Radios and bike-to-bike com systems

[ssaint 0]

Allright, Y'all talked me into it.

I just bought the radio. Headset to follow.

Should be good to hear whats going on at the Baja 500 this weekend.

[jerry 0]

Here's a great website: http://www.ecra.org/.

Repeaters increase range by relaying the low-power portable signals off of a mountaintop with big transmitter power outputs and gain antennas, to get a stronger signal back to all on the channel. Effective Radiated Power is the watts x antenna gain.

They have repeaters on Monument Pk. to cover A-Borrego area (147.240 + split PL 103.5), Superstition (146.670 - 103.5), Black Mt. Glamis area (147.120 + 103.5), and Palomar Mt.(147.030 + 103.5).

Gotta get that license thou, to keep it legal.

Over and out.

[DigDug 0]

Here's a great website: http://www.ecra.org/.

Repeaters increase range by relaying the low-power portable signals off of a mountaintop with big transmitter power outputs and gain antennas, to get a stronger signal back to all on the channel. Effective Radiated Power is the watts x antenna gain.

They have repeaters on Monument Pk. to cover A-Borrego area (147.240 + split PL 103.5), Superstition (146.670 - 103.5), Black Mt. Glamis area (147.120 + 103.5), and Palomar Mt.(147.030 + 103.5).

Gotta get that license thou, to keep it legal.

Over and out.

I joined the ECRA... Good organization, and it was lik $35 per year. Their repeaters are all over and have pretty light utilization - mostly Jeepers from what I've heard. They also have some cool toys on the repeaters (remote bases, linking, autopatches, etc... Join the club and they'll send you a "repeater manual" with the codes, etc)...

I used their repeaters and felt like I should give back...

Another good one for the North County guys is the Palomar Amateur Radio Club. Their repeaters have the most activity I've heard up here and you can hit the Palomar machines from all over the county. They also do a great job of sponsoring new hams and host the examinations once a month. I joined that club too...

[darylhunter 1]

I joined PARC too when I first moved to SD.

Wasn't that active on the repeater though because I only work 4 miles from home and eventually dropped my membership.

The nice thing about repeaters is that they're usually located way up high and have great visibility.

There's nothing like line-of-sight when it comes to communications. You can hit the space station from a HT with a few watts so obviously you don't need that much power if there's nothing in your way

[ssaint 0]

So I haven't seen anybody mention that the VX-170 radio can be easily modified to transmit through the entire band it recieves on (about 137-174).

I was able to use mine in the 150mHz range at the baja 500 last weekend. Worked great too, I was able to speak with the "weatherman".

Be aware, if you modify the radio it will erase all presets. You can reprogram, but it will erase when you do it. Found that one out the hard way.

[paulmbowers 236]

So I haven't seen anybody mention that the VX-170 radio can be easily modified to transmit through the entire band it recieves on (about 137-174).

I was able to use mine in the 150mHz range at the baja 500 last weekend. Worked great too, I was able to speak with the "weatherman".

Be aware, if you modify the radio it will erase all presets. You can reprogram, but it will erase when you do it. Found that one out the hard way.

Yes, it's not mentioned because it's not legal.

Fewer hams monitor that part of the band for illegal use by outlaw dirtbikers, too. You also cannot clone a modded radio to an unmodded one (or vice-versa) either. But a modded radio can work as a backup marine band radio, illegally, of course. Just find the frequency that corresponds to the marine channel you want.

[DigDug 0]

So I haven't seen anybody mention that the VX-170 radio can be easily modified to transmit through the entire band it recieves on (about 137-174).

I was able to use mine in the 150mHz range at the baja 500 last weekend. Worked great too, I was able to speak with the "weatherman".

Be aware, if you modify the radio it will erase all presets. You can reprogram, but it will erase when you do it. Found that one out the hard way.

Yes, it's not mentioned because it's not legal.

Fewer hams monitor that part of the band for illegal use by outlaw dirtbikers, too. You also cannot clone a modded radio to an unmodded one (or vice-versa) either. But a modded radio can work as a backup marine bad, illegally, of course. Just find the frequency that corresponds to the marine channel you want.

The other day Mickey came up to me and said that he needed to have his radio re-programmed (I have the software and cable to do it from a computer if any new VX-170 owners are interested). I asked what happened to his programming (knowing exactly what happened) and he said he didn't know. I grabbed the radio, tuned it outside of 144-146, keyed it up and didn't get the error message. "Oh, you modded it!". "No I didn't, what's mod it". So I open the back and sure enough, the jumper is gone... It took him about a day to admit that he modded it. Why do teenagers think their parents are stupid???

