Επιβίωση το χειμώνα

Επιβίωση το χειμώνα

Ένας κακός χειμωνιάτικος καιρός είναι ένα από τα σκληρότερα σκηνικά που μπορείτε να έχετε για ένα σενάριο επιβίωσης.
Κάθε απαραίτητη εργασία συντήρησης γίνεται ακόμη πιο δύσκολη στο κρύο. Πολύ συχνά, μικρά λάθη ενισχύονται από αυτές τις συνθήκες.
Μια κατάσταση επιβίωσης σε χειμώνα δεν είναι ώρα για περιττούς κινδύνους. Αυτή είναι περίπου τόσο προκλητική εμπειρία όσο παίρνει.
Για να κρατήσουμε τα πράγματα απλά, εάν θα καταλήξετε να αγωνίζεστε για να μην παγώσετε, σκεφτείτε αυτή τη λίστα των πρέπει και μη για χειμώνες έκτακτης ανάγκης στην ύπαιθρο.


ΚΑΤΑΦΥΓΙΟ

Το καταφύγιο είναι η πιο κρίσιμη προτεραιότητα για την επιβίωσή σας. Χρησιμοποιείστε μόνωση και συμπληρωματικές πηγές θερμότητας όσο το δυνατόν . Αυτό μπορεί να σημαίνει από το να σκίσετε μέχρι την ταπετσαρία του αυτοκινήτου σας για να τη χρησιμοποιήσετε ως μόνωση, ή να τοποθετήσετε ζεστές πέτρες στο δάπεδο του αυτοκινήτου για να το ζεστάνει . Ό, τι κρίνετε απαραίτητο για να ζήσετε , να το κάνετε.
Μη χάσετε το καταφύγιο σας. Χιόνι, ομίχλη , σκοτάδι , και άλλοι παράγοντες μπορούν να σας δυσκολέψουν να βρείτε το καταφύγιο σας και πάλι, στην περίπτωση που το αφήσετε για αναζήτηση βοήθειας. Μαρκάρετε το καταφύγιο , με μια αυτοσχέδια σημαία, κάτι που να αντανακλά το φως ή οποιοδήποτε άλλο είδος σήματος έχετε διαθέσιμο . Όχι μόνο θα είστε σε θέση να ξαναβρείτε το καταφύγιο σας πιο εύκολα, αλλά και οι διασώστες σας θα έχουν περισσότερες πιθανότητες να το βρουν.
Μην κοιμάστε απευθείας στο χιόνι ή σε παγωμένο έδαφος. Ακόμη και σε μια σπηλιά από χιόνι, θα πρέπει να τοποθετήσετε κάτι από κάτω σας. Πιάστε κάποια αειθαλή κλαδιά, φλοιούς δέντρων, φύλλα, ή οτιδήποτε άλλο μπορεί να εμποδίσει την παγωνιά των ψυχρών επιφανειών .


ΝΕΡΟ

Μείνετε ενυδατωμένοι: Ελέγξτε το χρώμα των ούρων σας κατά την έξοδό τους ως το πιο αποτελεσματικό μέτρο ενυδάτωσης. Αν δεν έχετε ουρήσει για πολλές ώρες, και το χρώμα τους είναι σκούρο κίτρινο ή πορτοκαλί, σημαίνει ότι γίνεστε επικίνδυνα αφυδατωμένοι.
Μην τρώτε πάγο ή χιόνι. Ενώ είναι μια βιώσιμη πηγή υγρών, δεν πρέπει ποτέ να καταναλώνονται ως ένα παγωμένο στερεό. Αυτό θα καταψύξει τον πυρήνα του σώματός σας και θα φέρει γρήγορα υποθερμία. (σ.σ. Το χιόνι και ο πάγος μπορούν να προκαλέσουν διάρροια και άλλα σοβαρά προβλήματα, αν δεν τα βράσουμε σε τσάι πρώτα…). Αντ’αυτού, δοκιμάστε να τοποθετήσετε το χιόνι ή τον πάγο σε ένα μπουκάλι, και τοποθετήστε το κάτω από το μπουφάν σας, αλλά όχι δίπλα στο δέρμα σας . Η θερμότητα του σώματος κάτω από το μπουφάν σας θα υγροποιήσει το κατεψυγμένο πράγμα μέσα σε νερό για ασφαλέστερη κατανάλωση .


ΦΩΤΙΑ

Να έχετε πάντα μαζί σας διάφορες πηγές ανάφλεξης κατά τη διάρκεια των ταξιδιών σας σε κρύο καιρό. Αναπτήρες, σπίρτα, και ράβδοι σπινθήρα είναι εξαιρετική επιλογή και μάλιστα με αυτή τη σειρά.
Επίσης, να έχετε μπάλες βαμβακιού εμποτισμένες με βαζελίνη ή πακέτα με ειδικά προσανάμματα για να μπορέσει ν πάρει φωτιά το κρύο, ποτισμένο υγρασία ξύλου.
Μην προσπαθήσετε να ανάψετε φωτιά σε μια ανοιχτή θυελλώδη περιοχή, ή απευθείας στο χιόνι. Αυτές είναι οι δύο συνταγές για την καταστροφή. Αν πρέπει να ανάψετε φωτιά σε ανοιχτή ύπαιθρο, φτιάξτε γύρω της προστατευτικά από τους ανέμους.
Αν πάλι θέλετε να βάλετε φωτιά πάνω από το χιόνι, κόψτε λίγο πράσινο ξύλο για να δημιουργήσετε μια πλατφόρμα φωτιάς.


