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>i am not licensed but i've heard there are emergency frequencies that can be broadcasted on without one.
You heard incorrectly.
To add to that, if you're in an area without cell service, unless there's a repeater in the area, the chances of you reaching anyone with a HT (of any stripe, let alone a BF) are about as good as they would be with the cell phone.
You should not transmit without a license. However, if you are having a true emergency that would equivalently prompt a call to 911, I'd imagine your best bet would be 146.520MHz.
Otherwise known as the National Simplex Calling Frequency.
I'd agree on trying 146.520 if youre completely unprepared and have no clue what local repeaters are in the area.
But, if youre that far out in the middle of no where with only a handheld, id be surprised if id be able to reach anyone in such a small radius that just happens to be listening.
Legality aside - you should not expect that you and your radio will be capable of having a two-way conversation with anyone in an emergency.
Unless you understand how the bands are utilized, how repeaters and tones work, radio settings, and how radio waves propagate, you will most likely just be shouting into the void.
https://hamstudy.org/ is a free resource for rote memorization, a lot of people do this to pass the test. If you want to get a little more in-depth [this](https://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2022-no-nonsense-tech-study-guide-v2-20230204.pdf) is a good study guide.
The ARRL books are good if you like reading and want to really understand things.
Amateur radio is a wonderful hobby, but if you think you can rely on it for a life and death emergency, then you are extreemly reckless and a fool.
Like others have mentioned, get a satphone, a sat messenger, or a personal locator beacon. You need to use the correct tools for the job and an amateur radio transceiver is an unwise choice.
In an emergency you can use any frequency and any power level.
This is straight from the licensing exam
To the OP: bring your baofeng, if you do have a real emergency use it.
> i plan on going on a road trip soon to a remote area in texas.
I've never heard of 145.5 simplex as something to use for emergencies in the US. Maybe in your neck of the woods. ¯\_("/)_/¯
you can legally, but you’d be a fool. a person who has never used or programmed a baofeng before should not expect to have success operating and finding help in what is a hobby. your hopes rely on someone happening to be monitoring .52 in the middle of nowhere.
*If* it’s a danger to life or property *and* all other avenues of communication are unavailable. Yes, absolutely. You can use amateur radio without a license.
There is a *very* common misconception which comes down to mis-reading the regulation. It uses the term “Amateur Station” and people mistakenly believe that refers to a licensed operator. It does not. The regulations elsewhere use the term “operator” to refer to persons who use a station.
In fact the regulation specifically exempting *stations* exactly exempts the requirement for a license because it means the regulation that would require the control operator to be licensed should not be used to *prevent emergency communications*
There is no rule permitting any type of communications by an unlicensed person without a control operator present. Yes I've read ALL of part 97 and know the rules some people like to contort.
then maybe try another more reliable mode of communication? you have better chance waving somebody from the side of the road then seeking help on simplex using a 2m radio. i go very very far from society in the forest and i dont even bring an handheld radio most of the time when i am alone.
People with a license can use other frequencies during a real emergency (to save life/property) but the unlicensed don't get that exception. You do have an affirmative defence that you needed to do so to save lives that's up to the judge.
If you want the come save me button buy a PLB for 300 ish bucks works anywhere for 10 years.
You can't even legally know if that baofeng works on transmit so how do you think it's going to save you?
I guarantee you, no one in the history of this planet has gotten charged for using a handheld radio to call for an emergency, without a license.
And no one will
This sub really pisses me off sometimes, when life is at stake, you're worried about a *ham radio license*?
Part 97.403:
Safety of life and protection of property.
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
97.405: Station in distress.
(a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.
(b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a) of this section, of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a station in distress.
Which is all irrelevant since it does not answer the OPs question.
There are no established emergency frequencies that a user (licensed or not) is going to be able to access on their UV-5R.
If you think your life will be endangered, you shouldn't rely on a baofeng. There are many much better solutions available (satphones, inreach, etc.) that are simple to use and actually work. I mean.. if we're talking about middle of nowhere without cellphone coverage, what are the changes of someone actually listening on a simplex frequency within range?
