Single unified communication system for Overland Bound members

[TreXTerra]

Out here in the west we have a fairly widely accepted 2m frequency for overland and off road calling. 146.460 simplex is the most common. I don't even turn on my CB unless I'm already in a group and we have an established channel, there's just too much noise and not enough decorum on CB to make it worth while.

Honestly, I would rather everyone move to 2m, the sound quality is so much better and there are repeaters for emergencies or long distance calling.

 

[brien]

I'm good with that - Done. Does anyone know of a reason NOT to use 6 as the GMRS freq?

Look at us all here makin policy :)

Channel 6 is a lower power channel, so only a max of 5W on GMRS (2W on an FRS radio). We typically use GMRS 15 here in Baja Arizona. Benefits are that it is still a shared FRS frequency but on a GMRS radio you can blast up to 50W (Still 2W max on FRS radio).

 

[Kent R]

Channel 6 is a lower power channel, so only a max of 5W on GMRS (2W on an FRS radio). We typically use GMRS 15 here in Baja Arizona. Benefits are that it is still a shared FRS frequency but on a GMRS radio you can blast up to 50W (Still 2W max on FRS radio).

Same in the Sierra Foothills

 

[1leg]

I think the best approach is to establish preferred channel /freqs for each platform, rather than try to proselytize and convert everyone to a certain platform. I'd wager that people will convert once they see how much better things are, without being beaten over the head with it.

I agree with GatorDoc. As a HAM i always push traverlers to get thier tech lic. But I recommend always having a CB and GMRS available. I thinks it's Important to have all three ready togo. If your on a trip and everyone only has HAM radio, and 1 or 2 trucks lose the HAM radio it's nice to have a back up. I have also been on a run were I relayed all the HAM stuff to the 1 guy that had CB only. It's better to have it a not need it when it comes to radios.

Before every trip the team should have a comms plan in place. Also each geoghapical area should have general comms plan so you can reach out to each other on your normal commute. I'm in San Diego california, We could easily use 1 of the local repeaters as a call out repeater.

 

[Michael]

OK guys, here it is. OLB Comms Channels:

• Ham 146.46
• GMRS 15
• CB 16

 

[Ron W.]

OK guys, here it is. OLB Comms Channels:

• Ham 146.46
• GMRS 15
• CB 16

Need to put this somewhere where it will be easy to find.

 

[Michael]

Need to put this somewhere where it will be easy to find.

I’m experimenting with a forum header. Check it out on main forum page

 

[HappyOurOverlanding]

OK guys, here it is. OLB Comms Channels:

• Ham 146.46
• GMRS 15
• CB 16

Well then...it's now settled [emoji41]

Sent from my SM-G960U using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Greg767]

Fantastic!

 

[brien]

@Michael is there a way to have that forum header link to a forum post? I'm thinking I could write up a little Bootcamp article about trail communication practical use and etiquette. We have two comms articles in Bootcamp currently, but both of them are primarily about the gear/licensing side, not so much the use and etiquette side.

My vision is something like:

• Quick Introduction to the Overland Bound comms freqs
• Comms in a group run
  • Selecting radio type based on group
  • Comm points to go over in a driver meeting
    • radio selection
    • frequency / channel announcement
    • selecting leader, tail, and if needed middle "gunners".
  • relaying messages to other radios (say group is using ham, but there's one guy who only has a CB)
  • What to announce and when (turns, obstacles, sights, etc)
• Amateur radio
  • License requirement (just a quick blurb, and links to existing bootcamp about getting licensed)
  • National calling frequency
  • Off-road / Overland bound calling frequency
  • Selecting a simplex frequency for a group run
  • power settings / expected range
• GMRS / FRS
  • License requirement (again, just a quick overview)
  • Selecting a channel for a group run
  • CTCSS / Privacy Codes
  • power considerations / expected range
• Children's Band (CB)
  • License requirement (none, but mention it anway)
  • Selecting a channel for a group run
  • Squelch
  • power considerations / expected range

 

[Ditcherman]

@Michael

• Children's Band (CB)
  • License requirement (none, but mention it anway)
  • Selecting a channel for a group run
  • Squelch
  • power considerations / expected range

^^Children's band, haha thats actually really good!