ΚΙΝΔΥΝΟΙ

Να ελέγχετε συχνά τα χέρια, τα πόδια, το πρόσωπο και τα αυτιά σας για κρυοπαγήματα .
Να φέρετε, επίσης, μαζί σας ένα μπαστούνι για να ελέγχετε το βάθος του χιονιού. Κατασκευάστε παπούτσια χιονιού (χιονοπέδιλα) για να περπατάτε πιο αποτελεσματικά, κυρίως σε βαθύ χιόνι.
Μην αφήνετε το όχημα σας, αν έχετε ένα στο σενάριό σας . Κρατήστε την οροφή και το καπό καθαρό από το χιόνι, και το όχημα θα λειτουργήσει ως δίοδος εκπομπής φωτός ( σε μικρότερο βαθμό με ένα λευκό αυτοκίνητο ).
Μη ξεχνάτε να δίνετε σήμα για βοήθεια, συχνά και έντονα . Φωτιά, καπνός και καθρέφτες είναι καλά σήματα . Το να έχετε ένα φορτισμένο κινητό τηλέφωνο είναι ακόμη καλύτερο. Ο χρόνος είναι πολύτιμος σε μια δοκιμασία επιβίωσης, οπότε πρέπει να το χρησιμοποιείτε με σύνεση για να καλύψει τις βασικές ανάγκες σας και να ελέγχετε το σήμα σε κάθε ευκαιρία.

ΠΗΓΗ  https://www.facebook.com/205188453025853/photos/a.205650619646303.1073741828.205188453025853/205993999611965/?type=1&fref=nf

BODY ARMOR

Slick to Full Loadout: Building a Scalable and Modular Armor System

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by Eric S. November 27, 2013

When I attended SOFIC in 2011, I was impressed with the ECLiPSE line of armor carriers by BAE Systems. Going to a modular vest system totally made sense to me as I was then working in a street crimes unit which had us in both uniform and plain clothes assignments. The issue I kept running into had been scaling up and down from an under shirt ballistic vest, outer vest carrier and rifle plate carrier. Throwing my plate carrier over my uniform vest was no problem but there was no way to wear it over the outer vest carrier. Switching around with these different vest systems was a real PITA and not very practical.

The same issues arose in my plain clothes assignment, so I started my search for some type of modular setup. The BAE system is now nowhere to be found and hence the problem with the larger industrial military companies like BAE. Being large is great for the military, but with smaller ventures like the ECLiPSE line being either pushed between its subsidiaries or sold outright, those products may never reach the Law Enforcement or civilian side.

My Requirements

My requirements in a new vest system were pretty bold. Here’s what I needed a single vest to do without being “custom made” to keep costs down:

• Be able to carry “police cut” soft armor and be able to scale up to armor plates. Soft armor plate backers don’t give enough coverage for Police work in my opinion and the soft armor cut had to be reasonably concealable. 
• Be sustainable for armor upkeep/upgrade. I wanted a soft armor cut that will be made 10 or 15 years from now (we’ll see if this works out.) No “custom” cuts, which would lead to added expense and time delays in the future. For those of you that get measured for a vest every five years, you know how long you have to wait to get your new vest. The SPEAR cut soft armor was an option in this area.
• Be able to scale from a “slick” rig all the way up to a tactical load out and all versions in between. This is what really narrowed things down. I didn’t want a vest with MOLLE/PALS all over, especially on the back as I never use it.
• Have hook and loop for ID panels front and rear.
• Have the ability to “clip-in” front panels (MOLLE panel, Hook and Loop panel and AR15 rifle panel.)
• Be able to carry a radio and medical kit on the sides of the cummerbund at all times, without the front panel clipped in.

The Answer

After much research my answer was found in the Mayflower Low-Profile Armor Carrier (with armor package). Bryan did areview in 2009 of the armor system which really helped with my final decision. The only other vest system which came close to my requirements was the Rogue Gunfighter LVR vest. I didn’t have a way of seeing one in person and I didn’t know of anyone who owned one, but it looked to be a good alternative. I would make sure to ask a bunch of questions about the soft armor though, as it appears to be a proprietary cut.

Once I narrowed down the Mayflower and Velocity soft armor I had to figure out what to do about making it modular. To start, I ordered the vest with the MOLLE/PALS mesh cummerbund, as I didn’t need the side plates and wanted to keep the bulk down. The only downside was that it only had 4 rows of webbing, which meant some items might hang off the bottom a bit. The ITS ETA Trauma Kit (I have the first generation version) and Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed are two examples. The MOLLE cummerbund allows me to run my radio and trauma kit on the vest at all times. The overall vest is low profile and provided excellent mobility which is a nice departure from my old vest that was full of MOLLE and very bulky.

Next I had to figure out what type of clip-in panels to run up front. I’m going to break the vest down into the various configurations and describe the how and why of each. I’m running Extreme Gear Labs VOCR clip-in panels and a Haley Strategic D3. There are other panels out there that will clip directly into the Mayflower vests, but Darrin at EGL has been great to do business with and his products are solid.