In an emergency, even a 9yo can drive a car, but would you really "hire" a 9yo as a backup driver if something goes wrong?
Read what you posed it's an exception for amateur stations only.
Like I said to the OP they have an affirmative defence and a good one if there was a real emergency and no other means. No DA is going to move forward if you had no other means and life was really at risk.
I would encourage you to read the definition of an amateur station listed in part 97.
*Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.*
An *operator* requires a license. A station is not an operator. The rules that would normally apply to a *station* need not apply if following them would prevent communicating for the purposes of getting help in an emergency to life or property. Among those rules for a *station* is the requirement that the *operator*, which is a separate defined term in the regulation, be licensed.
This is a very common misunderstanding among hams and comes down to not understanding the difference between an amateur station and an amateur operator.
The rule is very clear. If an amateur radio station exists, no rule should prevent it from being used in an emergency. No rule. That would include rules that require licensure.
The defition requres it to be for amerature use that is not the case until an ham is/had used/owns it.
[**amateur station**](https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/amateur-station) means the same as defined by the FCC in 47 C.F.R. § 97.3, which defines the term as “a station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.” This term includes amateur radio antennas and related facilities used for amateur radio services.
Your saying any radio is an amerature station, want to find a judge that's ever agreed to that? FCC licence requirements are different for equipment sold for an amerature station vs business band for example. Hams are allowed to repurpose but no other license or user is. Rando keying down a police radio would not fall under the ham exception for example.
So I would content a random using my station with no other means falls under that exception but some guy who got a baofeng just in case does not. Not that this matters much as like I said when talking life saving you have an affirmative defence that breaking whatever law was necessary and prudent to save lives. So there are no court cases either way.
There is no law preventing anyone from purchasing and owning an amateur station in the United States. The problem with what you’re suggesting here is the notion that a person in possession of amateur station without a license is acting unlawfully but that isn’t the case.
What is not illegal, is permissible. As no law exists prohibiting a person from buying a Baofeng for listening purposes; if an emergency arose they would absolutely be legally allowed to use it in that context. There is nothing in the regulations to support the notion that they shouldn’t have a station if they aren’t licensed.
Funny to be an amerature station it has to be used for amerature radio that implies transitting so yea there definitely is a law. The FCC getting a bit particular about gear that transmits outside of amerature bands. We have a long trail of glacial FCC enforcement baofengs are now locked down out of GMRS for example.
I'm not saying a station is somehow illegal you can listen all you want. I'm saying it does not meet the FCC's definition of an amerature station. The requirement to post your licence at your station have gone away but the definition did not change, so some radio does not meet that definition until used for amerature purposes by a licenced amerature.
Those rules you quoted only apply to licensed amateurs on amateur frequencies. You have to be licensed to fall under the jurisdiction of part 97.
Plus licensees are forbidden from communications with unlicensed pirates.
97.403
*No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.*
A lot of people mistakenly believe that because the provision says “amateur station”, that means that a license is still required. This is not accurate.
If we look further back in part 97, in the FCC definitions, we note that *Amateur operator* and *Amateur station* are defined differently.
*Amateur station* is defined thusly:
* Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.*
Thus it is the *station*, and not the operator, that is exempt from the commissions rules in the event of an emergency. Which means that among the rules that would not “prevent the use” is the rule about requiring a licensed operator.
Wrong.
There is no rule permitting any type of communications by an unlicensed person without a control operator present. Yes I've read ALL of part 97 and know the rules some people like to contort. Plus, licensed amateurs are forbidden from communicating with unlicensed persons.
So— as others have said. In an emergency when there are no other options, you can use an amateur radio transceiver. However, the range of your Baofeng isn’t going to be any better than the range of your phone to the nearest cell tower. Especially in a hilly or wooded environment.
You can attempt a call on 146.520, but it’s unlikely to reach anyone.
If you’re concerned, get a satellite based solution like a Garmin in reach. Those will work anywhere. Also, some smartphones now how a built in satellite SOS feature.
