Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

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MkDorney
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Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by MkDorney » Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:08 am

In the interest of getting everybody who cares to operate radios on frequencies ( in the United States only - if you live outside the United States, you need to check with your country's authority that controls Amateur Radio) that shouldn't get you into trouble, we need to keep things simple. Most of you will be operating either AM or FM phone (voice), and there are common frequencies set through the Army Radio's chat group that will work for just about everybody who has the most common military radios operating phone (voice).

3885 kc AM - HF frequency used on radios like the BC-611, BC-654, BC-1306 - (USA only)

29.6 MHz FM - Radios like the BC-659 ( "A" Channel ) and SCR-608 tank radio
29.1 MHz FM - Radios like the BC-659 ( "B" Channel ) and SCR-608 tank radio

51.0 MHz FM - Post WW2 FM Radios like the CPRC -26, VRC-47 etc. The BC 1000 radio can be modified to operate on this frequency.

Some BC-659 operators out in the west use 29.4 Mhz as their talk frequency, and get really interesting propagation. But in Europe, 29.4 Mhz is a 10 meter satellite uplink frequency. So using 29.1 Mhz as an International Standard is far better.

These are Ham radio frequencies. You should have a license to operate on these frequencies. But short of "Moving Away From the Dark Side of the Force" ( unlicensed operation, which can get you into big trouble), at least operating on these frequencies won't get you in trouble with the FAA or your local first responders. As a licensed Ham radio operator, it's my duty to promote licensed operation on Ham Radio Frequencies. Quite honestly, you have to be a real dope to risk the fines and such just because getting a license you believe is too much trouble. Getting a license is easy, and inexpensive. Your license, once you get it , is good for 10 years in the USA. There is no Morse code requirement. The testing fee is normally $15.00 as of the date of this posting. You can find out more about getting your license in the USA by going to the web site of the Amateur Radio Relay League ( www.ARRL.org )

The U.S, Ham Radio Band plan is here : http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulato ... 0Color.pdf

The European Ham radio Band Plan is here: https://www.iaru-r1.org/images/IARU_REG ... 016_v2.pdf

By the way, you will need to find out, if operating outside your home country, the country you want to operate in has a reciprocal agreement with you home country as far as Amateur Radio Licences are concerned. For US Licencees, you will need to hold an Amateur Extra level licence to have any hope of any reciprocal agreement to be in place to allow you to operate in a country besides the USA.
Last edited by MkDorney on Fri May 18, 2018 9:05 pm, edited 5 times in total.


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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by tractor12 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:54 am

I thought they changed the licenses to never expire a few years ago. I have a few licenses including uhf vhf mf teletype and a few more myself
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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by MkDorney » Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:57 am

In the USA, Ham radio licenses are good for 10 years, and must be renewed. If your license has expired, you will need to be retested for the level license you last held. Take your expired license with you. You need it to prove what level license you once held so as to avoid having to take the tests for the lower level licenses.

The three level of licenses for Ham Radio are, from lowest to highest: Technician, General and Amateur Extra. The older license levels of Novice and Advanced are no longer available or tested for, but licensees currently holding those level licenses can still operate using them and can renew them. Licenses aren't issued for specific frequency bands and ranges like uhf, vhf, etc. , so I'm not sure what type of license you have, but they aren't Ham Radio licenses.

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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by tractor12 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 9:20 am

I hold a marine radio operators permit and element one. It came with a letter stating that as of 2008 licenses are lifetime
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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by MkDorney » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:23 am

Good for Marine Operators operation , not Ham Radio operation. You can go to the web site of the Amateur Radio Relay League ( www.arrl.org) to get clarification on your licenses.

Marine Radio operates between 156 MHz to 174 MHz FM. Ham Radio bands do not include any frequencies within that spectrum.

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Last edited by MkDorney on Tue Apr 10, 2018 9:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by brian in denver » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:45 am

the SCR-608 is an arty radio, the 508 is a tank radio. I know they overlap on one end. is that the end your talking about. I dont have the freqs memorized, or in front of me.

id be more worried about the big sets like the 506, or BC-191, that can reach out and touch someone. when i called the local FCC, dude didnt know his but from a hole in the ground. took me forever to locate and figure out where the old military freqs were, compared to everything else.

we've had all this discussion before though.

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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by MkDorney » Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:53 pm

I'd be worried about the BC-508 as well. With the proper antenna, it can get you into as much trouble as the bigger sets. And the BC-608 IS a tank radio. The only real difference between it and the BC-508 are the frequencies it operates on. It is the radio to install in your track if you actually want to be able to legally use the radio. If you want just a decoration, or you want to annoy both other Ham operators and maybe the FCC, by all means use the BC-508. If you've been using the BC-508. you've been lucky so far. Maybe you'll stay lucky. But what are you going to do if one time you aren't? And with the fines and possible confiscation of the radio, 1 time is all it will take. Is the risk really worth it for something that, let's face it, is just a "Big Toy" for a "Big Boy" ? Staying within the HAM radio frequency bands and using the correct transmission modes may also help hide you if you are dumb enough to be operating without a license.

The FCC and other Hams really don't care what frequencies one individual antique radio operated on. All they're interested in is that you are operating inside the boundaries of the Ham radio band spectrum, and are using the proper mode of transmission within that band plan. It is not their job to know where the old military frequencies were. It is up to the individual operator to know their own equipment and know what frequencies and communication modes they can use that equipment on. I'd be interested to know who you tried to contact at the FCC, because there is a certain section in FCC regulations that deals with Amateur Radio and the bands that are legal to be used.

As far as the radio frequencies for your reference, my first post on this subject included a link to the ARRL Ham Radio Band Plan. That will show you the frequencies in the various Ham radio bands that are legal to use, and with what mode of transmission. Your radio manual will tell you what frequencies your radio operated on. It is up to you to make sure you are using a set that operates within legal parameters.

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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by brian in denver » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:45 pm

just preachin to the choir here son.

but if you really wana help. jump on here and play fill in the blanks.
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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by Bart1015 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:05 pm

I totally agree about getting together on a "standard frequency" for our caravans and events.

I have a BC-659 and I discussed it with other MV guys in my area. I brought it up because I wanted to make sure I could get the crystals needed and I wanted to make sure I stayed within my license range.

It turns out most of the guys in my area that are using MV radios are unlicensed. To top it off, they were not real interested in getting the license or coming together on a frequency. I was also surprised and the lack of concern for being caught. Those fines are not a joke.

With that said, I really do believe its a great idea to do this.

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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by Mark Tombleson » Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:50 pm

http://www.n6cc.com/tcs-radio-set

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Re: Common Radio frequencies for Vehicle Owners and Reenactors

Post by MkDorney » Fri May 18, 2018 8:32 pm

Ship to shore depends on what frequency band your radio operates on. If you are operating on the Marine bands, then you will need a Marine Licence to legally operate that radio. If your radio is a Ham radio, you will need, in addition to your licence, the permission of the Master of the Ship in order to operate in International Waters. If you are operating within the national waters of any country, you will need to follow that countries laws pertaining to Amateur ( Ham ) radio.


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