How do I communicate?

[moy71]

Let's say I am flying around the vicinity of the departure point (around 7miles away ). Aside from the humble mobile phone, are there any other practical means of communicating with other people (non-aviators) on the ground?

 

I was thinking of walkie-talkies or even trans-ceivers (ie Uniden kind). Are there any other ways? I'd like to keep usage of the aircraft radio separate for obvious reasons.

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Barefootpilot]

Easiest (not cheapest) would be to get a headset with a phone interface so you can talk through the head set. I think there is flight2go which will do it or there are a couple of headsets that have blue tooth so you can just hook it straight up.

 

 

[moy71]

my headset is the one with provision for input of a mobilephone/mp3 player. unfortunately the place where i fly has little or no reception at all... :(

 

 

[motzartmerv]

UHF...:thumb_up:

 

 

[sain]

yah, UHF CB would be the way to go. Most of those uniden walky talky things are UHF CBs. Ideally you want one that can take an external headset & microphone - so you don't have to rip it apart to wire it to your headset. Other than that go for one that can do duplex, so you can use a repeater if one is available.

 

For a permament installation a car model may be better than the hand held.

 

repeater list for australia:

 

http://www.tropinet.com/uhf-repeaters/search.html

 

 

[Admin]

3 helpful replies within 35mins from a first post being made - well done guys - where else could you get such great help!

 

 

[Tomo]

Yep UHF is way to go....

 

A friends got a little turn switch (UHF's hard wired into the aircraft) that he just turns to the UHF bit, and that way he can talk and hear through the head set...and then you just turn it back to VHF when he needed... That way you can monitor both radios, and you just turn the switch to witch ever one you want to talk on.

 

 

[moy71]

Thanks for the helpful tips everyone. UHF appears to be the clear winner. Having a look at DSE and the like, there are models in the 1Watt to 5Watts range in the Motorola and Uniden range. Has anyone used the 1Watt model? I am assuming that it is line of sight therefore 1W may be enough but am guessing....

 

 

[Skyhog]

I put a smaller aerial on mine because I could hear every truckie,farmer and 4wd traveller within about 150km on the channel.Sometimes I can still hear "unwanted" transmissions but generally it's pretty good.

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Personally I'd go a 5W set up, just pick a channel that's not in use. Plus you can use the repeaters really well from altitude.

 

 

[Guest pedrok]

Thanks for the helpful tips everyone. UHF appears to be the clear winner. Having a look at DSE and the like, there are models in the 1Watt to 5Watts range in the Motorola and Uniden range. Has anyone used the 1Watt model?

Just a tip, the cheap twin packs available from DSE (and similar) are pretty ordinary. They're good for kids to play with and that's about it.

 

Uniden, Motorola and GME are all good, generally 1 watt is fine for the distances you are probably planning. I like GME stuff but Uniden accessories and parts are easy to get at any Dick Smith.

 

While looking for a link for you I stumbled across this one. I know the GPS105 is a good unit (but its a car mounting, so te handheld one might be interesting

 

Uniden 205 UHF Radio and GPS

 

It pays to look at the different models though. Each have their own package, for example - having the ability to plug in an external aerial may be useful for your ground party.

 

How are they powered? Batteries are ok, but if you an recharge with both 12v and 240v it is better. Can you just use a set of triple AAAs or are they a factory battery?

 

They don't chew up too much power but its all relative to how much you talk :)

 

One example, mate picked up a GME 630. Its top of the line, capable and 5W. But - you can only recharge it on 12v while it is sitting in a cradle - so its fine for using around a house or property but for driving around travelling in a car its useless. Additionally you have to buy all the charging gear separate. So it pays to think about how you will be using it.

 

A good site for comparing features (and they are normally pretty cheap and good to deal with is)

 

UHF CB Handhelds

 

Hope that helps you a little

 

Pete

 

 

[Guest Brett Campany]

Good post Pete!!

 

Another thing to look at when you buy one is see if the unit has a headphone port in it, it'll be much easier to hear having an ear plug in one ear under your headphones.

 

 

[Gibbo]

I got one of my enginnering friends to make a 'cable' adapter to use the passenger intercom system for the UHF. I can get him to provide a wiring diagram if needed.

 

I simply use the intercom and press an external xmit transmit button on my GME 5w Handheld. Best range was 125k at 5500'. :) Total cost was $15 and the sacrifice of the cable from a crappy headset that was laying around. I've found it very handy when using ag strips on remote properties.

 

GME 701 has an external microphone / speaker jack. 600 series is based on the same design so they should be ok as well.

 

Avoid any of the 0.5 and 1 watt units (cheap uniden and GME) as you will only get 1-2k at the most.

 

Gibbo

 

 

[moy71]

Thanks for the tips guys. went ahead and bought the GME TX670 for $75 online. For a 2watt radio....it's the most attractive for the price.