Radio communications on rides

[ClayJ]

What radio standard should the club choose for trail rides?

Whenever I go for motorcycle rides I have to figure out if I'm riding with Harley guys, or Metric guys. Harley guys tend to use CB radios and Metric guys tend to use FRS or GMRS radios.

From my experience, I prefer the GMRS because you get massive range and cleaner sound. But CB is what comes built into harleys and what can be mounted under a dash.

I have both, plus a HAM license so I can talk half way across the state.

[Lobobronco]

I have a CB minus antenna (thanks for picking that up for me Kinder ). As for me...that is probably all I will ever invest in.

Great question as it is nice and fun to communicate while out on the trail!

How else are you guys going to make fun of me !

Matt

[Rox Crusher]

How else are you guys going to make fun of me !

Matt

I hope we go the HAM route so when people make fun of me it reaches a much wider audience

[Kinder]

CB's seem to be the std, but a lot of folks carry the smaller radios just in case someone in the group (possibly me) has a broken CB. Is there someone on here that has the meter to tune a CB?

[ClayJ]

It's called a SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter. I haven't used one in ages because CBs transmit with such low power that I've never known one to blow because it was misstuned.

My personal rule of thumb on a CB is if I can transmit 1 mile line of site and be clearly understood, the antenna is fine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_wave_ratio

[ManTruck]

I have both, plus a HAM license so I can talk half way across the state.

I say Ham....2 meters prefered.

N0KHC here.

But I realize the Chicken banders are more of a majority. I am good with any and all.

[ClayJ]

N0KHC here.

But I realize the Chicken banders are more of a majority. I am good with any and all.

KD0EHD (only a tech)

Friends at work keep pushing me to get my general. I guess questions will be changing in a year and getting much harder.

I only have a handheld (Yaesu VX-7R) with a copper pipe J-Pole in the attic.

I'm going to try to remember to throw the handheld and a repeater book in the Bronco any time I go out 4 wheeling.

I usually use 146.490 simplex out on rides. I don't know of any Colorado repeaters that use it, but that can change quickly.