[Az-Geocaching] More Communications
Fred Coe
listserv@azgeocaching.com
Tue, 31 Dec 2002 16:16:02 -0700
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Greetings,
I couldn't let this thread die, particularly considering my =
occupation....
Now the Techno-babble:
CB uses either AM (like the commercial radio stations) or SSB (single =
side band-sounds kinda like Donald Duck if its not tuned correctly) on =
27 Mhz.
FRS (and GMRS) use narrowband FM (similar to the 'other' commercial =
radio stations) on 460 Mhz.
The frequencies aren't the same, the mode of modulation is not the same; =
therefore they can't talk to each other.
Range of these radios is rather speculative. It's kinda like asking how =
for can you see? Looking out the window I can see the sun at something =
close to 93 million miles away, but if I walk into the closet and shut =
the door I can't see two inches. Except during unusual periods of =
atmospheric activity (and, well, ionospheric activity) these radios are =
going to be limited to what is called line of sight, and often times =
much less. =20
Trisha mentions the use of ham radio repeaters on the 146 MHz & 440 Mhz =
(what's wrong with 50 Mhz, 222 Mhz (my favorite), & 1.2 Ghz? <grin>), =
again you have to have line of sight to the repeaters in order to use =
them, but they effectively can extend your range, in some cases to over =
many thousands of square miles if you can get a signal to the repeater. =
Cell phones are actually full duplex (gwad, more techno-babble: transmit =
and receive at the same time) repeaters, most on 800 Mhz. Again, you =
need to have line of sight to a cell site (cell tower). =20
I added all these frequencies to note that generally the higher the =
frequency, the more the radio frequency energy will be absorbed by =
things. What kind of things? Lotsa things: snow, wet vegetation, dry =
vegetation, rock, buildings, concrete, etc. Note that cell phones are at =
the highest frequency, but because of the abundance of cell sites this =
signal attenuation is not usually a major factor, until you go into the =
backcountry where fewer sites are to be found. The receiver needs a =
certain level of energy to hear the incoming signal. =20
Another factor in received signal strength is how much power you =
transmit. CB is 4 watts (or thereabouts, but its rare to find that in a =
portable radio), FRS uses 1/2 watt, cell phones use .6 watt (6/10 for =
those with eyes over 40 and miss the decimal point). Ham radio =
portables can sometimes run to the 7 or 8 watts, but the most popular is =
5 watts. Antennas figure into the equation also. Portable ham radios =
can also use for more efficient antennas effectively doubling or =
quadrupling their power.
Having gone through that discussion the question remains, "Which is best =
for emergencies?"
In my opinion nothing beats being prepared in terms of planning and =
equipment to be able to handle what is most likely to come up. But =
since we can't plan for all possibilities I recommend: 1) Cell phone =
because it takes no license and little skill, and the coverage is pretty =
fair. 2) Ham radio, excellent coverage, great flexibility, 3) FRS/CB =
are also rans. Not Rated) GMRS--cuz my experience is very limited. =20
As Trisha said getting a ham license is almost easy these days--no morse =
code, no diagrams, just some multiple guess questions. Pick up a copy =
of 'Now You're Talking' (at many Radio Shacks) or contract you're local =
ham club for more info.
When I go (when I went?) geocaching I would take my cell phone and my =
duo-band ham handi-talkie.
Actually, I hope that Bonnie and I will be able to start caching again. =
Fire season is over (I think, Bon just told be about a smoke report on =
Lemmon, but isn't there snow up there?), our house is built, the barn is =
built, we're almost unpacked. I hope we will be able to run into some =
of you on the trail.