Setup 1 – Slick

While I don’t intend to use the Mayflower as a typical “under uniform” vest, it can function very well in that area. Pictured is the Mayflower (right) compared to my issued PPE under uniform vest (now Point Blank). As you can see the Mayflower is pretty slim which is very impressive.

I think back to my days doing PSD missions and would’ve loved to have this type of setup. Our uniform requirements would change constantly going from diplomatic visits in a suit, to trips into Afghanistan. Trying to juggle all of this out of two suitcases at the hotel was challenging and more often than not we were under equipped in Afghanistan.

There’s no doubt you could run the Mayflower “slick” under a suit and in plain clothes. Then scale up to tactical missions in an overt type uniform.

Setup 2 – Semi-Slick Surveillance

In this setup just one of the MOLLE/PALS cummerbunds is used to support my radio and the other side is a low profile cummerbund. I leave the upper SwiftClips attached to the front and this creates the “slickest” version of the vest I’ve personally run. The great thing about the vest is you can quickly switch out the cummerbunds as needed.

I’m able to use my iPhone earbuds with this configuration which takes away issues of clipping on an earpiece. Routing the earpiece cables and radio mic on the low profile shoulder straps can sometimes be a problem. I’m not completely happy with my setup and using shoulder pads might alleviate the difficulty I’m having. As you can see in the photos, I’ve rigged it using hook and loop fasteners and an M4 magazine bungee strap for the mic. My point being is simply a warning that you may run into issues mounting comms on these shoulder straps, especially if you’re switching different types of earpieces around.

I use an old medical pouch to stow accessories in one place and mounted an old Eagle ID panel on the front which keeps a subdued Sheriff patch handy. Inside I keep the two low-profile cummerbunds, the hook backer for the D3 chest rig, the shoulder harness for the D3 and EGL hook-loop clip-in panel and a large subdued rear Sheriff patch. If needed, I could run the D3 or shotgun rig as a stand alone system.

Setup 3 – Vehicle & Jump Out

This is the configuration I use the most. The main component of the setup is the EGL Variable Objective Chest Rig which is a MOLLE/PALS panel. This allows you to obviously use anything designed to mount to MOLLE/PALS.

In my case I needed access to my pistol, handcuffs, tourniquet and two pistol magazines. I was able to mount all of these items with no problem using this setup. I used a G-Code RTI “H-Mar” MOLLE adaptor for my pistol as I run a Glock 26 and a Glock 21. Two extremes in pistol sizes I know, but being able to run each one on the same vest is a good option.

For vehicle work, having a chest mounted pistol is a valid platform. What’s also great is being able to take the holster off the vest if I end up running the pistol on my belt which can cut down on the bulk up front. I’ve also seen people using the G-Code RTI to mount other items such as medical kits and magazine pouches like the HGSI Taco system. Think about being able to clip-in different panels and also different accessories, ultimate versatility!

I also needed a “admin pouch” for paperwork, a pen and other small items. This is where things got tricky as the Low-Profile carrier doesn’t have MOLLE/PALS on the upper part of the vest like the Assault carrier. This made mounting a typical admin pouch impossible. Enter the EGL Hook & Loop Admin Pouch which has a hook backing and fits snugly in place. Again, being able to take the admin pouch on and off adds to the versatility of the overall system.

Setup 4 – Shotgun

Running a shotgun also? This is no problem thanks to the EGL VOCR-SLAPhappy. Simply put, this is a loop faced clip-in panel which allows mounting of any hook backed accessory. In my case I’m using two OSOE Shotgun cards and a Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed Triple Pistol Dapper. There are numerous ways you could set this up to run a shotgun, gas gun or other system.

Setup 5 – Haley Strategic D3 Chest Rig

For my rifle I’m using the Haley Strategic D3. The D3 is a perfect fit for the Mayflower vest and takes care of my rifle setup. I will admit right now Travis does a much better job than I could describing the D3 platform so I will humbly direct you to his video for information on the D3 itself.

What’s nice about the D3 is the ability to run my INCOG holster with it. Since the majority of our work is from or out of a vehicle, this is a huge benefit. We don’t always have the luxury of being able to gear up ahead of time and having the ability to stuff my carry pistol directly into the D3 is awesome. This also cuts down on time as does all of these systems.

In a few of the photos in the gallery below, you’ll see my Glock 26 and a Glock 17 blue gun to give you an idea of size comparison using the INCOG. The only issue I see is moving the position of the pistol around more than two locations. I make it a point not to wear a drop down holster or carrying appendix for this reason. I work off my hip for uniform and plain clothes carry which helps with memory. The slight difference in location on the vest might not seem like much, but it is something to consider.

To quote our friends at Center Mass Group: “Professional sports teams don’t practice by just playing games, they run drills. In the sport of warfare, this is called dry-fire.” Practice, practice, practice!

Vest With Plates

I’ll tell you up front I have yet to run my level IV plates in the vest on the job, so I can’t talk about its use in a real world situation. I would say that if you plan on running the plates full time that you should invest in shoulder pads. The low profile design works great with the soft armor, but adding the weight of the plates (in my case heavy CPC level IV) would get uncomfortable really quick. I have Mayflower shoulder pads on order for this very reason. I’m hoping the shoulder pads will help with my comms routing as well.

