zafarrancho
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 6-20-2004
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cb's - who's on the line?
Just curious who of us are using cb's when exploring baja and what channel do you monitor?
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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A lot of people on the east coast use Marine VHF - 69 74 25
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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While doing our Matomi canyon excursion http://vivabaja.com/204 , most of us had CBs and some used family band radios. The problem with CBs is the skip condition creating so much noise.
We just turn the squelch way up, but when we get too spread out we lose contact with each other.
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
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And how did the family band work ?
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Tio Rocky
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Location: La Paz
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La Paz Info
Not CB?s but here is some La Paz info?.. This is off Desea?s website,,,, off-road racer (Andrea Tomba) and off-road adventures company? http://bajaevents.com/lapaz/desea/deseamain.html
Sitting on a yacht in the bay?
We monitor VHF Channel 16 during business hours.
Call sign ?DESEA?
Sitting in your Pre-runner?
We monitor 2 meter Channel 151. 625 during business hours
Tio Rocky
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jrbaja
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Sorry JR, I just now saw this... The family band was better, but not much. While it was quiet (no skip at that frequency), it is 'FM' and that means
'line-of-sight'... Once we were seperated by hills or bends in the canyon we were out of contact.
As long as all vehicles were in visual range, it was fine. However, CB with the squelch turned up to silence the skip and static was as good, in our
situation.
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
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i like GMRS band, it has longer range
than the FRS radios.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Good in Baja/ great in LA traffic
We use CB in our annual trek, usually 5 or 6 vehicles. Makes travel real easy in Baja, you can warn about oncoming, or clear roads, etc.
It really is sweet going through the LA basin. Us NorCal boys kinda freak when we hit the 5/405 split.... makes lane changes and decisions much
easier.
Yep, it has limited range, but sure works great for all kinds of 'head-up' situations.
No particular band, if one gets noisy we move up a notch.
(The little two-way radios work great for two vehicles, for mountain hiking, or when you get shuffled in the mobs at a NASCAR event)
Baja Arriba!!
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bajataco
Nomad
Posts: 117
Registered: 11-26-2003
Location: Arizona
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2-meter would be a step up...
...and is not really a big deal to make the switch.
Yea, I realize for those who are not familiar with it, it sounds like too much of a hassle - too much to learn, too much research.
But it's not that bad. Really. If you can take the time to buy a GPS unit and learn how to use it, you could do the same with a 2-meter VHF radio.
I've gone on 3 fairly recent Mexico trips...
Sierra Madre
Baja
Altar Desert, Sierra Pinacate
...with friends, and just about all of us had 2-meter (at least) radios, and it makes communications WAAAAY better. It's kind of like the radio
equivalent of going from 2wd to 4wd 
They cost considerably more than a CB radio, more like a low to mid-end car stereo unit. A little bit of studying, and take an exam, and you are set.
A nice benefit is that you will learn some things about how radios work and what amateur radio can be used for - kinda like when you learn how GPS
works and what it can be used for. Very cool. 
Of course you can still keep your CB radio hooked up. It's good to have one on board so you can still talk to people who use CBs, or relay important
messages to those in the group who might not have 2 meter.
The biggest challenge is getting all of your traveling companions to make the switch. Peer pressure works well  Once everyone gets on-board, you all wonder what took you so long!
[Edited on 7-11-2004 by bajataco]
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whodat54321
Nomad
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Registered: 6-14-2004
Location: El Cajon, CA USA
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or you could do like the old days and just tack on a 50 watt linear amp (afterburner comes to mind) to that cb and not worry about range. Just don't
get caught with it stateside.
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Talking about radios here is how not to use a ham rig.
JACK GERRITSEN AND THE LONG BEACH BOMB SQUAD
Last month, the FCC issued a $10,000 Notice of Apparent
Liability to Jack Gerritsen for making radio transmissions
without authorization in the two-meter amateur radio band. This
month, one of Gerritsen's radios was reportedly blown up by the
Long Beach Police Bomb Squad after a "suspicious package" was
found at the Long Beach VA Hospital. That package contained
Gerritsen's Yaesu VX-5 and spare battery that he left on the 11th
floor of the hospital. VA Police also confiscated a second radio
and his recorder used to play his now-infamous messages on L.A.
area ham radio repeaters.
Gerritsen has reportedly purchased a replacement radio and
has been heard on local repeaters since the incident saying "I
shall return... with my recordings!" Sources say the VA is
interested in pursuing charges against Gerritsen.
The above adapted from a story by Chris Carmichael -
mailto:chris43@pacbell.net. For more info, see:
http://tinyurl.com/28eqd
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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2 meter
I have bought 8 2 meter sets (3 handheld and 5 base) units off Ebay in the last year - all Icom's price - $100 to $175 each. All work great. In
addition to the ham 2 meter band they receive the Marine bands and many commercial bands including most that the off road racers use (Weatherman BFG
etc). Not legal to transmit out of freq except in emergency but great to have out in the desert.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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