Blazer Bash 2021 trail communications

[ashman]

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.

I'll be bringing my v3. Would love to have you mess with it.

 

[ZooMad75]

I'll be bringing my v3. Would love to have you mess with it.

Will do. We can talk when it gets closer.

 

[cashsk5garage]

When did you get that one? I'm wondering if it was before or after Baofeng got nailed for the part 95 certification.


From what I've gathered that is what the HAM guys do. It's not the FCC you have to worry about coming out in the middle of the desert and finding everybody using radios illegally, it's the HAM guys running what they call a "fox hunt" to find illegal users that is going to rat everybody out to the feds.

That's the main idea behind sticking to the GMRS bands. The HAM guys won't be pissed about noise on their frequencies or repeaters.

Getting back to the actual radios. The handheld units are really good but are limited on power output and without an external antenna can still be limited on range due to the signal being absorbed inside the trucks. For a radio that you may only use on trail rides and the group is running mostly nose to tail and not out of the line of sight, it's not that big of a deal. But if you really want to get the range they are capable of, get an external antenna or get a GMRS base unit and external antenna. The base unit is going to have better power from the truck and they have more wattage. Clarity went up and the range is far beyond what we've all had with CB. Here are two of the Midland GMRS units in my group use:

MTX115

and

MTX275

You can run an external speaker off of either of these if you need more volume.

if anyones interested on midland radio i stumbled across a 15% off code on instagram

use code INSTAGRAM15. to save at midland.com

 

[bp71k5]

I just bought my son a baofeng UV-5R MK2 and it can get to the same GMRS channels my V2 does. I did get the license though.

 

[ZooMad75]

I'm not sure why the hell I can't find a frequency list on the rugged v3 handheld to save my life. Rugged does not put it out there, just a list by channel names.

I figured by now someone would have nailed it down and posted it up. Nada. Nothing. Even ham nerds on the YouTube's don't touch anything on the V3. It's like a friggin state secret or something.

I have found a couple of different lists that tie the rugged channel names to a frequency. I'm talking the common names like weatherman, bfgrelay, bfgpits, ect. So far I have 6 or 7 logged into Chrip. We'll see what else I can compile before BB.

 

[mrk5]

I'm not sure why the hell I can't find a frequency list on the rugged v3 handheld to save my life. Rugged does not put it out there, just a list by channel names.

I figured by now someone would have nailed it down and posted it up. Nada. Nothing. Even ham nerds on the YouTube's don't touch anything on the V3. It's like a friggin state secret or something.

I have found a couple of different lists that tie the rugged channel names to a frequency. I'm talking the common names like weatherman, bfgrelay, bfgpits, ect. So far I have 6 or 7 logged into Chrip. We'll see what else I can compile before BB.

I still think that has to do with some of the legal issues Rugged had. I think they had to really lock down their stuff.

 

[Hosalabad]

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.

I have a BF-F8HP, if you can take a shot at it, that would be great.

 

[ZooMad75]

I still think that has to do with some of the legal issues Rugged had. I think they had to really lock down their stuff.

I agree totally. Crazy thing is nobody outside of rugged has done this and posted it publicly. I know there's some threads in Reddit about it but I haven't jumped down that rabbit hole yet.

I have a BF-F8HP, if you can take a shot at it, that would be great.

I should be able to provided the radio you have works with my uv-5r cable.

 

[Wes Harden]

@ZooMad75 here are all the rugged list I have.

 

[ZooMad75]

@ZooMad75 here are all the rugged list I have.

Thanks for the help with that.

I was able to at least compare channel names from the Rugged V3 list and V2 list. The V2 list has the actual frequencies, where the V3 lists none. But with the names it's highly likely that the frequencies are the same between the two Rugged radios. Which, when programmed into a Baofeng uv-5r should allow them all to play on the same frequency in theory.



I've got a file set up in Chirp with all the GMRS channels (including GMRS repeaters), 7 NOAA weather channels and the 9 shared Rugged frequencies. There is also the National calling frequency for Ham and the frequency used by 4x4 focused Ham users. If you don't have a HAM license, I'd refrain from using those two, but the rest are going to be off the radar of the full-blown Ham guys/gals. I left off HAM repeater frequencies for that exact reason as a bunch of us folks tying up a HAM repeater is going to get the fox hunt going in a fast way.

It only takes a minute or two to upload the file to a UV-5R. I'll be in Moab Thursday staying at Moab Rim with Capt Ron. Anybody that wants their radios programmed just needs to let me know. Send me a PM and I'll shoot you my phone number so we can coordinate getting hooked up.

