For many years now I have been riding with a BCA Link radio, and for the most part they have served me very well over the years.
This year I wanted to try out something new in my never ending quest for a better over-all solution to back country communications.
Today I placed an order for a pair of the "Ride208" Neverlost Backcountry Radios.
(Yes, I know, I could absolutely just go out and buy one of the little 10 watt Baofeng radios and all the accessories and built my own kit. And as a HAM radio operator with an Extra Class certification that would certainly be the cheapest route, but my goal here was to evaluation what the average SnoWest Mountain sledder could EASILY get his hands on.)
I asked Jason to include a couple specific upgrades I wanted that were not listed on his website but that I felt would be important to making this work as well as possible.
#1. I wanted an external high gain whip antenna.
Most guys just don't understand HOW IMPORTANT the antenna on your radio really is to good signal propagation.
Both to be able to transmit AND to be able to pull in that weak obstructed signal from your buddy stuck down in the gully.
You want an EXTERNAL antenna that gets out of your backpack or Avy pack and has no obstructions around it.
#2. I wanted an IN-HELMET speaker and Microphone.
By far and away the best comms systems I have used over the last 11 years were ones that were fully integrated into my Helmet.
They simply made all conversations SO MUCH CLEARER and Faster.
Otherwise this is the base Unit I have on order
I expect it will be a week or two before it shows up and I don't think he stocks those accessories.
and then it will be another month or so before I can get it up into the mountains and begin real world testing.
But I will post up a full honest review over the course of this season on how "His" particular kit works.
This year I wanted to try out something new in my never ending quest for a better over-all solution to back country communications.
Today I placed an order for a pair of the "Ride208" Neverlost Backcountry Radios.
(Yes, I know, I could absolutely just go out and buy one of the little 10 watt Baofeng radios and all the accessories and built my own kit. And as a HAM radio operator with an Extra Class certification that would certainly be the cheapest route, but my goal here was to evaluation what the average SnoWest Mountain sledder could EASILY get his hands on.)
I asked Jason to include a couple specific upgrades I wanted that were not listed on his website but that I felt would be important to making this work as well as possible.
#1. I wanted an external high gain whip antenna.
Most guys just don't understand HOW IMPORTANT the antenna on your radio really is to good signal propagation.
Both to be able to transmit AND to be able to pull in that weak obstructed signal from your buddy stuck down in the gully.
You want an EXTERNAL antenna that gets out of your backpack or Avy pack and has no obstructions around it.
#2. I wanted an IN-HELMET speaker and Microphone.
By far and away the best comms systems I have used over the last 11 years were ones that were fully integrated into my Helmet.
They simply made all conversations SO MUCH CLEARER and Faster.
Otherwise this is the base Unit I have on order
I expect it will be a week or two before it shows up and I don't think he stocks those accessories.
and then it will be another month or so before I can get it up into the mountains and begin real world testing.
But I will post up a full honest review over the course of this season on how "His" particular kit works.
