10 meter

[gunner57]

I am here to get some friendly advice on comunication posibilities

If you need any information about repeaters and how they work just ask I've built several for 2m, 1 1/4 m and 70cm that have been on the air for a number of years.

I am eating my words, I guess. There is a repeater in the North Maine Woods. I found a site listing repeaters. I don't think that it would be in range, as it is about 4 times further away than the town I live in. Still, I am suprised there is one there. The next closest repeater is about twice as far away as my town.

First, here is the site [Please login or register to view this link] the freq for the one in Mars Hill is 147.39+ and the one in the Alagash is 146.75 and the one in Dexter is 147.3+ and in Caribou is 162.525. The Allagash, Mars Hill, and Dexter repeaters, I think, are the 2M band. What about the one in Caribou? I couldn't find that freq range on the FCC chart.

Being that my town is way closer than the repeater, I think I am out of luck as far as radio comms when I am on my fishing and hunting trips (recreational). The closest repeater is Dexter (about 60-70 miles from camp). The one in the Allagash is well over 100 miles away and the one in Mars Hill is probaby 90 miles away. But my town is only 32 miles from camp.

When I am baiting bear (working), the lodge is about 60-70 miles from my town. There is a repeater about 30 miles from the lodge in a town called Mars Hill.

['Doc]

I think it just depends on how much 'reliable' is worth to you. If it's definitely going to be an -important- thing, grit your teeth and get that sat-phone. In general, CB and ham radio just isn't something you can count on all the time. Sometimes, sure, but not always.
- 'Doc

[Night Crawler]

There is a repeater in the North Maine Woods. I found a site listing repeaters. I don't think that it would be in range, as it is about 4 times further away than the town I live in. Still, I am suprised there is one there. The next closest repeater is about twice as far away as my town.

Here's a wide area coverage repeater in Maine that might work for you it has has multiple linked repeaters all over the state using simulcast transmitters and remote receivers there's also a live audio feed so you can listen to it over your computer check out the links on the site.
[Please login or register to view this link]

Also try this link to find a repeater that both you and your wife can access from both your locations if your having trouble finding one give me the two locations that you want to communicate between and I'll see what repeaters might work.

Click to either view by location or state then check 2m (144mhz) 1.25(222mhz) and 70cm (440mhz) to find the repeaters near your locations 2m, 1 1/4m or 70cm would be the better bands to find something that you can use.
[Please login or register to view this link]

There will be notes about the repeater that tells you if it has IRLP which a linked system to another repeater. You don't have to use just 2 meters if there is a repeater on 70cm or 1.25m that you can both access then use that band.

Also some repeaters are linked from 2m to 70cm or 1 1/4m which means you can be on 2m and your wife can be on 70cm or 1 1/4m and you will be able to talk to each other through the link you both don't have to be on the same band.

Some of the repeaters even might have remote receivers in different locations using a voting system that might be only a few miles from your location that will enable it to receive you and allow you to work through the repeater.
As an example here's a system that I have a repeater linked to which will show you how it works.

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[Please login or register to view this link]


By the way 162.525mhz is a NOAA weather frequency and not an amateur repeater I don't why it would be listed as one?

[Hypo]

It is not unusual to be able to hit a mountain top repeater from over 100 miles away with about 50 watts.
I have hit one in High Point, NC from 170 miles on one occasion. The best repeater in the southeast used to be on Mt Mitchel. When I ran line haul in the late 90's after just getting my license, I could get into it just after crossing into SC from GA on I-85. There was a late night group of people on it in the early AM hours that had people in TN,SC,NC,GA,KY and VA all part of the conversation..
VHF can be way beyond Line of Sight without a repeater if conditions are right.
If you put a small beam antenna up at your home and point it in the direction where you will be with your mobile, 100 miles could be possible without a repeater.

[Hypo]

I forgot to mention APRS,
Another topic altogether though but being in the woods it could save your life by it automatically transmitting your GPS coordinates.
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To see what is possible by integrating it with Google Maps.

[gunner57]

It is not unusual to be able to hit a mountain top repeater from over 100 miles away with about 50 watts.
I have hit one in High Point, NC from 170 miles on one occasion. The best repeater in the southeast used to be on Mt Mitchel. When I ran line haul in the late 90's after just getting my license, I could get into it just after crossing into SC from GA on I-85. There was a late night group of people on it in the early AM hours that had people in TN,SC,NC,GA,KY and VA all part of the conversation..
VHF can be way beyond Line of Sight without a repeater if conditions are right.
If you put a small beam antenna up at your home and point it in the direction where you will be with your mobile, 100 miles could be possible without a repeater.

