PMR vs Amateur Radio vs Airband

[greencat]

Hey guys...

I'm way off needing to worry about this at the moment but being interested in radio I thought I'd garner some slightly more up to date feedback on radio usage amongst the Paramotoring fraternity.

From reading previous posts I see there are essentially 3 choices that most seem to use;

1. PMR

2. Amateur Radio

3. Airband (transportable licence)

PMR (VHF) is unlicenced which must make it a popular option, Amateur Radio requires a licence (under which you cannot operate while airbourne) and Airband again requires a licence and has the benefit of opening up comms with Air traffic control/control towers at landing strips you may either want to use or fly near.

The key driver of choice is, I guess, how you want to use the radio e.g, if you just want to be able to converse with a flying buddy then you both need to be using the same radio type, if you want to fly XC then I guess Airband offers some useful advantages.

So what do people actually use?

I've had a little hunt around the internet for training costs for the flight radiotelephony operator's licence (FRTOL) and where to go for training but am drawing blanks. Having taken both my Class A Amateur Radio and Marine Radio licences I do appreciate the benefits of having access to the specific radio comms for your hobby despite the cost and effort required to attain them. Has anyone out there followed the FRTOL training and can you guide me as to where you trained and the cost?

Cheers,

Michael

[stuartasutherland]

Hi Michael, there are loads of posts about pros and cons of radio types in this forum.

I too have my airband licence (and marine from a long long time ago) but I choose not to fly where I would need it. I live in Perth and I don't need to go near airfields or airspace that requires it.

I have a 2m radio but not yet used it properly in the air. I am aware of all the legalities around all the radio types.

I think it is personal preference really.

[aquatix]

PMR seems to cope best with the engine interference and gives clearer speech - but you still have to ease off the throttle to have intelligible conversation.

0.5w more than adequate for air to air or air to ground up to 10km, and best of all they are cheap !

[greencat]

Aquatix, thanks for your comments about power levels and your observations on quality are interesting. I know PMR radios can be popular due to their cost but, if there is one immutable truth I've learned in radio, it's that cost is usually proportional to quality!

Interference will be a product of radio design (lets just call that quality!), the ignition system on your motor and the position of your aerial. Your transmitted voice quality will again be a product of radio design but also the microphone and any noise cancelling systems you have in line with the microphone.

On the motorbikes we use PMR radios (high quality) and microphones with multiple pickups and noise cancelling to filter out wind and engine noise and I have to say they work superbly. That said, I know many people invest in quality microphones with noise cancelling and use them on cheap PMR radios and have absolutely no issues with ignition interference or co-channel interference so one can be lucky.

I know this subject has been discussed here and there but I couldn't find anything recent so thought I'd see if things had changed.

Do the standard headsets/boom mikes one sees on the paramotoring shopping sites include noise cancellation? A bit more research required by me I think

Michael

[aquatix]

Hi Michael, I use a reasonable NAC headset (with sidetone) and a mid range Motorola PMR with no issues apart from the volume on the headset speakers could be louder. Not an active noise cancelling mic but the foam shields out most of the wind noise. The main problem is the exhaust and prop just a foot or so from my ears ......

As you say, the radio works best with the aerial away from your body. I tend to leave it in my flying suit pocket but for longer flights it goes in the harness pocket or as far away as I can get it.

A vastly more expensive Yaesu 2m radio in the same set-up didn't work as well, and seemed to pick up more noise from the ignition, charging system and strobe. Maybe due to the frequencies and DCSS on the PMR ?

It works OK enough for important stuff, even if you have to repeat it sometimes for clarity, and we've had well over 15 miles air to air.

Might try upgrading the ear cups to Peltor Optime III, but otherwise its fine.

Alan

[greencat]

Not sure (from memory) but I think PMR works around the 70cm wavelength (400MHz+ ish) as opposed to 2m/144Mhz for the amateur set so yes, it could be that interference from the engine was more prevalent around 2m.

My Land Rover is like a wide band noise source but thankfully things improve as you increase in frequency so from10m up is usable, 2m is pretty clean and 70cm is almost silent.

I'm intrigued why people go for 2m when PMR should be just as effective and licence free. I guess 2m might just have the edge on range if you touch down and have to call ground crew (eg your other half) but I've got a phone for that sort of thing

Michael

[alan_k]

Hi Michael,

Fellow ham here G6WJJ / F1VMP. The PMR is at 446MHz for info.

Check this post viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6405&start=0&hilit=microphone+gain

I have 2m, airband and have tried small PMR sets. The PMR sets are just too quiet through limited output power due to low battery supply voltage.

2m is very often used on frequencies just below and sometimes just above the 144 ham band.

I usually communicate using just 300mW when airborne.

I have made an adapter lead so I can use both 2m and airband through the same headset (plus mp3).

Cheers,

Alan