 

[Ditcherman]

OK guys, here it is. OLB Comms Channels:

• Ham 146.46
• GMRS 15
• CB 16

One of my favorite sayings is 'no more meetings, only doings' and y'all just killed it.
And the new heading looks great!

 

[Michael]

@Michael is there a way to have that forum header link to a forum post? I'm thinking I could write up a little Bootcamp article about trail communication practical use and etiquette. We have two comms articles in Bootcamp currently, but both of them are primarily about the gear/licensing side, not so much the use and etiquette side.

My vision is something like:

• Quick Introduction to the Overland Bound comms freqs
• Comms in a group run
  • Selecting radio type based on group
  • Comm points to go over in a driver meeting
    • radio selection
    • frequency / channel announcement
    • selecting leader, tail, and if needed middle "gunners".
  • relaying messages to other radios (say group is using ham, but there's one guy who only has a CB)
  • What to announce and when (turns, obstacles, sights, etc)
• Amateur radio
  • License requirement (just a quick blurb, and links to existing bootcamp about getting licensed)
  • National calling frequency
  • Off-road / Overland bound calling frequency
  • Selecting a simplex frequency for a group run
  • power settings / expected range
• GMRS / FRS
  • License requirement (again, just a quick overview)
  • Selecting a channel for a group run
  • CTCSS / Privacy Codes
  • power considerations / expected range
• Children's Band (CB)
  • License requirement (none, but mention it anway)
  • Selecting a channel for a group run
  • Squelch
  • power considerations / expected range

I love this idea! Yes - you tell me where to link and I will set that up!

 

[brien]

Sounds good. I'll start putting it together tonight

 

[markwths]

Hi there,

This conversation is going on the in the Ham call sign check in section as well.

This is a reply I recently post.

Some Ham HF frequencies would be great. 80 and 40 mtrs, 20 and 10 mtrs so international hams members can use as well and hopefully will
hook up around the world and share their experiences live, Travelling through the deserts or camping in the high country.
We can implement the same frequencies in Australia. 146.460 is fine for Australia. 146.425 - 146.600 is allocated as FM SIMPLEX frequenies (25 kHz channels). Your CB channel 16 we can use for our UHF CB (477.000mhz) which is more used widely in Australia than the 27mhz CB in 4WD's

Keep in mind you need to have some HF frequencies in common with the other classes of licences not just for the advance licences.

I have attached an Australian Band plan if anyone is interested.

Cheers

Mark
VK3ASC

 

[brien]

For HF we'd probably be better served if somebody organized an HF net, but even then, with propagation playing a huge factor, it'd be really hard to coordinate a worldwide HF net and have people be able to reliable participate. What might be of interest, however, is if there are any OB members around the world that operate any 2m repeaters. We could use IRLP to link the repeaters together globally at a particular time and have a controlled net to get people together on the air.

 

[markwths]

For HF we'd probably be better served if somebody organized an HF net, but even then, with propagation playing a huge factor, it'd be really hard to coordinate a worldwide HF net and have people be able to reliable participate. What might be of interest, however, is if there are any OB members around the world that operate any 2m repeaters. We could use IRLP to link the repeaters together globally at a particular time and have a controlled net to get people together on the air.

Yes that will be pretty cool with irlp..
Regarding the HF frequencies ,we use them as a calling frequency. For example I am currenty out here in the bush doing a nav comm exercise and waiting for a group of hikers to call in. I can tune to 14,253mhz and put out a general CQ to fill in time. There could be a chance that a OB member mobile or base could be listening and hear the call.
When camping I set up an end feed dipole for HF comms.

 

[Jeremy M.]

I prefer ham

 

[Rexplorer]

love the idea but i can't even get everyone i drive with to use a common method.

 

[Kent R]

love the idea but i can't even get everyone i drive with to use a common method.

Info to come on that subject, Standby