The nice thing about the Mayflower is how the plates are inserted from the outside. This cuts down on the time needed to add them to the vest. They also could be added while the vest is being worn if you have a buddy to help you.

Velocity Soft Armor

As I stated at the beginning of this article, I needed soft armor for use in a Law Enforcement role. The soft armor backers used in most plate carriers don’t give enough coverage in my opinion. The SPEAR cut is a good option and would allow them to be used in different vest platforms which is nice. This was initially the route I was looking to go, but I found it hard to find a vest that would answer all my needs.

After networking, I was assured the Velocity Cut would fit my requirements and several friends in the know told me Velocity really takes care of their customers, so I felt comfortable making an online order. I learned this first hand when the wrong vest was shipped, but they quickly resolved the issue to my satisfaction. I wouldn’t hesitate to order from Mayflower again.

I’m 6’0″ and float around 220 pounds. After a few emails about sizing, I settled on the medium sized panels. I was happy to find the Velocity panels were close to my custom fit issued PPE vest panels (see photo comparison.) I did give up some of the side overlap I’m used to, but overall I’m happy with the Velocity cut. The back panel is a bit wider at the top which is nice and doesn’t cut down on mobility.

There’s no pocket for a typical front 5×8 soft armor trauma insert so if you want (or are required) to run one, you’ll have to come up with a mounting system of your own. You can run a 7×9 SPEED plate in the front and rear by using the straps inside the vest and this is the configuration I’m using right now. You just have to remove the SPEED plates if you put in your full size plates.

Cummerbunds

I wanted to mention the cummerbund configurations I’m using to hopefully answer some questions that aren’t addressed on the Mayflower website. First, the Low-Profile elastic cummerbunds need to be flipped around to get the hook and loop up front. If you’re using the vest without a hook backed panel like the D3 then this won’t matter. But otherwise you need the loop to help secure the panel to the vest. This is a tradeoff as the rear mounting of the cummerbund uses the hook to help secure it to the back. While this isn’t a huge deal and the rear panel will secure itself, it would be nice if the Low-Profile cummerbund had a double loop option.

Secondly, the “Mesh Cummerbund with PALS Webbing” utilizes only four rows of MOLLE/PALS webbing. This may or may not be an issue depending on the type of accessory you’re mounting. In my case the ITS ETA Fatboy (first generation shown) hangs a bit off the bottom of the cummerbund and the ITS ETA Tallboy is too long to use comfortably. I used Molly Stix on the Fatboy which fit just right and allows it to be removed if needed.

For a radio pouch, I’m using a Blue Force Gear Ten Speed SR25 double mag pouch. My MTX 5000 fits a bit better in it than the Ten Speed M4 pouch. Again, the 4 rows of MOLLE makes the Ten Speed hang off the bottom a bit and the mounting of the Helium Whisper does not use all of the webbing as it normally would.

I just wanted to mention this, as the 6×6 plate pocket cummerbund might be a better option for some.

Innovators

I want to make sure to mention the custom gear makers who are out there sewing products by hand. By “custom” I mean those out there who design, cut and sew their own items either in their living room (yes, this actually happens) or in a small shop. These are the “mom and pop shops” of the tactical industry. They either offer custom one-off items for you and me, or work with companies like Haley Strategic and ITS to design products like the D3 and ETA Trauma Kit Pouches.

While there are many shops out there doing good work, I’ll mention those whose items are on my vest system:

• Chris at Down Range Gear offers the Chest Rig/Armor Interface Kit which really gave me the flexibility to run the top chest rig straps on the inside of my cummerbund. This is a great option and works very well for my particular setup. I highly recommend you check out Chris’ other chest rig mounting options and he’s been making “Direct to Armor” panels for years. 
• Mike at OC Tactical designs and sews the Cat Trap Tourniquet Holder among other things. This low profile design allows me to mount a Cat Trap flat under any of the chest panels. This enables the carry of a TQ without one of the chest panels mounted. For more versatility, I’ve also run Cat Traps on my medical bags.
• Joel at Zulu Nylon Gear worked with Bryan to design the ITS ETA Trauma Kit Pouch. Joel has been a great friend to all of us here at ITS and continues to help with great new products.
• A special thanks to Darrin at Extreme Gear Labs for working with me during the setup of this vest system. Darrin really hooked me up with the speedy delivery of the Admin Pouch before a big mission my department was anticipating. If you need a custom product, Darrin is great to work with and delivers as promised. He also helped with me with questions I had about the MOLLE VOCR and SLAPhappy panels.

All of these individuals and the rest of the small gear industry really show how American ingenuity is alive and well today. Just like I look at items made during WWII and am amazed at American design and craftsmanship, so too will our grandchildren look at gear being made today and think the same.

If you’re a Crew Leader at ITS, make sure to check your member discounts, as I saved quite a bit of money on the Mayflower vest and armor package by using the discount code.

Click here to view the photos on Flickr.

ΠΗΓΗ  http://www.itstactical.com/gearcom/load-bearing/slick-to-full-loadout-building-a-scaleable-and-modular-armor-system/

RADIO COMMUNICATION

Ultimate Radio Communication Guide: What to Look for in a Handheld Transceiver

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by Bryan Black November 24, 2014

My previous article on radio communication was a primer that went into detail about why you’d want to learn about radios, the way they operate and what frequencies are available for you to operate on.

