Icecobra
FRF Addict
Since joining here I have seen several people buy two way radio's only to be unhappy and then get another radio. I am hoping to help those of you looking for radios decipher a few of the pitfalls in choosing a radio..
Icom, Yaesu, Motorola, Uniden, Cobra etc...
The following link will take you to a guide that takes about 20 minutes to review as to two way radios but for most of us I will cover the important things that you as a Raptor owner should consider..
Two-way Radio Review
Now if you skipped the link its ok I will get you through all the basics to consider when buying a radio..
For most of us we are buying a two way radio to talk to other Raptor owners on the road or trail. That being said just realize I recommend an in the vehicle permanent mount radio for the simple reason the output (how far you can talk in distance) is usually four to five times greater then a handheld. So I will simply say if you don't need a handheld for other duties then go with a in cab mounted two way radio..
There are a lot of great how to installs on this forum so finding installation help seems easy. So I will simply gloss over it for you quickly. When installing your radio remember you may need to get to it to change channels and where its located when you need it will have a dramatic impact on how well you hear the speaker on the radio and how easy to get to the microphone. Buying all the items you need for installation makes installation easier. If your going to put it in some thing (like the center console) you will not be able to hear the speaker so remember to buy an external speaker. I found the self-amplified type work much better than just the simple speaker plug only. So for speakers look to a type with power leads so you can adjust the volume on the speaker as well as the radio.. My personal choice was Uniden BC23A self amplified speaker.
Now on to radios:
My first radio Icom F5021 (excellent radio) then to get a removable face I got a deal on Yaesu 7900 which is the radio I currently run.
So for most of us we want to talk to each other and most of us use VHF band radios and use 152.625 Weatherman channel. This is called weatherman because a guy named Bob Weatherman owns the frequency and it is used extensively in off road racing events. So when choosing a radio think about if you want to talk to other Raptor owners (those with two way radios) most will own a radio that will run VHF..
Since you know VHF look at the radio your looking at for receive and transmit frequency. This is important that you can transmit on the frequency not just listen to it. Many less expensive radios only transmit on a few channels but receive most in the range 136-174 MHZ. So know going in will it do what you want and look and ask questions of other forum members that have radios and find what they like and don't like about their current radio. Some radios will need to be modified to transmit, the MARS modification is one example. Here is a short cut for the Yaesu and there are more for the Icoms across the internet.
http://www.clarksons.org/AmateurRadio/FT-7900r extended transmit.htm
Transmit watts, this term is the only one that's really in your control and look carefully at the radio. I have found a few radios that transmit higher power but are prone to failure if used in high heat or for extended periods of time. Search the web and you will find many high output radios (75w to 100w ) have issues and overheat when used to much. I will go back for a second to cover receive and explain other than your antenna you have no control over receiving signals from other radios. So it is up to the transmit part of each person to be able to control the distances over which we communicate. A good antenna helps some debate can be made for this over that ground plane etc.. But its your truck and you have to be the one that lives with the antenna you choose and I could spend a week on just antennas mounts etc. Pick a good antenna and you will be happy this is one thing that you really do get what you pay for. And bigger is not always better.
Now that you know what to look for in a radio things to consider does the radio come programmed with the channels you need or want, another thing would also be mounting location, do you want a removable face plate and do you want to go in to a dual channel radio that is both UHF/VHF. The key most important thing I recommend is going on a Raptor meet, and see how others have their radio mounted. I cannot stress this enough and ask questions. Why is it mounted where it is, antenna, speaker, mic, etc.. the most important factor I have found is a removable face plate is a great feature. You don't have to remove it but you can. Several other forum members have really good mounting locations scouted for you if this is the route you choose.
Lastly when buying a radio think about other things or mods you may want to do to your Raptor. When mounting your radio review anything that moves or opens and check clearances such as seat movement forward and back. When installing your radio remember the more the wattage the bigger the cable needs to be going to the battery. I believe that when you install your two way radio run the cable directly to the battery so it gets as much power as it needs.. Use a fuse with in 12 inches of the battery also to protect the circuit. I will add more as I get reminded of things by other forum members.. I hope this helps you choose wisely so you don't wind up buying the radio and moving it in the future or buying two radios because your not happy with the first one... I look forward to hearing you on the trails..
