MET Snow Patrol #2|Trail Runs / Events|Forum|Gold Hills Posse 4x4

kris_olof said
Sun. March 9, 2025  8:30 am – 4:00 pm-ish

We will use the club's HAM PosseV2 frequency for communications, so bring your HAM radios.  Additionally I will now carry a second radio for those with only GMRS/FRS radios.
  

  @Seanette and I don't have a ham license, and obtaining one isn't very high on our priorities.  But I think it was mentioned, at the last meeting, that there is some provision that allows us to legally use a radio on the organization's frequency without a license of our own, in connection with the organization's activities.  Did I understand this correctly?  If so, then if we continue to participate in events such as this, perhaps at some point, we should obtain a suitable radio for that use.  Any relatively inexpensive brand and model that you would recommend?

  We do have a pair of GMRS radios, and I take your mention of a “second radio” that you will be reachable by that.

Eric and Dawn won’t be able to attend 

kris_olof said

Bob Blaylock said

But I think it was mentioned, at the last meeting, that there is some provision that allows us to legally use a radio on the organization's frequency without a license of our own, in connection with the organization's activities.  Did I understand this correctly?  If so, then if we continue to participate in events such as this, perhaps at some point, we should obtain a suitable radio for that use.  Any relatively inexpensive brand and model that you would recommend?

Yes, they are technically business band frequencies so as long as you are on a club run you don’t need any licenses. We say HAM since everyone uses unlocked ham radios like the cheap baufeng units. 

  

  On  a somewhat related note, it came up at some completely unrelated event that a particular variety of “HAM” radios are popular among offroaders, that in general, you do need  HAM license to use them, but that getting a HAM license is not nearly as difficult or expensive now, that it used to be.  Historically, I think of it as something that one had to be pretty serious about HAM radio as a hobby to find worth pursuing; but I gather it is now common for offroaders to get such licenses, just to be able to use these in connection with offroad activities.

  I assume that the Baufeng units that have been suggested here fall into that category.  if @Seanette and I got them, we'd legally be able to use them on the Gold  Hill Posse frequency, in connection with Gold Hills Posse activities, without having a license of our own, but otherwise, for any other use, we would need a license, right?

  Just how involved is it, anyway, to get such a license?  Might it be worthwhile for the club to hold some sort of event to help those of us associated therewith to get such licenses?

Jeff_R said

Bob Blaylock said

kris_olof said

Bob Blaylock said  Just how involved is it, anyway, to get such a license?  Might it be worthwhile for the club to hold some sort of event to help those of us associated therewith to get such licenses?

Bob, check out Tyler's website: https://myoffroadradio.com/

  

  Looks like the page that ought to be useful, is currently broken.

Jeff_R said

Bob Blaylock said

 

  Looks like the page that ought to be useful, is currently broken.

  

That's too bad.

  

  I guess it's not crucial at this point.

  When some money comes in, @Seanette and I will probably get the radios so that we can use them in connection with Gold Hills Posse events.

  I am correct about these being the radios which would require a HAM license for other uses, and that they are radios for which those other uses would commonly include communicating with other offroaders in other contexts, right?  I'm sure that at some point in the future, the guidance will be available for us to get such a license; if not through this club, then from some other source.

  In the mean time, we also have GMRS, and I'm sure a lor of other offroaders do as well.