Here's my new com setup

[izzyscout21]

So, in planning for all things to go south, or just for emergency communications, I set myself and my "group" up with mobile coms.

I purchased 4 Motorola Radius P110's and 12 Motorola SAber 2's.

The P110's are UHF band, business class radios and will provide good coms in urban envvironments and just good general use radios. I have hand mic's, throat mics, and headsets for all of them. I was also able to score some Eagle Industries Radio pouches made specifically for this radio.

The Saber 2's are programed with both HAM freq's and MURS channels. This gives me some good versatility in their use, and the ability to reach out farther than the 110's. They are VHF band, so they will be perfect for use around here. Extra mics and headsets are on order. I've already tested these out to around 13-15 miles, resulting in crystal clear coms.

I figure both sets of radios will provide ample communication capabilities for myself and the rest of the team. I still want to get a base station HAM setup, but baby steps.

What do you guys think?

[bacpacker]

Sounds like a flexible, useable, set up. I've never used either of those, but the look like they should do you well.

[LUNCHBOX]

Speaking of group related emergencies. Do you happen to have any channels designated? Hint--Hint.

We might need to discuss that.

[izzyscout21]

HAM preset channel 1 for now. It's a simplex freq, no repeater for now.

I'll get everyone that has one a channel breakdown, just for reference. But you wont need it unless you give the freq to someone. Everthing is preset in the Saber

[Stormfeather]

HAM preset channel 1 for now. It's a simplex freq, no repeater for now.

I'll get everyone that has one a channel breakdown, just for reference. But you wont need it unless you give the freq to someone. Everthing is preset in the Saber

How hard would it be to put a repeater up in my area, and would this be of any benefit if we did?

[izzyscout21]

How hard would it be to put a repeater up in my area, and would this be of any benefit if we did?

for that question, I would refer you to bacpacker. He's my RTO and subject matter expert on all things radio.

[bacpacker]

Stormy ham repeaters are typically used on high band VHF(144-148mhz) and UHF(440-446mhz). In some cases they are uded on low band VHF(50-54mhz) and even less frequently on 10M(28mhz.
In all cases I know of they are for shorter range comms. For example our most wide area local repeater cover a large portion of TN from Chattanooga to about Greenville and west to about Crossville. However it has been coordinated not to interfere with other surrounding repeaters on that freq. It is on a mountian top at 4000+ft elevation and is running 50-100 watts using commercial grade antennas. A typical repeater set up would cover maybe 40-50 miles. In your area being somewhat flat unless you could get your antenna up on a cell tower, water tower, or tall building your coverage would probably be. More like 30-50 miles.
I have never used a 10m repeater, so I will not comment on those . If you want i can do a little research on them.
I hope this was somewhat useful.

[austinrob]

4000' damn that's nice.

Best we can do in central TX is 1680' tower just NE of Ft. Hood. it's local county EOC repeater and covers a good chunk of central TX. (K5EHX Amateur Radio Repeater Mapping) I can't hit it from here with my 5W HT, but I have a mobile rig in my future.

[Stormfeather]

Stormy ham repeaters are typically used on high band VHF(144-148mhz) and UHF(440-446mhz). In some cases they are uded on low band VHF(50-54mhz) and even less frequently on 10M(28mhz.
In all cases I know of they are for shorter range comms. For example our most wide area local repeater cover a large portion of TN from Chattanooga to about Greenville and west to about Crossville. However it has been coordinated not to interfere with other surrounding repeaters on that freq. It is on a mountian top at 4000+ft elevation and is running 50-100 watts using commercial grade antennas. A typical repeater set up would cover maybe 40-50 miles. In your area being somewhat flat unless you could get your antenna up on a cell tower, water tower, or tall building your coverage would probably be. More like 30-50 miles.
I have never used a 10m repeater, so I will not comment on those . If you want i can do a little research on them.
I hope this was somewhat useful.

So, with this knowledge, im assuming that installing a repeater in my AO would not be beneficial in reaching down south to you guys there? Unless possibly its a 100w or better repeater? Ive got access to hilltops that are pretty high in the region, and have always wanted to get more into, but lacking time is always a main factor it seems! Now, I had friends out in Calif that would reach several hundred miles with their setups, but from what I understood, they had multiple repeaters. I only got to look at their setup once before I got stationed out in Wisconsin, so wasnt too familiar with it.

Mad Genius! I like that. The Mad part is accurate, the genius part, not so much. You gotta remember, I ain't hardly responsible for myself, let alone anything else.

This is like me. . . can hardly be responsible for myself, much less others. That being said, anyone want to try out this new thermobaric explosive I cooked up on my George Foreman Grill out in the garage?

[bacpacker]

for that question, I would refer you to bacpacker. He's my RTO and subject matter expert on all things radio.

Izzy, you shouldn't blow so much smoke bout me. I don't qualify for SME on anything. I just try and stumble along and not step on myself too much.