Posted: 5/2/2011 7:37:31 PM EDT
| Need your recommdation regarding hand held CB radios for security purposes. Range isn't a real problem but I'd like to get as much as I can out of any piece of equipment |
|
Best recommendation is something besides CB.
I'm serious. CB has plenty of issues, but they are even more serious when you reduce the radio to a handheld size... antenna size is minuscule and very inefficient to begin with, not to mention the overall noise and shenanigans on the CB band, etc. Consider this: On the Family radio service (FRS) frequencies, a 1/4 wave antenna as what would be common on a handheld radio would be roughly 6 inches... by winding the antenna into a coil the length is commonly reduced to about half that height, or 3". A modest reduction in size that affects performance slightly but probably not noticeable in typical use. A 1/4 antenna for CB frequencies is over 8 feet long... reducing that to something that is usable on a handheld radio significantly decreases performance, on a band that needs all the performance you can get to overcome the high levels of atmospheric noise as well as interference. If your range requirement is modest and you're looking for something, more.... private... I'd suggest checking out the 900MHz no-license frequency hopping radios that are out there. We got pretty good range out in a rural area, away from other noise sources on 900MHz, not as good in some industrial settings where other 900MHz ISM band stuff was in use. If you have the budget for quality, get some decent land mobile radio VHF handhelds and program them for the no-license MURS frequencies, or get a licensed frequency. Digital and/or encryption would get you more privacy. |
|
For an inexpensive portable radio try these units. They are available in plain VHF or plan UHF. Or for $115.00 you can get a dual band unit thatb does both!~
In doing come research about HT portable radios I came across this model for less than $115.00 each. Of Course they are made in china but isn't everything nowadays. http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=216#reviews You can get them direct from hong kong even cheaper but I don't know if customs will let them through. http://cgi.ebay.com/Dual-Band-TG-UV2-VHF-UHF-portable-radio-FREE-earpiece-/370505190827?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5643d48dab Go to this link for lots of electronic goodies from hong knog. They take pay pal. So you don't have to send your credit card numbers to china. http://stores.ebay.com/RadioAccessoryShop?_trksid=p4340.l2563 |
Fuck that man
|
Quoted:
Best recommendation is something besides CB. I'm serious. CB has plenty of issues, but they are even more serious when you reduce the radio to a handheld size... antenna size is minuscule and very inefficient to begin with, not to mention the overall noise and shenanigans on the CB band, etc. Consider this: On the Family radio service (FRS) frequencies, a 1/4 wave antenna as what would be common on a handheld radio would be roughly 6 inches... by winding the antenna into a coil the length is commonly reduced to about half that height, or 3". A modest reduction in size that affects performance slightly but probably not noticeable in typical use. A 1/4 antenna for CB frequencies is over 8 feet long... reducing that to something that is usable on a handheld radio significantly decreases performance, on a band that needs all the performance you can get to overcome the high levels of atmospheric noise as well as interference. If your range requirement is modest and you're looking for something, more.... private... I'd suggest checking out the 900MHz no-license frequency hopping radios that are out there. We got pretty good range out in a rural area, away from other noise sources on 900MHz, not as good in some industrial settings where other 900MHz ISM band stuff was in use. If you have the budget for quality, get some decent land mobile radio VHF handhelds and program them for the no-license MURS frequencies, or get a licensed frequency. Digital and/or encryption would get you more privacy. this +1 |
|
Looking for a CB Handheld
Another CB thread Someone looking for $50 walkie talkies BTW, just going by face value of your OP, you should research Tri-Square eXRS radios. They're frequency hopping spread spectrum and not scannable. Short range (about like FRS) with consumer construction (not commercial grade cases) but good for security if they have the range you need. You could always grab a set at Best Buy or wherever and try them out for about $80. |
|
Got to agree hand held CBs are really only useful to communicate with some group where everyone else has vehicle mounted CBs. if you can string a 18' antenna (toss a cord over a tree limb), they work fine as backpack radios, but thats not handheld.
In my mind you have to get to 140 Mhz to get decent handheld radio function. That legally leaves Ham (2m, 220, 440, 1.2 Ghz) VHF Bussiness band (with an itinerant license if you are so inclined) GMRS/FRS (440) Spread Spectrum (800+ MHz) Having said that, I think CB will be more useful then ham post SHTF, based solely on the number of radios with range of my house or farm. (not counting repeaters that likely won't be up.) Ham may be far more valuable as the disaster unfolds, or in a lesser situation. Cell phones may be the most valuable in a very localized SHTF (ie attempted breakin) I say this as a ham operator, telecom engineer and emergency response professional. |
DAMN you guys. Now I find myself looking into getting a dual band hand held radio  program it to MURS/ FRS/ GRMS and any other freq. that might be helpfull POST SHTF/ TEOTWAWKI... Never really had much interest in radios as I spend 40 hours a week on one (police dispatcher) but the more I read about it the more it interests me  Research time
|