HAM radio or CB radio

[df150]

Hey all
I was wondering what overlanders in Canada use. Please post what you have. I would like to have one ,but not sure if I should go with HAM radio( I know I need to get license) or should I just get CB and use if traveling in group to communicate with others.
Also for emergences, if something happened, how would you communicate with somebody from remote areas ,if cell not available? Garmin in reach explorer sounds like good idea as well, but perhaps HAM radio will do better,while also let you communicate with others .
I know there are many threads about it and opinions, I for the most of the part interested in what people use in Canada or Ontario, for long/short trips with groups or alone.

 

[M Rose]

Hey all
I was wondering what overlanders in Canada use. Please post what you have. I would like to have one ,but not sure if I should go with HAM radio( I know I need to get license) or should I just get CB and use if traveling in group to communicate with others.
Also for emergences, if something happened, how would you communicate with somebody from remote areas ,if cell not available? Garmin in reach explorer sounds like good idea as well, but perhaps HAM radio will do better,while also let you communicate with others .
I know there are many threads about it and opinions, I for the most of the part interested in what people use in Canada or Ontario, for long/short trips with groups or alone.

Dennis,
From what I understand the logging industries has gone to commercial radio licenses. So unless your group runs CB, it’s probably not going to do you any good. As for Ham... it too has its limitations... Emergency Sat Coms are about the only way to go unless you get your General Class Ham License and have well built HF rig... a tech license isn’t going to get you the coverage you’re looking for.

 

[Aequitas1916]

I don't live in Canada, but I was having the same debate with myself a while back. All the Hams I talked to said that for emergencies, it's better to have something with a sattleite connection. Either something like the Garmin or some other EPIRB. There are too many factors (atmospheric, terrain, etc.) which can interfere with a radio signal right when you may happen to need it. I'm not saying it couldn't be used, but if you want more dependability and aren't some kind of Ham expert who can do all that NVIS stuff with a mobile rig, go with satellite.

 

[df150]

Thanks guys, appreciate all info, I don't really have a group, I just recently started building my truck. I do have some long trip in plan next year fall to Yukon including Dempster hwy and Artic ocean if all goes well. I also would like to explore Ontario as much as possible.

 

[df150]

Perhaps it's better just have Garmin inreach explorer and some portable CB radio in case I will go with group to some trips here and there.

 

[M Rose]

Perhaps it's better just have Garmin inreach explorer and some portable CB radio in case I will go with group to some trips here and there.

Go with a cheap FMRS radio instead of CB...

 

[df150]

Thank you. will check it out.

 

[Snowwalker]

The first thing you need to think about is that each of the radio systems are different tools. Just as you can do just fine with a hammer till you need a wrench, one radio system works till you need something different.

CB...No license, cheap to install, lots of replacement radios, antennas and parts around if you break something.
FRS...No License, No install, just buy a new one if you break it.

Both are short range systems.

Satellite systems, very dependable( dependable can decrease the farther north you go, with extended send and receive times)

Costly, but best "save my butt" system. Not for chattering too much.

Ham Licenses( yes "licenses" three levels in Canada and US)
Part 1 VHF/UHF Good short range coverage, with repeaters ranges can be hundreds of miles.
Offers things like APRS and satellite repeaters( not full time coverage)

Part 2 HF Good short range coverage on the higher bands ( 15 meters, 12 meters and 10 meters) and long distance coverage during the day on 30, 20, 17, 15 ,12 and 10 meters depending on conditions. Night time Coverage on 160, 80, 40, and 30 meters depending on conditions.

An option that has not been talked about is the VHF radio system used by Commercial drivers, Road maintenance crews and logging companies. There are 10 channels set aside for use in different areas across Canada. If your in an area, all others in that area will be on the same channel as you.

So with that in mind the trick is to figure out just how many tools you need in the tool box.

Being a fully licensed Ham, I personally would carry
VHF/UHF and HF gear.. I use them for my hobby so chatting with others well driving or hanging around camp would just be part of my overlanding. They can be used to get help or info, but not my only tool.

CB, yes I'll stick one in the truck, just to use.

Satellite/Personal Beacon is my hammer when it gets important or sending daily updates.

 

[TheBison]

I'd say from my experience it depends on the group you'll be rolling with and what others in the area use. You may not be able to reach the outside world but you may still be able to summon help or someone that can relay for you. In my experience on runs I'm usually one of the few that can do ham, CB, and FRS/GMRS so I usually end up acting as relay even just within my own group...

 

[smlobx]

Good discussion.

I think for the most part CB radios are dying out in many places. Sure some people still use them but many are transitioning over to GMRS radios.They have a better range (as you can buy higher wattage units) and They are relatively cheap from handhelds to mobile units. Check out Midland.com for some ideas.

If you’re in the middle of nowhere and a SHTF situation you will want either a sat phone (very expensive and costly to use) or something like an InReach. We have an InReach and have literally used it all over the world to let our loved ones where we are and that we’re OK.

When we went to AK last summer we brought a CB with us but never used it..

 

[MidOH]

Ask other overlanders in person. Getting one or the other is almost useless if nobodies on it.

Worst case, get two handheld units. At least you can toss one to your spotter or to whoever you team up with.

 

[PBDNavigate]

CB usage is sure not what it use to be in the 70s and 80s. I drive down major highways and hardly hear anyone talking. Even running my handheld unit on batteries (not plugged into a vehicle power source) it is subject to a lot of electrical interference from the vehicle. There are simply better options than a CB these days.

 

[Mrprez]

And yet, our local Jeep club in Orlando requires a CB to go on group rides. So, I will have CB, GMRS and Ham radio in my Jeep.

 

[ve3ips]

Ham radio using local repeaters if available or HF is the best. You can even use Winlink for emails across HF
John

 

[rob_0789b9]

I am going with cb

 

[Shawn686]

You need sat communications for emergencies. Which ever brand you choose is up to you, but radios are near useless for this.

Radios are only useful in an emergency if you can reach the station your are calling and there is someone actually listening when you call. If you do actually reach someone when you call they then have to be able to reach the station they call and someone has to be listening when they call or they have to have sat coms or cell/phone service.

Way to many points of failure to rely on for emergency use.

As for what is used in Canada, CB is almost extinct, GMRS is on the rise, FRS is everywhere and Ham is also popular.

I am going to start this by saying if you are going to do lots of radio stuff, get licensed. I would suggest getting a frequency agile radio or radios, while not legal, literally no one that was not transmitting on police, fire, ems freqs or jamming etc has ever been fined, ever. They are not coming to get you and if you are using your radios responsibly they don't care.

It up to you what you want to do, but get sat comms for emergency use. And there are plenty of radios that will cover ham, GMRs, frs and MURS frequencies. That will let you talk to nearly anyone you run into on the road. :cheers:

Shawn