Walkie Talkie in the wilderness

[rocinante]

lions and tigers and bears oh my! well bears at least.

Are there any channels monitored in the state or national forest in case some one needs help? If such a service exist can they locate you by your signal kind of like in all the war movies the nazi triangulates your position? Is there a protocol or do you just keep screaming HELP HELP GET MY BOOTY OUT OF HERE????????

 

[rocinante]

I asked a friend and he said when you go to a park ask the rangers what frequency if any they monitor. No SOS channel generally accepted. If you get lucky and make contact they can't figure out where you are just from the radio signal but they will ask you for a landmark and try to guess.

 

[sodbusterman]

My cell works a lot of places up there. But not all of course. They make a satelite device for this for arount 3-400.

 

[rocinante]

all true sodbusterman but that 3-400 is too much for me.

 

[Randy]

If you are truely concerned get a SPOT System.

http://www.findmespot.com/Home.aspx

 

[rocinante]

good advise woodsman but if you are hurt hiking back out may not be an option. I decided I aint worrying about it.

 

[Eddy M.]

some areas monitor HAM radio simplex frequency's on the top of the hour for a long tone zero (I think) which is to indicate you have a problem--- haven't heard of any monitoring of the "free two way radio set-up's "

 

[Arrow-Slinger]

I don't know if your talking about all wilderness or a certain one? But, in the cohutta Wilderness it is not moniteried. That is U.S. Forest Service. They have radios that are used to talk back and fourth that are set up like all emergency service systems, except that have repeaters on certain mountains to carry the transmission a greater distance. But you would have to have a programmable radio and put in the frequency. You best luck is to carry a gps, a cell phone (it does work here and there in the Cohutta) stay close to the main trails, and let somebody know you area and time frame for returning.

 

[Cornelia_Hiker]

Hi guys,

I am a ham radio operator and into two-way communications in general. The Forest Service has their own frequencies for their use. In North Georgia anyway the main FS frequency is 168.775
Primary Ga Forestry Comm. freq in N Ga. is 151.400

You can obtain something like a Motorola handheld radio and possibly get a radio shop to program that frequency into it but they may balk at doing it. You can explain your desire to have a transmitter for that frequency but they are not obligated to do it just because you are willing to pay them.

Transmitting on their freq. is permitted IN AN EMERGENCY. FCC regulations state that all radio rules are off in an EMERGENCY. Any citizen can pick up any radio and transmit on any frequency in an emergency. An emergency is defined as imminent threat to life or property.

Motorolas are prime gear and pricey. There are recently a good pile of apparently decent VHF and UHF handhelds coming in from China and are user programmable via the on-board keyboard. I've seen them for $30-50 bucks on Ebay. On ebay search the TWO WAY RADIO catagory and look around.

I've never known the national or state forestry commission to monitor ham, CB, FRS or any other citizen-use frequencies. The little FRS/GMRS handhelds will be useless in the woods beyond a half mile or so. Almost anywhere you are, you are going to be a long way away from any working personnel.

There are ham radio repeaters scattered in most cities and counties all over. Ham radio may be your best bet, besides a cell phone, to reach out and make contact. But you will pretty much need to become a ham which is ridiculous easy these days. You get a study book or go online to study. The books & internet have all of the questions and the answers. The basic Technician Class Ticket test is only 35 questions and you only have to pass 70%. The license is free and is good for 10 years with free lifetime renewals. Several excellent 5 watt VHF handhelds can be had new for $100.

Do I carry a ham handheld in the north Ga. woods when I hike? No. Spotty likelihood of hitting a repeater from the places I go. But when camping I have a full power 50 watt mobile radio in my truck. More power + high gain mobile antenna substantially increases chance of reaching a repeater. Don't bother taking one of my FRS/GMRS radios either. Figure zero chance of reaching anyone.

Do take the cell phone for sure - always.


Good luck everyone!

 

[Eddy M.]

