budget emergency radio equipment

  • Lora Van Nortwick
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4 years 2 months ago - 4 years 2 months ago #9 by Lora Van Nortwick
budget emergency radio equipment was created by Lora Van Nortwick
I am curious as to what others think would be a logical next step in equipment for me. I am a 49 year old wife and mother living with my husband and 2 college age sons in Seaside. I have been an "active" ham radio operator for a couple of years now. (I got my license in 2009 but didn't get a radio til a couple of years ago...) I am concerned about SHTF situations. I am only interested in emergency communications. I don't actively seek to "rag chew" or do any contesting. I currently own a Yaesu Ft-60r which is my go-to radio. I am very comfortable with it and know how to program it manually as well as with CHIRP but I do not own the programming cable. ( I also have a backup HT of a Baofeng UV-5r that I also know how to program manually as well as with CHIRP and I do have the programing cable for it as it came with it) I only check-in or lead the Sunday WHO net and check-in occasionally on the Monday ARES and Wednesday Seaside ARES nets. I use the ft-60r inside the house in winter on a Tram mag mount antenna attached to a cookie sheet. I have a Diamond x-50NA antenna outside on my greenhouse that I use when I am working outside in spring, summer and fall. Both radio's stock antennas has been upgraded to a flexible Signalink antenna as well as have the correct PL259 and SMA connectors for each to attach to the other 2 antennas. I also have one extra NiMH for the ft-60r. What is more important for me to pour my money into? More backup batteries for the current radio I am comfortable with? More packable antennas like a flexible J-pole? Another ft-60r to have in the car with another mag mount? A dual band or even just VHF mobile radio for either the house or car? I can't afford a real base station unless I really save up my money. I could probably allocate $50/month to this. What do you think would be a priority? In a SHTF will I realistically be running to the hills with my handheld so I should invest in some sort of Every Day Carry bag or vest and have everything ultra portable? Do you have an EDC? What am I overlooking? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks all,
Lora KE7ZFQ

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3 years 4 months ago #14 by FeellD
Replied by FeellD on topic budget emergency radio equipment
The x-50NA works perfect on VHF. 440-- not so much, I think.
For some reason it is tuned to 435 which is not exactly where most ham repeaters and or more common simplex freqs are. But since there doesn't seem to any 440 only default antenna it will pass. Diamond might have to center the 440 band.
wildproofgear.com/best-emergency-radio/ - here is the list of some latest radios compared by important features with their weight included.
I guess the lesser the weight the more EDC it is?

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  • Lora Van Nortwick
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3 years 4 months ago #15 by Lora Van Nortwick
Replied by Lora Van Nortwick on topic budget emergency radio equipment
Thanks for your reply. I really liked the website you suggested for EDC emergency gear reviews. Not exactly what I was looking for in this post (I was thinking more Ham radio related )but still high on my list of things I want to know more about. I like the idea of having a crank noaa radio that can charge a phone. Plus the multitools interest me.
I hadn't heard that about the antenna. I use it almost entirely for 2m anyway.
Since I posted this I have now acquired a mobile ft857 unit that I use as a base station and had help getting a HF end fed antenna up and gotten my general license.
Here is a youtuber that I like to watch to learn more about EDC and how to learn skills. I am just a beginner though. I like his style and his experience.
www.youtube.com/channel/UCSF08irENp73EwqJ42rCsIQ
Anyway, thanks for getting back to me. I was really starting to think this forum was dead.

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