Bug out radio

[Sean Meador]

I've got a need for a crank or solar powered radio for my pack. Something like Morgan uses in the latest book. Do any of you have experience with a radio that won't break the bank but won't fail me when I decide to use it? I was hoping to stay somewhen in the sub $100 range. Preferably around $50. Thanks

[angeryamerican]

I don't have much experience with the crank radios. I use one from County Comm and rechargeable batteries. I keep a Goal Zero charger to keep the batteries charged.

[Sean Meador]

I don't have much experience with the crank radios. I use one from County Comm and rechargeable batteries. I keep a Goal Zero charger to keep the batteries charged.

That's a good idea too. I'll look into them. Thanks bud.

[ADV1]

I just bought this today... http://www.countycomm.com/gp5ssb.html still need a solar set up for recharging but this is a good deal...

[Kailani Kealoha]

Not 100% sure but if you're asking about the am/fm/shortwave type, I have an old Grundig one for camping out and power outages. It even has a flashlight. Go figure that it's the bulb type though. You bump it and it burns out.

[chris0013]

Can those County Comm radios transmit? Looking at everything I can find on them on the internet and it never says it can.

[kickstand]

I think that you will find that they are a receiver only.

[Job]

Correct. RCV only.

[chris0013]

What were the 2 way radios that Sarge hooked Morgan and Thad up with?

[angeryamerican]

If you're looking for decent handhelds take a look at Hytera. I'll have a video coming on some here soon.

[kickstand]

If I remember right, they were the Yaesu FT857, a very nice Ham radio capable of going portable with external batteries and producing up to 100 watts of transmitted power.

H0-007098a.jpg

That's a really nice rig. They run about $800 or so, and you do need an Amateur Radio License of at least a General class to really use it.

[kickstand]

Oops, I lied. One rig was the FT857D and one was an FT817ND, which puts out 5 watts of transmitted power, but has the advantage of having an integrated NiMH battery pack. Again, a General class Amateur license is needed for proper use.

The both rigs are "All-Mode" rigs, meaning that not only will it handle HF for long range comms, it will also do UHF and VHF for more localized comms.

Here's the FT817ND

yaeft817nd.jpg

[junior125]

you could use a 817/857 type radio but legally only on 10m in a very short band range, as Kick said the only way to get full use of it is being a General class license

[kickstand]

And a quick note for the newer folks. When "Going Home" was first being written, one of our friends (AD) supplied a lot, if not all of the ham radio information. As more folks started asking questions, he started a website dedicated to helping new preppers get their ham radio license. This is the reason that there is no "Comms" section here on www.angeryamerican.net . His website is www.preparedham.com . If you're interested in comms post SHTF, that would be a great place to start.

[W.Lynn]

To supplement the info Kickstand offered, there ARE helpful posts about FRS/GRMS, MURS, CB, and CB/FRS/GRMS base stations for the pessimists who feel they will never pass HAM license tests. Though if the fairly frequent pre-teen (even sone rare 6 & 7 year olds,) can do it, we can probably get anyone here through it. The big trick is getting the people you want to be able to talk to, to care enough to also do it.

Still working on my family members in Corpus Christi and in Wyoming.