Today I’m going to address what kind of radios are out there for you to use with those different frequencies, the advantages to programming your radio, what kind of upgrades are available and even how to create your own comms, or frequency card.

I’m going to be referencing quite a bit of information from my last article when it comes to frequencies, so if you’re not up to speed yet on the difference between say, VHF and UHF, check out my first article.

What To Look For In A Handheld Radio

First off, my recommendations for radios are going to be primarily based on handheld applications. While there are certainly pros to having a larger base station transceiver, the handhelds have it when it comes to portability, ease of use, versatility and more. They can be used at home, in a vehicle, or even in the field.

What’s a Transceiver?

A transceiver, which I’ll be referring to frequently in this article, is essentially your radio. A transceiver is a unit which contains both a receiver and a transmitter. While these used to be separate units until the 1920s, most modern radios are transceivers. Occasionally you’ll see just a receiver, but this is mostly for shortwave listening and beyond the scope of this article.

What Radio to Buy?

This is a loaded topic and one that I mentioned I’ll be approaching from a handheld-only angle. I’m also going to keep this as budget conscious as possible, too. Like many of you that enjoy shooting, you’ve probably also amassed quite a collection of holsters, as you try different types out to find what works best for you. Handheld transceivers can be just as bad, but my hope is that with the info I’ll be providing, you’ll avoid amassing a box of radios that you no longer use like I have.

Some important considerations when looking at radios, are asking yourself some hard questions ahead of time. What do I want to do with my radio? What frequencies do I have access to and what are my power limits on those frequencies? My last article did a good job of laying out all the different frequencies available to you and which require a license to operate on. If you don’t already know which of the different frequencies you want to operate on, like FRS, GMRS, or MURS, reference that first article I wrote.

I hate to keep mentioning that first article, but I know there are some of you that are reading this that may think I’m breezing over important topics and I’m doing that for the sake of those that have the baseline info from that article.

Frequency And Power

Addressing each of these questions one at a time will give you a background of what essentials to look for. What you want to do with the radio is important, are you just talking outside within line of sight of another person? FRS radios are great for this application, but if distance is a concern, they’re not for you. FRS transmits and receives on UHF, which by nature doesn’t travel as far as VHF due to UHF’s shorter wavelength. This of course completely discounts obstacles you may encounter, which will decrease range even more.

Remember that more power equals better range, so the FCC legal limit of 0.5 watts on FRS is a real let down, when you can move to VHF and MURS frequencies and bump up to 2 watts of power. Pay your $90 to the FCC for a GMRS license and you can transmit at 5 watts to 50 watts. Have a HAM license? That changes things too.

Suffice to say, I’m trying to talk you out of FRS. FRS radio manufacturers like to inflate their range, which I got into on that last article. They make claims that seem to violate the laws of physics and the curvature of the earth. What I mean by FRS radios, are the two packs of walkie-talkie looking transceivers you commonly find at Wal-Mart and sporting goods stores.

What you’re looking for in a good handheld is as much wattage as you can buy, while keeping in mind the legal limits you can operate on within your chosen frequencies. The frequency range the transceiver operates on is also very important. Obviously if your intent is programming MURS frequencies into your handheld, a handheld set up for CB with an operating range only in the High Frequency 27 MHz range, isn’t going to work with MURS and its 151-154 MHz range. The radios I’ll be recommend in this article are going to speak directly to versatility and can handle MURS, GMRS, NWR (Weather) and some HAM frequencies.

Typically, you’re only going to find a 5 watt max on handhelds, but what’s also important is ensuring they have different settings for power. Meaning that they have the ability to switch between a low power setting and a high power setting. This will ensure you have a handheld that can function well for GMRS and HAM wattage, but can also dial down for operating on MURS frequencies and not violate any FCC laws.

A good example of this is the Wouxun KG-UV5D radios we have here at ITS. They feature a selectable 1W low and 5W high setting for VHF and a 1W low and 5W high for UHF. By setting them to the low wattage setting, they’re able to be used with the FCC MURS requirement of not exceeding 2 watts of transmit power, yet with a programming change, they can be boosted to the high setting for GMRS or HAM frequencies at 5 watts. GMRS and HAM is obviously limited to licensed individuals only. More on those licenses and certifications here. While I could link to the KG-UV5D, the KG-UV6D is the newest version and is what I’d recommend if you’re buying one new.

Dual Band And More

Having a dual band monitor feature on your handheld can be quite helpful. This feature will allow you to monitor two different frequencies at once. These can be VHF/VHF, VHF/UHF and even UHF/UHF. This might be hard to understand, so I’ll put it in the perspective of how we’ve used dual band before. During our recent ITS Muster, we assigned a radio to each of our squads and they had a designated main frequency to talk to the ITS staff on. The staff also had a frequency that we’d use to talk to each other on that the attendees didn’t have programmed into their radios. So we’d “monitor” both of these frequencies simultaneously with the dual band function of our radio transceivers and were easily able to select the specific frequency we wanted to transmit back on.

