Cell Network Down! What To Do?

[@SurvivalDispatch]

THINK BEFORE YOU COMMENT. If you disagree with the content of our videos you're welcome to politely say so. However, if you break out the knives we'll respond in kind. Our videos are NOT a soapbox for crybabies with a Hall Monitor complex. If you want more details on how we moderate the comment section see our friend NotARubicon Randy's video here ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3LXnIaCe91mhrMsi=fyrCoYqw39aPqk3a. It's the gold standard for dealing with ignorant people.

[@dennistate5953]

Lol! Fr tho.

[@rogerfyfe100]

how did you change the antenna on the KG-Q10G? I was about to purchase one and the specs say the antenna is non removable. is there a special trick or are the specs wrong?

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@rogerfyfe100 ... The stock antenna had a very small amount of glue at the base. It took very little effort to twist the antenna off.

[@eladsgarr]

As a licensed ham radio operator with a general license I can program GMRS, FRS, Murs, and marine channels into that baofeng radio. It also receives noaa frequencies. They are also capable of using that same foldable antenna you put on the wouxan radio (btw I own a wouxan ham radio ht as well). Chirp is ridiculously easy to use. You don’t have a ham license so you don’t understand the true nuts and bolts of how radios work such as how skip because of sun cycles can get those 150 miles of range whether using a repeater or not. Repeaters for Gmrs work exactly the same as repeaters for ham. Difference is I can use both with a ham radio whereas you are limited to Gmrs repeaters alone with your radios. ht’s are also being sold with up to 10watts transmit power. Ham also has different digital modes such as DMR, D-star, system fusion and others. Hams is now and will always be superior to Gmrs which is why you don’t need to put in the time to learn about radio as does a licensed amateur radio operator. Our licenses use to be free. It’s only within the last several years we had to pay for it. Gmrs use to be $70 and just recently dropped to $35. I used an app on my phone and studied for the exams while using to bathroom or instead of watching TV. My son and son-in-law studied for and passed their exams at the age of 17. I was 47 when I passed mine I plan on taking my extra exam soon at the age of 57. Not because I need to but I figured why not. You’d be amazed at how much you’d learn about all radios if you’d give it a chance.

[@sidbro89]

Have you tested the BTECH GMRS PRO by any chance?

[@_Mordion_]

One thing I learned after I had already gotten my ham radio tech license is that GMRS was probably all I needed and 90% of people on GMRS don't even bother getting the license for it. GMRS is really the best comms for the common man in my opinion.

[@Number4lead]

The best ham bands are the lower hf bands that can travel around the world. Those bands are great for relaying messages to loved ones in another state through a ham that can reach them by phone.

[@moonchild2213]

Agree. Spent couple thousand after getting my General license on a portable and base station HF radio and antennas...I find myself 90% of the time rag chewing on a $150 Btech GMRS Pro HT. I wish I would have just saved my money...haha

[@rickkimbley8991]

Not knowing anything about GMRS, spending $55 for a 2 pack of Baofeng GM 15 Pros made perfect sense to me. Once I figure out the operation, programming repeaters and learn, then up grade to a "Better" radio.

[@MA-ij3sp]

Lol this is me RIGHT NOW. I'm just getting into this stuff and I ordered literally the same pair. Gonna get the GMRS license, get my feet wet and start from there.

[@onlyoneromeo]

How much range can you get on those?

[@patring620]

@@onlyoneromeo The same range as if you spend $200. It's science, not the brand or how much you spend.

[@onlyoneromeo]

@@patring620 I wasn't asking about money. I'm asking about distance.

[@Number4lead]

​@@onlyoneromeoyou can eventually replace the shorter antennas with the longer ones, just make sure the antennas are designed to cover up to 467mhz and are made by a reputable company. Three are lots of cheap Chinese fakes out there sold especially through Wal mart.

[@bruehlt]

Something to point out - CB radios are actually HF radios, that fall in the 11 meter band. HF typically work best by bouncing signals off of the ionosphere - and that can happen if conditions are right for CB radios. That is going to get you distance. However most of what you are hearing on CB is due to ground wave propagation, meaning they will also be line of sight.

[@waynehendrix4806]

amen. My father (east coast USA) spent quite a few nights talking bounce to a particular contact in NSW Australia. (1980's) What a great thing to listen in on... We were in "N" land.

[@jctedsap]

One time I hooked up a CB radio to a half wave vertical in Toppenish Washington to check it for a customer. Asked for a radio check and a guy came back from Louisiana. I almost fell over.

[@Notjordan1206]

Agreed, though the tradeoff is antenna size. CB is 4w AM *or* 12w PEP SSB, which is indeed enough to talk across the world, but at 27mhz you’re gonna need a big antenna to do it. 11 meters is about 36 feet, so a quarter-wave antenna for a CB walkie talkie or even on a truck ought to be about nine! Those rubber duckie antennas waste most of the power making an 11 inch spring resonant. OTOH, AM works better (and SSB better still!) than FM at ranges where signals get weak. That’s all to say, CB can be a good mobile (and really a great fixed station) solution, but the walkie talkie format would need a lot of help to participate.