I'm not sure if this program still exists but at one time in the past few years HAM operators in areas close to wilderness areas were monitoring simplex calling frequency's at the top of the hour for distress calls--- or LONG TONE ZERO transmissions followed by distress calls-- when I am in the woods my truck radio is set on cross band repeat-- I can transmit ( low power walkie talkie)on one frequency to my truck - that radio re-transmits it out at 50 watts to a near-by high power repeater covering a huge area eddy http://www.vaxxine.com/va3nag/tecnotes/reference/tecnote32.html

 

[JohnK3]

When Katydid goes out in the woods, I send a rugged 2-meter HT (Kenwood) with her. I have a radio in the truck and am setting up another one in the camper with a Ringo Ranger up about 20 feet. She calls, I'll hear.

She's working on her license so she can call me in other than emergencies.

 

[Cornelia_Hiker]

I'm not sure if this program still exists but at one time in the past few years HAM operators in areas close to wilderness areas were monitoring simplex calling frequency's at the top of the hour for distress calls--- or LONG TONE ZERO transmissions followed by distress calls-- when I am in the woods my truck radio is set on cross band repeat-- I can transmit ( low power walkie talkie)on one frequency to my truck - that radio re-transmits it out at 50 watts to a near-by high power repeater covering a huge area eddy http://www.vaxxine.com/va3nag/tecnotes/reference/tecnote32.html

Sounds like a fine idea but I've never heard of it for Georgia. I'm in the largest NE Ga. ham club and we (they) don't do this. Hams are just regular folks and do radio for a hobby and in their spare time. Expecting folks to spend their time sitting around all the time monitoring certain frequencies that they wouldn't otherwise use just in case they could possibly help some hiker way out in the woods....well that's a bit of a stretch.

Also the ham in the article [ va3nag ] ....that callsign is from Canada.


Good thoughts though. Keep thinking!

 

[Miguel Cervantes]

FRS's won't work, even the 18 mile range ones don't get out of the N. Ga. mountains.
They barely get to the next ridge.

ICOM is a good one, but again, line of sight is a problem up in them thar hills.

Your best bet is a Cell Phone, with a spare battery. I can't tell you how many calls a year we get from lost individuals that do have some cell service up on the AT or other trails, but their battery is dying.

In general, black bears are going to leave you alone, if you follow all of the precautionary rules.

 

[Eddy M.]

Sounds like a fine idea but I've never heard of it for Georgia. I'm in the largest NE Ga. ham club and we (they) don't do this. Hams are just regular folks and do radio for a hobby and in their spare time. Expecting folks to spend their time sitting around all the time monitoring certain frequencies that they wouldn't otherwise use just in case they could possibly help some hiker way out in the woods....well that's a bit of a stretch.

Also the ham in the article [ va3nag ] ....that callsign is from Canada.


Good thoughts though. Keep thinking!

all HAM radio emergency service is on a volunteer status Hams in the mountain area " might monitor " the suggested frequency's and never tell anyone-- if I lived in the mountain area I would have a designated radio to monitor the call frequency with the volume up full gain just in case of a call--- the long tone zero concept -- has never been adopted officially but is a good concept --- if I'm in the mountains I have my mobile rig on and------and a HT if I go out on foot---if I go out on foot hunting / hiking the mobile is set to cross- band repeat if needed( tone encoded)--------any way my point is ------the chance of reaching help is greater with the HAM Radio license compared to the Family Radio service the test is easy------ get your license several of us on Woody's are willing to help you -------------even help with the $$$ for the test which is already CHEAP--- join us BE A HAM

 

[kg4ghn]

GPS, a cellphone, and the top of the biggest hill you can get to is probably your best bet.

As far as HAM radio goes, depends on how close a repeater is, and the HAM activity in that area.

 

[allenww]

Cell phones, from a high point.

 

[jonkayak]

Or get a map and compass and learn how to use it, then you don't have to rely someone to come find you.

Best piece of advice I have read in this post.

Outside of that if I was worried about needing to call for help I would get a Personal Locator Beacon. They are sold for boating mainly but can be used pretty much any where as they send the distress signal via Satellite. Also the "Spot" PLB gets terrible reviews in most of the mags I have read. You have to do a lot of pre-trip planning with them then you have to have someone monitor an email. The standard PLB sends the signal to a government monitored system and then your location info is relayed to the nearest rescue station.

 

[MisterClean]

topo map, GPS and extra batteries, compass, an altimeter, signaling mirror, cellphone with extra charged batteries, protein bars, water carrier and purifying tablets, body heat reflective blanket, magnesium bar and striker, etc., etc.

Or stay in a campground.