limited range of handheld VHF radios while calling road Km's on RR roads

FernieHawk

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
1,965
Reaction score
5,563
Location
Fernie, BC
Just a reminder to call your Km's every two Km's...Even numbers going up and Odd numbers coming down so there is never more than 1 Km between the last radio transmission before you encounter on-coming traffic. The handheld radios suck for transmission range if land features interfere with the line of sight.

My friends had a minor indecent on the Lodgepole road on Sunday afternoon...they met an on coming pickup and both trucks involved were at a good clip apparently. My friend was coming down and moved a little to far right and got sucked into the berm, he kept it pinned and managed to stay out of the ditch but snow was flying everywhere and they couldn't see ****.

Anyway, to make a short story long, they had been calling odd km on the way down the Lodgepole but since they had not heard any traffic for quite a while they stopped calling the numbers at km 25 down, I guess they figured someone else would be calling the numbers on the way up and they would hear the transmissions. Well at Km 20.5 they encountered the oncoming truck and only then did they hear that truck make a radio call to the truck behind him that there was a truck on the road without a radio. My friends assumed that the other two trucks were not calling their Km's because they did not hear any transmissions. Well, I was on the valley floor with my radio on and I could hear both of the inbound trucks, that were separated by two km, calling the km's at the 16 km start point as well as 18 km and 20 km marks...then I heard the truck that had just called Km 20 tell the guy behind him about the truck without a radio. Then I heard my friends calling Km 20, 19, 18,17,16.

When we got together in town they told me about the ditch incident and the other truck not calling their Km's...I then informed them that the two trucks were in fact calling their Km's and the nature of the terrain as well as the low performance of the handhelds needs to be kept in mind. Anyway...a good lesson learned without any damage.
 
Last edited:

the_real_wild1

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
6,966
Reaction score
7,389
Location
cardiff
I have had a few issues with the handhelds not putting out like they should so I installed my 50w radio into my sxs. At least now I can hear what is going on even if they can't hear me.
 

Got boost want snow

Active VIP Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2010
Messages
1,219
Reaction score
2,386
Location
Alberta
The 50w is transmitted power, nothing to do with the recieve. In Canada we are legally only permitted to transmit 30watts. Usually set up by the dealer selling the product. But back to the handheld issue, if using a handheld from inside the truck a person for their own safety should put an external antenna on it so the 5 w is transmitted through a far superior antenna giving better range on both transmit and recieve.
 

the_real_wild1

Active VIP Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Messages
6,966
Reaction score
7,389
Location
cardiff
The 50w is transmitted power, nothing to do with the recieve. In Canada we are legally only permitted to transmit 30watts. Usually set up by the dealer selling the product. But back to the handheld issue, if using a handheld from inside the truck a person for their own safety should put an external antenna on it so the 5 w is transmitted through a far superior antenna giving better range on both transmit and recieve.
Im pretty sure my license says otherwise.
 

Cableguy

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
2,007
Reaction score
4,680
Location
Okanagan
when I was still logging road channels were so busy you never called empty miles unless you were a lowbed or grader but always call your down or loaded kms cause guys like me wont call empty very often
when your empty or going up better have your pullouts planned and be parked waiting for the loads they shouldnt have to slow down for a sledder p/u
 

Got boost want snow

Active VIP Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2010
Messages
1,219
Reaction score
2,386
Location
Alberta
Power output is limited by DOC which is federal. I did work in the field for about 20 years. BC also has roads that are limited to 5 watts this is so they can use the same channels in fairly close proximity to each other without interference.
 

X-it

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
7,325
Reaction score
16,422
Location
Prince George
Yes skegpro that is the right correct end for the baofeng and zastone. Not the TYT though. No baofengs left, I doubt I will be ordering anymore either. So that leaves me with 17 spare roof antennas.
 

AreWeThereYet

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
12,775
Reaction score
7,554
Location
Grande Prairie
I use my 5W baofeng handheld with external antennae that is permanently mounted to the opposite side of my factory truck radio antennae. I have had no luck using these radios for calling with the factory or 5 or 7in antennae unless you were practically following the lead truck, or almost onto the truck coming the opposite direction. When not using the radio I just remove it and from the cord,.. throw the short antennae on and put in my backpack.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom