Emergency Communications
Be aware that no communication system is perfect, it is always wise to have redundant communication methods in the event urgent help is needed. Redundancy in systems is good, but traveling with others provides more piece of mind.
Cell Phones
There are a lot of areas in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah have limited cell coverage. If you have a GPS function/application on your cell, it will receive GPS coordinates provided the location function is enabled. That will tell you where you are but you may still need help and having a radio is a wise idea. Club rides use VHF 153.110 mhz to communicate.
Two-Way Radios
Basics
We are all familiar with receive-only AM & FM radio, allowing us to receive music, talk shows, & news reports. In addition, TV (over the air, satellite or cable) allow one-way communications to receive those radio signals. In order to communicate at a distance, two-way radios are needed that will transmit and receive.
Just so you are aware: Per the FCC (federal communications commission), any emergency can be transmitted on any frequency without a license, provided it truly is an emergency and you follow basic communications rules. Also, a license is NOT required for two-way communications on CB, FRS, MURS & Marine bands. (band descriptions are below)
We’ve heard about CB radios used mainly by truckers, but off-road enthusiasts advocate using CB, FRS, MURS, GMRS, Marine, PLM, and ARS bands for radio communications.
- GMRS requires filling out a form and paying $70 for a license which lasts 10 years.
- Marine bands (specific ones) are free to the public, but we’re not close to an ocean.
- PLM is typically reserved for business use of specific frequencies.
- ARS requires you to pass a test and pay a license fee before using ARS frequencies.
You can carry a portable two-way radio (like Baofeng) or mount a ‘base station’ (like PCI or Rugged Radio) on your Side-by-Side so that you can transmit and receive. A portable radio can be somewhat shielded from direct sunlight, heat and dust when placed under garments and close to you, otherwise you need a radio (mounted in your rig) that will survive harsh environments.
Two-way radios have a limited distance (less than 50 miles) depending upon the power levels (listed in watts), type/structure of the antenna, tuning of the radio/antenna, and the type of terrain where you are riding. The distance to receive radio transmissions could be less than 1 mile.
Some radios can also receive FM radio (88-108mhz) and/or emergency weather stations (162mhz) which is a nice plus. Some Jeep off-road clubs use CB radios (27mhz), but it would be very difficult & very rare for any radio to cover both CB and FRS/ARS/GMRS/PLM frequencies. If you purchase a two-way radio, try to get one that operates on both 140->170mhz (PLM) and 460->470mhz (FRS/GMRS) frequencies.
Kokopelli ATV Club has used GMRS/FRS, PLM and amateur radio bands for communication.
It’s common on rides to be transmitting on 153.110mhz (PLM), rather than FRS, GMRS, or MURS.
Our use appears questionable, but it is a frequency used by other clubs, off-road racers and individuals, so we assume it is acceptable.
Personal Radio Services | Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov)
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) | Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov)
The acronyms can be confusing, so here is some reference for radio use.
Over the air communications is referred to as RF (radio frequencies), which operates at a
multitude of frequencies expressed in hertz (a term used to describe cycles-per-second).
- khz [kilo or thousands of hertz]
- mhz [millions of hertz]
- ghz [giga or billions of hertz])
Two-Way Communications:
CBRS (citizen band radio service) 30-channels, max 4-watt at 27mhz
FRS (family radio service) 22-channels, .5-watt & 2-watt max (recently allowed for business)
GMRS (general mobile radio service) 22-channels (7 are FRS only power levels),
max 2->50 watt, 462mhz and 467mhz (8-additional GRMS channels used by repeaters)
MURS (multi use radio service) 5-channels, max 2-watt, 151->154mhz
( 151.820mhz, 151.880mhz, 151.940mhz, 154.570mhz or 154.600mhz )
PLM (public land mobile) 150->174mhz & 421-512mhz, 18->100 watt, typically industrial use
LMR (land mobile radio) PLMRS (private land mobile radio service) –> same as PLM
BRS (business radio service) multiple frequencies used around 30, 40, 155, 465mhz
ARS (Amateur Radio Service) multiple frequencies used at:
( 54mhz, 144->148, 222->225, 420->450, 902-928mhz )
One-Way communications:
LPRS (low power radio service) one way communications for people with disabilities
(transmit only, can’t receive)
TV, AM radio, FM radio, Cable TV, Satellite TV
Batteries & Chargers
Proper use of a battery charger is very important
We have used Lead Acid (LA) batteries in automobiles for many decades, alkaline batteries in flashlights & smoke detectors, and Nickel-Metal-Hydride or Nickel-Cadmium batteries in power tools and older laptops. Some devices (like watches, calculators, toys, digital thermometer, cameras) use non-rechargeable mercury or zinc batteries, whereas most portable devices (like cell-phones, tablets, newer laptops, & some flashlights) have moved to re-chargeable Lithium.
Off-road vehicles (OHV) primarily use AGM Lead-acid batteries because of the need to be more spill-proof, vibration resistant, temperature resistant, quicker charge recovery, maintenance-free and longer life for many starts. And remember batteries typically only last 3->5 years, just like your automobile, but a good battery charger can extend that.
Types of Batteries (OHV’s commonly have AGM type batteries)
- Flooded Lead Acid (FLA) –> older autos & golf carts, keep upright & requires regular maintenance
- Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) –> longer life than LA battery and better performance than FLA battery
- Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) –> sealed LA with pressure relief valve for protection.
(Originally common in portable use to jump vehicles) - Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) –> more durable & longer life than FLA & EFB batteries
- GEL (with fumed silica) –> sensitive to overcharge, lasts longer than standard deep-cycle (Gel are used more in RV, marine, solar storage and battery backup systems)
- Lithium –> long life, expensive, sensitive to overcharge (may be future of electric OHV)
Battery chargers are especially important for snow-birds that don’t use their OHV for up to a year. If you leave your OHV sit for extended periods, buy a good battery charger for $50 to $250.
(Optima, Shumacher, Noco, etc) Better chargers are more expensive, however some just deliver more current which is not always needed. It’s very important to choose a charger designed for your type of battery. The wrong charger can destroy the battery or even cause a fire. Also look for the following capabilities:
- recover a weak or deeply discharged battery
- able to desulfate certain batteries (for lead-acid batteries, maybe some lithium)
- protect the battery from overcharge
- protect the user (& battery) from reverse polarity (connecting to wrong terminals)
Note: For saltwater applications never use an unsealed lead-acid battery, due to the chlorine gas created when electrolyte mixes with saltwater.
Reference Material for the curious:
VRLA battery – Wikipedia
Battery Types Explained – BatteryStuff.com
Lead Acid Systems – BatteryUniversity.com
Lead Acid Battery – ScienceDirect.com
Lead Acid – ElectronicsNotes.com
Best Battery – OffRoadersWorld.com