More coverage than a portable CB radio?

Forget CB, even if you have someone at camp with a CB, unless it's a clear
line-of sight shot. I no longer depend upon CB or ham radio on the Interstate
highways. I carry a cellphoneat all times.

Bill, K5BY

Bill [K5BY],

AGREED: The 'utility' of the Celfone for the average person on the
road is so much more then a CB or Amateur radio as far as getting
ones personal business done or to Get Help during an Emergency [.]

ttbk ~ RHF
= = = The Truth Be Known.

I ride dirt bikes in never never land and have both a cell phone to call for
the care flight and a Motorola TalkAbout to call my buddies when lost. I
used the TalkAbout quite a bit when we get separated to say "Meet me back
here".
You could also carry a signal mirror, flares and matches to start the tires
for smoke effect.

"Bob" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I recently suffered a back injury while mountain biking in the
woods,fortunately we had a cell phone and were able to call 911 for
medical help. Now that I am home and recuperating, I have been
wondering what cell phone alternatives are available for use in remote
areas where you may not have a cell signal. I have been looking at the
fRS/gmrs radios and see that some are now "boasting" 10 mile ranges,
however I realize this is optimal clear line of sight conditions which
is rarely the case. My other thought is to get a technicians class ham
license and possibly purchase a small hand held radio to carry with
me. I have seen some really small units from Alinco listed in the
Monitoring Times Magazine, would this be a more practical solution? I
really don't know what type of radios and range you are allowed to
work on a tech license and as I am thinking of using this for
emergency use I would like to hear your suggestions.

Thanks in Advance


Bob

Jim:
After you use the Cell phone, to call for help
How much does the " Care Flight " Cost ?

A freind was out in the wilds preparing to SCUBA dive, slipped & broke his leg.
Dive insurance wouln't cover it; Not a Dive related accident. . Major Pain..

Speaking of Major Pain, did some research..
You can (apparantly) take Up TO 800 Mg Ibuprofen ONCE
for pain until you get to a hospital.

( Not a doctor here, proceed at your own risk)

Dan


In article Vc0Lb.88069$xX.606485@attbi_s02, "Jim Douglas"
writes:


I ride dirt bikes in never never land and have both a cell phone to call for
the care flight and a Motorola TalkAbout to call my buddies when lost. I
used the TalkAbout quite a bit when we get separated to say "Meet me back
here".
You could also carry a signal mirror, flares and matches to start the tires
for smoke effect.

"CW" wrote in
:

"Those who beat their weapons into plows will plow for those who do
not." I suspect the same will, for some people, be said of "those that
traded their Ham Radios for cell phones will be relying on those that
didn't" Can you say local disaster with extended power loss to the
towers?

For as much of the country that seems to be covered for cell use, and for
the areas that most people travel, there are indeed remote areas or areas
not adequately covered. I'll hedge my bet by having both a HAM radio and
cell phone.

Same with the shortwave broadcasters giving up the ghost in favor of the
internet and doing internet "radio". I do much of my listening with
portable radios, I can't see being encumbered with a piece of magnificent
technology that needs to be tied to something else in order for me to
hear the show i.e. a phone line or cordless network.

Too much high technology, too little assured reliability.

We have two 3000 HP electric motors at work that are controlled by
variable frequency drives. Nice, when they work. Finicky otherwise. The
same motor did the same job for years without the VFD, no problems. More
technology, more problems.

Regards.



It would depend on where you are at. If you are in hilly country and
you are not right on the top of a tall hill, don't count on a portable
CB to have more than 1 to 2 miles range, if that.

--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

It would be ideal if he would haul a trailer everywhere he went with
generators , portable antennas and a 10,000 watt all band transmitting
station. He also needs to pack his portable bomb shelter and years worth of
food and water. Never know when World War 3 is going to break out. Also
needs to practice up on his Morse code so that, on the plane ride to his
hiking destination, if a meteorite hits the plane, causing it to crash on a
remote desert island and the emergency beacons are out, he can build a CW
transmitter from the wreckage so he can give his exact location to any
rescuers. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the course in navigation he needs to
take so he will know what his location is and the electronics course he
needs to take so he will be able to build that transmitter. This assumes, of
course, that he has already taken the survival and fisrt aid course.
"Soliloquy" wrote in message
4...
"CW" wrote in
:

"Those who beat their weapons into plows will plow for those who do
not." I suspect the same will, for some people, be said of "those that
traded their Ham Radios for cell phones will be relying on those that
didn't" Can you say local disaster with extended power loss to the
towers?

For as much of the country that seems to be covered for cell use, and for
the areas that most people travel, there are indeed remote areas or areas
not adequately covered. I'll hedge my bet by having both a HAM radio and
cell phone.

Same with the shortwave broadcasters giving up the ghost in favor of the
internet and doing internet "radio". I do much of my listening with
portable radios, I can't see being encumbered with a piece of magnificent
technology that needs to be tied to something else in order for me to
hear the show i.e. a phone line or cordless network.

Too much high technology, too little assured reliability.

We have two 3000 HP electric motors at work that are controlled by
variable frequency drives. Nice, when they work. Finicky otherwise. The
same motor did the same job for years without the VFD, no problems. More
technology, more problems.

Regards.



It would depend on where you are at. If you are in hilly country and
you are not right on the top of a tall hill, don't count on a portable
CB to have more than 1 to 2 miles range, if that.

--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.