Radios on FSR

[drbb]

I hope I can get some guidance from experienced members.

The old Boafengs were popular radios among recreational users of the FSRs. The government protocols have changed and I need some help from the more knowledgeable members on these questions:

What is your recommendation for a radio for monitoring the communications on FSR roads now? For me, this radio will be used for a limited time per year, and so, I like it to work reasonably well while being low cost and low maintenance.
My understanding is that you need a license to use these radios. Any ideas how this can be done in COVID times? Better yet, correct me and tell me that a license is not required.
Is it illegal to use the Bofengs for monitoring the communications on FSRs, if they can still work with the new protocols (not sure if they can)?


Thanks all in advance,
B

[2tins]

They are expensive but i bought a radio for my truck that has all the RR channels programmed in. The shop sold it to me and never asked to see a licence. I figure if I have a radio and I follow the road rules, everyone is safer.

[Wentrot]

I use a baofeng, works great. I was happy to have it the other day as there was a pile of logging traffic.

[huntingfamily]

They are expensive but i bought a radio for my truck that has all the RR channels programmed in. The shop sold it to me and never asked to see a licence. I figure if I have a radio and I follow the road rules, everyone is safer.

Same here. Bought a used ICOM radio pre- programmed with all of the RR and oil/gas road channels.
Excellent range and essential for backroads travel up north!

[theoutdoorsman]

I run a uv-5r in the truck. Any logger would rather you run a grey/black market radio than no radio at all. Added bonus that I can switch to my company’s frequencies when we’re short on hand helds. A hard mounted icom/ equivilent will get more range though (at ten times the price).

[r106]

I run a icom truck unit. And a baofang handheld. Almost never use the handheld now that I have a 30 watt in the truck.

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

You dont really need anything better than a Baofeng hand held. Any thing you get thats "better" than a Baofeng is because you want it but not need it.---my opinion--my needs.

[WelderGuy]

I use Icom in the truck and for handhelds,,the expense is only once and you wont regret it

[338win mag]

The basic ICOM I recently bought was 250-300 bucks and it was programmed with probably 12 channels, the next model up was I think around 400 bucks and you can program that one yourself. No licence required as far as I know,lol..the basic one works for me and I use it everyday.

[Treed]

Having a truck radio vs a handheld is worth it. You transmit distances are much greater. 6-10 times. If you get into serious trouble, a radio can be a life saver. Call your km’s and pull over for the guys hauling. You’ll go a long way to getting a bit of respect. If you only have a hand held, make sure you call at least every two km.

[boxhitch]

Best to ask a radio shop as clearly the answers here are varied and questionable
Radios over a certain power output require a license, Many run illegal and risk the chance. At one time CVSE used to ask for papers and confiscate illegal radios.
Scanners for monitoring are not licensed
Family or public , FRS/GMRS are supposed to be limited in Canada to 2 watts, but there are lots of retail sales of stronger units

[drbb]

Thanks all for the comments; this has certainly been helpful.

I find it strange that by requiring a license, the government has actually made the travel on FSRs more unsafe...

Now, the issue of licenses aside, I noticed that the Boefengs (i.e., the popular UV-5R model) operate in the 144-148MHz range (see here (https://baofengradio.ca/products/baofeng-uv-5r-dual-band-two-way-radio-black)) while the assigned frequencies for resource roads in BC are in the 150-152MHz range (see here (https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf11127.html)). I am unsure about the modulation in the new frequency list.

Does this mean the Baofeng UV-5Rs do/will not work on the resource roads (now or in near future)?

[Stresd]

I've been running the same Icom 2200H in my trucks since 2005. The full 65 watts if needed, lets you talk to your buddies a long ways off. The newer 2300H's are still available in Canada for about $229. Receive is 118-174 but transmit locked to 144-148 until a person does a simple mod to unlock the transmit to 136-174. Most radios you will find with a little searching are easily Modded. All my relatives run that same radio in their trucks, as we like to stay in touch on the hyway and in the bush. Hand helds just don't cut it if your twenty miles apart. Hand helds are a must though when hunting with others, for walk hunting deer Moose etc. Puxing 777 was my choice for a handheld in the past. Served me and the rest in my hunt group well on many a sheep hunt. I use my Icom mobile to stay in touch with the group I'm traveling with and monitor the FS channels through my Puxing hand held attached to a magnetic antenna on my roof for far better range. The UV-5R model is no longer being made as new models have been released but lots are currently for sale up on sites like Aliexpress. Just picked up a couple full freq Boefengs, delivered to my door for $41 Cdn apiece.

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

The "new' series of Baofengs are 144/148. All previous baofengs are 136/174, so they will do all the Resource Road frequencies. The newer ones are complying with new radio laws therefore making them useless to us (my opinion). Lots of "old" stock out there. Make sure you check the frequency "list" on ANY radio before purchasing.

[sparkes3]

I use my old baofengs handheld with a roof mount antenna for better range , and when I leave the truck I put the normal antenna on and go.

[westcoaster]

Now, the issue of licenses aside, I noticed that the Boefengs (i.e., the popular UV-5R model) operate in the 144-148MHz range (see here (https://baofengradio.ca/products/baofeng-uv-5r-dual-band-two-way-radio-black)) while the assigned frequencies for resource roads in BC are in the 15-152MHz range (see here (https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf11127.html)). I am unsure about the modulation in the new frequency list.

Does this mean the Baofeng UV-5Rs do/will not work on the resource roads (now or in near future)?