So in theory if the main frequency was channel 1 and our inner-staff channel was channel 2, we’d just have to make sure we were transmitting on channel 2 if we didn’t want the attendees to hear our conversation. One more thing about dual band is that you want to ensure your antenna can support dual band as well. If you’re buying a radio with dual band built-in, the antenna that comes with the radio will more than likely support it, it’s aftermarket antennas you have to worry about.

Another important thing to look for in a radio transceiver its the ability to program it manually, as well as with programming software using a cable. More on programming in the next section. What I mean by programmed manually is that it has a keypad, a digital display and that all menu options can be set with that keypad and display. The display also provides visual feedback on what channel/frequency you’re operating on.

A few other considerations are as follows:

• Does the transceiver have a memory bank to store your favorite frequencies?
• What’s the battery type? Is it rechargeable? Is a charger included?
• Is there an external mic/push-to-talk connection? This is likely also where you’d connect a programming cable.
• Does it have an FM radio? (76-108 MHz) Do you need access to an FM radio?
• What kind of antenna connection does it have? Is it SMA or BNC? (more on antennas later)
• Does it have a manual channel adjustment knob? This can come in very handy.

This Is Great, But What Radio Do I Buy?

There are two transceivers I’ll put my name behind. My first choice is the Wouxun KG-UV6D and second is the Baofeng UV-5R. They’re both dual band monitor, programmable via keypad and cable, can handle MURS, GMRS, NWR (Weather) and some HAM frequencies.

Other notable features they share are multiple storage channels, digital backlit display (backlight can be disabled), channel lockout, 50 CTCSS / 104 DCS Tones, selectable low/high power settings and priority scanning. Each includes a rechargeable battery, desktop charger, belt clip and dual band antenna.

So what’s the difference? In my opinion, the Wouxun is a better made product. It feels more robustly made and they handled everything we threw at them during our last Muster without a hiccup. While I haven’t had the Baofeng in the same situations that I did with the Wouxun transceivers, there’s just something about the way they feel that makes me think they won’t last under hard conditions. I’m still testing the Baofeng’s out, but so far, that’s my opinion.

There’s a big cost difference between the units and that may push you one way or another. Let’s get into other things that separate these two radios and you’ll see everything lined out.

Wouxun KG-UV6D

• Frequency Range: 136-174 MHz, 400-480 MHz RX (receive) and TX (transmit)
• FM Radio: 76-108 Hz (RX) automatic tuning and storing, radio frequency display, 18 FM memories in 2 banks
• Selectable Power: VHF – 5W high/1W low UHF – 4W high/1W low
• Selectable Step Sizes: 2.5, 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5, 25, 50 or 100 kHz
• CTCSS/DCS: 50 CTCSS and 105 DCS Codes
• Memory Channels: 199
• Weather Resistant: IP55 Waterproof Standard
• Programable: Via Keypad or Computer w/ Kenwood Style 2-Pin Connector
• Scanning: Multiple Modes Including Priority Scan
• Other Features: Keypad Lock (auto or manual), Flashlight Illumination, Optional Voice-Prompt Operation, VOX Function, Stopwatch Function, SOS Function, Selectable Transmit Over Timer (15-600 sec.), Wide/Narrow Band Capable, Independent Channel Adjustment Knob
• Includes: 1700 mAH Li-ion battery, SMA Dual Band Antenna, desktop rapid charger (3-4 hrs.), belt clip, wrist strap, user manual
• Operating Temperature: -22 °F to 140°F (-30°C to +60°C)
• Dimensions: 2.3” wide x 4.1” height x 1.6” deep (with battery, without antenna)
• Weight: 9.1 oz. w/ battery pack and included antenna
• Made in China

CE & FCC Part 90 Certified
FCC ID: WVTWOUXUN07

Baofeng UV-5R

• Frequency Range: 136-174 MHz, 400-480 MHz RX (receive) and TX (transmit)
• FM Radio: 65 – 108 MHz (RX)
• Selectable Power: VHF/UHF – 4W high/1W low
• Selectable Step Sizes: 2.5, 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5 or 25 kHz
• CTCSS/DCS: 50 CTCSS and 104 DCS Codes
• Memory Channels: 128
• Programable: Via Keypad or Computer w/ Kenwood Style 2-Pin Connector
• Scanning: Priority
• Other Features: Keypad Lock (auto or manual), Flashlight Illumination, Optional Voice-Prompt Operation, VOX Function, Emergency Alarm, Wide/Narrow Band Capable, Timeout Timer
• Includes: ANT5 SMA-J flexible antenna (male connector), 1800 mAH BL-5 Li-ion battery, belt clip, wrist strap, AC adapter and drop-in charging tray.
• Operating Temperature: -4°F to 140°F (-20°C to +60°C)
• Dimensions: 2.2” wide x 4.3” height x 1.2” deep (with battery, without antenna)
• Weight: 6.8 oz. w/ battery pack and included antenna
• Made in China

FCC Part 90 Certified
FCC ID: ZP5BF-5R

Part 90 FCC Certification

Something additional you want to be on the look out for on a radio you’re considering purchasing, is that it’s FCC Part 90 Certified. This means the manufacturer has complied with the FCC and ensured their radios can be sold or imported into the US. There should also be a corresponding FCC ID that you can look up in the FCC online database to double check its authenticity.

