British Columbia flatfender adventure for 2016

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Wow!, that looks really cool Chuck.

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Your Canadian Forests look cold and wet while the SD Forests are hot and dry. We have pines and White Spruce. You have Spruce and many kinds of Fir trees. Lots of moss in your trees. Mistle toe etc. The change in scenery will be great. Adventure. I'll be glad to just be a tourist. Oilly

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It's not too far above where we were that there is still snow! The elevation there is around 5000ft. The ATV's are using that trail. It crosses over to Keffer lake. that shot looking up the creek doesn't look too steep, but is probably 30* to 35* and fairly rough. Just before you get to that spot, you go through some brush that will give you some Texas pin stripping! We're not sure if the people coming want to try that rough of a trail. Right close to there we found a tree with a big hole cut in it, Looked like a geo-cache. Getting close John!! And getting excited!

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Cool!!!!!! Those look like Western Red Cedar. Texas pin striping! Love it. I can handle it. Oilly

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Watch out for that missletoe, causes problems!

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Good eye Sir Leaker, cedar she be! There's a fair amount of cedar here. There are some old stumps probably as much as 6ft across around here. When they first logged, they only took large trees, but now anything goes!!

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That's what I call a Cedar Chest Mr Chuckie. Did you want me to bring radios to talk on this meet? Oilly

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You can if you like. I'm running CB, but have trouble understanding what comes out. LOL Scouted another winner yesterday, but the worst of the worst happened. The jeep just quite a little past the half way mark and had to be towed home! Lucky we only had one short hill to climb, and the rest of the way was downhill. Worst of all, I was towed by a Susuki! Just heading out to check the beast out. No spark, believe it is condenser. Thought I had one with me, but when I looked in the toolbox, it was conspicuous by it's absence!! Will report later

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I'm getting the Baofeng before I come up. It has the ability to talk on two frequencies for each numbered channel. For example on 3, I can transmit on the FRS frequencies by choosing A, and on B Use the CB frequency. I have to look up these frequencies, enter them on to a disc on the computer, and then download them into the radio's chip. I hope I can figure it out. You also can choose 1, 4, and 8 watts of power. Not sure what a CB has for power output. Bugsey is ready except for a new shift guide plate and rivets which installs on the bottom of the shifter tower. That's all on the way. Ready to come North to cooler weather so I can drink HBR's. You do have these to offer, right? I may have to bring the mix Carol made. Does Canada have any Rum? Oilly

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We have rum by gum!! All price ranges. I think CB runs at 5 watts. And weather is around the 90*F right now!!

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A cb runs at 4 watts.... legally....

But to be the party pooper..... the flaw in the slaw is..... a cb is a AM radio in the 27 MHz range (11 meter)...... A baofeng is a FM radio whose lowest operating frequency is 144 MHz band (2 meter)

Good idea, though....

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Thanks Professor. That means no CB. I haven't got my radio and instruction book yet. I already have two Cobra FM Walkie talkies that work great. Just won't reach out as far as a Baofeng. I may have to loan one to Chuckie so he can warn which bar is good or bad. You know, the important stuff. Oilly

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I like a cb personally....

But I had to do a little extra work and seek the advice of radio guru Sir Rudy to get it to perform half way decent......

But the preformance of the little FRS/GMRS radios have impressed me, (even the little bubble pack ones) but being strictly line-of-sight can be a problem.

I was reading that the FCC was considering dropping the GMRS license requirement, because of all the people with the bubble pack radios...... But I don't see it happening..

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Jun 29, 2016 18:06:24 GMT -5 @gmcjr said:

I was reading that the FCC was considering dropping the GMRS license requirement, because of all the people with the bubble pack radios...... But I don't see it happening..

What! that would be decreasing government!, what would the radio police move on to ?

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And, back to the trail rides, yesterday took us to cottonwood creek.

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All those pictures of Canada and not one Mountie.... What the hells going one here?

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Mounties are out policing up the non-licensed Baofeng radios!

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And here are the girls having lunch with Nelson mountain in the background.





















Don't you see my avatar?? Mounties don't wear that uniform anyway. It's only used for Dress functions.

[Haines Garage]

Fantastic !!!! Beautiful Places! Don't forget my scarf. I need to have one.

[rudycon]

I have typed up a big ol' message about frs/gmrs, but I didn't post it.

Here is the skinny edition:

In Canada, the commonly used (cobra Motorola) channel #s to frequency maps are the same as USA, but max power is different on GMRS.. .5 for FRS and 2 watts for GMRS in Canada.
Avoid using channel 1 in Canada. That is the emergency hailing channel in Canada. (Like good ol' USA CB #9.)