[@perpetualplacidpoet]

Agree. And don't forget a CB with SSB (single side band) triples the wattage for the barefoot CB. The nature of the HF frequency alone is a reason to have a CB available in your coms arsenal, if you don't have a HAM license.....or even if.

[@charliekazmoz]

What is the best hand held radios for 10 kilometres what type and the differences

[@jeffforbus4810]

I am getting started with these radios because of our last hurricane. Beryl reminded me of the difficulty with cell phone communication. I am done with it. Thank you for making such an informative video sharing all the knowledge you did. I have been a bit overwhelmed with deciding how to get started. Now, I see we will start with GMRS radios. I will eventually migrate to HAM radio, but GMRS seems like a reasonable starting point for us! Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge, you have my utmost respect! Wishing you all the best!

[@66skybluepony]

Great info - thx. Just subbed! All good points. Another thing to keep in mind is that in theory, even if you can’t “hit” a repeater, you can often HEAR it. I spent the majority of my time listening. Get your $30 license (I know, I know…) b/c having your call sign allows you to join the local GMRS clubs (support them AND the guys who build & maintain the repeaters out of their own pockets) - learn how to tune into them and you’ll be able to listen from many “fars” away. Figure out which repeaters you have in your area, $upport them, be courteous. Listen and learn. Ask for advice. Using my small base station, I’ve had loud and clear conversations with people 2 states away.

[@Bod255]

I’m very new to this. I was new to firearms and went cheap until I got reps under my belt. I just got a cheap two pack of gmrs radios to learn on for my wife and I. Just like the firearms as I get more experience I’ll get more expensive radios. This way I still have the cheap ones and I can let others use them and not be upset about Potentially losing something or someone breaking the cheaper radio. I have a lot to learn about this but I must say I’m extremely intrigued by it. thank you for the video, sir. I learned a great deal.

[@patring620]

Lol. Why did you upgrade your firearms? Were they performing poorly, or were you afraid of being mocked for using a cheap SCCY rather than a Glock? Spending more money won't improve your aim. Now, if you need better sights, maybe some of the tritium sights or something, then an upgrade may be more prudent. A handheld radio is completely different. I guess if you need some sort of GPS location or a display that can be seen by a satellite, upgrade. If you need to communicate one or two miles (generally), then a $35 Baofeng will work as will as a $150 or $200 BTech or TIDradio. Zero difference in power, stock antenna efficiency, or how it is getting done. There may be some differences in how speech sounds or how the voice is processed, but unless you are an audiophile, you won't know that. Practice and learn on the same, inexpensive radios your friends and family will have access to and you will all be prepared. Diversity in equipment is definitely not a good thing. If everyone is using the same battery then everyone has a spare or replacement battery.

[@Huskrrrr]

I live in the Camp Fire area of Northern California. I use a Wouxun KG-Q10G GMRS and love the features, especially the GPS feature. We have several repeaters in Butte Co that provides up to 50 miles of reliable communication.

[@user-ji5ew8fe2i]

Great informative video. I’m also using GMRS for when the SHTF. But repeaters will be useless when the power goes out. Then you’ll be back to a few miles between radios. Good luck brother and thanks for the information.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you! We just got a GMRS 50 watt base station to extend our range. It can be moved to our truck easily too. Stay tuned.

[@marinetechknj]

I was thinking the same thing. I'm just getting into the gmrs radios. I work with Vhf and SSB radios. My question is, can I put a gmrs repeater at my house on batteries or inverter? I already have two large battery banks and an inverter.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

@@marinetechknj ... You sure can. Retevis have a no muss, no fuss GMRS repeater that works pretty good. You can also use an amplifier connected to a handheld to easily boost it to 40 watts.

[@Number4lead]

Get you a good base antenna and some high quality coax and put it up on the roof.

[@Macgyver46]

Most of the repeaters I know of are on mountains with solar or other backup power.

[@pippenf.5111]

thank you so much, I've need a point in the right direction

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

Our pleasure!

[@KOAOutdoors]

Thanks for the time and effort putting this video together guys. No joke...if you can navigate the FCC website to purchase a GMRS license you have the intelligence to pass the technician level license. BTW don't count on repeaters being operational for more than a few days on grid down.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Valid comments. Thank you.

[@CzechSixTv]

The difference is, an individual GMRS license covers the licensees immediate family(which is a pretty broad definition under FCC rules). Radio's are useless without a plan and PRACTICE. Not everyone is going to convince their relatives, SO or kids to get an amateur radio license which means they won't know how to effectively use a radio when needed. As far as repeaters being operational off grid, that applies to amateur radio as well. With the cost lithium batteries and solar panels getting lower by the day though, it is possible to keep them running long term. My GMRS repeater started out powered by an AGM trolling motor battery on a charger. I've since put 3 dedicated solar panels on the garage roof to charge a pair of 100ah Renogy batteries. The repeater, which covers almost a 20 mile radius, only uses 7-8a when transmitting.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@CzechSixTv ... Very cool. Thank you for adding your thoughts and experience.