Something to be aware of is that foreign manufacturers will only put this Part 90 certification label on radios they’re shipping to the US. Meaning that if you’re purchasing from an overseas dealer, your radio might be in compliance, but just not have a factory-installed label. According to the FCC, if there’s no label, it’s not legal for Part 90 Certification. Just make sure you ask if the label is installed and you’ll be fine.

Radio Programming Basics

Hopefully by now in the article, you’ve gotten a bit of the gist of programming and how it doesn’t necessarily take software and a programming cable to do so. Most modern radios that have a display and a keypad, are capable of being programmed manually through the menu options. When I say programming, I mean setting what frequency is on what channel and what menu options are turned on or off. You can even completely lock out the menu to prevent the radios from being reprogrammed accidentally.

The benefits of programming a radio transceiver through a cable and software are saving time and the ease in which you can program multiple radios the same way. Programming software can differ based on what brand and model of radio you’re using too. I have my own recommendation below for software.

Always buy the programming cable made by the manufacturer if possible. This isn’t to say a generic cable won’t work, but it’s just one more variable you might be able to remove when you’re troubleshooting. Trust me, programming has kinks that have to be worked out.

Software I recommend looking into is CHIRP, an open source and free amateur radio programming software that provides a way to interface with multiple data sources and formats. It’s got installers for Windows (XP, Vista 7, 8), Mac OSX, Linux, Fedora and Ubuntu. We’ve had success using the software on both Windows 7 and Mac OSX.

Both the Wouxun and the Baofeng radios mentioned in this article take a Kenwood Style 2-Pin Cable for programming, which can usually be purchased from wherever you’re sourcing your radio from.

Tuning Steps

Something important to mention in this section on programming is tuning steps. This is particularly important if you’re manually setting frequencies on a radio transceiver. If the tuning step isn’t properly set, you may notice that you blow right past the frequency you’re trying to set into your transceiver.

Common step sizes are 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5 and 25 kHz and represent the amount the frequency will change when manually tuning into to different frequencies. For instance, when you use the up/down arrow buttons to adjust frequency, the tuning step is the amount of frequency that will change for each press. 5 kHz is fairly standard and you should be able to get just about any frequency with this setting.

Creating A Frequency Card

A frequency card, or comms card is a great way to have a quick reference to important channels you have programmed in on your transceiver. Not only to know what frequency a particular channel is, but what it’s for within your communication plan. It’s also a great place to store reference information like prowords, radio lingo and transceiver setting information.

For instance, I mentioned earlier that during the ITS Muster we had a designated main frequency that our squads would use to talk to the ITS staff on. The staff also had a frequency that we’d use to talk to each other on that the attendees didn’t have programmed into their radios.

A comms card is a great place to keep track of this information and keeps everyone on the same page. A couple of channels isn’t too difficult to keep straight, but when you start dealing with even more channels, a comms card becomes a necessity.

The good news is that comms cards are easy to create with nothing more than spreadsheet software and a laminator. ID card size is a good goal to shoot for when you’re designing one, but index card size is good too if you have quite a bit of info. A tip here is to design the front and back of the card in one long layout, then simply cut it out, fold it in the middle and laminate it.

Prowords

Procedure words, or prowords, are easily pronounceable words or phrases that are given specific meanings to expedite message handling. They’re often condensed and designed to not be confused with other words.

While there are plenty of universal prowords, like Roger, Over, Out, Negative and Copy, there also might be internal prowords you need to keep track of within a group and a comms card is great for this. Just be sure that a comms card is treated as sensitive information if it’s deemed so.

One of the most famous prowords is probably “Irene,” which was the “go” proword from the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. The operation was designed to capture two of Mohammed Farah Aidid’s high-echelon lieutenants and turned into a tragic firefight documented in the book Blackhawk Down.

Radio Accessories And Upgrades

I’d like to use this section to go over a few accessories you might want to consider purchasing for your transceiver. While some don’t need much of an explanation, others include lessons learned that will hopefully save you some time when considering these options for yourself.

High-Gain Handheld Antennas

An antenna is an extremely important part of your radio transceiver and should be treated as such. Without it, your signal will suffer and it’s something you shouldn’t skimp on.

What you’ll want to look for in a high-gain antenna is its actual gain, which reputable antenna manufacturers will list in the product details. Antenna gain is a measurement of the effect the antenna has on the signal and is expressed in positive decibels (dB), antenna loss is expressed in negative decibels.

I don’t usually quote Wikipedia, but there’s a good description written there on antenna gain that will give you a little more insight that I’ve included here:

Antenna gain is usually defined as the ratio of the power produced by the antenna from a far-field source on the antenna’s beam axis to the power produced by a hypothetical lossless isotropic antenna, which is equally sensitive to signals from all directions. Usually this ratio is expressed in decibels, and these units are referred to as “decibels-isotropic” (dBi). An alternative definition compares the antenna to the power received by a lossless half-wave dipole antenna, in which case the units are written as dBd.

Many things can affect antenna performance in the near field region, which refers to objects near the antenna that can positively or negatively impact it. One of the most common things that can affect a handheld can actually be you.

Other things to look for in a high-gain handheld antenna is that it’s dual band capable and covers the frequency and power you’ll be operating on. Here’s an example of how Nagoya lists their NA-771 Dual Band 144/430Mhz U/V SMA-F Antenna. The first part of the description tells you what frequency its operating at (144 Mhz VHF and 430 Mhz UHF) and you’ll also see Dual Band written there along with the type of connection, which in this case is SMA-F (SMA female).

