What a game changer this has been. The operation is all about the communication task at hand. No need to mess with the radio. Where's that setting again? Cheers!
@@justsomeguyontheinternet5331 And all the tacticool nerds ignore the one thing that might actually save their life and someone elses, -- physical fitness
Interested in getting a business license and combining with the Any Tone radios for encrypted business communications. Would love to see a video walking through that process.
My company uses RadioSoft out of GA to license all of our customers biz license under FCC Part 90. You do, however, require a legit biz to license against. It can also be a non profit org as well, just not an individual.
Super easy to do yourself. Search for Intinerant business band licensing. Just make sure you pick the right modes (digital) When I did this about 8 yrs ago there was a scout troop leader that had a walk through I found on the net.
David Canterbury has a plethora of great bush crafting videos if you haven't seen them. He's a solid dude. Nice videos man. Keep it up. We all appreciate it.
Trying to figure out where to start and where I'll go for a serious set up after some learning. The vx-6r and 878 were among the contenders so I will be following along. Also trying to learn more about LoRa and meshtastic, would love to see you get into that.
LoRa and Meshtastic are slated for next year as part of my plan is to remain focused and not dive into any other new radio rabbit holes this year. I highly recommend getting your amateur radio Technician license to start if you haven't already. The Gordon West book on getting your Technician class license and HamStudy[dot][org] are great places to start. Good luck!
I am expecting a comms blackout before the end of the end of the year so i am considering all options to maintain communications in my area, I volunteer SAR for communications and do lots of winlink NVIS
Thanks. I am just a guy sharing the experience. I am no expert and prefer simple language when talking about where I plan to go with comms. Have a good one!
Great video Gaston. I enjoyed the format a lot for some reason. Thank you for taking us along. Yes, everything cooked on a fire in the outdoors is better. especially a steak and baked potato.
Thanks, more coming. We're going to continue some of this format in a new series called "Effective Comms" where the goal is to squeeze every bit out of performance out of this gear.
I'm sure you already know this, however if you don't please try and use Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries when you can vs. other chemistries like Alkaline or NiMH. The Lithium batteries don't just last longer, they are reliable at extreme temperatures, and this is critical for crucial pieces of equipment like communications. I worked in an industry for years where I would use between 8-32 lithium AA batteries per day because NOTHING else will work in the extreme cold. Cheers to you, and thank you for the videos.
The freestyle videos are great. And "Less is More" is the way to go - 2024 is the year for continuing the standardization. And .... my wife wants to know if you made the honey butter or bought it somewhere. 73!
I like this format once in a while. Stuck inside today, so living vicariously and taking notes on your gear and your effort to standardize/minimize. Well thought out and based on experience .Thanks 💪🇺🇸👍
I'm still working this out. For now, remove the antenna and battery. Store radio and the battery (if it has a BMS) in an EMP bag. I use the ones that look like mylar bags from the ones listed on disasterpreparer.com. All of this goes into their larger EMP duffle bag. Checkout the empdoctor on UA-cam.
@@TheTechPrepper as always thanks for responding and sharing information. I have recently joined the buy me a coffee community looking to support and be more involved with the community and increasing my learning
Great direction you are taking with radio. I'm getting a VX6 next week due to all your info and recommendations on it.👍 I think you have your comms sorted but maybe this year, you can concentrate on your 'over cooking' food flaws!🔥😂 Carcinogens are ofcourse detrimental to general survival. Haha. Take care out there Gaston.💪🤠
I'm new to all this, but i would love to dive into the nvis, off grid radio, backpacking it around, and reaching out like you do. You're using discontinued radios, so my question is what radios available today would be viable options? The 891 seems to be a candidate but there is some serious hate out there for it, too. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! I love the outdoor videos!
I am looking at my ecomm. But my needs are different. Would be supportive ARES roll in Houston. So I need 50W U/VHF with Winlink. I can do that with a FTM 6000 with Digirig, and a 1/2 l 2m 1/2 x2 ,70M. In a roller bag I can put that, power supply or Jackery, Evolve 3 laptop. I could squeeze in my 2730 for voice. But the 6000 can do most of what would be needed in an ARES deply. 30 feet coax, and pizza pans to put mag mounts on. I have deployed for a Boy Scout event usingbMETRO bus and light rail, and POG for other events. FT70D as handheld.
Have 2x AT d878iiPlus HT’s & they’re written into my family COMS plan. You decided to get rid of urs? Love mine, only down factor IMO is how fat they are, not good in the hand.
Thank you for the interest, but I'm only selling it locally here in Arizona. With radio, original box, manual, ARMOLOQ frames, relocation hardware, jumper cable and PRC/117G bag, I'm asking $1,000.