[@derekohio9871]

Navigating the FCC site is a PIA. I got an "error " screen a few times had to start over. But once you get your FRN you can sign back in.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

​@@derekohio9871 ... TRUTH

[@NickWindham]

Good video and you nailed it on the two best GMRS radios.

[@HawaiianFlyGuy]

Thanks for the Video, I can share with folks who are interested. You hit all the bullet points for advocating this hobby that is fun and has a purpose!

[@MasterK9Trainer]

Good stuff I like it when you get right to the point on things like this. Since as civilians who have to buy our own stuff we are often constrained by our finances I like that you point out that sometimes it's not what you have but how you use it. Of course the military and law enforcement will have more frequencies and more powerful units but when you just need to get a message out you just need something that will work and if need be we can create protocols or codes so the rest of the people that it might be on are don't really know what we are up to

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you

[@tree2523]

Thank you so very much. I've been looking forward to this video. God bless you and keep you safe.

[@KingEvL0n3]

Being both a old school ham operator and Grey Hat this channel is awesome "If you know, You Know?" Semper Fi ❤

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you and thank you for your service!

[@EvanK2EJT]

Just a quick observation. When we're talking ham radio, the HT's only work on a couple of bands, so realistically the antenna needs to be resonant on like 2m and 70cm. When you get down below the 2m band, the antennas get CRAZY long. A 1/4 wave 6m antenna would be like 5 feet long ......and if we want to get really stupid at 1/4 wave on like 40m would be 33 feet long 🤣 Edit: Just another tip for folks who are new to this. If you're going to put up an external antenna for a base station, keep the coax run as short as humanly possible, and run GOOD coax. At UHF frequencies (which GMRS runs) the amount of loss in the coax is staggering. A 50w radio with a huge run of cheap high loss coax might only be a few watts at the antenna.

[@bhamptonkc7]

as a HAM with a primary interest in Disaster communications, I also have FM/AM CB and GMRS 50 watt radios so I can talk locally and push communications out long range.

[@waynehendrix4806]

I had to remind a certain lover of "not amateur radio" that one issue with GMRS, is that I had heard a lot of FRS radios in use often between 2 kids in their house playing hide and seek. There is a lot of anarchy introduced by simply allowing all of the population free access. A little like democracy, compared to a representative republic... On good thing on GMRS (licensed) is you get extra power. I added GMRS as a supplement to my first privileges of amateur radio use. I don't regret the simple license process and cost. That all said, many peoples eyes are opened when they realize that it's possible to do 30 or more miles of communication to repeaters on a 300$ 2 meter setup. (power, radio, and antenna) I passed the tech test first time.. with several hours of study involved. Note that many teens pass the test easily. The big break for me was when morse code competency testing was removed. I purely stink at it honestly. Thanks for the conversation.

[@CzechSixTv]

If you live in an urban or dense suburban area, it is best to have access to a repeater for GMRS. During and after hurricane Sandy I was staying at my GF's place. I had a homebrew GMRS dipole attached to her balcony overlooking the Hudson rive/NYC skyline and could hear tons of FRS traffic on the simplex channels but the repeaters were clear. Also, using DCS helps a lot. Many FRS radios can only do CTSS or have limited DCS tones available. In the boonies or semi rural areas like where I live now, simplex works fine. On the subject of range, for reliable communications, even 6m is strictly line of sight regardless of power. My 25w GMRS repeater has 80% of the range that the nearest 6m repeater does and even beats some of the 2m or 440 repeaters in the area that are listed on repeater book. Location, location, location...Or technically elevation. The biggest advantage of GMRS is that an individual license covers the holders immediate family(which is broadly defined by the FCC). That means you can teach family members to use them, and practice with them, before an emergency without having to convince them to get an amateur license.

[@waynehendrix4806]

Very good points. I'm at a relatively highest elevation for my surrounding area of PA at 200 ft. I gives me some good line of sight comms. My vertical antena fortunately is a dual band, and GMRS and 1.25m is close enough freq to safely use for all the things I do.@@CzechSixTv

[@SurvivalDispatch]

What do you have in place for SHTF comms? Let us know here in the comments.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@Robert-cd5zr ... Awesome contribution on your part.

[@a1v175]

Love the video, but I have one question. How did you get around the non removable antenna on the KG-Q10G?

[@bikemannc]

Bought a pair of GMRS Ocean 805s yet cannot understand how to talk to my bud

[@kevinmathis1278]

I've got a pair of empty #10 cans that I've connected together with hdmi cable. These things are amazing. I can hear my wife bitch at me from all the way across the room with them.

[@SOEtacticalgear]

Checknout radio made easy.

[@Ccerastes]

I have one of the Wouxon ht’s. I can access a local repeater and talk to folks in Denver. I live in eastern Tucson. So, from my house to Denver and all points between.