I don't know what enforcement or penalties are in place in Canada for violations.


There are no Baofeng radios that will cover USA citizen's band (CB) 27 Megahertz (MHz) AND FRS/GMRS UHF 460 MHz frequencies.

From here on out is probably more than you want to know.


There are no Baofeng commercial (FCC part 90) radios that can be legally used on the FRS and GMRS frequencies in the United States.
Because
FRS/GMRS radios need to be type accepted by the FCC to comply with Part95. Sub part A for GMRS and subpart B for FRS.

Will the baofeng Radios work? Yes. You are on your own to decide if you want to use them. I don't care either way. I want you to make your own decisions. I just want to make sure you have the knowledge, tools to make an informed descision. It is kind of like removing your catalytic converter.

FRS vs. GMRS.

In USA FRS is free. GMRS license will cost you $80 for 5 years and it covers your immediate family.
FRS is .5 watts. GMRS is 5 watts or even 50 watts.
There are some FRS/GMRS channels that share a frequency.
FRS 1-7 matches up with GMRS 9-15!
That's why I love it when you guys use channels 1-7. I get to run 5 watts on my FCC type approved radio with our GMRS license, call sign WQLP887, and still talk to you guys running legal on FRS.

Do I have a problem with baofeng? Nope. Unbelievalbe features/$.
The lapel speaker-mics do universally suck if you ask me. Just throw it away.
My wife, KD0FDN, has a baofeng that she uses for part 97 (ham radio) portable communications. The baofeng can be programmed using the front panel after you read the "Chingrish" manual a few times, but the free CHIRP software and a somewhat cantankerous USB programming cable makes it easy. The USB cables can be a pain because most use a Chinese knock-off FTDI chip that doesn't work quite right.


Here is a great reference for frequencies and power limits:

wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS/GMRS_combined_channel_chart

How do I get my radio to work better?

#1 is antenna height. Most important factor. Get the antenna out of and away from metal. A Koenig aluminum hardtop will kill your handheld radio's ability to communicate.

What about power? In marginal conditions, it can make a difference, but way less than you might think. Figure you will need 10x the power to double your range. (.5 watts on FRS vs 5 watts on GMRS)
The signal strength difference between 5 watts and 8 watts is .15 "S" units on most signal strength meters.
Examples of power to distance, I regularly talk to Cheyenne Wyoming from my house 100 miles away on vhf (also line of sight) At 20 watts.
The voyager I spacecraft has a 23 watt transmitter. Good enough to get back to earth over 7 BILLION miles away! All about antenna height!

What can you do within the constraints of driving a Willys?
Hold your antenna vertically about 6-12" in front of your face and speak slowly.

Sorry so long. Important stuff is at the top.

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Rudycon, I think you just burned out a couple of fuses with all that stuff. Woah. I still haven't figured out smoke signals yet. Thanks for the frequency chart. I'll stay off 1 and 9 . Had my butt chewed on # 9 while out on Grand lake in a boat once. So, I should just download channel frequencies for 1-22? stay on a 4 watt setting? Anything else? If I stay on FRS, do I need a licence with the baofeng? Or drop to 1 watt? Don't ever use 8 watt? What is best? Oilly

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Chuckie, I don't see any Cottonwood Trees in your picture? Looks more like Spruce/Fir creek to me. Oilly

[rudycon]

Oil leaker:

Avoid 1 on the new little FRS/GMRS radios while you are in Canada.
Avoid 9 on the USA Big ol' CB radios.

Program 1-22 on your baofeng. Set the max power on the shared and strictly GMRS frequencies to 2 watts if you can. At least you'll be compliant with your transmissions even if your gear doesn't have the right sticker on it for use in Canada.

Back in the USA, you can set the GMRS frequencies back up to 5 watts.

When radio shopping, understand that the extra 3 watts of an 8 watt radio isn't going to make much difference in actual use. You decide if it is worth the extra money.

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Is FRS channel 9 not the emergency channel? Only CB? Oilly

[rudycon]

Jun 30, 2016 17:40:50 GMT -5 @oilleaker1 said:

Is FRS channel 9 not the emergency channel? Only CB? Oilly

USA CB and the FRS/GMRS radios are WAY far apart in frequency. kinda like gasoline engines and diesel engines. Both engines, but they can't use the same fuel.

USA CB radio emergency is #9.
Canada FRS/GMRS emergency is #1. USA Unofficial FRS/GMRS traveler assistance/emergency channel is #20.


Hope this helps!