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2 way radios for forestry use

Started by Wildman Ben, May 22, 2016, 06:32:38 PM

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Wildman Ben

Hey all, I work in the forest fighting fires and when not doing that falling trees with a chainsaw, not near any vehicles or anything with a CB radio, so we carry our own hand helds on us for communication with everybody else whos working the area. so looking to get myself a 2 way radio, we generally use some model from icom but I'd like to get my own, so I can use it for work and for pleasure when snowmobiling, driving up logging roads and need to hear traffic calls, hiking, dirtbiking, ect. looking at the yaesu t60r or the 270r, the 270r because it's waterproof which, being from the pacific north west, it rains a lot up here so not sure if the 60 can handle it. anyways, if anybody else uses radios for similar applications what model / brand do you use and how do you find it, and what would you recommend I look at, thanks!

Magicman

Just curious, what Ham License is required to use those radios?
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snowstorm

icom marine vhf is really good stuff. i have 2 of them in a boat. why not use one of there handhelds? i know your not supposed to but a lot do. as long as your a few miles from the coast it wouldnt be a problem

DR_Buck

The Yaesu FT-270R and FT-60 are both 2 meter ham radio transceivers.   A license issued by the FCC is required for use.  It is illegal to use them for business communication as they are not type accepted for that service.   If you are not a licensed ham operator and are using them for communications  outside the amateur radio service you are in violation of federal law and subject to a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.

de K3SK   --- Licensed since 1978.
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

sawguy21

Yaesu makes some nice VHF handhelds that fit comfortably in a vest pocket, they work well in your application. The mic and speaker are better quality for clear communication in noisy environments.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

John Mc

If I recall correctly, GMRS walkie-talkie radios up to 2 watts are usable in Canada (you can find them in just about every hardware or electronics store in the US) . Will one of those work for you?
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

pineywoods

There is a dedicated band of frequencies set aside for forestry use. Back in my younger days, I had a contract to maintain all the radios for what is now plum creek/weyerhauser operations in north la and southern ark. I don't remember what the freqs were, check with some forestry service people. don't even think about using ham radio units, those bands are usually so cluttered as to be useless..
The gmrs type handheld walkie talkies work ok over short distances, but the real problem with them is battery life. I tried them to keep in touch with my handicap wife, standby time wouldn't last but a few hours before needing re-charge.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
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OneWithWood

A pair of Motorola T 5200 talkabouts served us well for many years and are relatively inexpensive.  Now we just text.
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

ST Ranch

I have a couple ICOM F30GS hand-helds which work good. A bit hard on batteries, but so are most portables.

I have yet to see if they will accept the NEW forestry road radio channels for BC - Govt has just come out with new set of Provincial channels - 32 or so channels for the whole province and we have to convert over to these for logging road frequencies.

Problem is many older analog radios will not accept the new frequencies - so maker sure whatever you get, it is compatible with the new frequencies. - Unfortunately  I have 2 Motorola radius radios in my trucks that will need replacing at about 450 bucks each.
Tom
LT40G28 with mods,  Komatsu D37E crawler,
873 Bobcat with CWS log grapple,

starmac

Here is my thoughts, you need radios that are programmed to what the loggers and trucks are using, if they are cb's then you need a hand held cb, if they are vhf, you need the same channels or frequencies, so get what ever they are using.
Here the log trucks while on the log roads, use cb's, not near as effective or as safe as vhf radios, but it is what it is. We do run channel 12 while in the woods instead of 19. On the haul road, we run both cb's and vhf, not exactly legal, but much safer.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

Straightgrain

A couple-few thoughts to share.

I have a number of ham radios; the Yaesu VX7R is my best hand held; I have a ham license. The Boafeng UV5R+ and 8 HPs are good radios for the money, they will xmit on GMRS freqs as well as ham freqs. FCC rules still apply.

5 watts seems to be the minimum power for good comms.

A GMRS license in the US was $85.00/5years when I did it...never going to do that again... ::)

Ham rules are ham rules; monitored by zealous civilians, but anyone is allowed to xmit during an emergency, when no other means of communication is avail, and anyone can monitor.

Hindsight; I like my hams for non personal comms, but the satellite text messaging service is the way to go.  8)
"We fight for and against not men and things as they are, but for and against the caricatures we make of them". Joseph Schumpeter

Wildman Ben

Quote from: DR_Buck on May 22, 2016, 08:30:00 PM
The Yaesu FT-270R and FT-60 are both 2 meter ham radio transceivers.   A license issued by the FCC is required for use.  It is illegal to use them for business communication as they are not type accepted for that service.   If you are not a licensed ham operator and are using them for communications  outside the amateur radio service you are in violation of federal law and subject to a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.

de K3SK   --- Licensed since 1978.


Yea but thats only if its "un-locked" is that correct? can still use it as VHF for personal use on our work frequencies?

Yes what I need is a VHF frequency radio

mburrow

I found this info on https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/his/radio/Overview/overview.htm
Ministry of Forests Radios
Standard issue Forest Service portable radio is now the Icom F30GT.  The Icom F3 is being reserved for Fire Stock and Firefighters only.

so I would suggest the one of these Icoms.
also make sure that you can legally use them for your personal commutations.
here in the US I can legally use a Land Mobile radio for Ham, our fire dept. has 1 Icom f70 and 5 Vertex vx-180 portables.
so I have my own vx180 that I use for fire, EMS and my personal communication.   

DR_Buck

Quote from: Wildman Ben on May 24, 2016, 02:19:29 AM
Quote from: DR_Buck on May 22, 2016, 08:30:00 PM
The Yaesu FT-270R and FT-60 are both 2 meter ham radio transceivers.   A license issued by the FCC is required for use.  It is illegal to use them for business communication as they are not type accepted for that service.   If you are not a licensed ham operator and are using them for communications  outside the amateur radio service you are in violation of federal law and subject to a $10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.

de K3SK   --- Licensed since 1978.


Yea but thats only if its "un-locked" is that correct? can still use it as VHF for personal use on our work frequencies?

No.   Ham radios are type accepted (approved) only for ham radio service.   Commercial/business/public service radios are built and approved to specifications for use in those services. 

Yes what I need is a VHF frequency radio
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

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