[@peterbehringer63]

Expat prepper living in S.America, ham since 1977, and land móbile comms. engineer before career switching to writing profesionally chiming in: GMRS I would choose if I had a closed MAG or a small tight-knit survival community needing comms. coverage of 15-30 miles radius with the aid of a repeater(s) that is strategically located. But In the scriptwriting work I did recently for episodes of a new possible post-SHTF fiction-adventure series for streamingTV, the benevolent antihero warlord and his band (as well as the story's antagonists) used a wide variety of ham gear on the HF, VHF and UHF bands, with some CB radio unit usage among key townspeople charácters in the story, in a small rural town that's used as a hidden protected sanctuary base, in a world gone sideways. POST EDIT: Baofeng handheld units are very popular in the country where i currently live, due to the low cost factor....both among the general public and local ham radio operators..

[@Macgyver46]

I went the cheap way and got a Tidradio td-h3 multiband radio with gmrs. It has a lot of features you talked about, plus many, many more. I like it since I can easily unlock it and use different bands. If a major national or worldwide SHTF, a license probably won't matter for whatever frequency i want to use.

[@jasongarling20]

Absolutely great topic. As you might guess, I'm not financially set, you might say. I understand the need for communication. Unfortunately, I have zero ham radio experience. I grew up with cb radios.. but haven't done that in decades.

[@jhutch1470]

A HAM radio test will cost you $24. The test is 35 questions. The license is good for ten years and you renew without ever taking a test again. Then you can talk, text, packet, and GPS on frequencies from 50 MHz to 1.2 Ghz. I have an Anytone AT-D878UVII portable that I got for $214. It does HAM, GMRS, FRS, Maritime, and business itinerant channels in both analog, or DMR digital. It also has GPS and APRS built in.

[@cucvfarmer]

I have a GMRS Licence. Bought it last year. I have 2 Baofeng Gm-15 Pro. I gave 2 to my brother and 2 to my parents. We can talk outside 5- 6 miles out in the country.

[@jhutch1470]

Find out if there is a repeater in your area. Then you can talk for 20 or 30 miles depending on it's height. That's 20 or 30 miles on either side of the repeater. That's a possible 40 to 60 total miles apart.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Further to J Hutch's comment, have a look at Repeater Book to determine if there are any repeaters near you ... www.repeaterbook.com/index.php/en-us/

[@floridalife4]

So glad I found your channel. I’m in Florida too and although I’ve had my GMRS radio and license for a few years I’ve never used it. I was wanting to get into HAM, souly for emergency situations, but after watching this video I’m wondering if GMRS is sufficient. We live a bit southeast of downtown Orlando and last week I was in the turnpike driving to work and I heard a super clear channel with people talking. I’m hoping I got approval for the right repeater because I’m hoping to listen in this morning when I get closer to Orlando.

[@mikelang6764]

Brief, to the point and informative..........thank you

[@protectyour2a482]

Surprised more people haven’t considered mesh networking with ESP32 or RAK LORA boards that have built in GPS and Bluetooth connection. Radio comms can be intercepted quite easily, using these mesh nodes is easy, they’re mobile so they’re difficult to track and have built in encryption for secure comms. The only limitations is that it’s line of sight and that it’s sms comms rather than voice, but you can scale it up as big as you want

[@patring620]

Those LORA devices are just now becoming mobile, and while the technology is cool, ramping up 10 or 20 of them and maintaining them would likely be problematic for now. I love the idea of it though. I saw some videos where they chose areas with the highest elevations and were able to communicate for many miles - like 70 miles. I calculated a range in my state of nearly 100 miles of elevation between two points that I would love to try. I look forward to this technology becoming more accessible, rugged, reliable, etc.

[@Macgyver46]

Cheaper and easier to get GMRS.

[@mentalllllll]

I totally understand where you're coming from. The class at ham radio prep is very extensive. I had to put it off because bills started piling up. Gotta pay those bills. I git what I could afford. Baofung military grade version. I learned a lot from ham radio prep.

[@bruehlt]

One other comment - if you get your GMRS license, they actually do have 50w GMRS mobile radios as well, which is where you are going to get your distance!

[@johncrooks8979]

yes, I have one.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

That is correct. We just bought a 50 watt GMRS radio that we'll be reviewing after we get some decent time on it.

[@NickFrom1228]

Indeed they do. I have experience with a Wouxun KG1000G plus and Midland 575. Both work quite well. The midland has a simple feature set and very readable display. The Wouxun is full featured. They each have various features that are handy.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@NickFrom1228 ... A Wouxon KG1000G Plus is now sitting beside me. We're looking forward to getting it setup.

[@NickFrom1228]

@@ChrisHeavenUSA Overall a good unit. Its FM Radio, which granted probably isn't high on most peoples lists, is a bit awkward to get to but the rest is pretty good.

[@9252LIFE]

Just ordered the value pack from your links. We appreciate your video. These will be our first set of comms besides the ones our kids play around with.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Enjoy!

[@HalfPintsSG]

Good info. Thanks Brother 🇺🇸💪

[@NickFrom1228]

Hugely important note: The gmrs radio sellers like to use the term "Privacy codes". I want to emphasise this, but I'm not yelling... "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PRIVACY WITH THESE CODES". None. What those codes do is filter out other conversations so you don't hear others talking. But, remember you are broadcasting in the open so everyone who wants can listen to you whether you set the "privacy" code or not. It's really kind of the reverse of privacy, but anyway. Just remember, it is a convenience feature to filter out other conversations so you can talk without interruptions, nothing else (unless others set the same code as you do in which case you will hear them too).

