Posted on 11/02/2003 7:39:28 PM PST by GailA
Yeah, this is the SecDef's fault. < / sarcasm >
Lord have mercy, let's have some context here.
You may call it 'messed up' - I call it a boon!
10 Meters, just up the road frequency-wise from the '11 Meter' CB-Band has been open like gang busters - not to mention state-side contacts that have been posible to Hawaii on 6 Meters (there are a fair number of hams still looking for their WAS - Worked All States award!) ...
The *problem* with 'CB" right now (at least in this hemisphere) whic limits it's usefulness is the excessive noise on the band during the day when propagation is 'good' - 10 dB over S9 of 'noise' on CH 19 limits your range to a mile and this range is much under what a good VHF or UHF commercial 'Motorola' hand-held two-radio can do ...
CBs are often designed to be mounted in a vehicle,
Let me offer an observation - a 'hand-held' CB (like a walkie-talkie with a classic 'rubber duck') radio doesn't perform worth crap - esp. from within a vehicle ('waveguide beyond cutoff' principle; the wavelength of an 11 Meter radio is effectively 'cutoff' prop-wise when withing the confines of the passenger compartment, a VHF radio not nearly so, but it too is reduced in effectiveness; UHF and above are virtually not affected - overlooking 'shading effects' of door pillars now), so -
and most Army vehicle have at least the provision for an antenna mast.
- outside mount antenna it is. AND, with the abundance of "mag-mount" (magnetic base mount), trunk lip groove mount, mirror mount (trucker style) mounting, per se, should not be an issue.
Still they could probably use the little handhelds for truck to truck communications and continue to use the radios the Army provides for links back to base and to the destination as well. While it's not Texas, distances are pretty long in Iraq and the line of site limitation could be a problem.
The cheapie, but effective FRS radio can be used here, moreover, go for the GMRS version and get a power increase ...
Overlooked here is this: were they to utilize UHF/FM portables (such as a GMRS radio - the next step up from FRS) these could be programmed to: a) self ident every xmission b) able to 'work' a few area-wide repeater frequencies for emergencies c) incorporate remote 'turn off' should some fruit cake or the enemy start get hold of one and start 'laying on the key' and jamming ... all these features are possble today since these hand-helds are a) synthesized (PLL freq controlled - the last 'rock' radio was made 15 years ago) and b) controlled by micros anyway ...
If you are critical of the need of such equipment I wish you were over there and they were home.
Transportation units have very limited communications If your unit becomes separated you are screwed.
Just ask Jessica Lynch.
Every truck needs bino's too but transportation units such as this don't usually operate in hostile areas because they move low and slow so it's radios and the little combat luxuries are not a way of life for them.
Some of them even have to wear the Vietnam era flack vests because there is a shortage and Guard units don't get priority. ( tell that to the widow )
It's real easy to monday morning quarterback these guys from your nice safe home. I receive E-Mail from them as they can catch it. The moral is HIGH folks. But I would submitt you that most peoples daily lives have not changed that much since 9-11 . Theirs have drastically.
I was with these same guys on the morning of 9-11 and we have been deployed 3 times since then
Part time job my ass. But someone must do it and we are that someone. Help us if you can.
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