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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327   
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Sort of on topic, sort of off, but does include my Landy, so bunged in here.
With the biking holidays that I run, the Landy is the support vehicle which can be up to around 12 miles away (in a straight line). Currently, I just use PMR446 radios (the awesome Binatone Action 950). I carry one and the other is in the Landy with support driver. Pretty impressed by the range of these things, managed to get about 5 miles in the hilly mid-wales. However, I'm also looking at improving this. So I have options.... 1) Just stick with PMR446 2) Go for the licensed VHF 5 Watt Handhelds 3) Go for a Landy CB unit with a Handheld CB My own thoughts on these option is as follows; 1) Cheap, licence free, works "ok", however, if it's inside the Landy, then range is drastically reduced. 2) Licence fee (although cheap at £75 for 5 years), can also get external antenna for the Landy 3) Full on CB (Roger, Roger, 10-4) for other uses, external antenna, powerful. However, the caveat on option 3 is that it's my understanding that handheld PMRs can have a better unit to unit range than a CB to Handheld CB range?????? Thoughts anyone?  Craig Rogers
2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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24th Jan 2013 11:59am |
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| JWL Member Since: 26 Oct 2011 Location: Hereford Posts: 3443  
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No matter what you use if you're in hilly areas then you are compromised, even the day to day communication device we all carry now can be useless.......the mobile phone. personally I'd stick to what you've got, phone as a backup and try to have timed rendezvous points along the route.
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24th Jan 2013 12:30pm |
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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327
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Yes, we have checkpoints during the day which are variable in length, but never more than around 10 miles away. The evacuation/abort plan in place is that if we need the Landy in a hurry, a point on the map is decided to where the Landy can reach and we communicate the co-ords over the air. As you say, being in Mid Wales is not the best, mobiles are pretty useless which is why we have to use radios as we generally get no signal on mobiles. Craig Rogers 2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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24th Jan 2013 12:34pm |
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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327
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As you say, Cha-ching.....and then there's the need for 2...
There is always smoke signals!  Craig Rogers
2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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24th Jan 2013 3:30pm |
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| YeomanOfTheBar Member Since: 04 Nov 2012 Location: North Notts Posts: 206  
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True. Could always look at renting a pair for the duration of your trips... 2013 Defender 110 XS DCPU 2016 Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 |
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24th Jan 2013 3:36pm |
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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327
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 Not a bad option and not that expensive either. Craig Rogers
2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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24th Jan 2013 3:40pm |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5843 
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For the bike events I do we have a radio controller with mast up and most of the cars have radios and use mag mounts or body mount aerials . We use a High Band frequency which I think is on UK General frequency.
When one radio car can't make it to the controller we relay through another car that can make the trip. 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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24th Jan 2013 7:28pm |
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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327
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Sounds pretty awesome,but a bit overkill for a holiday with 8 riders all in one group.
Thanks for the rental Sat tip though. That seems pretty perfect. We only need devices to be used in rare circumstances so little to no cost. Craig Rogers 2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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24th Jan 2013 7:38pm |
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| littlepow Member Since: 13 Oct 2012 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 11
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I don't think you can get much more out of the PMR446 as it is restricted to internal aerial and a max power of 500mW. If I knew what I was doing - I would be scared!
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24th Jan 2013 8:09pm |
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| Tiger Member Since: 06 Jul 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 2265 
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Sounds like you have a pretty good solution already, why not back it up with a SPOT carried by the guide.
That gives you a 3rd option if both radio & cell are not working. Also nice to have if you got stuck up Darkest Wales with no signal and somebody falls. Would also allow support vehicle to track progress. Great bit of kit.  |
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24th Jan 2013 8:11pm |
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| x-isle Member Since: 26 May 2011 Location: Midlands Posts: 1327
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SPOTs are great bits of kit. I've considered one before. Craig Rogers 2007 Puma 110 XS 2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux www.craigrogers.photography |
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27th Jan 2013 8:51pm |
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