Need radio communication help.

[yuppiejr]

[bulletproof]

What range are you at that's having this problem at? (Hopefully not GRRC) I find it hard to believe fair quality FRS/GMRS radios and especially CB radio is having trouble at a measly 1000 yards. Maybe you're dealing with another interference source like a power substation, etc?

[arizona98tj]

If you can't get .6 miles out of a couple of $49 4 watt CB radios, you have some really bad radios or antennas or both. If you are using a handheld CB with one of those 6" antennas, toss it in the trash a get a regular mobile CB radio.

One of my other hobbies is 4 wheelin'......doing a couple of miles with a CB in my Jeep and a 4 foot antenna is the norm. On a good day, I've gone 3 or 4 times that distance with a little elevation on one of the two vehicles. And this is plain old ground wave, not skip.

[goett047]

In high school a buddy and I put CB radios in our trucks. We did the research a 102" antenna is the way to go. It is the correct length for the wave length of the radio waves. We could talk 4 miles all day more if the weather cooperated

[OldmanFCSA]

If you can't get .6 miles out of a couple of $49 4 watt CB radios, you have some really bad radios or antennas or both. If you are using a handheld CB with one of those 6" antennas, toss it in the trash a get a regular mobile CB radio.

One of my other hobbies is 4 wheelin'......doing a couple of miles with a CB in my Jeep and a 4 foot antenna is the norm. On a good day, I've gone 3 or 4 times that distance with a little elevation on one of the two vehicles. And this is plain old ground wave, not skip.

We've tried the little hand held CB radios AND the larger CB radios with the 6" rubber antennas, very unreliable!!!

I've also thought that larger antennas, setup out of path of bullets, may have a chance - will consider it, but still looking for a better solution.

[goett047]

A 102" antenna can be had at radio city in mounds view for about 40 bucks last I checked

[Erud]

I've shot 5 or 6 Long-Range and Palma matches at GRRC's 1k line, as well as plenty of casual 1000 yard practice shooting and hand-held FRS radios have always worked fine for communication between line and pits.

[OldmanFCSA]

I've shot 5 or 6 Long-Range and Palma matches at GRRC's 1k line, as well as plenty of casual 1000 yard practice shooting and hand-held FRS radios have always worked fine for communication between line and pits.

FRS radios ???????????????????????

[Rip Van Winkle]

Is there something special about the pitts, or some kind of electrical interference at this range? We shoot at GRRC's 1000 yard range all the time and use nothing except hand held Motorola walkie talkies that you can buy in any sporting goods store.

[xd ED]

Family Radio Service (FRS) or more powerful( more expensive, and paperwork licensed) General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). FRS on a rifle range distance /line of sight should be no problem. I'm guessing <$100 @ Target/ Fleet Farm, etc.

[Rip Van Winkle]

Cabela's

[arizona98tj]

If you can't get .6 miles out of a couple of $49 4 watt CB radios, you have some really bad radios or antennas or both. If you are using a handheld CB with one of those 6" antennas, toss it in the trash a get a regular mobile CB radio.

One of my other hobbies is 4 wheelin'......doing a couple of miles with a CB in my Jeep and a 4 foot antenna is the norm. On a good day, I've gone 3 or 4 times that distance with a little elevation on one of the two vehicles. And this is plain old ground wave, not skip.

We've tried the little hand held CB radios AND the larger CB radios with the 6" rubber antennas, very unreliable!!!

I've also thought that larger antennas, setup out of path of bullets, may have a chance - will consider it, but still looking for a better solution.

I know they are unreliable, that is why I said to toss them in the trash.

A better solution is certainly either an appropriate antenna for regular CB radio or to use an FRS radio (they are little CB radios by the way). I've used the later on the highway while caravaning with multiple vehicles. They work well too.

[OldmanFCSA]

A landline is not practical to install.


I think, but don't know, that an antennae is required at both locations, especially to get reception out of, or into, the steel and concrete lined pit walls, which are below ground level.
Any help would be much appreciated.

CB radios and little hand-held radios do not work reliably = we've been trying for years!
Pits do not allow for line-of-sight-transmission. Pits are 10-12 feet deep with steel and concrete lined pit walls, which are below ground level.

Are repeater receiver-transmitter boxes available that could be mounted above pit area but to side out of line of fire, that would send-receive signals to hand-held radios, thus permitting line-of-sight both ways???

[ktech]

Oldman: short answer, yes.

Longer answer available via PM. I work for a local commercial radio company - contact me via PM and we'll chat, I have a few ideas.

[Seismic Sam]

Well, put the pit antenna about 50 feet up in a large tree!

As an alternative, if you're shooting somewhere in de Nort woods, you could get a couple of marine band handhelds for like $60 apiece, and while it might not be totally Kosher, if you stay off channel 16 and limit yourself to channels 68-72, I doubt anybody will ever know. I don't think the Coast Guard patrols the pine barrens of Central Minnezotah.