It depends on the distance and terain, natural and man made obsticles will interfear with your coms. 2 meter (VHF), 70cm (UHF), C.B. are all line of sight transmision. So take a look at google earth to see what objects may bolck your path. Then look a map that does line of sight distance or how the crow flies distance. Also your transmision elvation has to be added in to this, are you in a valley, hill top, or flat land.

Prices depend on what you need you can spend as little as $100.00 up to your limit. There are cheaper radios, but you also have to include a antenna, that is what my price is based on.

73 Joe

http://tjpeiffer.com/crowflies.html

Thanks RadioRay

I am not set on anything, and after looking closer at the Ramsey I think the money would be better spent building one. I have been looking at Communication Concepts web site, looking at what all they have. It will be about two months before I get around to the amp build. I have holsters to make and guns to fix for some friends, so spare time is kind of short.

I will post what I have come up with to get feed back, To make sure I am on the right path. The wife gets mad when a smoke test doesn't work out to well and I stink up the house.

73 Joe

Thanks for sharing the article. Good read. I have a fealing it will be our best and only line of long distance communication in the future.

Have been running the idea of a amp for QRP around for a few days since I ordered the Rockmite kit. Once I get the rig and accessories built. That will be my next project. I am looking at the Ramsey that cockpitbob sugested. But may just build one complete myself.

Welcome Gramatron550 !!!

RUN, RUN KNOW, DON'T LOOK BACK !!!   ;D   I remeber when I had just some mobiles. You will start reading the post on here. The next thing you know you are learning code, ordering radio kit's and assembling them.

But this place is great, everyone here is is very helpful and knowledgeable.

73 Joe

Best way to start is plot out every spot based on distance "as the crow flies" straight line. By doing this you might not have direct contact with everyone but more of a relay system, spot A to B, Than B to C, then B back to A, Once you have the distances use the info by cockpitbob to find what rigs you will need. Keep in mind terane buildings, mountains, etc.

Here is a link to a straight line map.

http://tjpeiffer.com/crowflies.html

73 Joe

Welcome to the forum. Everyone on here is great !!! There is alot of info out there, I got the Gordon West Tech book and downloaded a practice test to my iphone, past the test first time.

Just placed my order for a Rock-Mite 40M (7030). I was tossed between the 20M or the 40M, I went with the 40M first and will get the 20M after I finish my builds. I also ordered the dummy load/power meter from Hendricks, It has been some time since I have soldered components so I figured I would start with this to get my truck driver hands and toe thumbs use to handling small parts again. Then move on to the Rock-Mite.

I plan on getting the EFT-10/20/40 trail friendly antenna, and a KK1 straight key kit from American Morse. I am not sure if I want/need a tuner or not. If I do get one I have it down to the EFHW tunner kit from Better QRP or the SOTA tunner from Hendricks.

I think this will make a good set up, but not sure. This is my jump into this side of radio coms. I have been practicing and re-learning code. It has been 15-20 years since I have used it.

I will post picks of the builds as I go.

Thanks
Joe

They are telling people that might need a place to stay or a hot meal to go to www.boston.com. So lets see I am from out of town, know my smart phone doesn't work and you give me a web address to get info.  >:(

This reinforces that a little prepping before you go on a trip and have a secondary form of communications set up.

Instilling fear in the public that something is bad, opens the door to create laws that take away or limit rights and privacy, that is the simple bases of psycho-political atleast as I see it in the U.S. This was started and has worked since the 30's or earlier. Current hype "guns kill kids" = "limit, register, ban, then confiscate". "Preppers are crazy no one needs to have that much food" = "outcast in society, reporting of location by non preppers, confiscation of goods to pass out to those who didn't prep. the list goes on with presious metals, using cash instead of credit cards, they have left radio so far alone. But when the time comes I can see them saying something along the lines of "does you neighbor have a large antenna in there back" "That antenna is giving off bad radiation and is hurting your family" "We need to get rid of all these radio, It is a antiquated technology that is no longer needed". We are already licensed so part of the data base is created, then they will cancel license, then fines and confiscation.

Based on what I have learned from older family members have a couple "cookies" laying around for them to take and avoid conflict.
But hide the bag !!!

Welcome to the forum Wally

I'm down in Northern California. I'm working on re-learning code myself, It has been atleast 20 years since I last used it. Hope to get on the air soon.

Joe

Hello Chris

Welcome to the party. Everyone is great on hear. It's nice to have a place where we can bounce ideas off each other and get good feed back.

I have narrowed my list down to the Yaesu 897 or a KX3.

Geek

The Wouxon line has the AA battery packs. I have a KG-UV6d, not a bad radio for the price I paid $100.00 for it and it came with the software and data cable.

Geek
NMO stands for New Motorola. The mount part comes with the coax. The antenna has to be NMO type to use with mount. All the antenna manufactures offer this for 2m and 70cm.

I have had the same problem, found a place where I can put in the state and frequency and it gives me the info. It also is a good source for scanner frequency for your area. You go to your state then county and it will bring up the frequencies in your area, Fire, Police, Utilities and so on. Hope it helps.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/