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Halboo
Nomad
Posts: 193
Registered: 2-19-2006
Location: 33°26\'00.15\"N 117°37\'09.84W
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Mood: Bohemian
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CB or VHF?
For road travel in Baja which do you prefer?
CB or VHF?
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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no one uses cb any longer
cell phones have taken over
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Any VHF radio (except FRS) requires a license. And a marine radio is illegal except on a boat, and technically you require a license for that too,
even if it IS on a boat.
So there you are. That all said and done, I would recommend a 2 meter radio if you want to communicate with others who have one (most mexicans will
not, and neither will gringos), or a marine VHF otherwise. At least now you have all the facts.
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline
Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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VHF radio is illegal for land based use and it has very limited range, maybe 15 miles over flat terrain and almost nothin in the mountains.
I use a "pay as you go" TelMex cell phone. It's the only way to go. They give you the phone for free and you pay about US 30 cents per minute for
use. If you don't use it, it costs you nothing.
Shari has generously offered her personal telephone number if you ever get in a jam in the Baja.
Hats off to Shari, she's a peach! 
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
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Mood: Peacefull
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Well that's just great 
I just installed a CB radio in the truck in preparation for the drive to Los Cabos ...... even mounted the antenna in the roof .....
CaboRon
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Halboo
Check your u2u
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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CB with another driver is fine but don't expect anyone on the highway to have one. Most of the truckers, unless they go into the US, do not use these
and then most use Single side Band. Where you have areas of settlement like San Lucas Cove or BOLA, you may find quite a few North Americans who use
the VHF like telephones, but unless you have a scanner you will have a problem finding the channel. Eg, San Lucas Cove uses 74 while Punta Chivato
uses 72, and Mulege, I think, uses 28.
If you are concerned about emergency communications, then I suspect that a cell phone may be your best bet but there are lots of wide open spaces
where you have no reception.
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jerry
Super Nomad
Posts: 1354
Registered: 10-10-2003
Location: loreto
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caboRon now all you need is a single side band a scanner cellphone, and a satilightphone ,and internet connection and you can getheradone
jerry and judi
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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If your driving down and back for vacation a satellite phone would be the way to go in case of an emergency. Cell phones are good only where there is
cell service, usually larger towns and along the border.
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pescador
If you are concerned about emergency communications, then I suspect that a cell phone may be your best bet but there are lots of wide open spaces
where you have no reception. |
Yes, there are lots of wide open spaces in the Baja where you have no reception with cell phone, VHF, and CB. Of the three just listed, cell phone
gives the best coverage. If you are interested in almost complete coverage, then you will have to rent or purchase a satellite phone.
One of the things that I like about the Baja is that element of a certain amount of calculated risk especially driving Hwy 1. Please be careful. I
would never tow aything down on Hwy 1 - utility trailer, toy trailer, or boat. It ain't like the US! You aren't in Kansas anymore Dorothy!
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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heck...tow anything...just get GOOD tires
the road is WAY better than the "old days"
they EVEN have reflective "botts dots"
if we caravan we use FRS radios
lots of noise in tj but on the road...nothing
you really don't need a phone...just prepare in advance
lots of people live down here and there is ALOT of services available
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
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Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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Bob & Susan. Your sure right about having good tires. Since l996 when I started driving down on my own, I've driven on 10 ply tires on my
pickups over the years. Now I'm driving a mini van, and went to Toyo's. I've hit some really bad pot holes in our June trip and back, and our August
trip down & back, and I've been thanking my Toyo's for keeping me on the road without a blowout.
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Blessed with another day
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Halboo
For road travel in Baja which do you prefer?
CB or VHF? |
This question has been asked before. My answer will be the same.
I've run a Kenwood TM261 in the GSB Bronco for 5 yrs now. All of the radio communication for the races is on these "neutered" VHF ham radios. The
unit I have puts out 50 watts and I have talked to crew members as far as 60 miles away line of sight. Had cristal clear comm with another vehicle
coming down the grade on I8 before Ocatillo while I was 15 ks south of Mexicali.
They must be altered, it used to be a small wire the instructions directed you to inside a little access panel on the back which you just cut, or a
small chip you pull now, to make them "legal" to operate without a ham license. The alteration prevents you from using licensed ham frequencies.
The Ham Radio Outlet off Clairemont Mesa Blvd in SD can hook you up. 800-854-6046.
The newest version out is by I-Com I think it's called and puts out 75watts ! A buddy of mine just installed it in his pre-runner too close to the
MSD ignition box and when he keyed the mic it would cause the box to mis-fire. Instructions call for it to be 2 feet away from any primary ignition
components which of course guys never read at least at first.
