Is there such a thing as a portable, affordable, two-way radio system
with 10 mile coverage or better?

What about something that is slightly secure?

Here's the need that is driving this:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.

BTW, I don't know much about HAM radio, so please forgive my
ignorance.

Secure -- Well anytime you put something on the airways -- others can
tune in --- many with scanners hear all

Ham radio would require all parties to have a Ham License - don't think this
would work for you.
But all about obtaining a Ham Ticket at URL:
http://www.arrl.org/hamradio.html

The So Called "Personal Radio Services" are summarized at URL:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall...54/radio2.html

Only thing that comes to mind is GMRS -- see URL:
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/per...generalmobile/
Pricey and you might have to build a repeater to get the range you want.
--
73 From the Spurious Noise ';';;';x":.,";"'

"Google Mike" wrote in message
om...
Is there such a thing as a portable, affordable, two-way radio system
with 10 mile coverage or better?

What about something that is slightly secure?

Here's the need that is driving this:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.

BTW, I don't know much about HAM radio, so please forgive my
ignorance.

Secure -- Well anytime you put something on the airways -- others can
tune in --- many with scanners hear all

Ham radio would require all parties to have a Ham License - don't think this
would work for you.
But all about obtaining a Ham Ticket at URL:
http://www.arrl.org/hamradio.html

The So Called "Personal Radio Services" are summarized at URL:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall...54/radio2.html

Only thing that comes to mind is GMRS -- see URL:
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/per...generalmobile/
Pricey and you might have to build a repeater to get the range you want.
--
73 From the Spurious Noise ';';;';x":.,";"'

"Google Mike" wrote in message
om...
Is there such a thing as a portable, affordable, two-way radio system
with 10 mile coverage or better?

What about something that is slightly secure?

Here's the need that is driving this:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.

BTW, I don't know much about HAM radio, so please forgive my
ignorance.

On 29 Sep 2003 09:20:32 -0700, Google Mike wrote:
Is there such a thing as a portable, affordable, two-way radio system
with 10 mile coverage or better?

What about something that is slightly secure?


- nuh uh! not according to the FCC! one cannot obscure the meaning of
a message (IIRC, the only exception is satellite control?)

Here's the need that is driving this:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.

mike - get everyone licensed! study one day, then put the family in the
car, go to the local VEC test, get 26 questions out of 35 multiple-choice
questions correct, then go to Denny's and celebrate! a couple days later
everyone's license will appear in the FCC's ULS and you can set up a base
station and 2M comms in each car! doesn't have to cost a whole lot, either!

BTW, I don't know much about HAM radio, so please forgive my
ignorance.

wrote:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.

Get a CB radio.

mike - get everyone licensed! study one day, then put the family in the
car, go to the local VEC test, get 26 questions out of 35 multiple-choice
questions correct, then go to Denny's and celebrate! a couple days later
everyone's license will appear in the FCC's ULS and you can set up a base
station and 2M comms in each car! doesn't have to cost a whole lot, either!

Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.


73 ... WA7AA


--

Anti-spam measu look me up on qrz.com if you need to reply directly

Zoran Brlecic wrote:
wrote:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.


Get a CB radio.

mike - get everyone licensed! study one day, then put the family in the
car, go to the local VEC test, get 26 questions out of 35 multiple-choice
questions correct, then go to Denny's and celebrate! a couple days later
everyone's license will appear in the FCC's ULS and you can set up a base
station and 2M comms in each car! doesn't have to cost a whole lot,
either!


Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.


73 ... WA7AA



And we wonder why ham radio is not growing. With sweet-talkers like
you on the welcoming committee...

Excuse me while I get back to my technological, dxing and emergency
services work.
mike

--
Bunch of stuff For Sale and Wanted at the link below.
laptops and parts Test Equipment
4in/400Wout ham linear amp.
Honda CB-125S
400cc Dirt Bike 2003 miles $550
Police Scanner, Color LCD overhead projector
Tek 2465 $800, ham radio, 30pS pulser
Tektronix Concept Books, spot welding head...
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Monitor/4710/

mike wrote:

Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.

And we wonder why ham radio is not growing. With sweet-talkers like
you on the welcoming committee...

What is our goal? To preserve amateur radio for all the ideas that it
was originally established, enhanced with contemporary technological
features? Or is it growth at all cost?

If it is the latter, then why even bother with testing - let's simply
give away licenses on the street corner.