I will bring my laptop to the meetup spot Friday morning also if anybody wants a radio updated there that isn't at Moab Rim.

@ktmoutfront I'll set the radios you donated and your personal radios up either day.

 

[Wes Harden]

Glad to help, I cloned my rugged V3 and loaded it on a boafang ur-5r, comparing the 2 radios is the only way I can tell what channel I am listen to at KOH, and let others Boafang users know which freq they want. I do have all those list on my new phone now.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Thanks for the help with that.

I was able to at least compare channel names from the Rugged V3 list and V2 list. The V2 list has the actual frequencies, where the V3 lists none. But with the names it's highly likely that the frequencies are the same between the two Rugged radios. Which, when programmed into a Baofeng uv-5r should allow them all to play on the same frequency in theory.

View attachment 387942

I've got a file set up in Chirp with all the GMRS channels (including GMRS repeaters), 7 NOAA weather channels and the 9 shared Rugged frequencies. There is also the National calling frequency for Ham and the frequency used by 4x4 focused Ham users. If you don't have a HAM license, I'd refrain from using those two, but the rest are going to be off the radar of the full-blown Ham guys/gals. I left off HAM repeater frequencies for that exact reason as a bunch of us folks tying up a HAM repeater is going to get the fox hunt going in a fast way.

It only takes a minute or two to upload the file to a UV-5R. I'll be in Moab Thursday staying at Moab Rim with Capt Ron. Anybody that wants their radios programmed just needs to let me know. Send me a PM and I'll shoot you my phone number so we can coordinate getting hooked up.

I will bring my laptop to the meetup spot Friday morning also if anybody wants a radio updated there that isn't at Moab Rim.

@ktmoutfront I'll set the radios you donated and your personal radios up either day..

Thanks.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Did we decide on a frequency yet? Might need to mess with my radios.

As I type this I'm sure the trail leader has it on the hand out....

 

[ktmoutfront]

Nope. Will be decided at the trail head by the trail leader. Some will still be running CB's.

 

[cheavyk10]

I picked up a boafeng handheld. Will it work right out of the box or do I have to program it? My apologies if it was already answered in this thread. I've got a CB for backup, just in case...

 

[mrk5]

I picked up a boafeng handheld. Will it work right out of the box or do I have to program it? My apologies if it was already answered in this thread. I've got a CB for backup, just in case...

I know you can manually type in frequencies. Programming gives it channel numbers for the frequencies so it's easier to use.

 

[DickeysK5]

I will have CB, a Vertex Standard handheld with KOH frequencies, and a Baofeng F9V2+ for Ham and whatever. My Ham call sign is N5CNV.

 

[ZooMad75]

Nope. Will be decided at the trail head by the trail leader. Some will still be running CB's.

I know my CB antenna mount is loose and will require removing the camper to get to the bolts. I'd have it running if it was tight. On my trail I'm going to loan out my extra baofeng to whoever is tailgunning for me. But I think my count is up to 6 so it shouldn't be hard keeping the group together. I'd suggest on the bigger group runs to also have the leader, tail and mid-gunner on at least the baofeng/rugged type radios. Those that don't have any can relay through the group that do.

I picked up a boafeng handheld. Will it work right out of the box or do I have to program it? My apologies if it was already answered in this thread. I've got a CB for backup, just in case...

You have to punch in the frequencies on the keypad one by one. While doable, the baofeng programming process is a pain in the ass when trying to do it on the radio itself. It will take me about 2 minutes to put close to 50 frequencies on yours with my laptop. I'll get you set up.


I programmed baofeng with the new list last night and took it with me to my buddy's house in Pueblo west. I had it on the WXMAN (weatherman) frequency and started hearing chatter on it right away. I couldn't figure out what was going on at first but I figured out it was the local drag strip/road course having a road course track day. They had to be using rugged handhelds for race control and the corner marshals. Keep this in mind, the track is 14 miles from my house. That's better range than CB and I still didn't have a good line of sight either.

 

[miniwally]

The weatherman frequency is used by them Moab police or fire dept. we need to stay off of that channel.

 

[ZooMad75]

The weatherman frequency is used by them Moab police or fire dept. we need to stay off of that channel.

Noted. I'll listen to a target frequency to see if there is any action going on or not. Pick one that isn't active.

Personally, as a group, we'd catch less flack if we stuck to the GMRS frequencies. At least then we are sure we won't be stepping on a possible local emergency frequency.

It's going to come down to the majority of who's got what radios.