Further in you’ll also see a max power of 10 watts, which is plenty, considering most handhelds max out at 5 watts. The antenna’s gain is listed as “144Mhz 2.15dBi 430Mhz 3.0dBi” which means that in the VHF 2 Meter Band (144 Mhz – 148 Mhz) you’ll get a +2.15 dB gain, which is almost twice the gain of a stock antenna. In the UHF 70-Centimeter Band (430 Mhz – 450 Mhz) you’ll get a +3.0 dB gain, which is exactly twice the gain of a stock antenna.

Just note that an antenna like this isn’t optimized for all the frequencies a radio like the Wouxun can handle, this antenna I’m using as an example is purely optimized for the 70-Centimeter and 2 Meter Bands, which are are the bands used by local emergency radio services such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and Community Emergency Response Teams.

Nagoya, Diamond and Comet are good names to look for in high-gain antennas when you’re out there researching them.

Relocating High-Gain Antennas

Something you’ll more than likely experience when replacing your stock antenna with a high-gain antenna is the length of your new whip-style antenna getting in the way. There’s a couple of things I can suggest for taming unwieldy antennas.

Depending on where you’re running your radio from will determine which of these techniques will be best for you. The simplest option is to run your radio from a backpack or chest rig strap and use a Rigger’s Rubberband to curve the antenna back towards you to reduce it getting in your way. You can always release it from the rubber band if you’re not getting a good signal, but you shouldn’t have to.

This of course might mean the radio itself is in your way though and you want to run it in a pouch on your belt or in a pouch on a chest rig. What you can do at this point is relocate the antenna if you have available MOLLE webbing to do so, or an attachment method to a backpack, etc. All you’ll need for this is an extension cable that’s set up correctly for your antenna attachment. Don’t skimp on the extension cable and ensure you’re buying quality connectors and a name brand cable, an inferior cable can cause a poor signal, no matter how good your antenna is. An extension cable can also attenuate, or reduce the signal strength and some companies will list how much reduction to expect in dB.

This is a good time to compare SMA connections to BNC connections. I’ve included a photo below describing Male SMA, Female SMA and BNC connectors. This is very important when buying extension cables and antennas in general. You need to know whether the transceiver portion of your radio is SMA or BNC, as well as whether it’s a male or female interface.

Another accessory you might want to consider if you’re running a radio from a chest rig or dedicated radio pouch is a right-angle connector. Using a right-angle adapter for your extension cable can prevent your cable from getting crimped as its routed around your equipment. Again, double check your connections to ensure you’re buying the right type of right angle.

Many of the same companies I recommended to research for high-gain antennas make dedicated external antennas that either permanently mount on a vehicle, or utilize a magnet mount, making removal easy.

Batteries and Adapters

I’ll quickly mention that extra batteries are an important consideration in your comms plan. You don’t want to run out of juice when you need it the most.

Rechargeable batteries are the most popular option and carrying a spare charged battery can be a good plan. Another option is purchasing an extended rechargeable battery, which are often taller in profile, but hold a longer charge than a standard rechargeable. Alway try to stick to OEM (original equipment manufacturer) batteries when possible. Aftermarket batteries might not list specs and you might not be aware of a compatibility issue until its too late.

I know that both Wouxun and Baofeng also have battery pack and cigarette lighter adapter accessories that might be a good option for you. The battery pack replaces the rechargeable battery and can be loaded with AA batteries in a pinch. The cigarette lighter adapter allows you to directly power your handheld in a vehicle for extended operation.

Microphones and PTTs

Depending on your usage, an external microphone like you often see Police Officers wearing might be a good option for you, but just like a handheld, everyone within earshot will hear everything coming over your transceiver.

For a more discreet profile you might want to look into a push-to-talk headset, which includes an earpiece for monitoring audio transmissions and a small handheld microphone that’s actuated with a push button to communicate.

Don’t Be A Dummy

The last thing I’ll mention is that you should always ensure you have positive retention on your transceiver. A radio can be your lifeline in certain circumstances and treating it as a sensitive piece of equipment is important.

There’s a few ways of retaining your radio and it’s aways going to be what works best for you. The simplest method isdummy cording it in with a piece of cordage. I’ve found the best knot to tie in this scenario is a Bowline and you can refer to our Knot of the Week article on the Bowline to learn how to tie this knot.

The next option is a retractable lanyard that features some kind of quick disconnect that will allow you to quickly remove the radio from the retention if you need to pass it off to someone else.

Whichever option you choose, just don’t lose your radio at night moving through the woods like Delta Squad did at our last Muster. Thankfully we had one of the best trackers in the world named John Hurth from TYR Group with us. After Delta reported their lost radio and couldn’t find it, John tracked the black radio down in the middle of the night. Delta had to pay the man a bit and along with their radio being tied into a water jug, they had a name change to Dora Squad.

Stay tuned for the next article in our Ultimate Radio Communication Guide series, where I’ll be going over repeaters, scanners and even more on antennas. Do you already own a dual band handheld? I’d love to hear about what’s working for you and anything additional you can add to this resource I’ve put together.

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