Batboard

Well, it looks like I will be off to Afganistan in a few months, so now I have a quandry. I need to equip my platoon/section with some form of portable communications, as we just lost our PRC-127's and will have no portable to replace it.

I am thinking UHF is preferable, simply so I can program a few FRS freqs in to work with those who carry FRS units (still wildly carried). I prefer at least 5-6 channel but even 1-2 channel radios are good. Also I have several Kenwood TK-330's, and a TK-809 that can go with me, and my UHF saber II if I can get it fixed so that gives me a head start on UHF use as well. But if I can do VHF or even 800 cheaper thats a viable alternative (although being strictly simplex 800 would be a last choice).

What would you recommend for low cost, durable portables and mobiles? I am looking at 3-5 mobiles (one to serve as a base) and 8 (maybe more if I "expand" the system to include the whole company if the others decide to kick in some $$) or so portables. I could care less about type acceptance or any of that crap, I just need reliable communications. I want cheap as this is coming out of my pocket and these may very well not make it back, and would prefer to keep it down to 2-3 models so that I don't have too many chargers/programming cables etc. to keep track of. Excryption is not needed for what I am doing, it would be nice but there is no way its possible on my budget. Rack charger availability is a plus, as is lower battery cost.

How would you guys put together the system, and anyone got some old stuff sitting around you would let go cheap?

Anyone got a Saber IIR UHF they wanna part with? This may be the excuse I needed to justify getting myself one!

And yes, I am gonna put in for a YA call and operate from there on HF, so I will email some Afgan hamsexy pics back. I may even stick a batlabs logo on my YA QSL card.

If you are a member of a military company or your company has a DODAC then a perhaps a screeninh trip to your local DRMO would be a real cost effective trip. It is true that DRMO's are hit & miss but it might be worth a try. You might even find you old PRCs there.

I have several collegues in theater now and they use M GMRS/FRS radios which are pretty cost effective now days. The issue of damage, loss, & theft is pretty much mitigated by the cost vs. a "real radio". If you look closely at the non-combat teams on the news you will see FRS style radios clipped to soldiers on a very regular basis.

I am sure this will not be palatable to you as you also have the radio cancer and will probably want a "real radio".

You might consider GP350s, they go cheap, and had an analog scrambling board that dropped rght into the radio. The boards often go on ebay very resaonably.

If you go the FRS route, have a supply of AA's ready as they are hard to come by there as well a C size batts.........so i have been told, do not know why.

Have fun on the Afghanistan Plains.

Best,
Mike

Yeah, I've been fighting the DRMO issue with a PBO who is too lazy to do the paperwork. I have found a source for TK-330's in the same price range as the decent FRS stuff, and I was just given a gang charger for them, so I think I am going that route.

That way I can program the FRS freqs in, and have my own also. From what I am told places like Kandahar and such the FRS freqs are almost as crowded as they are at a large carnival here stateside, so I want the ability to go away from them. I want to avoid depending on AA's too, so that keeps me away from most FRS stuff.

why not run on the 403-420 gov freqs?

the gear there is pretty cheap


when my friend was a pmc over there, he said there was alot of frs use

How about taking half a kilo of anti-hydrogen, in a magnetic bottle with about a week's worth of coolent?

The mechanic's battalion from Howell, Mi. all took CB radios over there.
CQ, CQ, CQ DX. How 'bout it Skipland, skipland, skipland.
Dr. Zoom in my mobeeeeeeel, shake, shake.
One of our mechanics from the garage was deployed there in January.
Thanks to all of you for going.
Jimmy.

sglass wrote:why not run on the 403-420 gov freqs?

the gear there is pretty cheap


when my friend was a pmc over there, he said there was alot of frs use

Primary because I want to be able to program a few FRS freqs in. Kinda Afgani style "interoperability" so to speak, as so many there will be running them.

Plus, picking up 10ch no display TK-330's for under $30 its hard to get much cheaper.

KF4PEP wrote:Well, it looks like I will be off to Afganistan in a few months, so now I have a quandry. I need to equip my platoon/section with some form of portable communications, as we just lost our PRC-127's and will have no portable to replace it.

I am thinking UHF is preferable, simply so I can program a few FRS freqs in to work with those who carry FRS units (still wildly carried). I prefer at least 5-6 channel but even 1-2 channel radios are good. Also I have several Kenwood TK-330's, and a TK-809 that can go with me, and my UHF saber II if I can get it fixed so that gives me a head start on UHF use as well. But if I can do VHF or even 800 cheaper thats a viable alternative (although being strictly simplex 800 would be a last choice).

