wrote in message
...
im an EE, but have never gotten into ham radio. Now, I have a reason!
Im going off roading in the california desert, and I'd like to be able
to communicate back home in San Diego. What band and equipment would
be the best (for both base and mobile) in order to communicate
reliably during the day? Or is this unreasonable?

www.winsystem.org

Click on the link on the right that shows Site info/plots and see if your
area is covered. Requires Tech class license or above. May help in areas
not covered by cell phone.

HF mobile (requires General class or above) will work in areas not covered
by any other infrastructure depending on time of day and frequency
selection, which can be a problem because of the limitation of a
pre-determined contact schedule. In any case, you should be able to talk to
somebody, somewhere who can get to a phone or e-mail. The last resort would
be Sat Phone for use anytime, anywhere you can see the sky.

CB has mostly limited range. You might get lucky if you are close enough to
a highway or town, but forget about 100-500 miles.

40 meters might be better. 20m if conditions permit. 80m at night but is
more difficult for mobile ops. Your choice of frequencies depends on time
of day, seasonal and subject to the ever changing ionosphere. Typically
what frequency works at a given time of day will work the same time the next
day but maybe not. Some study and experience is required.


wrote in message
...
Thank you for all your excellent and useful responses!

To clarify my purpose:

1- I've been waiting for an excuse to get into Ham radio. I'm very
interested in learning RF circuitry (Experimental Methods in RF Design
is enroute as we speak), and this is a perfect opportunity, because I
actually need it! So Im up for getting a license.

2- The purpose of the radio is for emergency and for the cool factor
of being able to talk to home from 100+ miles away in the desert and
tell them about all the sand and rocks i see. Exciting for them!

3- The CB does sound better for emergency. So now, lets change the
purpose of the ham radio to just "cool of taking to home 100+ miles
away". And I will get a CB for emergency.

I had been leaning toward 20 meters since it has been described
everywhere as the DX band of choice. Now I see that it may not work
well so "close" as 100 miles. But wouldnt 80 meters have even more of
a problem? I am still not clear on which band to use...maybe some more
help please?

JB wrote:


CB has mostly limited range. You might get lucky if you are close enough to
a highway or town, but forget about 100-500 miles.

Unless you buy one of those illegal amps on eBay

Scott wrote:


Unless you buy one of those illegal amps on eBay

I was the one who suggested he get a CB in the first place. It was not to
give him range, it was because it is more likely if he needs assistance
someone nearby will be listening on one.

That's also why I suggested he join an off-roader's club and use whatever
radios they do.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
Scott wrote:


Unless you buy one of those illegal amps on eBay

I was the one who suggested he get a CB in the first place. It was not to
give him range, it was because it is more likely if he needs assistance
someone nearby will be listening on one.

That's also why I suggested he join an off-roader's club and use whatever
radios they do.

Geoff.


I understand. Yes, sadly, that is probably true nowadays. Calls on
most any 2M repeater in the USA go mostly unanswered, so if you need
some sort of assitance, CB may be the way to go. However, I applaud the
original poster on wanting to get a ham license regardless of whether it
would be the most practical route for him to take in his quest...for
times when he is not biking or whatever, he can chat with folks in any
of the four corners of the world (and actually, he CAN do it, even while
biking!)

Scott
N0EDV

On Jul 28, 7:16*pm, " wrote:
Thank you for all your excellent and useful responses!

To clarify my purpose:

1- I've been waiting for an excuse to get into Ham radio. I'm very
interested in learning RF circuitry (Experimental Methods in RF Design
is enroute as we speak), and this is a perfect opportunity, because I
actually need it! So Im up for getting a license.

2- The purpose of the radio is for emergency and for the cool factor
of being able to talk to home from 100+ miles away in the desert and
tell them about all the sand and rocks i see. Exciting for them!

3- The CB does sound better for emergency. So now, lets change the
purpose of the ham radio to just "cool of taking to home 100+ miles
away". And I will get a CB for emergency.

I had been leaning toward 20 meters since it has been described
everywhere as the DX band of choice. Now I see that it may not work
well so "close" as 100 miles. But wouldn't 80 meters have even more of
a problem? I am still not clear on which band to use...maybe some more
help please?

