Thread: hiring vhf/uhf radios

Gidday, we are heading back down to stewart island again and after getting a wee bit lost, i want to take some handheld radios . ive had a look and have some ideas but was wondering what you lot think ? wheres good ?

If this is for land based you'll probably want uhf. As far as I know vhf is for marine and I think your supposed to have a license to operate one?

Take a GPS as easy to get turned around once you leave the coast as radios will not be a lot of use if you do not know where you are.
Also hand held radios are often line of sight so will not work at a distance in thick bush.

If you 'need' a radio, a 5W UHF handheld is the way to, but as previously mentioned your performance will vary due to the topography and forest density. It will largely be 'line of sight' as there are no repeaters available on the island.

VHF are available for purchase 'off the shelf' for marine application but an MVOC licence is needed to transmit (though the vast amount of recreational operators on our waters don't hold one), and other bands on the VHF spectrum are restricted to licenced operators (commercial and amateur bands). VHF tends to function better in the bush (forestry, DOC, SAR etc use an assortment of fixed and portable VHF radios) These bands are usually unable to be purchased off the shelf without a licence, but as mentioned above, there are no off the shelf solutions for unlicenced operators (unless someone was to use marine band VHF ensuring that they are not operating on any channels that are port/shipping/designated safety channel).

If you NEED comms between party members with more assurance of reliability, maybe see if there are InReach products available for rent? Otherwise nothing a good gps or offline gps app can't sort.

*edit - spelling, some grammar

A hand held vhf would be handy for forecasts.
And channel 16 will get you help fast in an emergency.

Originally Posted by Tedz50

Take a GPS as easy to get turned around once you leave the coast as radios will not be a lot of use if you do not know where you are.
Also hand held radios are often line of sight so will not work at a distance in thick bush.

i had a gps , the F'er went on the blink and wouldnt lock on any sats. then i got into the whole my compass is also rooted . ended up finding the coast and slinking back to the hut