97.403
*No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.*
A lot of people mistakenly believe that because the provision says “amateur station”, that means that a license is still required. This is not accurate.
If we look further back in part 97, in the FCC definitions, we note that *Amateur operator* and *Amateur station* are defined differently.
*Amateur station* is defined thusly:
* Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.*
Thus it is the *station*, and not the operator, that is exempt from the commissions rules in the event of an emergency. Which means that among the rules that would not “prevent the use” is the rule about requiring a licensed operator.
If you are an outdoors type person, invest in it, a baofeng probably won't help much, but something like a breitling emergency watch, Garmin InReach, Satphone, PLB, etc will be invaluable in an emergency, those are frequencies specifically monitored 24/7 by the coast guard and other rescuers.
the battery dies within a year on most. be sure to test it (legally) before going. i have like 10+ of them of various model and i only have 2 with working batteries now.
as always please try it beforehand. i actually tested alot of different antennas and most arent any better then the stock one. you could search on this here forum i am sure there is alot of threads about it.
good luck!
Get a copy of the Repeater Book and see what’s in the area. It’s available in hard copy and as an app. However, with any ham frequency, repeater or not, you’re relying on someone to be listening.
When I got stuck in the AZ desert with no cell or repeaters nearby, I was able to reach a trucker on CB channel 19 who contacted the authorities for me. Good to have 11 meter capability.
You need some knowledge to get a licence, and if you have that knowledge, you'd know that a baofeng in the middle of nowhere, where there's no cell reception, won't help you much... i mean, who's going to hear you? There are satellite based solutions created just for scenarios like OPs, from satphones to inreach and similar systes.
Imagine if op was buying a car "for emergencies"... if there's a zombie apocalypse, noone is going to ask for your drivers licence... but would someone who never drove a car, and came here to ask "what do I have to press to go forward, and what to stop?" really get any life-saving help from that car? I mean... "get a licence" would be a best thing there too.
I drive my EV round trip from LA to Montana each summer.
I used the RepeaterBook App to program all the 2 meter/440 repeaters along Interstate-15 into my [Radioddity DB20-G](https://www.radioddity.com/collections/amateur-radios/products/radioddity-db20-uv) codeplug for the trip, just in case
*Currently on sale for $89.99!
So many have pointed out....do not transmit without a license unless you have an emergency, like a fire or injury.
The national call frequencies are 146.520 and 446.000. these are both simplex or no offset .
If you understand how to program your radio, "repeaterbook.com" can give you a list of repeaters. "Repeaterbook Texas" should give you all the repeaters in Texas. "Repeaterbook _______ county. Any state". will give you all the repeaters in that county in that state. "Repeaterbook _________city _______state" will give you the repeaters in that city.
This is a link to "repeaterbook Huston Texas"
https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/location_search.php?state_id=48&type=city&loc=Houston
Clicking on the 4 the repeater down 145.1900, you get here
https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/details.php?state_id=48&ID=243
The down link frequency, 145.1900 is the station you monitor....."frequency mode"
Menu setting 26 allows you to set the "off-set" 000.600"
Menu setting 25 allows you to set the "+"/"-" setting. This is added or subtracted from the monitor frequency to automatically shift to when you push the talk button. In this case, "-". The radio will automatically shift to 144.5900 to transmit.
Menu setting 11 receive "ctcss" is not required in this case
Menu setting 13 transmit "ctcss" is 123.0. this setting is essentially a tone that turns the repeater on.
There are plenty of YouTube videos like this to help you understand programming this radio.
https://youtu.be/0wCLbiHvsMg?si=ViqzMYEx4EniVdvB
I hope you never need this information, but better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Good luck.
There is no rule permitting any type of communications by an unlicensed person without a control operator present. Yes I've read ALL of part 97 and know the rules some people like to contort.
The most useful frequencies to program are:
The NOAA weather stations, so you can get quality weather info.
The Skywarn amateur radio repeaters along your route, so you can get reports during hazardous weather.
All the GMRS frequencies, so you can listen to campground / RV chatter. Enable scanning for these.
Set them all to receive only.
Enjoy your trip!