[@sensory_deprivation4126]

Absolutely. GMRS has no means of true encryption. To this end, if you don’t want to disclose your position or pass info that is sensitive, it’s important to devise coded language between receiver and sender to encrypt info that is otherwise not safe from eavesdropping. The more you know.

[@joeglennaz]

Hello from Phoenix, Arizona! Great, great great video! Thank you so much

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you!

[@Wheeling88]

License is what puts most people i know off of the comms. I still run a old unlocked scanner & cb .in my ao cb is basically dead & its illegally modded by a few unfortunately.. i personally am not onboard with gov. regs. Just my .02 tho. Great info tho.👍👍

[@dimondDave100]

Very good video with a wealth of educational learning that is very useful. Thank you for this video

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Our pleasure. Thank you!

[@NickFrom1228]

Something to note, since this is Survival dispatch, there is a company named Better Safe Radio and the guy basically speciaizes in radios for shtf. He uses Wouxun radios and programs them with all the frequencies imaginable (for instance the gmrs radio can talk gmrs but can hear FM broadcast radio, weather, air, ham 2m and 70cm, fema, and many others. 999 in all. Get yourself a good radio AND a good antenna and you will be way better off than without. In our area we also have some good repeaters and we have people talking on one repeater from Burlington WA to Chehalis WA with a repeater in the middle. I was in Yelm with a Wouxun handheld, in the forest and talked to the repeater fine which is pretty good for UHF. You can learn a fair amount on the notarubicon channel but I'm biased because I'm his favorite viewer.

[@gogogo1064]

If he hasn't pinned one of your comments, you're not his favorite😂

[@NickFrom1228]

@@gogogo1064 Well I must not be sad enough.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

@NickFrom1228 ... Thank you for the info Nick.

[@mwurslin7152]

I hear folks say they don't like the Baofeng radios for various reasons and others that do like them for other reasons. A lot of folks don't like them because they're cheap and don't offer features that more pricey units have... But on the flip side I hear some folks say they like them for the very same reason... They're very inexpensive so they can buy several units and have one readily available wherever they are or they can have one for each member of their family. They can keep one in a go bag, one in each of their vehicles and one in their house for the same cost as one of the pricier units. Also its less painful if you lose/misplace one. The other thing I've heard mentioned is that radios like the UV5R can use FRS/GMRS in addition to MURS (and HAM) which opens up options for different environments/conditions since MURS uses VHF frequency. While HAM is illegal to transmit on without a license its ok to listen and gather important information (Like you would with NOAA) without a license right? I know FRS shares frequencies with GMRS and they can talk to each other but MURS is a separate band right? What are your thoughts on MURS and is it worth having that as an option? I'm just looking into radios and haven't decided on what to get yet. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[@chrisowen5497]

I personally use CB for vehicle and base station use. The walkie talkie type, however does not work well for me. We use the FRS here on the farm for walking, but the range is pretty limited. I bought a couple of Baofeng handhelds a few years ago, but can’t talk my wife into getting a license. I will check into this GMRS more. Thank you for the information!

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thanks Chris

[@damonharrington2948]

I bought Wouxun KG-905G GMRS Two Way Radios from Buy Two Way Radios a couple three years ago. Now you have me wanting to upgrade to at least a pair of 935G+ as primaries. Goal is a KG1000 for a home base. Thanks!

[@SurvivalDispatch]

All good choices based on our testing

[@naturecoastprepping2487]

you about 125 miles from our ranch in N Florida. Didn't realize you were so close.

[@mysteryham4065]

There are more and more videos on two way radio on the KZbins... for good reason. I think this video about GMRS radio is very, very good. I have been a radio nut for a few years now and love the fact that people are making legit content. Not only is your information about GMRS on point, your photography and audio was great in this video. Cheers.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you!

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Great video. I have the Wouxan 916 which is a 4 plus watt UHF radio and is good. The wouxan are all great radios and have great audio and components. That model will be my next one and I will give the current 916 to my buddy that is involved in prep stuff with me. Very cool video and I'm going to subscribe. Regards from South Central Indiana. wrzf693. Tim.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thanks Tim!

[@dutchvanderbilt9969]

I'll be honest I've been looking for a good emergency radio or what have you but I simply didn't have a clue where or what to look for. At least this gives me an idea of where to go next.

[@joeschnell5695]

Before you buy base antenna check with your HOA if you’re in one. Many HOAs won’t allow external antennas on houses.

[@420funny6]

Better yet, don't live in a hoa hell hole

[@RyanBarnes]

This is very true. There are other ways to conceal the antenna too. Where I live I have very tall trees that with a bit of engineering I could mount an antenna right along side, with a bit of camo paint to blend with the tree itself.

