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Bruce in alaska · August 3rd 08, 07:47 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated

In article
,
wrote:

Hi,

I'm thinking about buying a handheld to take along on my offroad
motorcycle travels. I will be between Wendover, NV and Delta, UT. It
is about 120 miles of very barren territory, sand dunes, salt flats
and rocky mountains. My wife is concerned - and probably rightfully
so - that mechanical failure or a crash will leave me in the middle of
nowhere. I plan on following a known route (GPS), so if I go missing
too long folks will know where to look for me.

I have 20 years of desert riding experience, but never in an area I
couldn't walk out of (perhaps 7 miles to nearest road). So I'm
thinking she has a good point. Attempting to walk that far with
limited water might lead to a tragic situation.

I am a electrical engineer and have ordered a book off amazon, and
either way plan on taking the FCC test. Would a 5 watt handheld have
a chance of getting out a signal in this area? It is fairly close to
an Air Force proving grounds, so perhaps? My enduro motorcycle does
have 12 VDC and I could mount a smaller unit with an external antenna
but wonder if it is worth it? On this trip I would use it only for
life-threatening conditions, so perhaps a handheld can use law
enforcement repeaters???

Any thoughts on the subject from those with experience would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Eric

A "Personal Locator Beacon" would seem to fit the "Emergency Panic
Button" requirement for your trip. If you are looking for "Direct Comms",
the Ham Radio, MAY, be able to do the job, depending on the location
and elevation of the local Repeaters in the area of you transit. You
can expect 20 miles from a VHF 5 Watt Radio, which gets you to a bit
farther than the horizon, and if there is a HighSite Local Repeater,
then 75 miles would be about the limit. You will need to research,
what coverage is in the area, and don't forget HighSite Cellphone
coverage, as there maybe some of that out in that area as well.
For 100% Voice Comms, SAT based service is the only for sure option.

--
Bruce in alaska
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