The locals call them dos metros aka the 2 meter antenna. Most of the local fisherman have them in their trucks. I've chatted with my local friends
on the way into a couple of my favorite surf spots, got invited to dinner in town, had water dropped at camp by someone passing by etc.
The draw back of course is that your traveling bud needs one in his rig too.
I've solved that problem for at least one other non VHF vehicle by buying a hand held setup. An accessory port charger for the battery and a little
magnetic roof mounted antenna and you have comm on the road. The hand helds only put out 5 watts so they are just a little better than the household
walkie-talkies on the market.
And lastly the install and antenna must be done correctly for proper function. The antenna needs to be "tuned" to your installation. Tthere is a guy
here in SD who does mobile service. Anyone who wants that info can U2U me for it.
This system is COMPLETLY LEGAL and far surpases CB. You can monitor aweather station and use the dedicated emercency freq without being licensed.
It's just like the difference between AM and FM radio reception.
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Gadget
This system is COMPLETLY LEGAL and far surpases CB. |
Huh? Compa, you need a ham license for one of these to be legal. I have one (KG6TBF) and you also have to get the Mexican "reciprocal" license to be
COMPLETELY LEGAL. And the commercial freqs we use during the races? Legal? I don't think so.
That's the STRICT letter of the law, of course.
[Edited on 8-20-2007 by Roberto]
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Blessed with another day
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As the instructions and the Ham Radio Outlet guys have told me along with the service guy who came to my house to tune my antenna, ONCE the unit is
altered it no longer qualifies as a ham radio requiring a license. I cannot talk on the licensed frequencies, send or recieve. Now I may have
mis-wrote or mis-led regarding legality in Mex. That I don't know, altough as I stated, I've commed with the locals occasionally. We have swapped
our monitored freqs for when I'm in their area. The letter of the law in both Mex and the US I have not personally researched either. The printed
instructions for my radio were as I stated as an option to being licensed. In 5 + years of usage here in the states and Mex I've never had an FCC
dude put the hammer down on me. I can hit a couple of channels for a radio check when I get ready to take off and usally get a copy back in a minute
or so.
I got nothing else on this, just the facts as I know and enjoy them. 
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
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A 2 meter modified to operate outside the 2 meter band is not a legal unit to operate on commercial or marine bands. The unit has to be certified by
the FCC for these frequencies and a 2 meter isn't. That said, they are widely used in Baja in both commercial and marine frequencies.
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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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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Gadget, you got some incomplete info. That said, next time you need an antenna tuned or a radio installed, let me know. I'll give you the best deal
available - free. The radio version of Locos Mocos.
[Edited on 8-20-2007 by Roberto]
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DonBaja
Nomad
Posts: 139
Registered: 5-9-2006
Location: OC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just Cruzin'
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CB or VHF ? VHF all the way
I use a VHF it's a Icom V8000 I bought it from Radio Bob at
www.rlhcomm.com
I can install it in my vehicle in less than 10 minutes get one with the cigarette lighter plug and magnetic antenna. When mounted on the roof of my
vehicle this thing is very clear and has a good range. It is expensive.
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Blessed with another day
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Poor Halboo,
He gets the usual migraine of info when asking a simple question. Sorry dude for my part 
To clarify what bajalou wrote about commercial or marine freqs, I know I can't use my radio on marine freqs cause it aint one. What do you Ham guys
consider commercial freqs? Because as I think I know whats up, the radio cannot be "certified" by the FCC because of the alteration. Am I wrong here
or what? It has also been explained to me that based on wattage output, antenna and the frequency bands we can send and recieve on that if there was
a ham installation in our transmit range they could walk all over us. Heck, we have to listen to this all the time at the races as some drunk with a
hi po setup walks all over race comm and peees weatherman off.
My answer to Halboo stays the same. The VHF or 2 meter or race radio or whatever the heck anyone wants to call it is the only way to go, traveling on
the hilly, windy, up and downs of the trans pen hiway of Baja IMHO.
I sure hope one of you official ham guys doesn't drop a dime on me and I have an FCC cop at my door soon. That would be bad form
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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144-148 MHz: 2M Ham Band
148–156 MHz: Commercial or "VHF Business band"
156–174 MHz: VHF Marine Radio.
Your radio is probably capable of operating on all three if it's a modified 2M radio. All of mine do. A mobile antenna cannot be optimized for the
entire spectrum, which is why it needs to be tuned to the SPECIFIC freq you are going to transmit on. Tuning is a function of the length of the
antenna, which is a specific ratio of the operating freq.
Oh wait ... sorry just got interrupted by a call from the FCC.
[Edited on 8-20-2007 by Roberto]
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