I do have a new e-mail address: wa0rto@direcway.com
Fred
Team Boulder Creek
Ham: WA0RTO
Work Coronado-91 (Radio System Manager, Coronado NF)
Tucson, AZ
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Greetings,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I couldn't let this thread die, =
particularly=20
considering my occupation....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Now the Techno-babble:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>CB uses either AM (like the commercial =
radio=20
stations) or SSB (single side band-sounds kinda like Donald Duck if its =
not=20
tuned correctly) on 27 Mhz.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>FRS (and GMRS) use narrowband FM =
(similar to the=20
'other' commercial radio stations) on 460 Mhz.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The frequencies aren't the same, the =
mode of=20
modulation is not the same; therefore they can't talk to each=20
other.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Range of these radios is rather =
speculative. =20
It's kinda like asking how for can you see? Looking out the window =
I can=20
see the sun at something close to 93 million miles away, but if I walk =
into the=20
closet and shut the door I can't see two inches. Except during =
unusual=20
periods of atmospheric activity (and, well, ionospheric activity) these =
radios=20
are going to be limited to what is called line of sight, and often times =
much=20
less. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Trisha mentions the use of ham radio =
repeaters on=20
the 146 MHz & 440 Mhz (what's wrong with 50 Mhz, 222 Mhz (my=20
favorite), & 1.2 Ghz? <grin>), again you have to have =
line of=20
sight to the repeaters in order to use them, but they effectively can =
extend=20
your range, in some cases to over many thousands of square miles<EM> if =
you can=20
get a signal to the repeater. </EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cell phones are actually full duplex =
(gwad, more=20
techno-babble: transmit and receive at the same time) repeaters, most on =
800=20
Mhz. Again, you need to have line of sight to a cell site (cell=20
tower). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I added all these frequencies to note =
that=20
generally the higher the frequency, the more the radio frequency energy =
will be=20
absorbed by things. What kind of things? Lotsa things: snow, wet=20
vegetation, dry vegetation, rock, buildings, concrete, etc. Note that =
cell=20
phones are at the highest frequency, but because of the abundance of =
cell sites=20
this signal attenuation is not usually a major factor, until you go into =
the=20
backcountry where fewer sites are to be found. The receiver needs =
a=20
certain level of energy to hear the incoming signal. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Another factor in received signal =
strength is how=20
much power you transmit. CB is 4 watts (or thereabouts, but its =
rare to=20
find that in a portable radio), FRS uses 1/2 watt, cell phones use .6 =
watt (6/10=20
for those with eyes over 40 and miss the decimal point). Ham radio =
portables can sometimes run to the 7 or 8 watts, but the most popular is =
5=20
watts. Antennas figure into the equation also. Portable ham =
radios=20
can also use for more efficient antennas effectively doubling or =
quadrupling=20
their power.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Having gone through that discussion the =
question=20
remains, "Which is best for emergencies?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In my opinion nothing beats being =
prepared in terms=20
of planning and equipment to be able to handle what is most likely to =
come=20
up. But since we can't plan for all possibilities I recommend: 1) =
Cell=20
phone because it takes no license and little skill, and the coverage is =
pretty=20
fair. 2) Ham radio, excellent coverage, great flexibility, 3) =
FRS/CB are=20
also rans. Not Rated) GMRS--cuz my experience is very =
limited. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As Trisha said getting a ham license is =
almost easy=20
these days--no morse code, no diagrams, just some multiple guess=20
questions. Pick up a copy of 'Now You're Talking' (at many Radio =
Shacks)=20
or contract you're local ham club for more info.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When I go (when I went?) geocaching I =
would take my=20
cell phone and my duo-band ham handi-talkie.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Actually, I hope that Bonnie and I will =
be able to=20
start caching again. Fire season is over (I think, Bon just told =
be about=20
a smoke report on Lemmon, but isn't there snow up there?), our house is =
built,=20
the barn is built, we're almost unpacked. I hope we will be able =
to run=20
into some of you on the trail.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I do have a new e-mail address:=20
wa0rto@direcway.com</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Fred</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Team Boulder Creek</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Ham: WA0RTO</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Work Coronado-91 (Radio System Manager, =
Coronado=20
NF)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Tucson, AZ</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2></FONT></EM> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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