Two way radios for skiing
 

I need a set of three radios for skiing now that my son is all over the mountain. Where we ski cel phones barely work so figured this would be the way to go.

Reviews seem to be all over the map. Any using anything that fits the bill being somewhat water resistant and decent range?

We used Motorola Talkabouts? I think that what they are called..

Worked well, also used them trailering to the track pre-cel phone

let me look. I believe I have 4 radios. If so they are yours...if you want them

That would be amazing and extremely generous!

The 7 mile range work well to get through the trees and 18 channel because everyone has the same idea and the the airway is jammed

If you can; Garmin Rino GPS - radio combos. Super powerful 5W(?) radios and paired with a great gps. You can see each other’s locations.

You can get about 3-4 miles in the mountains.

We have 4 Baofeng radios. 3 UV82s and a UV9R.

I like the 82s better have we have lapel speaker mikes for them. We ski at the second biggest hill in Alberta and there is no cell coverage. They work just fine.

Also we have the ski patrol channel programmed into all of our radios so we are ready for anything. I’m comfortable with my kids skiing on their own with their radios.

Uncle Billy, standard antenna or something longer?

We have one with a different antenna, the others are standard. All work just fine.

Don’t have the antenna stick out of your chest pocket... 2 years ago, I fell into a tree well skiing glades and got the antenna up a nostril. Gave me one hell of a nose bleed.

Ye gods man! :eek::eek: Canadian farmers be tough!

Just grabbed a set of outdoor techs blue tooth chips, supposedly it has a walkie feature but I haven't tried it yet..

I would think a pair of skis would work much better for skiing than a two way radio.

Well played

These do look cool, but I don't know about sending a 7yo out with a $500 radio :)

point taken. ouch.

the system rocks tho. one year, i tipped over a deer and turned on my radio and told my brother. he hit, "goto brother" and followed the bread crumbs trail to help me carry that thing out.

i crashed my mtn bike and was taken out of the running to hike Machu Pichhu. my wife and i got the luxury option to take a train up there after several days of fine Peruvian Cuisine and some one on one guided tour trip. (i wore my knee brace). my brother and the rest of the group of friends did the hike. 4 days up or something. on the last day, we agreed to turn on our radios at a predetermined time. it was pretty cool seeing him on the ridge on my tiny map, and talking to the group. they were cursing our names since we were sipping coffee and eating pastries at the end point. hahha.. i bet we were 7 miles apart, but there was line of sight from the spine. super cool. other tourist in similar situations wanted to check out my radio. i have a super old unit. the charging thing sucks bad, but it has lasted 10 years of me and my goofy hunting style.

Seriously - this is what you need.

$22 each.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-82-Two-Way-136-174MHz-400-520MHz/dp/B00E4KLY34/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=baofeng+uv-82&qid=1607387197&sprefix=baofeng+uv&sr=8-3

These are what we use. I also have 2 car harnesses and PTT setups for in the race car / on my kid’s kart for endurance racing and coaching.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1607387438.jpg

You guys get much range out of your radios?

I use Kenwood Pro-Talk UHF radios. We get maybe a mile range out of them in town.

These are 5W ham radios so good for 2-3 miles easily depending on topography. Further on the bald ass prairie...

I have the uv5r....
Very very nice radios. Programmed noaa channels.
Seriously wouldn't get caught without a pair.

I hadn’t ever heard of baofeng. Doing a little digging on them and seems like a decent radio.

I apologize, I forgot to look for them. I will look for them as soon as I get home from work.

Are these legal to use? Do you have to hold a ham radio license?

Ski fast... No problem

^^^ maybe.

I think you also need a license for a CB...

Nope... Not for citizens band...

Okay, I looked it up. Amateur radio (Ham radio) bands are 420-450 MHz, 219-225 MHz ("1.25 meter"), 144-148MHz ("2 meter"), and various higher and lower frequency bands. http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Band%20Chart/Band%20Chart%20-%2011X17%20Color.pdf

These radios can operate in the 136-174 MHz and 400-520 MHz bands. They are thus able to operate in the amateur radio bands, but it is illegal to do so unless you're a licensed ham operator.

They also operate in some of the maritime radio bands and aviation radio bands. https://transition.fcc.gov/oet/spectrum/table/fcctable.pdf Again, illegal to do so unless you're a maritime or aero user.

Anyone using these radios for skiing or karting/coaching or other general uses is very likely committing a Federal crime when they transmit.


Use a FRS or GMRS radio. They are inexpensive, user-friendly, have enough range for skiing/coaching/etc, and they are meant for those sort of general uses.

Something like this https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-GMRS-V1-Repeater-136-174-99mhz-400-520-99mhz/dp/B01LWOLZ8L/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=gmrs+radio&qid=160744 3543&sr=8-4 which is a GMRS transmit/receive radio that can receive (as scanner) some of the ham, maritime, and aviation bands.

You need a GMRS license (one per family) but you can do it online and there is no "test". https://quality2wayradios.com/store/gmrs-fcc-license

Read here about GMRS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Mobile_Radio_Service which is in the 462-468 MHz band

Not sure US FCC has any jurisdiction in UncleBilly's region

Sorry, I should have qualified "in the US". Which is where the OP is.

Note that Canada has some of the same band assignments (e.g. for ham radio) and while I haven't really studied the Canadian chart, I suspect the legal issues are similar. https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/vwapj/2014_Canadian_Radio_Spectrum_Chart.pdf/$file/2014_Canadian_Radio_Spectrum_Chart.pdf

Most people on this board have owned a car capable of exceeding the legal speed limit (dare I say it, a Porsche)... This could lead to one of at least 3 outcomes...

1. You get caught and are issued a fine.
2. You go too fast and endanger or hurt / kill somebody.
3. Nothing at all.

Using a handheld radio on the Ham band could have similar outcomes to the above (maybe not #2). The likelihood is about 100 orders of magnitude less than getting a speeding ticket that you will be given a fine if you are using a commercial frequency not used in that area without a ham license.

YMMV

After digging even more, there is debate on the legality of using those baofeng radios. Since they can be programmed you can limit them to the legal frequencies.

a sub $25 radio!!! i might have to try a few of those out!! i hunt with 5 guys, and 3 of them are so cheap they still use handsignals to each other. you need binoculars to "talk"..

those "USA only" consumers are missing out on a deal!

damn..those would be perfect for my gang of kayak fishermen!! thanks Uncle Billy

---no one cares--
I'm seriously more concerned with getting a speed or exhibition ticket, than getting hunted by ham cops.

Look at the radios’ frequency capabilities and compare to the FCC chart - all their frequencies are ham, marine or aviation. These radios are not able to operate on non restricted frequencies. They should be advertised as such, not sold for general use.

As for the practicalities, it is true that you can probably get away with it, as you can with shoplifting, dumping used motor oil in a stream, graffiti and vandalism, cheating on taxes, and so on.

I really feel for the victims of this crime... is it really true that every time a child uses a ham radio in a remote area such as a ski hill on an unused commercial channel, that god kills a kitten?

Oh the humanity...

You forgot mass murder and war crimes...

I would buy Midland or Motorola FRS radios, as they are the defacto standard and other kids might have compatible radios. I can't imagine range would be a problem in a ski resort.

OK, I found 2 with their charger. They are Midland Extra Talk LXT 480's. These are GMRS/FRS radios. We used them racing.

You are welcome to them, just PM me your ship to address. I will keep looking for the other two.

Ya.. Totally the same thing your right ham pollutes.... Give a hoot and all....
Get some intestinal fortitude or don't.