[@CThomasBeer]

Good information in this video. Your philosophy of use and intended mission should inform you what particular units to use. In some cases, the little Baofeng units are perfectly adequate. There are better ones out there, but you may not need better ones.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you.

[@c69101]

Excellent information. Thank you

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Our pleasure!

[@skymachellealexis]

Thanks

[@elevatorman7750]

Great video brother. Thanks for the info

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you

[@ajcsonsforge6370]

We're on the west coast over, let's just say Citrus County. I was in the Army back in 09 as an infantryman started as weapons squad gunner then put in the RTO position while state side. I have a zero recollection on how to set keys, we did have a tool to hook into the radios. I've been looking and studying for like 6 months now was going to run CB with a booster. But I like these. I'll be looking more into but I can possibly set up a boosted relay station I've got a large antenna already set up on the property

[@SurvivalDispatch]

1) Thank you for your service. 2) Just an FYI, you'll want to tune your antenna for whatever you choose.

[@bellaseawitch4886]

How do I find out if my area has GMRS repeaters. My parents were into ham and I actually had a license which was canceled in 2019. I still have ALL my dad’s equipment but my adults kids are not going to get HAM licenses-not sure I want to go through it all again. My family might be interested to do GMRS though. I am interested in having it for a SHTF type senario.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

Have a look here … mygmrs.com/repeaters

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Have a look here too … www.repeaterbook.com/gmrs/index.php?state_id=none

[@patricklewis9776]

Baofeng makes a 10 watt tri band thats about as cheap as you can get many accessories head sets antennas extra

[@natenissan1339]

That's so messed up, because our cell service is down right now and I look at KZbin and this video pops up!!!!

[@zednott]

the FCC changed the rules in 2021, pushed by cobra. CB can now use FM band.

[@stewartjas68]

great video, great information dump. though, im still going to learn the programming side to radios. im definitely going to invest in one of those pre-programmed bay boys...but the programming side could be super useful in a long term shtf scenario.

[@learnandteacheverything]

Probably Notarubicon I assume. Awesome guy. But.. "some. ...people" don't think so. (Sad hams) 😂

[@jacobgoforth4653]

Great video! Thank you for all the info! I am looking for something a bit more budget friendly to at least get me in the door for now. I have other prep items on my list I still am buying but I want something that my wife and I can communicate on

[@SurvivalDispatch]

They have old school, cheap receivers. If they suit your purposes that's fine. They do not however have superheterodyne receivers like the newer/better radios. Look at the map we showed in this video. No HAM HT has eever made it past the end of our road. The green GMRS radio we showed in this video went 4x further in our sub-division with large homes, large oaks and elevation changes up to 75'. At the end of the day you can't buy a Cadillac for the price of a Chevy.

[@markashlock9017]

Excellent vid. Liked and Subscribed!!!

[@prepperdan]

the yaesu 818 can reach across the world on 5 watts. several videos on youtube

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Bouncing off repeaters. Big distinction to be made there. They're good units, but that type of result isn't unique to them. Especially if it's a DMR that uses Internet on-ramps.

[@rossyl.9887]

I needed this.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Thank you

[@annietaylorsmith3876]

We're going to have to upgrade. We got the Wouxun KG-UVD2 several year ago. Only 5W.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

That's a HAM radio and may be fine for what your needs are. If you're looking for more power consider one of the radios that can be moved from your vehicle to your home as a base station. If you have the right antennas on your vehicle and home you'll get way better performance than any handheld unit. Thanks for commenting.

[@annietaylorsmith3876]

@@SurvivalDispatch You guys are awesome. Thanks!

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@annietaylorsmith3876 ... Our pleasure!

[@64samsky]

I'm in Vero Beach.

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Welcome fellow Floridian!

[@keithjones197]

Just a thought but if the shtf i seriousness doubt the government with be enforceing who is using what.i would imagine everyone will be using what ever they can get their hands on that works.

[@maxfalconi6995]

I will do absolutely nothing because with the network down I won't get anymore calls on my expiring car insurance

[@SurvivalDispatch]

Lol

[@user-ju8rr9rf1o]

Cell towers now have mass amounts of multiple receiver hub sites every few miles and multiple frequency bands. If your in a City, your good, don't ever worry about service being down unless hacked, even . If your in a rural area, definitely have a CB radio . It's what local fire rescue and responders will be listening to.

[@BRM2RG]

Food for thought. Radios can be tracked to your position.

[@markmeehan9908]

so can cell phones and gps receivers. And of course there are cameras everywhere these days

[@perpetualplacidpoet]

Problem with UHF or VHF is the range even with 6 watts. Since UHF and VHF are very short wavelengths more power is required to get them any distance without barriers (line of sight). And the use of repeater towers is being dependent on infrastructure -- same as a cell phone. Building portable antennas would be useful for all radio types that allow for switching antennas -- Ham, GMRS (not the 2 watt versions in Walmart etc), MURS and even CB; these can be strung up in a tree for temporary communications. The one advantage CB has is it is the only license free HF (high frequency) band available as all the others are under Ham directive. HF has the ability to reach out without towers because of the nature of the frequency itself (skywave or skip off the ionosphere) and adding SSB (single sideband) can get it out there even if using a stock (barefoot) radio with 12 watts power (SSB will triple the power)

[@NickFrom1228]

He's not kidding about filling out the form. Only the government can take something so simple and make it so stupid.

