What's a good Race radio you can type in Channels

[Heer_O]

To piggy back off what steveG said, know your frequencies. I've recently actually heard of FCC vehicles chasing down / on the ground monitoring of frequencies out in Lucerne. I don't know if whatever band they were monitoring had some interference with operations with the military ( even though they should be in the 2.5 or 5 range) but they were out there about a month ago. Box truck looking thing with 2 huge mast antennas and some pickups with a mast on either side of the rear of the bed. And anyone who's ever had to deal with them, knows they can severely ruin your weekend.

Or just don't stop..... F@$k em! Lol

 

[Heer_O]

Interesting.....

I've been meaning to get my HAM License just to get more informed on the whole topic.

This checks out though. Never really thought about it from an emergency standpoint. I know we have been way in the middle of nowhere and picked up mining companies, or cruising through the middle of LA picked up schools or stores a few times...

For something like KOH for me is about listening in.....

Where would one find that frequency info, for certain areas?

Can shed some light for us simpletons. About radio wattage/ ranges / Antenna?

Any and all info to help us become more informed would be appreciated!

E

Most ( not all) emergency frequencies are now up in the 800 range. And with counties being required to make the move to 800 and with digital and P25 crap, it's not too likely you will step on any Police / Fire/ EMS in the VHF band. Not saying it isn't POSSIBLE, just not all that likely anymore. Big thing is make sure whatever radio you use, youre transmitting in Narrow Band. A lot of people were running wide band because when the requirements for narrow band came in, folks were buying radios off eBay for cheap and not knowing because people were selling them due to them being obsolete. Not too much of an issue now but it was in the past.

 

[SteveG]

Most ( not all) emergency frequencies are now up in the 800 range. And with counties being required to make the move to 800 and with digital and P25 crap, it's not too likely you will step on any Police / Fire/ EMS in the VHF band. Not saying it isn't POSSIBLE, just not all that likely anymore. Big thing is make sure whatever radio you use, youre transmitting in Narrow Band. A lot of people were running wide band because when the requirements for narrow band came in, folks were buying radios off eBay for cheap and not knowing because people were selling them due to them being obsolete. Not too much of an issue now but it was in the past.

We sell VHF radios to fire departments pretty regularly.

 

[SteveG]

thanks steve-g for popping on here and posting. you guys helped me at a taco stand checking out mt antenna in baja over tacos and beers.

I remember, brother! Hope to see you in Baja again soon

 

[Heer_O]

We sell VHF radios to fire departments pretty regularly.

Most all down here OC/LA/Riverside are UHF or 8/900. All of OC is now on that P25 smartnet set up.. And like I said, MOST, not ALL. There are a few LA Agencies that are still on VHF, but it's very few. Some ambulance transport companies are also on VHF. Again, nothing that will interfere out in the desert.

If anyone is unsure, just check out radioreference.com and see what you're using based on where you're located / intend to use it.

 

[SteveG]

Most all down here OC/LA/Riverside are UHF or 8/900. All of OC is now on that P25 smartnet set up.. And like I said, MOST, not ALL. There are a few LA Agencies that are still on VHF, but it's very few. Some ambulance transport companies are also on VHF. Again, nothing that will interfere out in the desert.

If anyone is unsure, just check out radioreference.com and see what you're using based on where you're located / intend to use it.

The ambulance service that was working KOH last year was on VHF.

 

[Heer_O]

Ok guy, you win. Obviously the word MOST seems to be lost in translation.

 

[85Yota]

KOH also isn't in OC/LA/Riverside. It's up here in the sticks

 

[the_fablab_]

I really like my Kenwood radio. I've had it for 10+ years, inexpensive, 55w, easy to mod. It's the same radio Elliott has in his Tacoma. You can find them cheap on ebay last time I checked.

 

[85Yota]

I just got the Kenwood radio from an eBay purchase on Friday. Gonna mod it and hook it up this week. Thanks for the input I remembered it was a Kenwood but that was all.

 

[Cleandezert]

we need to set up a radio tuning day. I would love to know if my set up is anywhere near right. lol

 

[85Yota]

Ok the radio I got from Ebay doesn't actually power on with hooked up to battery. Contacted seller to try for a refund so we shall see.

I found this website that lists the TM 281A for cheap. Pretty sure it's a scam since lots of items are listed for same price. $47.59

Kenwood TM 281A 144MHz FM Transceiver – Lannywitch

lannywitch.com

 

[DesertGoat]

I'm going to ask an ignorant question on purpose but with good intentions...

