3 ms·

How much does such a set up weigh? The InReach is small and has excellent battery lifetime.

sliken 7y ago
Well an HT with some skill/training and a directional antenna can use various satellites as repeaters for 100% coverage world wide. Granted the windows are short and not that many times a day. HF rigs are a bit bigger, about the size of a small (single DIN) car radio or CB. Examples like the yaesu ft-891, ft-818, or icom ic-7100. So easy to have in a car, not so easy to carry hiking. Others radios focus more on being portable and include batteries for hikers and SOTA (Summits on The Air). Things like the KX2, Xeigo X5105, or the new Icom IC-705 (announced but not shipping). The IC-705 actually uses the same battery as their HTs. HF radio use (at least in the USA) requires the general license, which is a a bit harder of a multiple choice test. The easiest license is a tech which gets you privileges on the 2M and higher bands. The digital modes give even a very modest radio amazing range. A friend demo'd a (5 watts) FT-817 in a poor location (building patio surrounded by trees, crappy antenna (random 20+ foot wire attached to the antenna port with an alligator clip, terrible antenna placement (thrown over a 8 foot tall tree branch) and was able to reach people in Ohio from California.
- crooked-v 7y ago
  That's a whole lot of work to go through to avoid carrying a 4 ounce satellite PLB.
- int_19h 7y ago
  The basic Technician license in US is not limited to 2m and higher - that's merely where you have all the privileges. But you also get SSB and CW on 10m, and CW only on 15m, 40m, and 80m; all of these up to 200W PEP.
- dharmab 7y ago
  Keep in mind that if you're using a PLB, there's a good chance you have broken an arm or leg and won't be able to set up a large device. One of the advantages of an inReach is that you could activate it with a single button press even with major injuries.

Well an HT with some skill/training and a directional antenna can use various satellites as repeaters for 100% coverage world wide. Granted the windows are short and not that many times a day. HF rigs are a bit bigger, about the size of a small (single DIN) car radio or CB. Examples like the yaesu ft-891, ft-818, or icom ic-7100. So easy to have in a car, not so easy to carry hiking. Others radios focus more on being portable and include batteries for hikers and SOTA (Summits on The Air). Things like the KX2, Xeigo X5105, or the new Icom IC-705 (announced but not shipping). The IC-705 actually uses the same battery as their HTs. HF radio use (at least in the USA) requires the general license, which is a a bit harder of a multiple choice test. The easiest license is a tech which gets you privileges on the 2M and higher bands. The digital modes give even a very modest radio amazing range. A friend demo'd a (5 watts) FT-817 in a poor location (building patio surrounded by trees, crappy antenna (random 20+ foot wire attached to the antenna port with an alligator clip, terrible antenna placement (thrown over a 8 foot tall tree branch) and was able to reach people in Ohio from California.

crooked-v 7y ago
That's a whole lot of work to go through to avoid carrying a 4 ounce satellite PLB.
int_19h 7y ago
The basic Technician license in US is not limited to 2m and higher - that's merely where you have all the privileges. But you also get SSB and CW on 10m, and CW only on 15m, 40m, and 80m; all of these up to 200W PEP.
dharmab 7y ago
Keep in mind that if you're using a PLB, there's a good chance you have broken an arm or leg and won't be able to set up a large device. One of the advantages of an inReach is that you could activate it with a single button press even with major injuries.