Yeah I’ve had them a couple years now.
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Blazer Bash 2021 trail communications
- Thread starter Blazer Bash
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I believe Sept 2019 was the cut of for the Baofang radios that could be tuned on the fly to channels that were restricted. I have 2 Baofang and 1 Rugged hand held a 50 watt VHF Rugged in my dune buggy. Needs a new remote ptt button. I am on my 3rd looking for the 4th, no quality out there, and not many choices either.
I've got members of our parties that have bought baofeng uv5r's in the last couple of months that I've programmed and didn't see any differences in what was available from a couple of years ago, so this rule change may not be enforced. I put in the gmrs channels and a chart of channels that are supposed to be RR's frequencies and the wx channels.
I use chirp and the baofeng software w/ their programming cable.
I use chirp and the baofeng software w/ their programming cable.
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Yeah I am not sure about the channels now. this what I just looked up. WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a decision that most ham radio operators knew would eventually happen, The Federal Communications Commission has ruled that Baofeng radios with the built-in audible siren feature can no longer be sold in the U.S.
Wow! This discussion really took off!
I have 4 of these cheep, but useful Baofeng handheld radios that have been bouncing around in my Tahoe for the last 3 years. Hand them out to members in the group when on the trail to communicate/spot. They honestly have little to no range to them outside of line of site. I don’t even know what frequency I’m using. I just left them at the default they were shipped to me with.
Are these units capable of more? Yes. Are they capable of hitting repeaters? Yes, apparently. But why would we need to tap into all that? Are users breaking federal rules by using these? I guess technically yes. But who’s going to care?
Certainty there’s a specific frequency range that is “legal” for the average user to use? I clearly don’t know much about the law that restricts using these, but I do know that’s there’s little to no one policing the use of them.
I have 4 of these cheep, but useful Baofeng handheld radios that have been bouncing around in my Tahoe for the last 3 years. Hand them out to members in the group when on the trail to communicate/spot. They honestly have little to no range to them outside of line of site. I don’t even know what frequency I’m using. I just left them at the default they were shipped to me with.
Are these units capable of more? Yes. Are they capable of hitting repeaters? Yes, apparently. But why would we need to tap into all that? Are users breaking federal rules by using these? I guess technically yes. But who’s going to care?
Certainty there’s a specific frequency range that is “legal” for the average user to use? I clearly don’t know much about the law that restricts using these, but I do know that’s there’s little to no one policing the use of them.
Anyone can use FRS channels. That's what your cheap blister pack radios from Walmart would use. Downside is lots of traffic on those channels.
Will Rugged Radios work with these?
I ask because I got my dad some Rugged Radios a couple years ago because he wanted some good radios and I had no idea what I was getting. I just knew they were supposed to be good. I wished I had done more research prior to that, but oh well.
I ask because I got my dad some Rugged Radios a couple years ago because he wanted some good radios and I had no idea what I was getting. I just knew they were supposed to be good. I wished I had done more research prior to that, but oh well.
Yes, they will. The rugged radio system uses the GMRS frequencies but they program them to be more user friendly. They just pick a channel, more kike the old CB. That channel corresponds to a frequency that can be selected by the handhelds. As long as everyone is on the same frequency (channel) then they work together.
The baofeng radios are dual band. 146.52mhz is called 2 meter by the HAM guys. Thats a wavelength thats 2 meters long. 146.52 is national call frequency, kind of like putting your CB on channel 19. The 400mhz is called 70 centimeter, also due to the wavelength. The HAM stuff was always based on longer wavelengths, thats how a 12 volt base station could reach Australia without any repeaters. This is also why the HAM guys don't hang out on the 400mhz frequencies as much, they are looking for more range. I am still able to get into repeaters on both wavelengths at 40 miles with the little Baofeng and the Nagoya antenna.
