radios on SSB transmissions.

MURS and CBs are simplex transmission...radio to radio and not repeated by a repeater on a high elevation....this meaning duplexing....getting sent out twice..


The problem with most repeaters is that' they are tied into the local power grid.....should the power grid go down most repeaters will also be down...meaning one has to go radio to radio...simplex...no repeater.


Thanks,
Watcherchris
Not an Ishmaelite

 

Purchased four more UV 5 R Baofeng dual band walkie talkies. I am in the tedious process of manually programming them...but overt time will reach this goal. I prefer to manually program these walkie talkies so as to keep up my skills and not be dependent on a computer if I am out in the field and need to add other frequencies to the radio/memory.

Have also obtained six of the high capacity batteries for the same offering some 3800 mAh over the factory 1800 mAh...mille ampere factory hours.

Out in the field spare batteries can be crucial and the factory 1800 mAh batteries do not hold up well with heavy use.
These Baofeng batteries go along well and then suddenly just drop off ….and the radio stops working...little warning. Hence spare battery power is important when operating out in the field.
This in like manner to how I keep two spare cell phone batteries in my pocket in plastic bags...and also two more in my daily Bob. I charge them...top them off on occasion....,and put them back on the ready line.

Hearing limited talk in some circles about limiting access to the internet....should conditions get very bad....

Been thinking about this in the back of my mind....cell phone use cut off too...under emergency conditions/enforcement.

If this were to take place...and I hope not......two way radio is how many will have to communicate.

Spent last night snoozing off and on ...listening to the HF radio bands..and also AM Radio on my Ham Rig.

My Ham Rig..particularly my Icom 706 MK II radio will not only pick up/receive AM/FM radio but the shortwave bands...as well as certain aircraft bands.

I will sometimes listen to long range SSB radio from airliners going into or out of New Yorks airports...out over the Atlantic ocean and checking into these air traffic controllers reporting their fuel status, location....etc.


Watcherchris
Not an Ishmaelite

 

Without reading everything, the general idea behind radio is something called line of sight. That's typical of the VHF and UHF bands, etc on up.

With the smaller frequencies like a shortwave, medium wave or long wave frequency, say 11 KHz, have the ability to bounce off the ionosphere and is called skip and you can talk to other countries quite easily. This is why CB in the U.S which is in the 11 meter, 27 MHz band has the ability to skip off the ionosphere because it's a low frequency.

Now if you're really into ham radio, then you can do things like moon bounces (yes, bouncing a signal off the moon) and using ham radio repeaters (need to join the club in your area) and ham radio purposed made satellites. Even some astronauts aboard the ISS carry a ham radio and you can talk to them on occasion.

 

I have a few Chinese made two-way radios as well. But do take note not to let the chargers out of sight. These things aren't exactly UL certified and I'm sure the electronics in them are pretty poor which can lead to a fire.

Speaking of UL certification. I have a project invloving the use of ten USB sound cards and ten instances of Windows XP using VMware. Looking for a good UL listed USB powered hub on Amazon is like pulling teeth. They are largely made from Chinese companies I never even heard of before and are not UL listed. Yet people give them a high ranking. No thanks. I know better than that.

Same thing with extension cords and what not. Most people don't know that they need to be UL listed. Yet they'll willy-nilly buy one at the 99 cents store and no two Fs about it.