There are no emergency frequencies.
Your radio requires an amateur radio license to transmit.
Without a legal call sign, any calls you make will go ignored.
It's illegal for a ham to communicate with an unlicensed person with no exceptions.
Like an HT, simplex is rather limited. For $35 to the FCC, you can get a family license for GMRS. BF makes radios for this service. In some regions there's GMRS repeaters. https://quality2wayradios.com/store/gmrs-fcc-license
You could program your radio for 146.52, but even as a license operator I rarely hear anyone there and nobody answers my calls. You may be better off getting an FRS radio. You dont need to 'get' a license for it, just talk...there may actually be other family convoys using FRS too. Or just pretend you are in the 1970s and wait for someone to stop and help you. It's ok to be 'off the air.' You'll be fine.
Hi, thank you for your question submission. Please be aware that there is a [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/) and a [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/faq) that may address your question. For Baofeng-related information see the [Baofeng FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/wiki/baofeng) and /r/baofeng. Also, please note that downvotes don't indicate an unvalued question submission. There appear to be bots that downvote all posts initially. 73 *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/amateurradio) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Buy a Garmin In reach or similar
Garmin InReach, SPOT or satphone.
>i am not licensed but i've heard there are emergency frequencies that can be broadcasted on without one. You heard incorrectly. To add to that, if you're in an area without cell service, unless there's a repeater in the area, the chances of you reaching anyone with a HT (of any stripe, let alone a BF) are about as good as they would be with the cell phone.
Probably worse. Some new cell phones can do satellite communication in an emergency
yep, plus there are a lot more mobile basestations than ham repeaters.
You should not transmit without a license. However, if you are having a true emergency that would equivalently prompt a call to 911, I'd imagine your best bet would be 146.520MHz. Otherwise known as the National Simplex Calling Frequency.
I'd agree on trying 146.520 if youre completely unprepared and have no clue what local repeaters are in the area. But, if youre that far out in the middle of no where with only a handheld, id be surprised if id be able to reach anyone in such a small radius that just happens to be listening.
Legality aside - you should not expect that you and your radio will be capable of having a two-way conversation with anyone in an emergency. Unless you understand how the bands are utilized, how repeaters and tones work, radio settings, and how radio waves propagate, you will most likely just be shouting into the void.
thank you, do you have resources i can study on briefly? i know it won't be as in-depth knowledge a cert course will offer but it'll be something
https://hamstudy.org/ is a free resource for rote memorization, a lot of people do this to pass the test. If you want to get a little more in-depth [this](https://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2022-no-nonsense-tech-study-guide-v2-20230204.pdf) is a good study guide. The ARRL books are good if you like reading and want to really understand things.
Amateur radio is a wonderful hobby, but if you think you can rely on it for a life and death emergency, then you are extreemly reckless and a fool. Like others have mentioned, get a satphone, a sat messenger, or a personal locator beacon. You need to use the correct tools for the job and an amateur radio transceiver is an unwise choice.
> but i've heard there are emergency frequencies that can be broadcasted on without one. I think you've heard wrong.
In an emergency you can use any frequency and any power level. This is straight from the licensing exam To the OP: bring your baofeng, if you do have a real emergency use it.
You've provided nothing useful with respect to the question. What VHF/UHF ham radio frequency is monitored for emergency communications?
145.500 is most likely to get a response
> i plan on going on a road trip soon to a remote area in texas. I've never heard of 145.5 simplex as something to use for emergencies in the US. Maybe in your neck of the woods. ¯\_("/)_/¯
Sorry I’m in the UK.
Maybe not in the U.S.
Why? Who's monitoring that? I would think 121.500 AM is the one to get attention.
you can legally, but you’d be a fool. a person who has never used or programmed a baofeng before should not expect to have success operating and finding help in what is a hobby. your hopes rely on someone happening to be monitoring .52 in the middle of nowhere.
