HAM Radio on Your Jeep For Safe Travels
HAM radios might be just as useful off-road as those big tires you just bought.
One item always worth mentioning when it comes to off-road preparation is how you set your rig up for communication. If you’re doing light off-roading with friends, a shout out the window or those cheap walkies might do, but for more treacherous trails and when you’re in need of range, a HAM radio is a worthy option.
From TrailRecon, Brad Kowitz saves us the most time-consuming step, which is “where do I start?” Kowitz received his HAM radio license last year. That licence is important, Kowitz points out, saying “you do need a license to operate a HAM radio, as these frequencies are monitors and run by the FCC.” However, if you were looking to get a radio and install it before getting your license, that’s OK as well, because monitoring existing channels and emergency use is open to anyone.
Why HAM over CB? For the advantage of range, of course. Not only will a signal be stronger compared to a CB, but with the use of repeaters, a HAM signal can be transmitted hundreds of miles at a time. This is tremendous for those of us who go deeper into uncharted territory.
Since Kowitz is working with a JK Jeep, we can get a few ideas on how things could be installed. HAM radios obviously aren’t small, so with the kit that Kowitz is installing, it had separate components for the main unit, and other for the faceplate with built-in controls. Choosing a convenient location for the unit could be tricky, but ultimately Kowitz decided on a compromise to under the seat. Compromised, because wading through deep water could get to the unit easily. Picking a place for the controls was not easy either, since free space is at a premium on the JK’s dash.
Information is packed into this video, and while it is somewhat long, it does cover the nuts and bolts of this particular type of radio. As well, a few other previously installed units are also examined to give you a range of options to make your new radio easy to live with.
Join the JK-Forums now!