That is good to know Hypo. The location ability is a good feature too. Technology is amazing. Lucky for me,though, my woodsman skills are better than my radio skills, haha. I like to hear actual results about ranges even if it is on a sometimes basis. It helps a lot actually because of the nature of radios and all the variables that come into play. You can't ever say "this radio will reach this far" because everything from terrain to cloud cover can affect it. With my CB, one day I might talk 5 miles and tomorrow in the same area I can talk 10 miles or only 2 miles. There are, kind of, average distances to expect but you can't really tell until system and area has been tried and tested.

[De_Wildfire]

Look for a 2/440 meter radio and use a linked repeater system. There are some systems where five states are linked up that use receiver remotes. I was on the beach in Ocean City Maryland using a two meter handi talkie and talked to North East Pa. in the Poconos.

[Hondarider]

I know this post is old. But I have some input, you can rent a satellite phone. I am not sure how much it costs, just look up on google "satellite phone rental".
I hope this helps.
Have a good one.

[BobCB]

I'll add my 2 cents as well.

If you're going to go through the trouble of getting a ham ticket, I'd just go ahead and get a 2m or 70cm radio instead of the 10m. I'm able to hit a repeater about 30 miles north of my location with nothing but a 5 watt handheld; and that's over mountainous and wooded terrain. From my base setup I can hit a 2m repeater that's on a mountain about 70 miles away using a 25 watt radio. And when I say "hit" the repeater, I don't mean just key it up, I mean actually check into a net with an understandable signal. If you had two 50 watt rigs, good antennas, and a decent repeater somewhere in the middle-there's no doubt in my mind that you'd be able to cover the distance you need to cover.

[gunner57]

I'll add my 2 cents as well.

If you're going to go through the trouble of getting a ham ticket, I'd just go ahead and get a 2m or 70cm radio instead of the 10m. I'm able to hit a repeater about 30 miles north of my location with nothing but a 5 watt handheld; and that's over mountainous and wooded terrain. From my base setup I can hit a 2m repeater that's on a mountain about 70 miles away using a 25 watt radio. And when I say "hit" the repeater, I don't mean just key it up, I mean actually check into a net with an understandable signal. If you had two 50 watt rigs, good antennas, and a decent repeater somewhere in the middle-there's no doubt in my mind that you'd be able to cover the distance you need to cover.

Thanks for the input. This was kind of an old post. I am studying for my exam and have already purchased an old Kenwood 2m rig. It will get me started. I am going to have my wife get her ticket as well and give her the old kenwood and use it as a base at the house, then buy a newer Icom or Yaesu for my mobile set. I can't wait to get talking on it.

['Doc]

Just for information...

That Echolink thingy does work, and all you would need is one radio in the mobile, a repeater that uses Echolink, and a computer. You have to have a ham license to join Echolink, so do that part (you and the one on the computer (wife) both). I have no idea what the availability of a repeater with Echolink in your part of the country, but would be sort of surprised if there isn't one.
You really don't even need a radio, just a computer and an internet connection. It amounts to a 'talk forum' with radio access, sort of.
It isn't an absolute 'cure' for your problem, but it might be one...
- 'Doc

You can do Echolink from some cell phones, just need the right 'app', and that ham license.

[gunner57]

Just for information...

That Echolink thingy does work, and all you would need is one radio in the mobile, a repeater that uses Echolink, and a computer. You have to have a ham license to join Echolink, so do that part (you and the one on the computer (wife) both). I have no idea what the availability of a repeater with Echolink in your part of the country, but would be sort of surprised if there isn't one.
You really don't even need a radio, just a computer and an internet connection. It amounts to a 'talk forum' with radio access, sort of.
It isn't an absolute 'cure' for your problem, but it might be one...
- 'Doc

You can do Echolink from some cell phones, just need the right 'app', and that ham license.

That is a great idea. I will need, at least, the mobile set up on my end. Where I'd be when I try to talk to the wife is far from electricity let alone internet, which is how I like it. But gladly we do have internet at the house. I think it would be easier for her to do it through the computer. She isn't really radio savy (she still doesn't quite understand the squelch, but can at least adjust it). I'll probably look into echolink later tonight.