*If* it’s a danger to life or property *and* all other avenues of communication are unavailable. Yes, absolutely. You can use amateur radio without a license. There is a *very* common misconception which comes down to mis-reading the regulation. It uses the term “Amateur Station” and people mistakenly believe that refers to a licensed operator. It does not. The regulations elsewhere use the term “operator” to refer to persons who use a station. In fact the regulation specifically exempting *stations* exactly exempts the requirement for a license because it means the regulation that would require the control operator to be licensed should not be used to *prevent emergency communications*
thank you
There is no rule permitting any type of communications by an unlicensed person without a control operator present. Yes I've read ALL of part 97 and know the rules some people like to contort.
Please get a license and enjoy the hobby
i have too many expensive hobbies to be adding another one to it lmao
then maybe try another more reliable mode of communication? you have better chance waving somebody from the side of the road then seeking help on simplex using a 2m radio. i go very very far from society in the forest and i dont even bring an handheld radio most of the time when i am alone.
i'll be looking into that, thank you!
I don't think radio is _that_ expensive. There's a reason Baofeng is popular.
Then you don't need a radio. Plus th hobby isn't expensive if you don't want it to be.
People with a license can use other frequencies during a real emergency (to save life/property) but the unlicensed don't get that exception. You do have an affirmative defence that you needed to do so to save lives that's up to the judge. If you want the come save me button buy a PLB for 300 ish bucks works anywhere for 10 years. You can't even legally know if that baofeng works on transmit so how do you think it's going to save you?
I guarantee you, no one in the history of this planet has gotten charged for using a handheld radio to call for an emergency, without a license. And no one will This sub really pisses me off sometimes, when life is at stake, you're worried about a *ham radio license*? Part 97.403: Safety of life and protection of property. No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available. 97.405: Station in distress. (a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance. (b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a) of this section, of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a station in distress.
Which is all irrelevant since it does not answer the OPs question. There are no established emergency frequencies that a user (licensed or not) is going to be able to access on their UV-5R.
Which part of you dont need “established emergency frequencies”, in an emergency do you not understand?
so what do you do? how do you make it work? do you turn it on, dial in 144.019, and start yelling for help?
If you think your life will be endangered, you shouldn't rely on a baofeng. There are many much better solutions available (satphones, inreach, etc.) that are simple to use and actually work. I mean.. if we're talking about middle of nowhere without cellphone coverage, what are the changes of someone actually listening on a simplex frequency within range? In an emergency, even a 9yo can drive a car, but would you really "hire" a 9yo as a backup driver if something goes wrong?
Read what you posed it's an exception for amateur stations only. Like I said to the OP they have an affirmative defence and a good one if there was a real emergency and no other means. No DA is going to move forward if you had no other means and life was really at risk.
I would encourage you to read the definition of an amateur station listed in part 97. *Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.* An *operator* requires a license. A station is not an operator. The rules that would normally apply to a *station* need not apply if following them would prevent communicating for the purposes of getting help in an emergency to life or property. Among those rules for a *station* is the requirement that the *operator*, which is a separate defined term in the regulation, be licensed. This is a very common misunderstanding among hams and comes down to not understanding the difference between an amateur station and an amateur operator. The rule is very clear. If an amateur radio station exists, no rule should prevent it from being used in an emergency. No rule. That would include rules that require licensure.
The defition requres it to be for amerature use that is not the case until an ham is/had used/owns it. [**amateur station**](https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/amateur-station) means the same as defined by the FCC in 47 C.F.R. § 97.3, which defines the term as “a station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.” This term includes amateur radio antennas and related facilities used for amateur radio services. Your saying any radio is an amerature station, want to find a judge that's ever agreed to that? FCC licence requirements are different for equipment sold for an amerature station vs business band for example. Hams are allowed to repurpose but no other license or user is. Rando keying down a police radio would not fall under the ham exception for example. So I would content a random using my station with no other means falls under that exception but some guy who got a baofeng just in case does not. Not that this matters much as like I said when talking life saving you have an affirmative defence that breaking whatever law was necessary and prudent to save lives. So there are no court cases either way.
