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+---- Thread: My Comms let me down (/showthread.php?tid=8218)
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RE: My Comms let me down - CharlesHarris - 20 February 2016
Here in West Virginia, the Multi-Use-Radio Service or MURS has mostly replaced CB for use on family farms, by construction crews, and for family communications of the general public. This is a VHF CB service which does not require a licence, and users share five channels in the 150 MHz band. Transmitter output power is limited to 2 watts FM carrier, but unlike FRS, which compares to your PMR446, better antennas are permitted. Using a 6dB gain base station antenna elevated high on a chimney cap or barn roof, at maximum legal height, not more than 60 feet above ground, or 20 ft. above the highest part of the structure on which it is mounted, reliable communications can be maintained to 20 miles or so, depending upon ground clutter. Using hand-held portable units range is much less, of course, but using a 1/4 wave whip with a counterpoise wire clipped to the antenna shield, range is significantly improved over FRS or PMR446.
I don't know if a similar radio is legal for civilian use in UK, but it would be worth researching.
RE: My Comms let me down - Lightspeed - 22 February 2016
Hi Charles,
Sadly there is nothing that's legal and unlicensed that matches the MURS radios that you have over there.
I agree that the big name brand ham radio gear is better constructed than the Chinese stuff, but its a whole lot more expensive, so tends to put off most people looking at coms for the first time.
Interestingly the filters on my main Yesu rig failed a few months ago due to component failure. But some Chinese handhelds that are older, are still doing their thing without any problem at all.
So not always does better made equate to more reliable and long lived.