I believe you have a video on setting up your 878, and i intend to watch it tomorrow, so if this is addressed there my apologies. Do you have any field cards made for the 878? It would likely pair very well with me digging into the DMR world with intentions aimed at encryption. Thanks! Nice video with some nice looking weather too!
Have you measured the output from the VX6 on GMRS and MURs frequencies? I liked the radio, but I was only 2.2 watts, which was better than the 1.1 watts my FT5DR put out on those frequencies but still wasn't enough for my general use.
I don't have a meter for 400 MHz, but the power is reduced with the MARS mod. I simply used the 400-470 mHz yagi shown here to make the most of the reduced power.
1:30 - "This year I wanted to be fiscally responsible and not spend a lot of money on gear." I applaud the fiscal responsibility and the paring down of equipment to focus on the essentials, but when you said that, I heard it in imagined Mrs. Tech Prepper voice. 😛
She asked if everything was ok when she noticed a dramatic drop off in deliveries. I purchased a USB drive and some ferrite beads for the channel this month. $60 bucks! This is a fraction of what I was spending on gear for the channel.
Thank you, but I am only selling it locally as the overhead of dealing with online transactions and shipping is more than I can handle with my current time constraints. All the parts for the 891 manpack are in active production and readily available.
Hey G-Man, great to see you - I've drifted around the UA-cam circuit Ham Radio, Survival-ish stuff, guns always, lots of guns, and came back around to check in with you. GREAT video!!!
Dear Mr. Tech Prepper, I agree completely with your goal of getting completely familiar with a small(er) number of tools. I like my FTM-6000, but, I find the menu system a bit strange - I guess I don’t program it enough. Anyway, I will continue to follow your journey this year. Thanks for all you do.
Long time follower….. we watched you for the last several years tout the 6watt ft818, ft857 and vhf handhelds. This year let’s see you implement them more. Try new antennas. Try to get in the field and make multiple targeted contacts or MAINTAIN targeted contacts over a certain timeframe like 12 hours or 48 hours or something. Real life emergency stuff. Even implement them with your software. I for one don’t give a lick about dmr You said your self bugging out on foot isn’t practical so how come every video is from the field? Do some operating from your home to try some of these techniques I have similar equipment and I’m up here in NY if you need a target to hit
The reason for operating from the field is that it throws more curve balls than operating from home. Operating from is not real interesting as it's too easy to establish targeted contacts with properly deployed antennas and having more power at my disposal. Training in the field forces me to solve problems as they come up. If I ever need to move, I know that my non-shack gear works and is ready to leave with me. Thanks for the long time support. DMR at this point, is just for local encrypted comms for the neighborhood and family.
Not yet. I'm waiting for more ruggedized gear on the LoRa side to hit the market. I'm pushing a LoRa deep dive to 2025. The goal this year is focus. No more distractions this year.
i read that the wind camp powerpole adaptor will cause a draw on the internal batt. the new platatac billy pouch fits my 817 in a 5l drybag. with the pouch on my jungle rig i can keep the drybag rolled down nicely and have total access to the radio and can easily slide the whole unit out. ill do some video and pics at some point. im gonna borrow some of your ideas here !! thank you love the man pack series.
Thanks for the tip on the bag. Good luck with the new build. Also, I just dropped a short with some enhancements that I just made to this new manpack configuration.
@@TheTechPrepper he does reply! Thank you sir! I’ll be getting a pair and then a 578 down the road. Can you make a video on how to DIY the business band license? Instead of paying $500 for a company to do it?
@@jakekoenig6163 People are asking for this exact topic, but unfortunately, I do not have the bandwidth to research this given other topics that are in flight. Personally, I had such little time that I had to just pay a bit more and contact a local LMR dealer to handle the whole thing for me.
Business license will cost $300 every 10 years minimum even if you do it yourself. There's a few requirements that have to be met to even qualify for a LMR. ie demonstrate a reason that other commercial services can not meet the need. Way better to get help getting started. And understand the frequency pool is smaller than the amateur band and shared by more people. it's free to talk to a professional about your options (usually).
I hope you're not overlooking the cb bands @ 11m 27MHz. It's where you will find any local yokle peeps who will relay traffic as well as general info and is def worth monitoring, most ordinary people who have radios will have a cb.👍 My choice is 10,11,12m and gmrs. And yes I'll have the tech and gmrs lic. but cb is anonymous which is great for op sec.! Great overview of your plans and I like that you're planning to be everywhere on the bands. I, unfortunately, need to keep my radio preps on a tight budget! The RTL-SDR seems like a great all band receiver with the SDR++ Android app which I'll be playing with very soon lol! Good luck out there, you're doing good! Doug in Hanover County VA. 73!