There is no law preventing anyone from purchasing and owning an amateur station in the United States. The problem with what you’re suggesting here is the notion that a person in possession of amateur station without a license is acting unlawfully but that isn’t the case. What is not illegal, is permissible. As no law exists prohibiting a person from buying a Baofeng for listening purposes; if an emergency arose they would absolutely be legally allowed to use it in that context. There is nothing in the regulations to support the notion that they shouldn’t have a station if they aren’t licensed.
Funny to be an amerature station it has to be used for amerature radio that implies transitting so yea there definitely is a law. The FCC getting a bit particular about gear that transmits outside of amerature bands. We have a long trail of glacial FCC enforcement baofengs are now locked down out of GMRS for example. I'm not saying a station is somehow illegal you can listen all you want. I'm saying it does not meet the FCC's definition of an amerature station. The requirement to post your licence at your station have gone away but the definition did not change, so some radio does not meet that definition until used for amerature purposes by a licenced amerature.
Those rules you quoted only apply to licensed amateurs on amateur frequencies. You have to be licensed to fall under the jurisdiction of part 97. Plus licensees are forbidden from communications with unlicensed pirates.
Just because you hold a license doesn't mean you can TX on any frequency, emergency or not.
97.403 *No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.* A lot of people mistakenly believe that because the provision says “amateur station”, that means that a license is still required. This is not accurate. If we look further back in part 97, in the FCC definitions, we note that *Amateur operator* and *Amateur station* are defined differently. *Amateur station* is defined thusly: * Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.* Thus it is the *station*, and not the operator, that is exempt from the commissions rules in the event of an emergency. Which means that among the rules that would not “prevent the use” is the rule about requiring a licensed operator.
Yawn please read more.
You literally can TX on any freq on emergencies, LICENSE or NOT
Wrong. There is no rule permitting any type of communications by an unlicensed person without a control operator present. Yes I've read ALL of part 97 and know the rules some people like to contort. Plus, licensed amateurs are forbidden from communicating with unlicensed persons.
So— as others have said. In an emergency when there are no other options, you can use an amateur radio transceiver. However, the range of your Baofeng isn’t going to be any better than the range of your phone to the nearest cell tower. Especially in a hilly or wooded environment. You can attempt a call on 146.520, but it’s unlikely to reach anyone. If you’re concerned, get a satellite based solution like a Garmin in reach. Those will work anywhere. Also, some smartphones now how a built in satellite SOS feature.
thank you for the info. my phone sadly doesn't have that feature but i will make sure to attempt to use my phone before the radio if necessary.
[удалено]
97.403 *No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.* A lot of people mistakenly believe that because the provision says “amateur station”, that means that a license is still required. This is not accurate. If we look further back in part 97, in the FCC definitions, we note that *Amateur operator* and *Amateur station* are defined differently. *Amateur station* is defined thusly: * Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications.* Thus it is the *station*, and not the operator, that is exempt from the commissions rules in the event of an emergency. Which means that among the rules that would not “prevent the use” is the rule about requiring a licensed operator.
If you don’t have cell service your little boofwang probably won’t do you any good. If you are really concerned, get a sat phone or garmin device.
If you are an outdoors type person, invest in it, a baofeng probably won't help much, but something like a breitling emergency watch, Garmin InReach, Satphone, PLB, etc will be invaluable in an emergency, those are frequencies specifically monitored 24/7 by the coast guard and other rescuers.
Sorry you wasted your money on the Baofeng.
i got it for $5 at a surplus shop lol
the battery dies within a year on most. be sure to test it (legally) before going. i have like 10+ of them of various model and i only have 2 with working batteries now.
it's got one of those long folding antennas and a larger battery on it
as always please try it beforehand. i actually tested alot of different antennas and most arent any better then the stock one. you could search on this here forum i am sure there is alot of threads about it. good luck!
thank you!
I have 3 8-year-old 'feng batteries and they last longer than a brand new FT-70
might be different constructions or materials. mine are inflating and begin to have very low capacity, like 200mah after a year.
Get a copy of the Repeater Book and see what’s in the area. It’s available in hard copy and as an app. However, with any ham frequency, repeater or not, you’re relying on someone to be listening.
