Anyone carry a GMRS two-way radio or emergency beacon?

[shaun1209]

Just curious to see if anyone ever takes any type of two-way radio for emergency contact or an emergency beacon incase needed.

I'm potentially shopping for a very high quality 2 or 5 watt GMRS two-way radio for emergency contact while deep in remote areas.

I'm not sure what the best option is as far as frequency band if I were to go the 2-way radio route....I have read a bit about FRS and GMRS as well as the other VHF and etc. So far it seems GMRS would be the way to go???

I am also not completely sure what other kinds of options there are for emergency contact if there is no cell phone service in the area...so any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Greg]

Just curious to see if anyone ever takes any type of two-way radio for emergency contact or an emergency beacon incase needed.

I'm potentially shopping for a very high quality 2 or 5 watt GMRS two-way radio for emergency contact while deep in remote areas.

I'm not sure what the best option is as far as frequency band if I were to go the 2-way radio route....I have read a bit about FRS and GMRS as well as the other VHF and etc. So far it seems GMRS would be the way to go???

I am also not completely sure what other kinds of options there are for emergency contact if there is no cell phone service in the area...so any help would be greatly appreciated.

For info on Personal Locator Beacons look here:

http://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/emerbcns.html

http://www.nationaltracking.co.uk/page_1184342907656.html

http://www.sartech.com/products_list.asp?id=11&strLevel1=epirbs&strLevel2=epirbspersonalplbs

http://search.ebay.co.uk/personal-l...Z1QQfsopZ1QQpqryZpersonalQ20locatorQ20beacons

They don't come cheap though Shaun as you already probably know.
I hope this is useful.

 

[Goose]

I am assuming that the GMRS is what we call PMRS, the UK ones work on a different frequency and the maximum legal power is lower than US versions. On a recent course run by Mountain Rescue personell I asked if there was an equivelant to the CB channel 9, ie if I could see rescuers on the other side of a valley what would be the best chance of speaking to them using my PMRS radio, and was told that they don't use them. The Mountain Rescue have no need for them as they use different radios on different frequencies as the PMRS range makes them useless for their needs. I suppose asking your local rescue teams may give you a different answer?
I use mine between vehicles and between groups but would not rely on them at all for emergency use, only as an aid to (line of sight) communication. If you are that remote who would be within range if you got into trouble, and would they be on the same frequency? I know they are expensive but would a satellite phone be of more use?

 

[Sickboy]

This is what i'm being bribed with by the other half to get married, wedding present to be collected on exchange of rings
http://www.breitling.com/en/ check out the emergency from the professional range
Just need to save up the cash for an engagment ring now

 

[Goose]

This is what i'm being bribed with by the other half to get married, wedding present to be collected on exchange of rings
http://www.breitling.com/en/ check out the emergency from the professional range
Just need to save up the cash for an engagment ring now

Not cheap, but even if I could afford one, I would end up fiddling with it and calling out a helicopter while bored in a traffic jam! Too tempting !!!

 

[commandocal]

When in the mountains i mostly carry long range military walky talkies or a tacbe that a GPS can find

 

[Sickboy]

Tacbe? save me the google time

 

[maverick moocher]

Tacbe is military short for Tactical Beacon, not sure if they are available to civvies though,don't you need a passing Harrier to blast a message at?

 

[Oakleaf]

Not that current with this stuff in the UK and more of a 'ham' user than tech type. So if talk rot, please correct me.

TACBE - military rescue set - as per Bravo Two Zero et al. Small green box with a wobbly rubber type aerial etc. Think shortened from TACtical BEcon.

Not sure on legitmacy of use and key is to ensure you can source batteries.

However, most of the stuff offerred is 243Mhz. Same goes for a lot of the civilian - maritime etc - units.

However, global monitoring of this frequency is on phase out as it is replaced by newer PLIRB/ GPS units, using satellite global monitoring system- with a near guaranteed pick up of distress call within minutes. Hence PLB prices falling and new kit at sky high prices.

Not sure if the PLIRB system has yet been approved for UK use.

PMR is fine for line of sight comms, but as noted, not really ideal to bet your life on.

If radio comms are a real interest, taking the route of becoming a licensed radio 'AM' maybe worth a look. Very out of the loop, so not really able to illuminate.

However, I tend to take my Yeasu 2m handheld with me on occassion. Compact and light-weight. I have sat in my car in the estate yard on Arran and accessed the repeater at Cumbernauld several times - holding a quick chat with guys driving up the A9 past Stirling. Not rescue intended, but the hailing frequencies tend to have a large number of listeners at most times. But not going to transmit far through the side of a mountain.

Hope helps.