Be careful where you transmit with a modded (illegal) radio. You get some of the business bands, but you also get into quite a few of the police/fire/etc bands. That would be bad news to transmit there and get caught!!!! That's the main reason I haven't modded my radio. While it's cool to listen to weatherman, I don't feel the need to transmit there, and I don't want to accidentally transmit somewhere I shouldn't...

[Strega 0]

So how do guys transmit to the weatherman, legally?

[DigDug 0]

So how do guys transmit to the weatherman, legally?

They buy the proper radios and are licensed properly. I believe that frequency range is allocated to the business radio service. Those licenses cost more but I don't think they require testing, etc... Same thing with marine radios. A modded VX-170 will transmit on marine frequencies, but it's illegal to do so with a radio that wasn't manufactured for "marine use". My VX-7R will transmit on the FRS/GMRS frequencies if it is modded (400mhz range), and many people do that - but technically it's illegal also. You have to go spend $20 at WalMart and buy the proper license (for GMRS - FRS doesn't require license).

[paulmbowers 236]

You have to go spend $20 at WalMart and buy the proper license (for GMRS - FRS doesn't require license).

below something like 500 milliwatts. Above a certain (fairly low) threshold, you ARE required to have a license.

[DigDug 0]

You have to go spend $20 at WalMart and buy the proper license (for GMRS - FRS doesn't require license).

below something like 500 milliwatts. Above a certain (fairly low) threshold, you ARE required to have a license.

Right... my sentence was confusing, but thanks for calling me out...

FRS - no license if below a certain power output (radios typically meet that low requirement)

GMRS - license required (radios typically up the power on those channels)

You have to go spend $20 at WalMart and buy the proper license (For GMRS only. FRS doesn't require license).

fixt...

[paulmbowers 236]

Interesting that like many of the wal-mart walkie-talkies, the Garmin Rino has FRS and GMRS- no license needed for the 1/2 watt frs, but license required on the GMRS at a single watt. But the FCC did recently permit the Rinos to transmit the GPS data- it was a sticking point for them.

BTW- with the right GPS, the VX170 will also port info to other GPSs in the area. So a fully farkled geek can keep track of the riding buddy by the location of the last transmission from them.

For me, it's the best part of a Rino. If you're separated but in radio range, your buddy shows up on your screen.

[darylhunter 1]

Because I do FCC stuff for a living, and am generally a law abiding fellow - ignoring the wheelies, speeding, and - well, OK not so abiding I guess - anyway, I went ahead and got a GMRS license.

Ouch! It was $85 or something like that, versus my ham radio license which I just renewed free of charges on the FCC's web site - despite many offers from various ham related outfits to help me renew for $5 or more.

Pretty much anything that emits signals as an intentional radiator must be licensed through one part of the FCC regs or another. Sometimes just the equipment must be certified as compliant under the FCC section, and sometimes the operator must be licensed. Best example is the one Doug used of FRS vs GMRS.

There used to be a rule that said if your output power was less than so many milliwatts and the antenna length was less than 6 foot, a license wasn't required, but that was changed some time back. It would make my life easier if it still existed because then I wouldn't have to file a number of applications each year for experimental licenses to support work we do.

To amplify on what Doug said, even if your modified ham radio is transmitting a signal that electrically is totally compliant with the requirements of the radio service for the frequency you're using - say an FRS channel - your transmission is still illegal because the transmission is not coming from a device that has been certified as compliant with the section of the FCC code that covers that frequency.

Now, if you wanted to take your modified radio down to a test lab and run it through a battery of tests and get a certified report and re-register the radio as being compliant for that service (FRS in this example), then you could legally transmit.

But because that would cost you a few ten thousands of dollars, it's usually less expensive to hit WalMart

[ssaint 0]

WOW, I think people must have misunderstood me. I certainly never advocated transmitting on any illegal frequency.

Down in Mexico (the baja 500) the rules are differnet, they do not have our FCC.

Anyway, I moded mine solely for communications in Mexico during off road races. While in the US I see no reason not to use the 144-148 band, nothing wrong with it.

Somebody mentioned being careful where you transmit. I totally agree. I HOPE that people who take the time to figure out how to mod their radio are also smart enough to figure out when and how to use that.

Anyway, didn't want to start anything, just thought it was interesting that nobody had mentioned it.

Have fun guys....

[bikeslut 1]

[paulmbowers 236]

WOW, I think people must have misunderstood me. I certainly never advocated transmitting on any illegal frequency.

Down in Mexico (the baja 500) the rules are differnet, they do not have our FCC.

Anyway, I moded mine solely for communications in Mexico during off road races. While in the US I see no reason not to use the 144-148 band, nothing wrong with it.

Somebody mentioned being careful where you transmit. I totally agree. I HOPE that people who take the time to figure out how to mod their radio are also smart enough to figure out when and how to use that.