@@TheTechPrepper Yes, hopefully. It's all great fun on top of being important. You know what would be a funny tongue in cheek video? Smoke signals! 😂😂😂 But in all seriousness, it was/is a viable way to communicate. People built large hills and used signals at night with fires sending ancient "Morse Code". How much fun would that be!?!😂 Anyhoo, def appreciate the info you provide.👍 73!
Yaesu (at least for me) can end up in wonky state with experimenting with settings and I end up factory resetting to get back to square one. I run the VX-6 IC-705 and FT-891.
The only radio I'm chasing is the Kenwood D-75. I've traded my ID-52 for one when they're released. It's got a lot of capability, but extremely pricey for an HT. Also looking at getting into POTA this yet as well. I'll be doing Ships Weekend in June with my club and showing other members data modes on HF. Not sure which mode I'll be doing, but leaning towards RTTY and PSK31, depending if there's any data contests going on at that time.
Good to see you back! Did you also dump the qdx radios? More improvements to the intertie system coming I understand when the snow melts off the high country.
Myself and the group had multiple issues with the QDX. I personally cooked the finals three times. You need a perfect match on your antenna system, exactly 12.0 volts, be careful about the operating environment (heat) and be cautious about the duty cycle. I loved the utility of what it offered in such a small package, but it was too easy to damage if not babied. I had high hopes given the size, form factor, and cost. For me, it's a toy and only useful for light use. I still have a couple of units, but have demoted them to backup radios in the Faraday bag.
@@TheTechPrepper very good info, I was also curious about your faraday setup, you didn’t mention a backup HF rig in your video? I’ve been using the qdx about a week now as my “primary” for digital and moved my ft-891 into a faraday bag, only to pull out when I’m wanting to do voice or mobile.
Hello Gaston I hope all is well sir. Have you looked at the AnyTone878S. It’s a single band radio. It’s what I can afford compared to the 878UV. Any thoughts?
In your opinion, is the Ikey keyboard for the FZ-M1 worth the $390 ish that it costs? I'm seriously considering buying one for mine because trying to use it with just a cheap stylus is nearly impossible. Thanks!
Yes, it's absolutely worth it. It transforms that tablet into a very powerful sub notebook. I plan to pickup a second one soon for my other FZ-M1 tablet. Most of the amateur radio applications require a keyboard and mouse to be effective.
@@TheTechPrepper thank you for responding. I think I'll be picking on up soon as well. I think I'm done being frustrated about clicking the wrong button 4 times before getting the right one every single time I click on anything.
I'm excited for the emcom tools demo. I've been on the fence about it since I dont know what I dont know. I'm a linux nerd but I know the radio stuff for linux leaves a lot to be desired.
I always like your vids. Very educational and they give me a lot of ideas for my Tech Prepping endeavors. Do have any knowledge of the FT-70DR HT? Your opinion is welcome. 73. Gene, N3XUS
Sorry, no. That radio did not meet my requirements for my operating style, so I've never explored it in detail. In general, I stick to the Yaesu line that was the product of the Vertex Standard relationship.
Great video! We have a very similar taste in radios. I don’t know if I can part with any of mine though. I always need to have that “back up” rig. Like you, I may be chasing that new Lab 599 TX-500MP. It looks promising!
I'm all for backup rigs, but in my case, I'm moving towards backups of these three radios. I'm on the hunt for a third 818 of 817ND for the Faraday bag. That TX-500 MP looks like it could shake things up.
Your remote location videos are always on point. I appreciate you including all of us VHF/UHF operators in your comms plans. What antenna were you holding in your hand? Thanks for sharing. 73. KC3UEE
Hello Gaston, it's great fun to watch your video. I would love to be on vacation in America too. We have a lot of snow at the moment and it's extremely cold. Not the weather for doing outdoor activities. Have a good time and see you soon. Greetings Ferry, HB9FEV from Switzerland.
Congrats. If you can swing it, I highly recommend getting the iKey keyboard from iKey. They are $380 USD, but they really turn that tablet into a very usable machine. I am going to sell more gear to finance a second keyboard. If you don't have one, try and get a DigiRig with the 8xx cables (the short model). Thanks for the support! By the way, don't miss the next member stream as you have the perfect setup for the new work that is coming on EmComm Tools OS Community Edition. We are going to talk about the mission and there will be a demonstration of what to expect month-to-month this year.
Gaston! As always I love and am grateful for your channel. I've already built my FT857d manpack based on your excellent input and I intend to make a second manpack in the future incorporating an 818 if I can procure one at a fair price. Here's a request from out of left field: where did you get that flannel shirt/what brand? Seriously! You're looking very GQ there, bro.