[@Stingray8854]

Liked and subscribed. Great content! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@michaelzimmerman9221]

Ham or Gmrs will work fine with a repeater! I talk at around 100 miles daily with a repeater for both! And the repeater only runs you $200!

[@jhutch1470]

The huge hurdle to jump over to get into ham radio is $24 and a 35 question test. The license is good for ten years, then you renew without another test. Then you have the major problem of being able to talk, text, packet, and GPS on frequencies ranging from 50MHz to 1.2 GHz.

[@johnshorba]

Couple high quality walkis with privacy channels are better than nothing!

[@ABChgdyhh]

"Purchase anything you want, anything you can afford. Please remember, when buying radios now, the frequencies and permissions don't matter since you're not using them. Permissions and licenses are only necessary when you start using them. When sht happens nobody cares 🎉😊

[@2XK_]

Two soup cans and some string

[@jhutch1470]

Don't go cheap on string. Use 550 paracord.

[@jerrysimms4717]

Back in the day we used FRS radios during deer season we easily got ranges of 1/2 to a mile ,idk we just thought that was normal , 100 yards seems real short

[@jameshall5314]

Also think about Meshtastic

[@user-ht1kp9kb7y]

Pick up the cb and keeo on keeping on

[@Dread_Pirate_Homesteader]

Brushbeater has a great book for the guerrilla guide to the boafang

[@yavamaystudio8045]

Now Mashtastic is coming, no need license 💯👍💯

[@bhamptonkc7]

a Good GMRS radio is as effective as HAM radio on the same band UHF getting to know what your communications will and won't do,

[@mitchellsmith4601]

I’ve been a ham for over forty years, and it’s never been easier to become one. The exam question and answers are all public. What hurdles, man?

[@SurvivalDispatch]

For the umpteenth time, we know our audience. The survival/prepping audience wants to learn as long as it's not a heavy lift. What's east for you is perceived by many to be hard. 2+2=4, that's an absolute. However, what's best for you may not be best for someone else. Why do you Sad HAMs have such a hard time understanding this? It's not that hard to grasp.

[@robertevans8126]

sharing

[@granitejeepc3651]

if the cell network is down----i dont really care about the phones being down i care about why they are down--thats the real issue as far as comms go---yeah gmrs or cb is fine ---or sat phone if that network is still up

[@raymondmejia158]

Great video thanks I'm a little confused maybe you can clarify something for me the wouxun radio you have in your hand has a different antenna on it than shown on the website which says the antenna is fixed how did you change the antenna?

[@justincompton4593]

GMRS can be fun but honestly there are way more people using Ham radio and way more Ham radio repeaters. Plus as just a technician you can use 144mhz which does better then the 440mhz of gmrs and you can use 10m which is 28mhz and will go world wide when the band is open. The band is currently in great condition. Another thing is the with ham radio you can use digital modes for email and texting, Morse code, am, fm, and single side band. Lastly the Baofeng is a great radio for anyone wanting to try out gmrs or amateur radio. If you don’t like talking with it use can still use it as a fm broadcast receiver and NOAA weather receiver.

[@NickFrom1228]

GMRS vs HAM vs CB vs Murs vs whatever, its all pros and cons thing. The advantage of GMRS is buy a license and a radio and you are on but its limited (albeit that adds to simplicity). Ham requires testing and to do many of the things ham can do it requires costlier radios etc. so its higher barrier of entry but more features. And so on. Everyone needs to see what they can/want to do and decide. Anyway, this brings me to my main point. I think an excellent video would be one where all the com options are discussed and compared and an example com plan given would help a lot of people.

[@holto01]

Thank you for the comment. I have a question. I am looking at the KG-Q10G radio but it is saying it has a fixed antenna. How did you get your tactical antenna onto your radio?

[@SurvivalDispatch]

There was a tiny blob of glue holding the stock antenna in place. It took no effort to twist it off.

[@holto01]

@@SurvivalDispatchThank you.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@holto01 ... My pleasure.

[@user-we2dq1hw5g]

Thank you so much for this video! I have been looking for a solution if cell service goes down for some reason. My brother lives about 20’miles away and we are in Central lower MI and I think we may be able to communicate with this solution. However, if we couldn’t hit a repeater do you still think we may be able to? There is likely a repeater in between us, as a major city splits us. He is rural and I am suburbs with a large city between. However if really bad situation happens and a repeater also goes down, just wondering your thoughts. Thanks so much. Just found this channel and it’s great so far!

[@SurvivalDispatch]

If you can't hit a repeater have a look at the Midland and Wouxon 50 Watt GMRS mobile vehicle radios that can also be used as base stations.

[@matthewlongfellow5965]

I mean the Taliban used $20 Baofengs, we had all sorts of advanced communications systems in the war against them...they are still in charge of Afghanistan. I'm not saying buying a good quality radio is a bad thing, there are good reasons why to invest in quality equipment; but to say baofengs aren't SHTF capable discounts case studies of SHTF radio usage.