What would you recommend for low cost, durable portables and mobiles? I am looking at 3-5 mobiles (one to serve as a base) and 8 (maybe more if I "expand" the system to include the whole company if the others decide to kick in some $$) or so portables. I could care less about type acceptance or any of that crap, I just need reliable communications. I want cheap as this is coming out of my pocket and these may very well not make it back, and would prefer to keep it down to 2-3 models so that I don't have too many chargers/programming cables etc. to keep track of. Excryption is not needed for what I am doing, it would be nice but there is no way its possible on my budget. Rack charger availability is a plus, as is lower battery cost.

How would you guys put together the system, and anyone got some old stuff sitting around you would let go cheap?

Anyone got a Saber IIR UHF they wanna part with? This may be the excuse I needed to justify getting myself one!

And yes, I am gonna put in for a YA call and operate from there on HF, so I will email some Afgan hamsexy pics back. I may even stick a batlabs logo on my YA QSL card.

Am I missing something here?? Your unit no longer has communication equiptment and they are sending you to Afganistan that way??? One call to the local press might ensure you get some communications equiptment issued to your company!

Oh we have communication equipment, we just lost the PRC-127's as they updated out Table of Organization & Equipment and deleted them. Even when we did have them, we did not have nearly enough. What we have is all manpack and vehicle mounted SINCGARS stuff. Just no portables.

We have what we are "supposed" to have, and we can do the job with that, but having the extra just makes it so much easier to gte things done.

Belive me, I have been trying to get some major items on our TO&E changed for some time, something a minor as extra portables doesn't stand a chance in hell. Thats exactly why everyone ovre there uses FRS stuff so much.

Last year in Dayton Ohio at Hamvention
2003 the frs portables were going for $5.00
Also I would get a bunch of chargers and
rechargable batteries.I have not seen
any pic's of a Radio Shack Store over there.

Good Luck and we hope your trip will be
a safe one.

God Bless.

From the great white north
(Canada I Mean)

Susan157

How R U on some equally important things like GOOD body armor ?? The good stuff that covers enough and stops enough stuff to be sure you get home with all your parts intact ??
-----

Whatever you get for personal comms, remember that the other side will probably be able to listen on FRS.. Get a radio with at least some inversion scrambling.. Not much security, but better than nothing.

Also think about charging -- make sure you have a charger that will work on all voltages you are likely to have - not just 110/60. -or - get a charger that will work from your vehicle battery -or-bring lots of Alkaline batteries for the radios. You should be able to get Duracell AAA and AAs at virtually every 'western' hotel. The local markets will have cheap Chinese made alkalines that will leak in a week.

If you have the time.. see of you can get your guys into amateur radio. The entry level test is very easy and you'll be able to use some rather small 1-2W HTs on VHF and UHF - on freqs not usually found on radios in indian country.

Make sure you have some cryptic comm sigs pre-arranged or have a comm method that lets you commun icate without too much verbiage... things that are not obvious to those who really want to hurt you.

===
Keep your powder dry, your head down, and the flag up.
Be safe.

Body armor I am good on, I have the latest in my personal bag. There is a definate shortage out there however.

2 good things, even if they are listening what they hear will be of no value, so if nothing else we are keeping those ears from hearing anything important. We have prearranged codes and SOI's for any non-secure radios so thats no problem either.

As for charging, I have generators and one of my trucks has a huge inverter, so 120 is not a problem.

I have pretty well put together a package with TK-330's for portables. I have 5 radios, batteries, and a rapid bank charger. I'll hunt down a few more radios and some extra batteries for each one and that should cover us, now all I need are some mobiles for the vehicles and a base.

For HF I am taking my Alinco DX-70 if I get it fixed in time.

If you're interested, I was handed a half dozen GE MPD t-band, that I know will do the FRS stuff, at least the 467 freq's reliably. metal cases too. I don't have batteries, but they do have antennas. Happy to donate and program them for the cause. Just put a bullet throught them if they fail and don't feel bad about it.

Will

Thanks for the offer will, we could definitly put em to good use. let me get a few months closer to the dte to ensure thinsg are really goung through and i'll be in touch, I wouldn't want to take em and then end up not going.

If you want good radios that are cheap I would go with an HT600 or something, if you want to have a killer radio to take with you take a Astro Saber R. I would suggest taking something else with you besides a good radio. Me personally I would take my Astro Saber R and a 502 Thunder Sabre .50cal rifle. That would be Ideal.

Astro Saber R (for great audio quality and reliability)

502 Thunder Sabre .50cal (To make Osama supporters meet Allah Personally!)

Any of you guys know if any private contractors out there are carrying guns? I know the private security is but what about all of the people guarded by "private security"???

chipjumper wrote:Any of you guys know if any private contractors out there are carrying guns? I know the private security is but what about all of the people guarded by "private security"???

Don't know, but I sure the hell would be.

I know Evergreen Airlines personell are carrying weapons during deliveries to the Middle East. I do not know what they are using. I think the US Military is letting private contractors carry weapons. Anyways I think we are getting off topic but I still thing a great radio and a great rifle go together!!!!!!!!!!!!!