Thank you. I'm blessed to have viewers like yourself. There was a comedian that said: "you've given up on life, when you buy your clothes and food at the same place." My wife bought this and a couple of other flannels at Costco last year. All my clothes are from there. I have about 20 of the black 30 degree t-shirts and about 10 sets of these khaki pants. As a product of the Catholic school system, I like wearing uniforms. Cheers!
I'm not aware of any direct replacements. The new TX-500 MP looks like it could be a winner. Also, I have a feeling that Yaesu is going to release a replacement soon. I've heard that there's an IC-705 killer in the works.
in the vain of not chasing a new radio.....maybe an interesting idea: "What if you come across a radio you've not seen before: how might you go about programming it "on the fly"" Having seen more radios than me, I wonder what you'd do with a new radio you have never seen before.
You can bake in that coffee pot if you turn it on its side and make a small tray to slide in it that rests in the bottom 1/4 of the pot to keep air circulation. Dave Caterbury has designed his pots this way just for that ( ua-cam.com/video/T8kS7jna5pY/v-deo.html ). Keep up the training. We can all teach eachother something new.
Holy moly, have you completely lost your mind?! Come on man, it was only no cell signal on a morning walk. Why didn't get a new phone or better carrier? How many years is this going to go on? 😂 Your trapped. Peace. Long life and prosperity. Have a blessed life in Jesus's name. Amen.
I lost my mind years ago. I am still using an iPhone 8. It's really nice just sticking with older gear that just works. There's going to be a full year of tweaking this gear, fine tuning operating techniques, and experimenting with new communication tactics that move the needle to become a more effective operator.
A small number of radios with lots of training is better than a lot of radios with less training. I agree.
What a game changer this has been. The operation is all about the communication task at hand. No need to mess with the radio. Where's that setting again? Cheers!
same with firearms, etc. technical competence and enhanced familiarity is key when you're being stressed out
@@justsomeguyontheinternet5331 And all the tacticool nerds ignore the one thing that might actually save their life and someone elses, -- physical fitness
Blasphemy! Delete this comment quick before my wife reads this!
Words of wisdom
Interested in getting a business license and combining with the Any Tone radios for encrypted business communications. Would love to see a video walking through that process.
My company uses RadioSoft out of GA to license all of our customers biz license under FCC Part 90. You do, however, require a legit biz to license against. It can also be a non profit org as well, just not an individual.
Super easy to do yourself. Search for Intinerant business band licensing. Just make sure you pick the right modes (digital) When I did this about 8 yrs ago there was a scout troop leader that had a walk through I found on the net.
Process
-Ignore the FCC
-Type your own made up encryption key ( long password )
-program channels to use encryption
-enjoy AES 256 encryption
David Canterbury has a plethora of great bush crafting videos if you haven't seen them. He's a solid dude.
Nice videos man. Keep it up. We all appreciate it.
Trying to figure out where to start and where I'll go for a serious set up after some learning. The vx-6r and 878 were among the contenders so I will be following along. Also trying to learn more about LoRa and meshtastic, would love to see you get into that.
LoRa and Meshtastic are slated for next year as part of my plan is to remain focused and not dive into any other new radio rabbit holes this year. I highly recommend getting your amateur radio Technician license to start if you haven't already. The Gordon West book on getting your Technician class license and HamStudy[dot][org] are great places to start. Good luck!
I am expecting a comms blackout before the end of the end of the year so i am considering all options to maintain communications in my area, I volunteer SAR for communications and do lots of winlink NVIS
thanks for these videos man, love how straight-forward you are!
Thanks. I am just a guy sharing the experience. I am no expert and prefer simple language when talking about where I plan to go with comms. Have a good one!
Great... now I'm going to have to work on improving my field cooking skills just to keep up with you!
Take it to the next level. We can swap recipes. Next up, is a meal with quail. We're going hunting during Winter Field Day.
Great video Gaston. I enjoyed the format a lot for some reason. Thank you for taking us along. Yes, everything cooked on a fire in the outdoors is better. especially a steak and baked potato.
Thanks, more coming. We're going to continue some of this format in a new series called "Effective Comms" where the goal is to squeeze every bit out of performance out of this gear.
@@TheTechPrepper I’m looking forward to it.
I'm sure you already know this, however if you don't please try and use Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries when you can vs. other chemistries like Alkaline or NiMH. The Lithium batteries don't just last longer, they are reliable at extreme temperatures, and this is critical for crucial pieces of equipment like communications. I worked in an industry for years where I would use between 8-32 lithium AA batteries per day because NOTHING else will work in the extreme cold. Cheers to you, and thank you for the videos.
