Total Radio Newb. - Have questions

[Dock Rocker]

Please forgive me as I really have no idea where to start. I have a HMMWV and I have been working on getting it up to par. One of the guys that has been helping me gather the parts I need gave me a gift yesterday.

It is a new in box complete setup to install a radio in the truck. It's complete with the tray and all the hardware, mic antenna, as well as a few things I don't know what are yet.

It says it is made to work with the AN/VRC-47 or the AN/VRC-12. The benefactor who got me the kit has a pile of radios and I am sure these are I that pile. The problem is he uses them to make his trucks look correct not to talk on them.

I am currently a CB guy. I have never really looked any further into the radio world than that. I would love to have a radio I could use in the truck but I have not got the slightest idea what band they are on or who you would be able to talk to.

Is there a primer somewhere to give me the highlights on what they will do and what they are capable of? I am guessing they are somewhere in the ham band but I have no idea.

Someone please steer a Newb in the right direction.

 

[emmado22]

Google VRC-12 series radios.

 

[Dock Rocker]

I see what they are now. Is there anyone who regularly uses that band?

 

[Storm 51]

Get the TMs if you can. Then find out what bands the radios operate on and compare that to the HAM Bands.

You'll probably have to get a General class HAM license to operate them legally (that's the license I got specifically so I could operate my radios).

My radio set ups are all old boat anchor radios (post WW II - Korea to early Vietnam) so they are not very popular. The nice thing about that is that they are cheap and don't put out a lot of power (5watts) which makes them perfect for parades and display events. Your HMMWV will have newer radios so you are probably looking at more expense and less availability, but you will get much better performance.

Start googling and follow the threads down the rabbit holes. You won't learn it all in one day, but you will learn more and more of it over time.

Have fun!

 

[SCSG-G4]

Most military radios that are not more expensive than the vehicle itself operate in the 30-75 Mhz range, the only amateur band available is the 6 meter (51 Mhz) band. RT-524's and similar radios are available, completely tested for about $400, but you will not have many people to talk to because the range of your set is only about 30 miles as mounted on the vehicle even though it is capable of a lot more than 5 watts of output.

 

[snock]

You only need a technician class to legally use the 6M band which the VRC-12 series will cover. It's pretty easy to get. The biggest problem with using the RT-524, PRC-77, etc. is the 50kHz tuning steps. Another problem is the 150Hz tone coded squelch but that can be turned off. The RT-524 and 246 have "old squelch" which is based on received signal strength. In short, don't worry about it's use. About the only time I've used my RT-524 in my M151 has been convoys to shows, etc.

 

[papakb]

I'm going to assume your going to talk to other military radios from your HMMWV in which case the squelch tones and 50 Khz channel spacing don't make much difference since the other radios are doing the same thing. Now if you plan on talking to your buddies Icom or Yaesu your going to have another problem since your mil sets are wide band radios and most of the commercial stuff is narrow band which means your going to overmodulate and sound like dung on their radios.

Kurt
KG6KMJ

 

[Csm Davis]

He will probably end up chatting with me on it, I have a few RT 524s

 

[Dock Rocker]

CSM David will these radios talk that far? Copiah co to Forrest co (or whatever county that is)