 

[crazyclimber]

I was given a Fastfind Plus with work - pocket sized beacon made by McMurdo. Integrated GPS, 406 and 121.5 transmitter - theory goes that you press the button and the GPS comes into action to lock your coordinates. The within 2 minutes (whether it's got the GPS lock or not) a 406 MHz transmission goes up to tell the local rescue coordination centre your position as well as the beacon's individual ID code. Without the GPS the signal isn't as accurate - essentially satellite triangulation only - but still good enough to get rescuers within a few miles (can't remember the exact distance) anywhere in the world. Then they use the low power 121.5 signal to get a more accurate heading to your position. With the GPS they're just given a grid reference accurate to within 30 metres.
You can't talk with it like you can with TACBE, it's esentially just a "help, come get me, I'm HERE", but each beacon is individually registered to a person, so on receiving a signal the first thing the RCC does is phone your emergency contacts to find out if you really are likely to be in trouble. Saves false call outs and will help them with details (for example details of a light aircraft if thats what you were meant to be flying in). If you get one make sure you get a 406 MHz beacon. The 121.5 only is being phased out in a few years, especially for sat pick-up, and they don't give rescuers any information.

In my opinion a top bit of kit. Very comforting to have operating in remote areas away from people and without phone reception. Disclaimer of course: I have no contacts whatsoever with McMurdo or any other beacon manufacturer just a happy user!

 

[Oakleaf]

Aside from possibly getting my PLIRB lettering in wrong order, could well be that 243MHz waffle should be substituted with 121 Mhz per last.

Very detailed info is on Equipped To Survive site - just tried to check me facts, but doesnt seem to be opening at the minute.

I'm tired!

As an aside - and presenting the best thermal index point for SW approach to Kinloss I may be in a position few others are - a Nimrod pilot told me on a good day some of their scanning kit can detect the EMF pulse from a strobe capacitor discharging - particularly if its an ACR model. I'll keep it in mind if I ever desperately need a maritime rescue pod parachuted onto me anytime.

 

[swagman]

can you not get Epirb in the uk ?.

 

[crazyclimber]

Sure - just EPIRB is the anacronym usually used only for maritime beacons; ELTs are essentially the same thing fixed in aircraft while PLBs are personal ones

243 is the military equivalent of the civilian 121.5 and soon neither of them will be valid for sat pick-up. In fact I just visited the MCC Kinloss site http://www.ukmcc.co.uk/index.htm and it's got it all on there - 121.5 and 243 finish 1 Feb 2009.

That doesn't mean to say 121.5 beacons will be useless; there'll still be plenty of aeronautical stations that would pick up transmissions and I'm guessing it'll still be useful for final homing. It's just the sat part that's going

 

[Greg]

Really the best thing to get hold, although pricey, is a SatPhone. Although if your going off into the great outdoors I believe you can hire these handy bits of kit.
Then again my Brother-in-Law who was out in Cameroon recently was able to use his mobile phone from the middle of nowhere!

 

[Greg]

Here's a couple:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sea...ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1&fsoo=1

 

[Sickboy]

Just had a look at WWW.SATPHONE.CO.UK and it look's like you can rent one for £13 or £20 a day, not a bad idea if it's £13, no free min's with it, but for emergency use i'm sure loved one's may chip in to help cover the cost

 

[Spacemonkey]

For UK use, the Midland G7 is quite good for PMR.
It has great range compared to most. I have used it successfully in Savernake forest, Wilts, with my mate ones side of a wooded hill and me the other and roughly 1km apart. On the same day I picked up a paraglider pilot who gave me his altitude and position which i calculated was 10kms or so line of sight (good ole Pythagoras..).

Even better, the radios use the LPD (sic..?) frequencies which are on the HAM frequencies, but low power. I was quite easily able to pick up a mobile user driving near Gatwick while I was standing at the Uffington White Horse on the Ridgeway...

They have a true 1/4 wave antenna IIRC, and properly HAM licensed users can increase the transmit power to 3W PMR and 2W LPD by unblocking a simple solder jumper on the circuit board...

Oh yeah- my point... As they can be used at low power on the HAM frequencies, then maybe there is more chance of someone picking up a distress call. I always take them in case I need to call anyone in th evicinity who might be using PMR, such as when I'm Greenlane driving/riding as most 'offroaders' use them (or CB) for vehicle to vehicle comms.

 

[RobertRogers]

Where I live, as long as you are not physically incapcitated, just build a smoky fire will probably be spotted a mile away by an aircraft

 

[crazyclimber]

As a helicopter pilot who regularly flies over inhospitable terrain though, nine times out of ten I'd completely ignore any fire, white smoke or black, thick smoke or thin, unless I'd been told previously that there was a search underway. There's a hundred and one reasons for lighting a fire aside from "help me". Maybe it might be a bit different where you are in the USA...
Just in case it does become applicable to someone in the future though, three fires in a triangle, a fire and a mirror flash, or something else along those lines and I'd definitely drop down to take a look. Anything to catch my attention and make it stand out

 

[crazyclimber]

and PS waving doesn't count. 3000' (run of the mill cruise altitude) is roughly half a mile vertically - could well be getting on for a mile with slant angle. Try spotting someone waving a mile away when you can see literally dozens of square miles from that altitude and you'll see the problems you face