The freestyle videos are great. And "Less is More" is the way to go - 2024 is the year for continuing the standardization. And .... my wife wants to know if you made the honey butter or bought it somewhere. 73!
I made it. It consists of local honey and just a stick of butter in a canning jar. Simply heat it and give it a good stir or shake.
Great cheatsheet idea!
I like this format once in a while. Stuck inside today, so living vicariously and taking notes on your gear and your effort to standardize/minimize. Well thought out and based on experience .Thanks 💪🇺🇸👍
Thanks for the feedback. Lots of lessons coming. Then next video should be interesting for the manpack operator.
I am very interested in that groundwave antenna and the setup behind it
One of my comms goals is to be able to send messages using HF/similar setups
Stand by. There will be a video soon once I nail down my findings.
@@TheTechPrepper
I appreciate the educational approach to all of this and looking forward to seeing how it's done :)
@@chattphotos Glad to hear it. I am no expert and solving these problems as I go. I'll share the after action report with you and the community.
Great video! What would you recommend for EMP protections for the radios ?
I'm still working this out. For now, remove the antenna and battery. Store radio and the battery (if it has a BMS) in an EMP bag. I use the ones that look like mylar bags from the ones listed on disasterpreparer.com. All of this goes into their larger EMP duffle bag. Checkout the empdoctor on UA-cam.
@@TheTechPrepper as always thanks for responding and sharing information. I have recently joined the buy me a coffee community looking to support and be more involved with the community and increasing my learning
@@Indigenous_Patriot_1175 Thanks for the support. We're going to have an amazing member stream next Tuesday. Don't miss it.
Good stuff!
Thanks!
Great direction you are taking with radio.
I'm getting a VX6 next week due to all your info and recommendations on it.👍
I think you have your comms sorted but maybe this year, you can concentrate on your 'over cooking' food flaws!🔥😂 Carcinogens are ofcourse detrimental to general survival. Haha. Take care out there Gaston.💪🤠
I'm new to all this, but i would love to dive into the nvis, off grid radio, backpacking it around, and reaching out like you do. You're using discontinued radios, so my question is what radios available today would be viable options? The 891 seems to be a candidate but there is some serious hate out there for it, too. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! I love the outdoor videos!
I am looking at my ecomm. But my needs are different. Would be supportive ARES roll in Houston. So I need 50W U/VHF with Winlink. I can do that with a FTM 6000 with Digirig, and a 1/2 l 2m 1/2 x2 ,70M. In a roller bag I can put that, power supply or Jackery, Evolve 3 laptop. I could squeeze in my 2730 for voice. But the 6000 can do most of what would be needed in an ARES deply. 30 feet coax, and pizza pans to put mag mounts on. I have deployed for a Boy Scout event usingbMETRO bus and light rail, and POG for other events. FT70D as handheld.
Have 2x AT d878iiPlus HT’s & they’re written into my family COMS plan. You decided to get rid of urs? Love mine, only down factor IMO is how fat they are, not good in the hand.
How much are you asking for the 891? I’d be interested for my first rig. Keep up the great content.
Thank you for the interest, but I'm only selling it locally here in Arizona. With radio, original box, manual, ARMOLOQ frames, relocation hardware, jumper cable and PRC/117G bag, I'm asking $1,000.
I believe you have a video on setting up your 878, and i intend to watch it tomorrow, so if this is addressed there my apologies. Do you have any field cards made for the 878? It would likely pair very well with me digging into the DMR world with intentions aimed at encryption. Thanks!
Nice video with some nice looking weather too!
Have you measured the output from the VX6 on GMRS and MURs frequencies? I liked the radio, but I was only 2.2 watts, which was better than the 1.1 watts my FT5DR put out on those frequencies but still wasn't enough for my general use.
I don't have a meter for 400 MHz, but the power is reduced with the MARS mod. I simply used the 400-470 mHz yagi shown here to make the most of the reduced power.
POTA is great training for HF ecomm..
Yep. So, is SOTA.
1:30 - "This year I wanted to be fiscally responsible and not spend a lot of money on gear." I applaud the fiscal responsibility and the paring down of equipment to focus on the essentials, but when you said that, I heard it in imagined Mrs. Tech Prepper voice. 😛
She asked if everything was ok when she noticed a dramatic drop off in deliveries. I purchased a USB drive and some ferrite beads for the channel this month. $60 bucks! This is a fraction of what I was spending on gear for the channel.
Hi Gaston. I'll buy your 891 if ya still need to unload it!
Thank you, but I am only selling it locally as the overhead of dealing with online transactions and shipping is more than I can handle with my current time constraints. All the parts for the 891 manpack are in active production and readily available.
