Two way radio

Hi Sam,

I wont go telling you which brand. Get a major one and you wont go wrong. make sure it has 5watt output and get a low db gain antenna. This type of antenna gives a broad output better suited to hilly country then the high db gain antenna.

Cheers Wilko

Hiya i own a set of Icom 41s handhelds (5 watt)...I use one in the vehicle with a bnc connector to an 3.5 or 6.5 RFI external antenna (bullbar)....Don't let anyone tell you they don't transmit as far as an in-car unit....

When you need to use the two or finished 4x4 just unscrew and put them away locked up....These are a well built unit and a bit $$$$,At first its easy to lock yourself out so you only can use one,but take a manual with you until you know it....You can lock the yourself so it stays on the right channel no matter what button is accidentally pushed..

A mates taken mine pig shooting up to Deneliquin a few times and its been great...Line of site,its interesting depending on the aerial used they can transmit a lot further than that...Plus you have repeater stations to boost your range...


Goodluck

Thanks guys.

If I am wanting to get 7 or 8 kms effective range, what maximum range would that correspond to (i.e. what would be written on the box of the product)?

Sam,

First thing, don't buy rubbish equipment like Oricom. You need either Electrophone, Icom or maybe uniden.

Buy only 5 watt radios, as these will put out a good, strong signal.

You don't say what sort of bike you use, 2 or 4 wheeler? If you use a quad(4-wheeler), then you could always fit a larger 6dB aerial, 6 foot long, to increase your range.

Back at your camp you need to be able to erect a 6 dB aerial, maybe 20 - 30 feet high, and I guarantee your radio problems will diminish. To get the aerial that high, you may need to get some light pipe, in a couple of sizes, that telescopes together, for travelling. For cable, buy RG-213 as it is the best for longer runs, say over 10 feet. Dick Smith or Jaycar sell this, and the end connectors you'll need. There is better cable than 213, but you'll have to sell both kidneys to buy it.

Just remember, to buy 2 of 5 watt good quality hand helds, is quite expensive, you might be better to buy a in-car set for your camp, and a hand held for you.

And just some basics, we've listened to hand held radios, on a base set, from over 50 kms away. Often it only needs to walk up a hill, onto a dam bank or climb a tree, to make the difference between receiving a signal or not.

With UHF, HEIGHT IS MIGHT, ie the higher you are the further you'll receive/transmitt. If you've got any more queries, just let us know.

Bob.

Also, I read the article mentioned up the top and am not confused about the pros and cons between using SSB on the 27MHz CB and using the UHF CB. I assume that unless there is a repeater station on the station where I am camped (and within several kms), the repeater capabilities are not really an advantage to using UHF CB.

Also, the article mentions radios that are capable of distances between 15 and 50 kms. Where can I find radios like this??

Unfortunatley Oricom aren't the most reliable radios on the planet.

The Icom radios are very good and if you want performance without as much cost then GME 5 watt units are also good.

I use 2 older Handheld GME TX 6000's and with a larger than std aerial they will in line of site, reliably transmit 60km. Distance varies with the type of terrain.
Seems a long way but these have worked up to 100km duplex to trigger repeaters.

I also use one of them via a BNC connection to vehicle mounted aerials.
The radios were used when at a motorcyclist accident on Oodnadatta track.
They transmitted 47km to Oodna and 70km south to a station repeater.
I am happy with the better brands of radio.

I have seen uniden ones that are 2W and have a range of up to 15 kms. Yet if I look on ebay, some are 5W but only have ranges of 5 kms at best. Is that just because they are very poor quality?? (I wouldn't buy them anyway, just interested)

I have an Icom 400 Pro in the Pooootrol

and these when I hunt
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/120716948752?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

No probs ever !

Cheers
Bucky

Unfortunately no UHF radio, 1W, 5W, Oricom, Icom etc will let you communicate for 7 to 8 kms over non line of sight hilly terrain, It's physics. UHF is line of sight.

An old 27Mhz walkie talkie/ CB will be your best bet. Or get an amateur radio licence and you can use Lower frequency VHF.

G'day I did alot of research into handheld cb's last year and ended up getting 2 of these
UNIDEN UH076SX-NB 5 WATT 80 CHANNEL UHF
WATERPROOF+METAL ALLOY CASING
eBay Item number: 190698135842

They are tough and on the box line of sight is 12km in reality that might be true if you were in space or a dead flat desert with no bushes or trees, but it is a 5 watt unit so is the most powerfull you can legally own it has duplex that will use relay transmitters (if there are any in the location you are in at the time) so could give 100km like any good in car cb can with the same features.

Also the lithium battery life from fully charged is about 12hrs+ so you'll run out of petrol long before these go flat!

Note: Being waterproof to 1mt for an hour, if you fall over in a creek they will still work just fine.

Reality is in very hilly terrain with plenty of trees around I get about 4-5km, you just won't find any other UHF that will do better, because if it existed I would have bought them already as I only buy the best. I guess if you ride to the top of the mountain you will get a much longer range in hilly areas.

Make sure you get an 80 channel one as the 40 channel are being fazed out and there use is going to be frowned upon by the officials soon.

$235 each may sound a bit Exy but you get what you pay for if you look at stores like dick smiths they cost $299 each, so those on eBay are an absolute bargain so if I were you I would snap 'em up before others do!

Bear in mind everyone has their personal opinions, some are from experience and some are not, but all opinions (including mine) should be teated like you had a chat down at the the pub and used as a base for your own research then buy what ever you like best.

Cheers Nigel

Can I say something on the range of UHF hand held radios. It is a minefiled of a lot of factors that all fight to limit the range for reliable communications. Especially that of hand helds. Even having your head between yourself and the other station will limit the range. Wet thick shrub will also limit it as will rain and fog. The wind can be a pain when it swings the leaves around.

The best advice I could give, and it has been said above, is to get the 5 watt ones with separate microphones by a good manufacturer. Do not try to skimp on cost but then again it is not necessary to get the dearest one either. Icom, uniden and GME I feel are a good choice. Maybe an interchangeable antenna that you can plug in to get more gain and height. There are plenty of options. But then again just the basic non frills and fancy ones should be fine. It does not need to know how to "cook eggs" to be the best solution for you.

When using the radio it is best the higher that you are and also the more vertical that the antenna is. Stay away from shrubs, think where the other end is and try to get that path as clear as possible. As said; "height is might".

"Oricom"

Hiya Guys,just wondering if anyone can steer me towards sites where people are not happy about this Make..I was lead to believe they were a good unit...Not that i need anything the Icoms i have are top notch..

But i would like to read info if there not up to scratch...

Cheers