Moderators Note: I have republished this post now that the forum site has been upgraded. Many people wanted to participate before, but for some reason the poll did not work properly. If you participated in the poll before, please participate again. I also added laptops as communication devices. Thanks again for particiating!



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I was sitting here listening to my amateur radio tonight when I started thinking - how many of you are ham radio operators and do you ever bring some of your equipment with you on a campout? If you are not a ham radio operator, do you take a CB with you or cell phone or laptop??

When we were in the Badlands & Tetons / Yellowstone earlier this month, I was surprised at the limited cell coverage, even in what I would consider populated areas.


I have a 2M / 440 Mhz VHF/UHF Ham radio in my truck. There have a been a couple of campouts (such as when we drove to Alaska) when I brought my HF Ham rig since towns were far and few between and HF radios can reach all parts of the world based on radio communications conditions.

I see lots of vehicles with CB antennas on them so I know there are a bunch of campers with them.

Please take a moment to fill out the survey and let us know if you carry a radio on your camping trips and if so, what type. If you don't have a radio, do you take your cell phone? The poll is set up so you can select all the types of communications equipment you carry, even computers with wireless capability! TNX!

We bring our cell phones only because they are with us all the time. Other than that, when going campin' part of the "requirement" is no TV, no radios, no electronic gadgets, no newspapers, nothing. To us, that is what campin' is all about.

We are fulltime RVers, so we always have our cell phones, laptops, and USB modem with us. However, many USFS campgrounds are remote enough that there is no signal, even with the use of a Wilson antenna and amplifier. We also have satellite TV, but many USFS campgrounds have too many trees to be able to find the satellite, so that's often out, too!

When you do the survey again

you might consider asking whether (1) the cell phone has broadband capability and (2) whether they are also using a cell phone booster. Both of these items are essential in our work which includes accessing this BB from the "woods." Poll seems to be working OK now - true? . . . Fred

Since my wife and I both have amateur licenses, we use dual band HTs usually on simplex. It isn't often that there is wi-fi in or near a NF CG, but if it is available, I use my MagicJack setup for phone service.

We have the cell phones only because we always have them with us, the laptop is primarily for watching a movie on dvd, so we don't need a rooftop full of solar panels, or a larger battery bank, that we don't have the room, or xtra weight for, or an inverter, when we run the gen set to recharge batteries, we make sure the laptop is plugged in so it gets recharged also.

M wife's cell phone is usually with us, although there seldom is any service in NF cgs. We do check on the clan as we depart and reach the highway, though. Other than that, we bring along a multi-band portable radio for the occasional ball game (Go Mariners, and take the SeaHawks with you!), nooze, weather info (162.55 mhzs) and, of course, A Prairie Home Companion. We always keep the volume low--other campers do not necessarily share our taste in music or radio stations. Wish others would do the same.

I agree, that these days a cell phone is plenty for individual use. But if you want to share the joy of music with the entire party (assuming it's more than you, of course), you need some kind of radio. Preferably, one designed for outdoor use, such as a solar powered weather radio.

Since cell phones usually have no coverage where we go, my wife and I are ham operators so we also have dual band HTs for individual communications. We also occassionally use GMRS handheld radios. For those who are unaware, they can have considerably more power than the FRS radios and most of the states we visit have a number of repeaters that will increase one's transmitting and receiving distance.

We always have cell phones. I have a 2 meter radio in my truck (KD4ZXZ),
and we carry a pair of GMRS walkies.

Once I carried a 20 meter rig to the Talladega National Forrest while camped at COLEMAN LAKE.
I strung a 'G5RV' between trees and made lots of contacts.
(If it's fun, it's not too much trouble...)