I have some experience with radios.
The comment to convert the off roaders to 2meter radios still has many pitfalls. Asking the CB guys to convert to 2meter is a questionable concept.
The biggest issue is what band do or should you use. The answer is the HAM 2 meter band of the VHF network requires a license. However, all the radios
I know about can be modified to include transmit and receive over the two family radio bands and can include the NOAA band. So what I do for VHF in
the USA I turn down my power and use the family band which is open with no license. But, the CB is what everybody uses in the USA.
For example, if you go to Moab it is all CB with a few pairs using VHF on their private frequencies. In Baja radio rules are never enforced so the use
of very high power is common, and all bands including the marine, commercial, Ham, and family bands are in common use.
Most of the race teams that have not converted to Sat-Radio are using 110watt VHF units.
I have been using both CB and 2meter for almost 20 years and I have experienced many of the issues.
In Baja we use the VHF commercial band which as you know it is the same 2meter band. Both systems require proper installation and a good antenna. A
feature that gets lost by a lot of the users. The CB system is limited to 5 watts and the result is poor communication except for use the peer to
peer use for a trail ride where line of sight is the usual situation.
BTW my fine tuned CB works great for significant distances and my unit is probably better than 80% of my buddies.
The VHF system sure works better for long distances provided you have the necessary power. Of course, the hand held (HH) 2meter unit have 5 watts, and
the result is no better than the CB. This is a proven fact. And yes, I have several HH VHF radios with all the bands open, I use it with a mag mount
and for sure it is comparable with my solidly installed CB on my Jeep. Expect to pay for a great VHF radio system for your rig. Around $200-250 should
be the goal for a top of the line DIY install and tuning including parts.
What we are all using in Baja are Ham and commercial 2 meter units with 25 to 75 watts (50 watt seems to be the most common). The success of the
2meter unit is the proper antenna setup with an NMO mount and a proper SWR tuned whip. The mag mounts are a serious compromise. Read this link for
how/where to mount an antenna on a Jeep: https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-cb-ham-radios-128/here-wh...
On the Pole line run I attended I monitored the chat on the CB and noticed the poor quality, probably because of poor installation? Antenna tuning and
location on the various rigs is most suspect.
As far as communicating in a deep canyon neither CB or a 75 watt VHF unit will perform similarly, but the high power being better. All radio signals
are mostly line of sight.
Bottom line is no, I do not have a HAM license and will not be getting one. My CB work great in the USA and in Baja I exclusively use my Ham setup.
Regards.
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