Icom, Yaesu, Motorola, Uniden, Cobra etc...
The following link will take you to a guide that takes about 20 minutes to review as to two way radios but for most of us I will cover the important things that you as a Raptor owner should consider..
Two-way Radio Review
Now if you skipped the link its ok I will get you through all the basics to consider when buying a radio..
For most of us we are buying a two way radio to talk to other Raptor owners on the road or trail. That being said just realize I recommend an in the vehicle permanent mount radio for the simple reason the output (how far you can talk in distance) is usually four to five times greater then a handheld. So I will simply say if you don't need a handheld for other duties then go with a in cab mounted two way radio..
There are a lot of great how to installs on this forum so finding installation help seems easy. So I will simply gloss over it for you quickly. When installing your radio remember you may need to get to it to change channels and where its located when you need it will have a dramatic impact on how well you hear the speaker on the radio and how easy to get to the microphone. Buying all the items you need for installation makes installation easier. If your going to put it in some thing (like the center console) you will not be able to hear the speaker so remember to buy an external speaker. I found the self-amplified type work much better than just the simple speaker plug only. So for speakers look to a type with power leads so you can adjust the volume on the speaker as well as the radio.. My personal choice was Uniden BC23A self amplified speaker.
Now on to radios:
My first radio Icom F5021 (excellent radio) then to get a removable face I got a deal on Yaesu 7900 which is the radio I currently run.
So for most of us we want to talk to each other and most of us use VHF band radios and use 152.625 Weatherman channel. This is called weatherman because a guy named Bob Weatherman owns the frequency and it is used extensively in off road racing events. So when choosing a radio think about if you want to talk to other Raptor owners (those with two way radios) most will own a radio that will run VHF..
Since you know VHF look at the radio your looking at for receive and transmit frequency. This is important that you can transmit on the frequency not just listen to it. Many less expensive radios only transmit on a few channels but receive most in the range 136-174 MHZ. So know going in will it do what you want and look and ask questions of other forum members that have radios and find what they like and don't like about their current radio. Some radios will need to be modified to transmit, the MARS modification is one example. Here is a short cut for the Yaesu and there are more for the Icoms across the internet.
http://www.clarksons.org/AmateurRadio/FT-7900r extended transmit.htm
Transmit watts, this term is the only one that's really in your control and look carefully at the radio. I have found a few radios that transmit higher power but are prone to failure if used in high heat or for extended periods of time. Search the web and you will find many high output radios (75w to 100w ) have issues and overheat when used to much. I will go back for a second to cover receive and explain other than your antenna you have no control over receiving signals from other radios. So it is up to the transmit part of each person to be able to control the distances over which we communicate. A good antenna helps some debate can be made for this over that ground plane etc.. But its your truck and you have to be the one that lives with the antenna you choose and I could spend a week on just antennas mounts etc. Pick a good antenna and you will be happy this is one thing that you really do get what you pay for. And bigger is not always better.
Now that you know what to look for in a radio things to consider does the radio come programmed with the channels you need or want, another thing would also be mounting location, do you want a removable face plate and do you want to go in to a dual channel radio that is both UHF/VHF. The key most important thing I recommend is going on a Raptor meet, and see how others have their radio mounted. I cannot stress this enough and ask questions. Why is it mounted where it is, antenna, speaker, mic, etc.. the most important factor I have found is a removable face plate is a great feature. You don't have to remove it but you can. Several other forum members have really good mounting locations scouted for you if this is the route you choose.
Lastly when buying a radio think about other things or mods you may want to do to your Raptor. When mounting your radio review anything that moves or opens and check clearances such as seat movement forward and back. When installing your radio remember the more the wattage the bigger the cable needs to be going to the battery. I believe that when you install your two way radio run the cable directly to the battery so it gets as much power as it needs.. Use a fuse with in 12 inches of the battery also to protect the circuit. I will add more as I get reminded of things by other forum members.. I hope this helps you choose wisely so you don't wind up buying the radio and moving it in the future or buying two radios because your not happy with the first one... I look forward to hearing you on the trails..
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