Excuse me while I get back to my technological, dxing and emergency
services work.

I entered amateur radio for the love of the hobby/service itself, for
experimenting, contesting and dxing. So did a majority of my ham radio
friends and acquaintances.

You, otoh, feel that ham radio can benefit from people who want to use
it only to talk to their grandmother and order a pizza.

As I said - there's already a perfect band for this and it's called CB.

73 .... WA7AA


--

Anti-spam measu look me up on qrz.com if you need to reply directly

Zoran Brlecic wrote:
mike wrote:

Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.


And we wonder why ham radio is not growing. With sweet-talkers like
you on the welcoming committee...


What is our goal? To preserve amateur radio for all the ideas that it
was originally established, enhanced with contemporary technological
features? Or is it growth at all cost?

If it is the latter, then why even bother with testing - let's simply
give away licenses on the street corner.

Excuse me while I get back to my technological, dxing and emergency
services work.


I entered amateur radio for the love of the hobby/service itself, for
experimenting, contesting and dxing. So did a majority of my ham radio
friends and acquaintances.

You, otoh, feel that ham radio can benefit from people who want to use
it only to talk to their grandmother and order a pizza.


Thank you very much for telling me what _I_ feel. I'll put you on my
speed dial so you'll be close at hand next time I think I might want
a feeling.

It's not my place to tell people how or why to use ham radio. As long
as they do it within the rules published by the FCC (NOT what YOU
think the rules should be), more power to them.

There's no question on the test that weeds out those who are obnoxious!!
Maybe there should be...
'nuff said!
mike


As I said - there's already a perfect band for this and it's called CB.

73 .... WA7AA



--
Bunch of stuff For Sale and Wanted at the link below.
laptops and parts Test Equipment
4in/400Wout ham linear amp.
Honda CB-125S
400cc Dirt Bike 2003 miles $550
Police Scanner, Color LCD overhead projector
Tek 2465 $800, ham radio, 30pS pulser
Tektronix Concept Books, spot welding head...
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Monitor/4710/

Zoran Brlecic wrote:
mike wrote:

Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.


And we wonder why ham radio is not growing. With sweet-talkers like
you on the welcoming committee...


What is our goal? To preserve amateur radio for all the ideas that it
was originally established, enhanced with contemporary technological
features? Or is it growth at all cost?

If it is the latter, then why even bother with testing - let's simply
give away licenses on the street corner.

Excuse me while I get back to my technological, dxing and emergency
services work.


I entered amateur radio for the love of the hobby/service itself, for
experimenting, contesting and dxing. So did a majority of my ham radio
friends and acquaintances.

You, otoh, feel that ham radio can benefit from people who want to use
it only to talk to their grandmother and order a pizza.


Thank you very much for telling me what _I_ feel. I'll put you on my
speed dial so you'll be close at hand next time I think I might want
a feeling.

It's not my place to tell people how or why to use ham radio. As long
as they do it within the rules published by the FCC (NOT what YOU
think the rules should be), more power to them.

There's no question on the test that weeds out those who are obnoxious!!
Maybe there should be...
'nuff said!
mike


As I said - there's already a perfect band for this and it's called CB.

73 .... WA7AA



--
Bunch of stuff For Sale and Wanted at the link below.
laptops and parts Test Equipment
4in/400Wout ham linear amp.
Honda CB-125S
400cc Dirt Bike 2003 miles $550
Police Scanner, Color LCD overhead projector
Tek 2465 $800, ham radio, 30pS pulser
Tektronix Concept Books, spot welding head...
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Monitor/4710/

mike wrote:

Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.

And we wonder why ham radio is not growing. With sweet-talkers like
you on the welcoming committee...

What is our goal? To preserve amateur radio for all the ideas that it
was originally established, enhanced with contemporary technological
features? Or is it growth at all cost?

If it is the latter, then why even bother with testing - let's simply
give away licenses on the street corner.

Excuse me while I get back to my technological, dxing and emergency
services work.

I entered amateur radio for the love of the hobby/service itself, for
experimenting, contesting and dxing. So did a majority of my ham radio
friends and acquaintances.

You, otoh, feel that ham radio can benefit from people who want to use
it only to talk to their grandmother and order a pizza.

As I said - there's already a perfect band for this and it's called CB.

73 .... WA7AA


--

Anti-spam measu look me up on qrz.com if you need to reply directly