commo for MO OK AR KS TX rally only

[OPCOM]

so many radios and so little time.. If you are capable of more than one answer, please pick your preference for the poll, and list your capabilities in a post.

If we can narrow it down and sort of agree where in the aether to meet, it'll be more fun.

I didnt list FRS/GMRS due to the very short range, but list it if it's all you have. Even 2 meters is not the best but it can be done with a tall mast onsite and a powerful radio.

Note most VRC-12 and other military sets on the low VHF band need to receive a 150Hz CTCSS tone, so ham and technical users intending to use that band should set your non-military low-band VHF set to 151.4Hz and wideband FM accordingly.

(I'm not running this offically or anything, just think it's a good idea to poll.)

 

[jasonjc]

I can rig up a CB at least. What channel?? I'm planning on heading over Fri afternoon.

 

[OPCOM]

How about channel 17 once you exit the super slab? The typical CB usually has about a 4-5 mile range, depending. Should use AM, since most people will have that?

The only thing against 19 is that there are so many highway and high power users on it that the background is noisier making it harder to pick out weak signals. I'm open to suggestions. The site is about 12 miles fom the highway 44. Searching the web to find the 'local' CB channels and avoid them, I found a couple clubs websites in the area, mainly SSB, but no mention of what channels they use. Silly folks!!

 

[jasonjc]

Is there a MIL ant that works with a CB?? Or should I just get a civy one?? And one more thing too remember its the "hill county".

 

[OPCOM]

6 meters:
How about 50.5 MHz FM for the VRC-12 compatibles? It avoids repeaters and I doubt we'll be interfering with the pacific DX window!!

 

[jasonjc]

sorry I have no idea what you just said. I know how to put radios in cop cars but thats about it.

 

[OPCOM]

Re: RE: commo for MO OK AR KS TX rally only

No, that was a sugestion of a frequency for those who might want to use ham radio frequencies. But, if that was too wierd, then the shortest answer is to use a typical 102" CB whip if you can.

--Or whatever other CB antenna. The whip has always worked best for me for distance because of it's tall height. If you can stomach the look, a so-called 102" steel whip and 18FT of coaxial cable is your best bet. Anything military will take some fiddling.


Both the GRC-106 type HF antenna and the VRC-12 type antenna have been used successfully with mods, and also an antenna tuner can be used with the HF antenna to make it work with the CB.
The VRC-12 type antenna must be of the old kind that requires the control cable, and there are some mods, it is somewhat of a technicians' job to do right. -so I'll leave that alone and not try to detail it! -it may be in a thread here somewhere.

The HF antenna can either be cut down slightly to the right length, or an antenna tuner placed at the base of it, and adjusted to get the proper SWR at the CB radio. The Maco 91 Antenna Match Box is a good choice and it's about $22 at copper.com -of course such things have to be kept out of the wet.