Just to give some idea of the variability of 'Amateur Bands' due to
solar radiation, time of day etc.
Back some 50+ years ago had a war surplus receiver and on 20 metres
(14 megahertz) band could listen to the Australian amateurs rolling in
and chatting with the UK and Stateside hams early morning while f
getting ready for work. And this was with AM (Amplitude modulation)
and often with self built rigs. A few years later 20 m was dead.
(Sunspot cycle!).
Also operating at 5 megahertz military reserve frequency we sometimes
could transmit/receive hundreds of miles but not 40 miles to another
unit. It's radio!
Have fun.

Unless you buy one of those illegal amps on eBay

I was the one who suggested he get a CB in the first place. It was not
to
give him range, it was because it is more likely if he needs assistance
someone nearby will be listening on one.

That's also why I suggested he join an off-roader's club and use
whatever
radios they do.

Geoff.


I understand. Yes, sadly, that is probably true nowadays. Calls on
most any 2M repeater in the USA go mostly unanswered, so if you need
some sort of assitance, CB may be the way to go. However, I applaud the
original poster on wanting to get a ham license regardless of whether it
would be the most practical route for him to take in his quest...for
times when he is not biking or whatever, he can chat with folks in any
of the four corners of the world (and actually, he CAN do it, even while
biking!)

Scott
N0EDV

Even with one of those illegal amps, you are still limited to the whim of
the ionosphere and absorption of the groundwave. Especially if you are
stuck on 27 Mc.

True about 2m. You never know where the repeaters are, what the frequency
and PL are, or if everybody is at work. At least on $0 and 80 you can
always find retired old codgers. The 440 or 1.2 guy might have his radio
right there in the shop or in the office and you can get a stern warning if
you disturb his private remote.

But CB might at least allow you to scope out where the hookers and drugs can
be found.

On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:20:55 +0000, Scott wrote:

wrote:
Thank you for all your excellent and useful responses!

To clarify my purpose:

1- I've been waiting for an excuse to get into Ham radio. I'm very
interested in learning RF circuitry (Experimental Methods in RF Design
is enroute as we speak), and this is a perfect opportunity, because I
actually need it! So Im up for getting a license.

2- The purpose of the radio is for emergency and for the cool factor of
being able to talk to home from 100+ miles away in the desert and tell
them about all the sand and rocks i see. Exciting for them!

3- The CB does sound better for emergency. So now, lets change the
purpose of the ham radio to just "cool of taking to home 100+ miles
away". And I will get a CB for emergency.

I had been leaning toward 20 meters since it has been described
everywhere as the DX band of choice. Now I see that it may not work
well so "close" as 100 miles. But wouldnt 80 meters have even more of a
problem? I am still not clear on which band to use...maybe some more
help please?


Get a modern solid state radio that covers all HF ham bands and an
antenna such as the "Outbacker" or "Screwdriver" so that you have one
mobile antenna capable of being tuned to any HF band. I would say that
40 meters would be one of the better choices during the day but with the
multiband antenna, you try the different bands until you find the one
that works at the time you try calling.

Scott
N0EDV

Yea verily. What I was trying to say, only better stated.

--
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Hey OM:

I seen a van on youtube this guy had two dual 4-1000a PA's, and a gas
powered generator in the back. On 20 meters he'd be rocking the world.
Do you think he was running class A? I don't think he was using it to
break pileups.

73 OM
de n8zu



On Jul 30, 6:44*am, Scott wrote:
Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
Scott wrote:

Unless you buy one of those illegal amps on eBay

I was the one who suggested he get a CB in the first place. It was not to
give him range, it was because it is more likely if he needs assistance
someone nearby will be listening on one.

Geoff.

I understand. *Yes, sadly, that is probably true nowadays. *Calls on
most any 2M repeater in the USA go mostly unanswered, so if you need
some sort of assitance, CB may be the way to go. *

Scott
N0EDV

JB wrote:


But CB might at least allow you to scope out where the hookers and drugs can
be found.



Oops, forgot about that aspect! It looks like you get more bang for the
buck with CB (no pun intended)

All kidding aside, I still encourage the op to get a license and get on
the bands. It can be relaxing to yack on the radio when you're NOT out
biking or doing other things...

Scott
N0EDV