Then you want Ham. Here in Colorado, there’s soo many repeaters it’s easy to get someone on the line.I'm not getting into it to communicate with a bunch of people. we just want something as an emergency backup to the possibility of our phones not working
Yep HAM all the way. I have a HAM radio mounted in my JT. I turn it on and listen almost every time I go anywhere wheeling or not. There is always someone yapping (rag chewing) on the radio. And there are even more people like me just listening. Here in SoCal and there are plenty of repeaters, so you can potentially reach out to someone hundreds or thousands of miles away.I'm not getting into it to communicate with a bunch of people. we just want something as an emergency backup to the possibility of our phones not working
The best answer will depend on your particular situation. Bear in mind that anyone, even the unlicensed, can use a ham radio to call for help in an emergency. But ham radios cover a wide spectrum of frequencies, and each has limitations that affect their usefulness in different scenarios. If you were on the Dempster Highway north of the Arctic Circle, a typical 2M/70CM radio that a technician class licensee might have won't do you much good. You need an HF radio capable of operation on multiple bands (so you can find what's open--that is, what the sun is letting you work from your location) and appropriate antenna (think big and different sizes depending on band). A Garmin InReach would be a better answer. As mentioned, if you're in some place with reliable repeaters, then the 2M/70CM radio (and maybe GMRS, since repeaters are allowed, just not common) would do you well. CB, FRS and GMRS are less useful due to the lack of repeaters, though CB can sometimes get long range, depending again on the sun. Those "depending on the sun" statements suggests something: The ability to establish and maintain comms on HF depends a great deal on the operator's experience.I'm not getting into it to communicate with a bunch of people. we just want something as an emergency backup to the possibility of our phones not working
FAKE News ! States do not own or operate repeaters, they are owned and maintained primarily by Ham clubs, private individuals and the ARA.Rumor mill has it they are doing away with HAM repeaters. I think Commiefornia has cancelled upkeep and said they are no longer necessary. Guess they want to isolate us from the rest of the world.