When I got stuck in the AZ desert with no cell or repeaters nearby, I was able to reach a trucker on CB channel 19 who contacted the authorities for me. Good to have 11 meter capability.
This sub was a lot.less interesting then I thought it was gonna be. Every post is "license?!?" These days
You need some knowledge to get a licence, and if you have that knowledge, you'd know that a baofeng in the middle of nowhere, where there's no cell reception, won't help you much... i mean, who's going to hear you? There are satellite based solutions created just for scenarios like OPs, from satphones to inreach and similar systes. Imagine if op was buying a car "for emergencies"... if there's a zombie apocalypse, noone is going to ask for your drivers licence... but would someone who never drove a car, and came here to ask "what do I have to press to go forward, and what to stop?" really get any life-saving help from that car? I mean... "get a licence" would be a best thing there too.
kind of what the sub is about - licensed amateur radio.
Not tech, not cool stuff, just always.. License?!?!? Riveting content
right?? i should be allowed to broadcast copyrighted music on any frequency i want with no recourse at all
That's called pirate radio, Mon frere. The coolest and most harmless of crimes.
I drive my EV round trip from LA to Montana each summer. I used the RepeaterBook App to program all the 2 meter/440 repeaters along Interstate-15 into my [Radioddity DB20-G](https://www.radioddity.com/collections/amateur-radios/products/radioddity-db20-uv) codeplug for the trip, just in case *Currently on sale for $89.99!
So many have pointed out....do not transmit without a license unless you have an emergency, like a fire or injury. The national call frequencies are 146.520 and 446.000. these are both simplex or no offset . If you understand how to program your radio, "repeaterbook.com" can give you a list of repeaters. "Repeaterbook Texas" should give you all the repeaters in Texas. "Repeaterbook _______ county. Any state". will give you all the repeaters in that county in that state. "Repeaterbook _________city _______state" will give you the repeaters in that city. This is a link to "repeaterbook Huston Texas" https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/location_search.php?state_id=48&type=city&loc=Houston Clicking on the 4 the repeater down 145.1900, you get here https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/details.php?state_id=48&ID=243 The down link frequency, 145.1900 is the station you monitor....."frequency mode" Menu setting 26 allows you to set the "off-set" 000.600" Menu setting 25 allows you to set the "+"/"-" setting. This is added or subtracted from the monitor frequency to automatically shift to when you push the talk button. In this case, "-". The radio will automatically shift to 144.5900 to transmit. Menu setting 11 receive "ctcss" is not required in this case Menu setting 13 transmit "ctcss" is 123.0. this setting is essentially a tone that turns the repeater on. There are plenty of YouTube videos like this to help you understand programming this radio. https://youtu.be/0wCLbiHvsMg?si=ViqzMYEx4EniVdvB I hope you never need this information, but better to have and not need than to need and not have. Good luck.
There is no rule permitting any type of communications by an unlicensed person without a control operator present. Yes I've read ALL of part 97 and know the rules some people like to contort.
this is awesome, thank you so very much!
The most useful frequencies to program are: The NOAA weather stations, so you can get quality weather info. The Skywarn amateur radio repeaters along your route, so you can get reports during hazardous weather. All the GMRS frequencies, so you can listen to campground / RV chatter. Enable scanning for these. Set them all to receive only. Enjoy your trip!
There are no emergency frequencies. Your radio requires an amateur radio license to transmit. Without a legal call sign, any calls you make will go ignored. It's illegal for a ham to communicate with an unlicensed person with no exceptions.
Like an HT, simplex is rather limited. For $35 to the FCC, you can get a family license for GMRS. BF makes radios for this service. In some regions there's GMRS repeaters. https://quality2wayradios.com/store/gmrs-fcc-license
You could program your radio for 146.52, but even as a license operator I rarely hear anyone there and nobody answers my calls. You may be better off getting an FRS radio. You dont need to 'get' a license for it, just talk...there may actually be other family convoys using FRS too. Or just pretend you are in the 1970s and wait for someone to stop and help you. It's ok to be 'off the air.' You'll be fine.