Nice video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Hey G-Man, great to see you - I've drifted around the UA-cam circuit Ham Radio, Survival-ish stuff, guns always, lots of guns, and came back around to check in with you. GREAT video!!!
Thanks for checking back in. More on the way. I'll catch you again on your loop back. Happy Monday!
Dear Mr. Tech Prepper, I agree completely with your goal of getting completely familiar with a small(er) number of tools. I like my FTM-6000, but, I find the menu system a bit strange - I guess I don’t program it enough. Anyway, I will continue to follow your journey this year. Thanks for all you do.
We'll cover plenty of operating tactics, so the principles will apply to most radios. Thanks for sticking around.
Long time follower….. we watched you for the last several years tout the 6watt ft818, ft857 and vhf handhelds. This year let’s see you implement them more. Try new antennas. Try to get in the field and make multiple targeted contacts or MAINTAIN targeted contacts over a certain timeframe like 12 hours or 48 hours or something. Real life emergency stuff. Even implement them with your software. I for one don’t give a lick about dmr
You said your self bugging out on foot isn’t practical so how come every video is from the field? Do some operating from your home to try some of these techniques
I have similar equipment and I’m up here in NY if you need a target to hit
The reason for operating from the field is that it throws more curve balls than operating from home. Operating from is not real interesting as it's too easy to establish targeted contacts with properly deployed antennas and having more power at my disposal. Training in the field forces me to solve problems as they come up. If I ever need to move, I know that my non-shack gear works and is ready to leave with me. Thanks for the long time support. DMR at this point, is just for local encrypted comms for the neighborhood and family.
Have you looked into LoRa with Meshtastic for you neighborhood comms?
Not yet. I'm waiting for more ruggedized gear on the LoRa side to hit the market. I'm pushing a LoRa deep dive to 2025. The goal this year is focus. No more distractions this year.
Love these free style videos! Keep em coming.
Thanks! Will do!
i read that the wind camp powerpole adaptor will cause a draw on the internal batt. the new platatac billy pouch fits my 817 in a 5l drybag. with the pouch on my jungle rig i can keep the drybag rolled down nicely and have total access to the radio and can easily slide the whole unit out. ill do some video and pics at some point. im gonna borrow some of your ideas here !! thank you love the man pack series.
Thanks for the tip on the bag. Good luck with the new build. Also, I just dropped a short with some enhancements that I just made to this new manpack configuration.
What was wrong with the Anytone 878 encryption? Did you ever hear back from them on it?
They fixed it in a recent firmware. They were using a static initialization vector.
@@TheTechPrepper he does reply! Thank you sir! I’ll be getting a pair and then a 578 down the road. Can you make a video on how to DIY the business band license? Instead of paying $500 for a company to do it?
@@jakekoenig6163 People are asking for this exact topic, but unfortunately, I do not have the bandwidth to research this given other topics that are in flight. Personally, I had such little time that I had to just pay a bit more and contact a local LMR dealer to handle the whole thing for me.
Business license will cost $300 every 10 years minimum even if you do it yourself. There's a few requirements that have to be met to even qualify for a LMR. ie demonstrate a reason that other commercial services can not meet the need. Way better to get help getting started. And understand the frequency pool is smaller than the amateur band and shared by more people. it's free to talk to a professional about your options (usually).
I hope you're not overlooking the cb bands @ 11m 27MHz. It's where you will find any local yokle peeps who will relay traffic as well as general info and is def worth monitoring, most ordinary people who have radios will have a cb.👍
My choice is 10,11,12m and gmrs. And yes I'll have the tech and gmrs lic. but cb is anonymous which is great for op sec.!
Great overview of your plans and I like that you're planning to be everywhere on the bands. I, unfortunately, need to keep my radio preps on a tight budget!
The RTL-SDR seems like a great all band receiver with the SDR++ Android app which I'll be playing with very soon lol!
Good luck out there, you're doing good!
Doug in Hanover County VA. 73!
I have not. I have CB in my comms plan and have all my VX-6R and FT-818 radios programmed with the CB channels in a dedicated memory group.
@@TheTechPrepper Very good. I guess I didn't hear it mentioned so thought you had lol. 👍
@@ddouglas3687 I can't recall which video I covered it in. I am sure that the viewers will find your comment helpful.
@@TheTechPrepper Yes, hopefully. It's all great fun on top of being important.
You know what would be a funny tongue in cheek video? Smoke signals! 😂😂😂
But in all seriousness, it was/is a viable way to communicate. People built large hills and used signals at night with fires sending ancient "Morse Code".
