What type of radio is your choice for trail use? multiple choice, up to 2 choices
	Mobile CB, cheap
	Handheld CB
	Mobile CB with all the bells and whistles
	Smoke signals
	Amatuer radio (any type)
	FRS/GMRS mobile (mounted in vehicle)
	FRS/GMRS handheld
Votes accepted starting: 04/19/09 05:00 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

My club (Tierra del Sol) began a shift from CB to 2 meter about 10 years ago.

Over time, we have managed to get all members licensed. In addition, we have arranged for a "club" call sign.

The 2 meter (amateur radio) option allows us to be active with local Red Cross during emergency situation.

I run a combination of FRS/GMRS & CB. There's been alot of discussion among a few local Mitsu owners about going to 2M but IMHO until we get more users on 2M it simply isn't a cost effective solution even with it's added features/benefits.

Now if someone offered a 2M + CB in a single unit, that might be interesting but from my research this animal just doesn't exist.

I'd also love to see more wheeler's whom I wheel with using 2M but many don't even have CB much less think they might have a 2M setup w/ a Ham license. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Ray your funny you wont use 2M till there are more users.I'm trying to get more users and if they all wait till there are more users then they'll all just wait.See the irony in your statement.

lol...

cant vote since i selected 4 items...

you'd think...

my small yaesu VX-7 has a quad band TX and almost everything RX...

i swear... my old hand held midland CB is 3x bigger in size...

The irony goes both ways but as the consumer it's my $$ on the line so I'll wait until I see more 2m radios as I don't want to be that close to the bleeding edge in terms I being an 'early adopter'. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Early adopter? Gimme a break. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

Here's the thing you aren't comprehending here. CB is the extra radio I really didn't want in my rig. The only reason I bought one was to wheel with people who didn't have 2-meter. It turns out to have been a pretty crappy and useless investment. Stupid thing doesn't remember what channel I was on when I turned of my ignition, antennas are stupidly fragile and expensive, range is so limited that I bought a 250 watt linear amplifier to boost the receive and provide me with the extra "any means at my disposal" for use in an emergency. I am tremendously unhappy with the fact that I had to infect my vehicle with that radio because what happened to be only a few other people have the same thing and insist that it's the only way to communicate on the trail.

Check this out: a good 2-meter (new, single band mobile) is about $125. A good antenna (like the one on my roof) is about $60 and the mount was about $15. My output wattage is switchable from 25 to 65 watts with the push of a button.

Here's an example:

Yaesu FT-2800, $127.95 in Oakland

The average "good" CB mobile runs about $150 (I only spent $30 on mine) new and a good, durable antenna is about $90. Maximum power is 4 watts, swinging to 5 watts at 100% modulation. Repeaters are not legal. Exceeding 5 watts is not legal. Anyone can (and likely will) trash your transmission if given the opportunity. There is no regulation and almost no enforcement for existing laws. No-one who can really help you is listening.

Can you start to see where your arguments begin to break down?

You're mincing words and not seeing the forest through the trees here.

Here's the problem for me w/ adopting 2M/Ham radio.

Based on my wheeling experience, most wheelers I've encountered don't have 2M radio. If they're beginners, they might (if we're lucky) have FRS/GMRS. If more advanced, they have CB. Only a few have 2M and among our current group of regulars that's only you and Brian S from what I can see. Yes Russell has a tech license & Joanna just got hers. As soon as they're wheeling w/ a 2m setup I'll count them in.

Also, I'm not arguing that CB is technically a superior radio system. I don't believe it is, but no matter how superior 2M is 'technically' if I can't communicate with others because they don't have a 2M radio, then being technically superior is a moot point.

So after all that's been said, I want to be clear that maybe at some point in the future (probably nearer versus distant) I'll also get a license & a 2M setup but for right now it just doesn't make sense to be the early adopter (within our group of regulars) to get a 2M setup.