Anyway, didn't want to start anything, just thought it was interesting that nobody had mentioned it.

Have fun guys....

No- no worries, no harm, no foul. Just talking. Although nobody mentioned mods, Im reasonably certain there are people on this board who have done it for the same reasons you have.

If it came across as punitive, I apologize.

p

[BRP Robbs 0]

Are there any ways to get licensed via mail or internet? Say, if one were to have nobody offering the tests locally?

[paulmbowers 236]

Are there any ways to get licensed via mail or internet? Say, if one were to have nobody offering the tests locally?

Not that I'm aware of. The amateur band is self-policed by the ARRL, who's member clubs administrate the tests. And they're pretty easy to find. I had a choice of Vista or El Cajon, and it's dependent on schedules.

The sample tests can be found online, and the questions they use are pulled from the large pool of questions used in the test. But to get licensed, I believe you have to show up. It's REALLY easy.

[darylhunter 1]

WOW, I think people must have misunderstood me. I certainly never advocated transmitting on any illegal frequency.

Down in Mexico (the baja 500) the rules are differnet, they do not have our FCC.

Anyway, I moded mine solely for communications in Mexico during off road races. While in the US I see no reason not to use the 144-148 band, nothing wrong with it.

Somebody mentioned being careful where you transmit. I totally agree. I HOPE that people who take the time to figure out how to mod their radio are also smart enough to figure out when and how to use that.

Anyway, didn't want to start anything, just thought it was interesting that nobody had mentioned it.

Have fun guys....

Please don't take my response as a rant or anything like that - was just intended to let folks know that modding a radio isn't the same as buying one intended for use in that service.

Many hams perform the mods on their radios as have I in the past. In some cases it's not so much a desire to transmit out of band as it is to extend the receive coverage. Though most of the newer radios pretty much have full receive coverage out of the box now.

On my radio, I learned that if you've done the mod and are programming memories for frequencies that are outside the legal ham TX range and want to receive and avoid transmitting by accident, you can program in a hughe split that puts the TX frequency down in the HF range or elsewhere that's outside the radios capabilities. You can then receive the desired channel without worrying about an accidental oopsie transmission.

[ssaint 0]

On my radio, I learned that if you've done the mod and are programming memories for frequencies that are outside the legal ham TX range and want to receive and avoid transmitting by accident, you can program in a hughe split that puts the TX frequency down in the HF range or elsewhere that's outside the radios capabilities. You can then receive the desired channel without worrying about an accidental oopsie transmission.

Great idea. I would think there would be some way to just turn transmission off for a channel (or frequency), but I guess not. Seems like something that might be worth adding as a feature.

[paulmbowers 236]

Well, it actually IS a feature. Unmodded, the vx170 can receive on those freqs, but not transmit. The mods defeat that feature...

[forrest1 0]

OK, I gotta do this. I'm already a ham, too, so no worries there. I've read this whole thread, and I've got a couple of questions.

Question #1: HRO's website shows the VX-170 as discontinued. Do they still have any locally, does anyone know?

There are some on Ebay for $99, but they want $52 shipping!

I've got a big, old HT I could use for a while, also a VX-5 that I inherited (and I'm probably not smart enough to operate). I'm not sure if either one even still works. The waterproof VX-170 is sure a nice little radio, and perfect for this purpose.

Question #2: what's the best helmet headset deal currently?

I'm tempted to try the Pryme SPM-802B. It looks like it has the right connector, a PTT switch and a noise-cancelling mike. It's a boom mike, meant for an open-face helmet, but I'm thinking that it could be made to fit a closed-face, while the Pryme SPM-800F has an "in-helmet" mike that is NOT billed as noise-cancelling.

Or pop for the Baja Designs unit at 2.5x the price?

Or piece it together?

Then all I need is the time to get out riding with you guys again...

[TrophyHunter 15]

Whatever FN plugged me into for a ride worked well. No noise (well, singing occasionally) & clear transmissions. 3 minute set up in my helmet. PTT on the bars and .......

Maybe a summarized shopping list is in order. I'd have to buy everything as anything electronic built by me will not work.

I have the go ahead on this for father's day........

[paulmbowers 236]

Roger has the Pryme and it works, but in my personal opinion, I wouldn't use one. Two reasons- the connectors are less rugged than the BD and two, the mic IS TOO LOUD and over-modulates the front end.

But you do save a lot of money. It's just kind of unpleasant for those riding with you who can't understand what you're saying. All apologies to Roger, of course. And cue the we-don't-want-to-hear-you-sing comment...

Oh- this is where I bought mine- seem to have them in stock, nice folks

http://www.aaradio.com/cartfile/yaesu/VX170_a19.html

[TrophyHunter 15]

Just the base radio...$119? Or some of the other stuff too. Just lookin' for the basics here.