How much fun would that be!?!😂
Anyhoo, def appreciate the info you provide.👍 73!
Why do the cards for the VX-6R talk about DMR mode?
That is a special memory mode for this radio. It's called Direct Memory Recall.
You shouldn't burn palo verde wood as the odor is an irritant and unpleasant. I would definitely not wrap my food around it or use it like a skewer.
The oder and taste was not noticeable. There were no other options in the area I was in.
Is this guy for real ?
Yaesu (at least for me) can end up in wonky state with experimenting with settings and I end up factory resetting to get back to square one. I run the VX-6 IC-705 and FT-891.
The only radio I'm chasing is the Kenwood D-75. I've traded my ID-52 for one when they're released. It's got a lot of capability, but extremely pricey for an HT.
Also looking at getting into POTA this yet as well. I'll be doing Ships Weekend in June with my club and showing other members data modes on HF. Not sure which mode I'll be doing, but leaning towards RTTY and PSK31, depending if there's any data contests going on at that time.
Good to see you back!
Did you also dump the qdx radios?
More improvements to the intertie system coming I understand when the snow melts off the high country.
Myself and the group had multiple issues with the QDX. I personally cooked the finals three times. You need a perfect match on your antenna system, exactly 12.0 volts, be careful about the operating environment (heat) and be cautious about the duty cycle. I loved the utility of what it offered in such a small package, but it was too easy to damage if not babied. I had high hopes given the size, form factor, and cost. For me, it's a toy and only useful for light use. I still have a couple of units, but have demoted them to backup radios in the Faraday bag.
@@TheTechPrepper very good info,
I was also curious about your faraday setup, you didn’t mention a backup HF rig in your video?
I’ve been using the qdx about a week now as my “primary” for digital and moved my ft-891 into a faraday bag, only to pull out when I’m wanting to do voice or mobile.
Hello Gaston I hope all is well sir.
Have you looked at the AnyTone878S. It’s a single band radio. It’s what I can afford compared to the 878UV. Any thoughts?
I have not looked into it, but I am sure all of the principles apply to the monoband setup. Is it a 2m or 70cm HT?
its 440MHz i think so thats 70cm right @@TheTechPrepper
In your opinion, is the Ikey keyboard for the FZ-M1 worth the $390 ish that it costs? I'm seriously considering buying one for mine because trying to use it with just a cheap stylus is nearly impossible. Thanks!
Yes, it's absolutely worth it. It transforms that tablet into a very powerful sub notebook. I plan to pickup a second one soon for my other FZ-M1 tablet. Most of the amateur radio applications require a keyboard and mouse to be effective.
@@TheTechPrepper thank you for responding. I think I'll be picking on up soon as well. I think I'm done being frustrated about clicking the wrong button 4 times before getting the right one every single time I click on anything.
I'm excited for the emcom tools demo. I've been on the fence about it since I dont know what I dont know. I'm a linux nerd but I know the radio stuff for linux leaves a lot to be desired.
A little too much transmitting in infrared there? :P looking forward to see what you learn this year.
I always like your vids. Very educational and they give me a lot of ideas for my Tech Prepping endeavors.
Do have any knowledge of the FT-70DR HT? Your opinion is welcome. 73. Gene, N3XUS
Sorry, no. That radio did not meet my requirements for my operating style, so I've never explored it in detail. In general, I stick to the Yaesu line that was the product of the Vertex Standard relationship.
Great video! We have a very similar taste in radios. I don’t know if I can part with any of mine though. I always need to have that “back up” rig. Like you, I may be chasing that new Lab 599 TX-500MP. It looks promising!
I'm all for backup rigs, but in my case, I'm moving towards backups of these three radios. I'm on the hunt for a third 818 of 817ND for the Faraday bag. That TX-500 MP looks like it could shake things up.
Your remote location videos are always on point. I appreciate you including all of us VHF/UHF operators in your comms plans. What antenna were you holding in your hand? Thanks for sharing. 73. KC3UEE
Thank you. It's a 400 to 470 mHz yagi from Ailunce.
Hello Gaston, it's great fun to watch your video. I would love to be on vacation in America too. We have a lot of snow at the moment and it's extremely cold. Not the weather for doing outdoor activities. Have a good time and see you soon. Greetings Ferry, HB9FEV from Switzerland.
Stay warm. We're cold by Arizona standards. Mid 30F to 55F these days. It will be nice when we're back in triple digits.
@10:13 they say hunger is the best spice. Cheers!
in your area, if the power goes out, how does the water flow? how long before the water supply becomes critical?
We're all on wells with generators. No impact.
i just ordered a VX6R! and flexible signal stick! I'm super excited about it!
