Posted: 11/18/2013 12:35:11 PM EDT
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I thought I wanted to get into ham, but the more I explore, the more I think maybe a scanner is the direction to go. My main purpose is to have situational awareness when I travel, especially when I have my kids with me. I see that having the capability to transmit is totally useful, but I'm not much of a talker, and I doubt that I would be looking for someone to chat with. I'm thinking that road updates and potential trouble up the road are really what I'm interested in. I realize that there are limitations to each, but having no experience in any of the radio world, I was hoping that this crowd could provide some food for thought. With a scanner, can I pick up CB chatter? What kind of range can I expect? Do I need a fancy SSB unit? Are mobile units easy to switch from car to car? I realize that many municipalities are digital and trunked and that will add to the cost of the unit I need.
But, let's say I take the plunge and go ham, is it difficult to pre-program some of the emerg response frequencies from my travel route? I've played around with the programming on a Baofeng, and it piqued my interest even more with regard to ham. What do you traveling radio users prefer? |
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To elaborate,
Depending on where you are in VA, a scanner may not be much help. Most public service in SE VA is encrypted, and most of the ones that are not are switching the APCO 25 Phase II, at this point it limits you to one possible scanner from a company that is now out of business. VSP are on VHF STARS link and can be monitored with a digital scanner. Most of the fire departments are simulcast on VHF and UHF analog frequencies and can be monitored with a ham radio. Many of the Rural departments are still on analog VHF high band and can also be picked up on a ham radio. CB's can be useful, but most of the time not really child friendly. For the most part, I find things out on the ham radio before anything else. Many hams have scanners and monitor public service and weather events. The conversations are family friendly, and most of the hams are ready to help in an emergency. Many times when I am long out of cell coverage, I can hit one or two repeaters with no issues. Also almost any 2 meter radio has the ability to monitor the NOAA weather frequencies and many of them offer a weather alert function. I think you would find the usefullness of a ham radio leaps and bounds above a scanner or a CB. Also the technician test allows you to learn a bit about RF and would allow you to better utilize the tools you have. I would love to have a digital scanner, they are useful. Knowing what I do now, if I had to choose I would go with a ham radio first any day. Also you do not have to talk on it, I am not a real big talker, I monitor much more than I talk. You have really asked the question in the right place. There is a bunch of helpful people here, with tons a experience, so ask all the questions you would like we are all here to help. 
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| Are there still vhf mutual assist freqs? That baofeng should be able to get those along with anyone else that hasn't gone to trunking. The scanners I have played with will get pretty close to the cb band, but want to go fm instead of am. My knowledge on this is pretty dated though. |
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Quoted:
To elaborate, ....switching the APCO 25 Phase II, at this point it limits you to one possible scanner from a company that is now out of business.... i think the new Uniden scanners coming out in January both do APCO Phase II. not cheap, though: http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/278121-bcd536hp-discussion-thread.html |
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All over our area scanners suddenly quit working. Everyone thought they were broken. Nope, local LE agencies went to one of the new trunking systems with encryption. And you will see more and more of this in the next few years. Scanners, as far as listening in on police, SO, fire, will be useless. But you can still listen to the NOAA weather channels.
Are mobile units easy to switch from car to car? No. If mounted so they can be quickly removed, they will be an easy target for theft or becoming a missile in a car wreck. If solidly mounted, well, leave well enough alone and buy another rig for the other vehicle. For a first ham rig I don't suggest either an HT or a mobile set up. Rigs used for 2m/70cm (mostly used for mobile) are the same whether used as a base station or mobile. The difference is, for mobile there are antennas and mounts made for mobile use. Power comes from the vehicles electrical system. Don't use a cigarette lighter plug. It doesn't pass enough amperage. Base rigs are the same, but are powered with a 120vac to 13.8v DC power supply, and are connected to antennas made for that use. I suggest setting up a base rig first. Learn how to program it, set it up just the way you need it for your area, learn to operate it, learn to be a good operator yourself without the distraction of driving, and possibly killing a car load of nuns, or running over school kids getting off a bus. After you get on-air experience install an identical rig in your vehicle, channels, frequencies, names all programmed in identically (though you may need higher power settings for mobile use than at home due to the higher antenna of the base station). Put the HTs toward the bottom of your list, not a first radio. They have their place, but learning to be a ham is not their place. You and a fellow ham hanging an antenna? Out on the pond fishing and talking to your wife (also a ham) back at the cabin? Out camping with the Scout Troop, some of which are hams? All good uses. Learning to operate and being frustrated with the relatively short range is not one of them. But, let's say I take the plunge and go ham, is it difficult to pre-program some of the emerg response frequencies from my travel route? I've played around with the programming on a Baofeng, and it piqued my interest even more with regard to ham. What do you traveling radio users prefer? No, not difficult. You need to find the frequencies, and that can be done online. You also need to learn to find repeaters along your route. A map and the repeater references accessed by CHIRP (FREE programming software) made a recent trip fun and easy. I also used the UV-5R with a pigtail from SMA-F to SO-239, and connected that to a mag mount antenna slapped on the roof of the vehicle. An easy and fast installation in the rental vehicle, but I was on the air with 4.5 watts. And that was plenty. I have a Yaesu FT-2800M (the current comparable model now is the FT-2900R) in my vehicle, but the smaller FT-1900R would do every bit as well. The smaller radio would have been far easier to mount, and the difference in power unnoticeable (2900 = 75 w, 1900 = 55 w). You just don't need more than 50 w in a 2m mobile. It's all in the antenna, not the power. |