Hand Held Radios

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Hand Held Radios

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

The 5W Digitech would be fine, as would any good quality 5W unit, but all would perform better with an external roof mounted antennae.
Cheers,
Peter

Dave1952 · Senior Member

I have a 5 W handheld for my wife to use in her car as we travel, and it has a remote microphone. Whatever you get, I suggest you ensure you can attach a remote mike as you dont have to worry about picking the entire handheld up every time you want to use it.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Thanks guys I just bought a set because when I was down at RTM getting some other things the price for the 5W set was down to $248. The 3W set was still at $348 so I thought why not, if it doesn't do the job Peter I will do as you suggested and fit an external antennae to the car.

Cheers
BB

PeterD · Guru

I have travelled with people using 1/2 W hand held CB radios. They worked OK. It's surprising how many armchair experts there are on these forums with a fixation on needing high power to do the job.

normiek · Member

Any 5w uhf is equal, only look at aerial ,higher the better

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

normiek wrote:
Any 5w uhf is equal, only look at aerial ,higher the better

Mounted higher is definitely better, but higher gain is not necessarily better.

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 6th of August 2018 05:52:02 PM

MikeL · Veteran Member

Not sure why the heck you would want high mounted aerials and 5W units if all you are looking to communicate with is a vehicle probably less than 1km away!

That said, there are some nice new handheld VHFs around at reasonable price AND with bluetooth for hands free:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Cobra-Marine-Hand-Held-VHF-5W-Marine-Radio-Floating-With-Bluetooth/162735427491?hash=item25e3c98fa3%3Ag%3AS28AAOSwk~ZZ-8l5&_sacat=0&_nkw=vhf+handheld+bluetooth&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

Definitely go for a hands free kit of some kind though even if only a plug in ear/mic set.

-- Edited by MikeL on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 11:14:29 AM

-- Edited by MikeL on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 11:22:23 AM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

A high mounted antennae avoids transmission "shadows" that can otherwise occur.
A car towing a van could have very poor reception from a vehicle 1km immediately behind if using a hand held in the cab.
Cheers,
Peter

Tony Bev · Guru

I have a pair of 0.5 (half) watt hand held radios

My theory is that when I talk to the truckies, they should be close enough to be able to see my name, or type of rig

So far I have had no problems

I also hear farmers in the field, who I can not see
I can hear oversize vehicles, before I see them

But...
I do not have the type of rig, to go off road

In my honest opinion, a 5 (five) watt hand held, should be sufficient for bitumen travelling

If your radios fail, Dave
Then let us all know the make and model

DeBe · Guru

Mikel, that is a VHF marine radio & is not legal to use on the Land. Land use units are UHF. Also you need a licence to use VHF marine sets.

-- Edited by DeBe on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 03:06:56 PM

denmonkey · Senior Member

I'll concur with the opinions that the handhelds will be fit for your purpose even from within the vehicle.

As an amatuer radio operator, I routinely speak to others operating HTs from their vehicles without issue and have also done so operating a HT from my end.
P&M is correct that an external antenna is always going to be superior with regards to distance and clarity of transmission but for what you have outlined, you won't have any problems.

If you're reluctant to poke holes in your vehicle, small magnetic based antennas can be had to avoid a permanent install scenario and can be mated up with your HTs should you ever feel the need. Assuming the ones you purchase have removable antenna.
As suggested though, if you can get a external mic to go with your unit, you will find it that little bit easier to operate within the vehicle and out.
If none of that is possible, you'll be just fine with what you already have and won't have to spend any extra money biggrin but if you want to ..................................

woofta and precious · Senior Member

This works very well for me!

In a Colorado...

elliemike · Guru

On a recent road trip with three other friends, two of them had purchased good Handheld 5 W units. We were having reception problems from one of the handhelds. Four vehicles spread sometimes over about (Nullabor) 5 kilometres, or more sometimes. She could hear us clearly but we were not hearing her. She had a hands free mike attached.

When we stopped and checked her unit (she handed it all out to us, no problems found with the transmission) Get on the road again and just a short distance we lost her transmission.

I heard the Tail end Charlie ask her, "where she put the hand held unit while driving".

ON THE PASSENGER SEAT of the car..

Hands free microphone was clipped to her lapel.

Tail end Charlie says put the base unit on the Dashboard.

Result was good reception by everyone over long distance. We ended up clipping her base unit high up in the vehicle which solved the problem.

The other Handheld had an Ariel fitted to the outside of the car. So never a problem with that.

I have the radio on constantly while travelling, Truck drivers appreciate you making contact and being aware of them, and what your intentions are. Letting them know your speed if they are coming up astern of you for instance. Or asking a WIDE LOAD Pilot what the width of the load is. They can Warn you to "get off the road" early, with reasonable time to find a safe stretch of Verge.

-- Edited by elliemike on Sunday 12th of August 2018 05:53:06 PM

Ger08 · Senior Member

elliemike wrote:
On a recent road trip with three other friends, two of them had purchased good Handheld 5 W units. We were having reception problems from one of the handhelds. Four vehicles spread sometimes over about (Nullabor) 5 kilometres, or more sometimes. She could hear us clearly but we were not hearing her. She had a hands free mike attached.
When we stopped and checked her unit (she handed it all out to us, no problems found with the transmission) Get on the road again and just a short distance we lost her transmission.
I heard the Tail end Charlie ask her, "where she put the hand held unit while driving".
ON THE PASSENGER SEAT of the car..
Hands free microphone was clipped to her lapel.
Tail end Charlie says put the base unit on the Dashboard.
Result was good reception by everyone over long distance. We ended up clipping her base unit high up in the vehicle which solved the problem.
The other Handheld had an Ariel fitted to the outside of the car. So never a problem with that.
I have the radio on constantly while travelling, Truck drivers appreciate you making contact and being aware of them, and what your intentions are. Letting them know your speed if they are coming up astern of you for instance. Or asking a WIDE LOAD Pilot what the width of the load is. They can Warn you to "get off the road" early, with reasonable time to find a safe stretch of Verge.

-- Edited by elliemike on Sunday 12th of August 2018 05:53:06 PM

Great post. We use our UHF all the time with truckies and pilots for wide loads. The Pilots really appreciate it when you communi with them.

Hiddleston · Newbie

I was able to connect to my home from my daughter's school, about 3 miles away, and from my wife's work, about 3 1/2 or 4 miles away by baofeng uv 5r