Enjoy! The AA battery pack is worth it, even if you only get half RF power.
I got the rig expert stick for much the same reasons. Im still learning it.
I finally got a digirig for my ft 891. Need to figure out the settings.
It's a great little analyzer. The 230 was thee sweat spot in terms of price.
Thanks for all of your hard work. Getting back to comms this year.
Welcome back!
Can’t wait to start testing 818 with FZ-M1 that I just ordered :D 73!
Congrats. If you can swing it, I highly recommend getting the iKey keyboard from iKey. They are $380 USD, but they really turn that tablet into a very usable machine. I am going to sell more gear to finance a second keyboard. If you don't have one, try and get a DigiRig with the 8xx cables (the short model). Thanks for the support!
By the way, don't miss the next member stream as you have the perfect setup for the new work that is coming on EmComm Tools OS Community Edition. We are going to talk about the mission and there will be a demonstration of what to expect month-to-month this year.
Wrap the croissants in foil with a little oil and it won't burn. Remove foil towards end and brown up if needed
Great tip. Thanks. Even the burnt sections weren't bad.
Looks like my comment was deleted.....alrighty then.
Was the here a link in it? UA-cam kills those.
@@TheTechPrepper I tried posting the name of a book from a Bezo's web site about NVIS antennas, but apparently that was not allowed :(
@@bruehlt Got it. What's the name of the book?
@@TheTechPrepper Hoping this doesn't get me put in UA-cam jail: "Near Vertical Incidence Skywave Communication"
@@bruehlt This is a good read. I've read it. The PDF is available online, but I am a fan of print books. I did not realized this was in print. Thanks.
"Everything tastes better with Blue Bonnet in it!" Good job G-man.
You got that right!
Gaston! As always I love and am grateful for your channel. I've already built my FT857d manpack based on your excellent input and I intend to make a second manpack in the future incorporating an 818 if I can procure one at a fair price. Here's a request from out of left field: where did you get that flannel shirt/what brand? Seriously! You're looking very GQ there, bro.
Thank you. I'm blessed to have viewers like yourself. There was a comedian that said: "you've given up on life, when you buy your clothes and food at the same place." My wife bought this and a couple of other flannels at Costco last year. All my clothes are from there. I have about 20 of the black 30 degree t-shirts and about 10 sets of these khaki pants. As a product of the Catholic school system, I like wearing uniforms. Cheers!
Thanks again, bro. I'm humbled by your very down to earth answer. Best regards. @@TheTechPrepper
Recommendations for an 818 stand-in for someone interested in voice only? Battery consumption, fidelity, and durability are chief considerations.
I'm not aware of any direct replacements. The new TX-500 MP looks like it could be a winner. Also, I have a feeling that Yaesu is going to release a replacement soon. I've heard that there's an IC-705 killer in the works.
@@TheTechPrepper Nice. I’ll have to give both a look. Thank you for the reply and input!
in the vain of not chasing a new radio.....maybe an interesting idea:
"What if you come across a radio you've not seen before: how might you go about programming it "on the fly""
Having seen more radios than me, I wonder what you'd do with a new radio you have never seen before.
RTFM. ;-)
I am joking and serious. The manuals are typically pure gold.
Awesome and motivating video. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
You can bake in that coffee pot if you turn it on its side and make a small tray to slide in it that rests in the bottom 1/4 of the pot to keep air circulation. Dave Caterbury has designed his pots this way just for that ( ua-cam.com/video/T8kS7jna5pY/v-deo.html ). Keep up the training. We can all teach eachother something new.
Great tip. Thanks. I did some baking this past weekend using a double boiler with two pots. The muffins came out great.
That lab 599 does look tempting!
It really does. I may have to take back my word of, "no more radios". That looks like it could be a serious. Happy Sunday!
There teasing something new. Lab 599 MP (man pack) little is known so far but it look like an HF handy talky.
Hope to see a lot more of your no random contacts series
There's a big one coming up this quarter with T-Rex Arms.
Nice fire. 🔥Great video.
It got really warm at one point, but it was glorious at 0730 when I first got it going.
Thanks for the update.
Glad you enjoyed. I hope to catch you on the next stream.
Holy moly, have you completely lost your mind?! Come on man, it was only no cell signal on a morning walk. Why didn't get a new phone or better carrier? How many years is this going to go on? 😂
Your trapped.
Peace. Long life and prosperity.
Have a blessed life in Jesus's name. Amen.
I lost my mind years ago. I am still using an iPhone 8. It's really nice just sticking with older gear that just works. There's going to be a full year of tweaking this gear, fine tuning operating techniques, and experimenting with new communication tactics that move the needle to become a more effective operator.