What's the problem with tripping over a radio of an emergency service?
The obvious answer that I've had in my head is that if you're transmitting on it that means the emergency personnel cant be transmitting and you could slow down a rescue. And that's obviously a good enough answer for me.

But say you're just listening & not transmitting - is that innocuous as well or is could that also cause troubles i'm not aware of?
bandwidth, lower range for others, some other smoke-wizardry?

 

[Tomaslav90]

I'm going to ask an ignorant question on purpose but with good intentions...

What's the problem with tripping over a radio of an emergency service?
The obvious answer that I've had in my head is that if you're transmitting on it that means the emergency personnel cant be transmitting and you could slow down a rescue. And that's obviously a good enough answer for me.

But say you're just listening & not transmitting - is that innocuous as well or is could that also cause troubles i'm not aware of?
bandwidth, lower range for others, some other smoke-wizardry?

Its completely legal to listen to emergency frequencies. You can find most department's frequencies with a little google-fu.

The problem is exactly what you said. Interfearing and potentially delaying a rescue or responce to an incident.

 

[charlie brown]

Its completely legal to listen to emergency frequencies. You can find most department's frequencies with a little google-fu.

The problem is exactly what you said. Interfearing and potentially delaying a rescue or responce to an incident.

and no one ever has a stuck mic.......right?

 

[84projectFORD]

last i knew, all emergency radios had tones in them so you couldnt transmit on their frequency if you wanted to? same with their repeaters? this is what i was told by our radio guy out here that works for DPS and manages all the state repeaters in northern az

 

[Tomaslav90]

and no one ever has a stuck mic.......right?

Stock radios have those frequencies locked out for transmitting. Annoyingly, the race frequencies that Rugged and everyone else uses are in those ranges as well.

The MARS mod that was mentioned above is what unlocks everything on the radio. You get access to everything, but just have to be a little more careful

 

[Tomaslav90]

last i knew, all emergency radios had tones in them so you couldnt transmit on their frequency if you wanted to? same with their repeaters? this is what i was told by our radio guy out here that works for DPS and manages all the state repeaters in northern az

More than likely the case. I've never personally tried transmitting on them. I wouldnt be surprised if most agencies are moving more towards the digital / encripted radios now.

 

[Heer_O]

Kenwood Tk-790s are good radios. I have one I just need to have the intercom mod done to it and I'm gonna me changing up some things in my truck. Previously had a TK-730. Good radio, never had an issue with it. Just wasnt a fan of the phone jack mic cord. Kept breaking the damn clips off. Currently running a Motorola MCS2000 110 watt. I use Motorola at work and haven't ever had an issue with it. only down side is the support for Motorola is lacking. Ordered a few things from one of the big name shops, took em a few tries to get it right. Now I'm having issues with some other products of theirs I've bought and am thinking about taking my business elsewhere. It's a shame because I would sing their praises previously. Now, not so much. But I digress....
Most Public Safety Agencies / Emergency have PL tones and various other frequency setting that you cant access the repeater or actually transmit to where the emergency service will hear it. But it WILL cause static and interference if they're trying to transmit at the same time. Most agencies have a "kill" function through their various dispatch, but that's usually only for transceivers that are programmed through them ( ie bad hand mic in a patrol car that is stuck open) the dispatch can "kill" it each time it transmits due to the programmed ID that's assigned to each radio.

For example, I can use my ping pang handheld radio and listen to my "work frequency". I can't transmit anything on that frequency that can be heard by dispatch. But anyone else monitoring that frequency can hear it, just can't access the repeater even if both frequencies are programmed in.

So yes, it's perfectly fine to listen to any public emergency/rescue etc etc frequency.... Transmitting on them may / can cause interference. Having a stuck mic on that frequency could have devastating unintentional affects.

But have no fear, I'm sure someone on this thread will come in and tell me where and how I'm wrong.

 

[Heer_O]

More than likely the case. I've never personally tried transmitting on them. I wouldnt be surprised if most agencies are moving more towards the digital / encripted radios now.

With most (not all) cell phones now moving out of 8/900 digital and moving into 12/1400 band many public safety are moving into 8/900 and talk groups to where a bunch of entitys (think Police, fire, animal control, public works) can all be on the same frequency and talk within their specific talk groups. That and the P25 smartnet crap is kind of neat. But that means that most are moving out of VHF band which can free up some space.

And like I've said before on this thread, MOST doesn't mean ALL. Don't need folks getting all up in a tiffy because their uncle daddy has an auntie momma and she runs a taxi / animal control/ AmBuLance company two days a month and it's whole operation runs on 1 frequency smack dab in the middle of the VHF band.