I should add that with the FRS technically speaking the typical Baofeng radios are not legal to be on those channels because they are over powered. I think you are limited to 1/2 or 1 watt, but I think some channels allow a little higher power but still less than a Baofeng. Take that for what it's worth.
You can turn the Baofeng power down, not sure how, the interface is difficult. Even if you do I think FRS technically needs a fixed antenna, the Baofeng antenna is removable. Nobody's checking anyway.
I think in terms of technicality the FCC only cares that the radio is capable of the higher power whether or not you have it turned down.
I'll bet the person that started this thread didn't see it going like this.
We will not be able to understand each other anyways. We are all going to have masks on when we are out wheeling because Shit Show Joe and the Hoe says so.
The older blue rugged handheld radios should able to program to the GMRS frequencies on the interface but if not, with the chirp software and a cable it can definitely be done.
The new rugged handheld radios V3's may have to go through chirp to get programmed to the GMRS frequencies. @mrk5 brought a pair to the snow wheeling trip we did a couple months back and it would not allow plugging a frequency in through the buttons. At the time I couldn't nail down what frequencies rugged programmed into the V3 so we could put the Baofengs on the same channel. So half the group was on Baofengs and the other half on ruggeds. I had my Ham base unit on GMRS talking to the Baofeng part of the group and had one of the ruggeds to stay in the loop with the other guys.
I'm not sure if Chirp and the standard Baofeng program cable will work on the V3 units. But rugged does sell its own cable and programming software through rt systems that they sell on the rugged site. I'm just not sure if they locked out the GMRS (70cm band).
If anyone can get an actual frequency to channel chart from rugged to know exactly how they are set up it would help.
The new rugged handheld radios V3's may have to go through chirp to get programmed to the GMRS frequencies. @mrk5 brought a pair to the snow wheeling trip we did a couple months back and it would not allow plugging a frequency in through the buttons. At the time I couldn't nail down what frequencies rugged programmed into the V3 so we could put the Baofengs on the same channel. So half the group was on Baofengs and the other half on ruggeds. I had my Ham base unit on GMRS talking to the Baofeng part of the group and had one of the ruggeds to stay in the loop with the other guys.
I'm not sure if Chirp and the standard Baofeng program cable will work on the V3 units. But rugged does sell its own cable and programming software through rt systems that they sell on the rugged site. I'm just not sure if they locked out the GMRS (70cm band).
If anyone can get an actual frequency to channel chart from rugged to know exactly how they are set up it would help.
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Rugged has different channel programs for different groups, the rugged in our razor has been programed for lake Havasu sxs club. The rugged in my Manx type buggy and my 1 hand held are programed for the Manx club.
I haven't checked to see if any of the frequency are the same only named differently. I did clone a baofeng to the rugged hand held.
I have 10 different PDF with rugged frequency list, not sure if that is all of them or not.
I haven't checked to see if any of the frequency are the same only named differently. I did clone a baofeng to the rugged hand held.
I have 10 different PDF with rugged frequency list, not sure if that is all of them or not.
I have a rugged radio V3 that I just bought. Hopefully I can communicate with everyone.
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i tried to progam my v3 with the boafang cable i couldnt get it to work. im not sure if chirp was supporting the v3 at the time or rugged has the radios locked. im still a newbe with programing. I never really found a frequency list from rugged.
Rugged lists their own cable and the programming software is available through a company called RT Systems.
There are some bad cables out there- not up to spec. Also, baofeng has it's own software in addition to chirp
Since I'm heading out for the fun, I'll offer up this to anybody that has or will have bought a Baofeng radio that needs to be programmed. I'll have my laptop with Chrip loaded and can load the right frequencies on your radios in a couple of minutes.
Anybody that has a V3 rugged that is coming I'd like to see if I can pull a couple of the frequencies so we can get the Baofengs and Ruggeds on the same page.
Anybody that has a V3 rugged that is coming I'd like to see if I can pull a couple of the frequencies so we can get the Baofengs and Ruggeds on the same page.