The Boefeng radios never have nor ever will be "type approved" for use in the commercial band. They are imported into Canada with the intent of being used in the Amateur band.
The best way to describe it is, the tolerances for radio equipment that are type approved for use in the amateur service aren't as strict as for equipment used in the commercial service.
in other words, every time you key up the microphone on a Boefeng radio, your splattering shit all over the spectrum.

Yes, they will work, (edit: after I believe some modification by the users) about the only attraction to them is the fact they are dirt cheap.

The easiest way to stay out of trouble with your radio is to understand what will get you into trouble in the first place.

The basics:
Understand the difference between wide and narrow band. The LAD channels are wide band, the resource road frequencies are narrow band.
While mixing up wide and narrow will still work, if you are trying to hear a narrow transmission on a channel programmed as wide in your radio, the other person will sound unreasonably quiet. Where you will sound obnoxiously loud and distorted.

Understand that frequencies in the commercial band have different uses around the province, country and North America.
For example: Lad 1 (154.100Mhz) is a "common trucker" channel through BC, Alberta and the Yukon. I recently found out that within 100Km of the BC boarder, around the states and over in Ontario, it's the emergency services dispatch frequency. Even some of the resource road frequencies are not to be used within 60Km of the US border.
Just because something can be freely used in one area doesn't mean it can be used in another. You may be unknowingly causing harmful interference with a lawful user.

Probably the biggest thing, if you stick with the LAD channels and the resource road channels and resist the temptation to simply plug in any old frequency in an attempt to get that "private channel", you likely won't find yourself running a fowl of any authority. -No, nothing that was said in this thread indicated people would be programming frequencies willy nilly, however, with user programmable radio's anything is possible...-

[Stresd]

Boefeng radios including the UV-5R have been wide and narrow band capable since 2012 including 6 separate frequency steps. Selectable frequency steps include: 2.5, 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5 and 25 kHz.

Features - Original 2012 Product Launch (1st Gen.)


High / Low Power Settings (4W/1W) Programmable Amateur Radio



Frequency Range: 65-108 MHz (Only commercial FM radio reception) VHF: 136-174 MHz(Rx/Tx). UHF: 400-520 MHz(Rx/Tx)



Customize Channel Names, the Boot Display and More by Using the PC03 FTDI Programming Cable
1500mAh Battery (1800mAh Label); Broadband (Wide) 25khz / Narrowband (Narrow) 12.5khz Selectable



AUTO Keypad Lock, Dual Band, Dual Display and Dual Standby

The BaoFeng UV-5R is a compact hand held transceiver providing 4 watts in the frequency range of 136-174 MHz and 400-480MHz (520MHz later versions). It is a compact, economical HT that includes a special VHF receive band from 65 - 108 MHz which includes the regular FM broadcast band. Dual watch and dual reception is supported. You get up to 128 memories. Other features include: selectable wide/narrow, battery save function, VOX, DCS/CTCSS encode, key lock and built in flashlight. Selectable frequency steps include: 2.5, 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5 and 25 kHz. RF power may be selected at 4 or 1 watts. This radio comes with an SMA-Female antenna, flexible antenna, BL-5 Li-ion battery (7.4V 1500 mAh (1800mAh label)), belt clip, wrist strap, AC adapter (8.4V 600ma) and drop-in charging tray. This radio requires the PC03 FTDI programming cable.

[Redthies]

Baofengs are great for the occasional user. Any of the frequencies outside the “family radio” are for licensed users only. The same goes for power. Anything over (check the regs) 2 watts requires an amateur radio license. User programable radios (ie: Baofengs) are not legal without a license.

I keep a list of RR channels in my phone, and will monitor. If I hear traffic on the road I am on, I’ll call out km markers. Often the working trucks will call out your location as “truck, no radio at km “x” when they see you, assuming you don’t have a radio.

If if I want to use the radios to communicate with hunting partners or camp, we stick to FRS frequencies. I think it’s ok to use the hi-power setting on the FRS channels as theoretically you will only be irritating to others using the irritating FRS channels anyway. As mentioned, some of the “legal” FRS radios are sold with higher wattage than they should be. I don’t think there is a lot of concern for being at 4 watts instead of 2 on these channels.

If you want to be legal, take the amateur radio course, and take your radio in to be programmed for the RR channels you will need. Otherwise, be respectful and hope you don’t get caught with your non-complying radios.

[Pioneerman]

Baofengs are great for the occasional user. are not legal without a license.




They are legal I get so tired of this subject over and over again when people do not have all the information. Canadian law allows for listening (scanning) radio frequencies. Scanning is generally permitted other than decryption of encoded transmissions. If you have a Baofeng radio and utilize it it listen to local weather repeaters, emergency services, etc that is totally legal. If you choose to transmit then any of the radios are to be licensed . Would not matter if Icom,Kenwood or any other brand they all are the same laws. So tomonitor the road and know when you need to get out of the way they are legal, I can tell you I would go to court any day( which it would never happen) to be clear of trucks rather than in a pile in the ditch

[drbb]

You guys have been super; thank you all.

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

You can use CHIRP to set your Baofeng so that it is not field programable.---in chirp go to work mode----go to line 3-keypad lock-----change setting to enabled-------now the radio cannot be field programed.

[MOWITCH SLAYER]

i use a Kenwood portable programmed with every rr channel in bc. plus riverside .adams lake and Gorman brothers base channels. i have a exterior antenna in my truck that works up to 15 km away. and when im on my qaude or in a friends truck i can take it with me. all set up with hand mic and extra antenna is about $500