[@CreativeRome]

I went for GMRS. There's not much on the air. Idk if I'll invest with more radios..

[@jakejohnson6363]

I appreciate the video...However I cannot see a reason to spend that much on one HT when i have never had an issues with the 20-30 dollar ones that I have. With GMRS repeaters I can reach over 150 miles.

[@slingshotwarrrior8105]

great stuff

[@robdavidson4945]

My post was supposed to say Comms not Folks.

[@FarmersSON55]

Baufeng radios only does 2 meter and 70 cm fm, not worldwide, you need an hf rig for worldwide comms..... ht = handheld transceiver... Icom hts are much more operator friendly (easier programming)

[@SurvivalDispatch]

We have BTech HTs (Baofengs under a different brand) that have much more functionality than their Baofeng cousins. For posterity's sake, we did not buy them, they were sent to us, and they haven't made an appearance on our channel because they're too complex for the average person. Look at how controversial this video has been? It's literally brought the keyboard commandos out of the woodwork.

[@familyaccount3501]

I have a ham license a technician no code. Do I still need to get a GMRS license in addition to that?

[@familyaccount3501]

@@SurvivalDispatch thank you

[@Iconoclassic]

You still need a GMRS license to use the GMRS bands. The amateur radio bands DO NOT cover GMRS. FCC regulations state that you cannot use your amateur radio to talk on FRS/GMRS bands either and just buy a GMRS radio.

[@ChrisHeavenUSA]

@@Iconoclassic ... You're right. We stand corrected. Thank you.

[@buzz5969]

Oh hell No!! Cell service down, No INTERNET!🤬🤬How can I TiKToK or post Youstubes videos😅😂😅

[@joeybarnett2924]

With the Chinese radios with a simple firmware update, you can transmit on all channels. And when it hits the fan, the repeaters will not last long. And all those well-known frequencies will be completely full of people trying to communicate at 1 time. So you have to have frequencies Not as many people will have the capability of transmitting. And these are only to get you where you need to be not for long-term use. That's the reason why they're in a bug out bag.

[@patring620]

I politely disagree with your assessment of Baofeng radios. They have been on the market for some years now, and for what they do, short-range, FM voice comms in the UHF range, they do it remarkably well at a significantly lower price than many others. Your $150 or $200 GMRS radio may have some features that the Baofeng doesn't (mostly useless, especially for survival), but it doesn't have any more range or reliability than a Baofeng. In fact, the configuration of how you use any hand held radio has more to do with range than the brand. An external, half-wave or full wave antenna, one you can connect to the radio via coax, will significantly improve range and performance. A remote microphone to get the antenna away from your head will also help. All radios will benefit from these configurations. With very few exceptions, no GMRS radio will transmit more than a mile or two at the same elevation. Height, and improving line of sight between two radios, will increase the range, but at ground level, comms will drop off with every obstruction, and even if there aren't any obstructions, after only five or six miles, due to power limitations and how UHF propagation works (it doesn't bend to the curvature of the earth and rarely bounces off the ionosphere). Increasing power won't help, neither will all of the fancy doodads of a more expensive radio. Look, if you are buying one radio, and you think you need all of the bells and whistles of a $200 radio, go for it (that's like buying a Kimber thinking you are going to shoot harder and better). But for the same money as one of your fancy radios you can buy five or six Baofeng radios, and your group can practice with the same radio. You are in much better shape. Finally, the first time one of your survivalists bounces a $150 GMRS radio on the pavement from the handlebars of his zombie escape dual sport, they will recognize the value of the Baofeng (or any other cheap ChiCom UHF/VHF radio). These radios aren't new. They've been around for some time and they improve with every generation. Their harmonics have been reduced significantly since the first iteration splatter devices. I have a Yaesu sitting here for digital comms, but I've had Baofeng radios in every pack for years and have had zero issues. I've dropped a few. I have one that works perfectly but the display is cracked and not functioning. That radio cost me $24 shipped about nine years ago. It still works fine on 146.520. I don't need a display to see that and it runs 24/7 in my office on that frequency and has for years. Your dismissiveness of the brand is an error. For the casual prepper who thinks they are prepared by adding a hand held radio to their pack and checking the box for comms, a Baofeng will work just as well as any other radio. They won't be any more prepared if they spend more money.

[@Rottidad]

Something doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective.

[@robdavidson4945]

Folks are a weak point in my preps. I used radios a lot in the Marines. Mortars FDC and training for FO. I'm an old guy now with hearing aids. Looking more at ham radio. Do they have anything that has Bluetooth capabilities. Comes in handy to be able to communicate hands free often if you can get a speak to talk selection. Down side there you have to be very careful what you say that could be broadcast.

[@KOAOutdoors]

First of all, what's a mortar fire direction procedure , and what's a forward observer ? Lol semper fi leather neck !

[@humantruckjack423]

Yes they do have Bluetooth on some

[@dewhitt915]

My Baofeng work just a good.