In Field Communication Gear

You might be hunting in a group and need to keep in touch with your comrades or hunting in the remote northern wilderness where outside contact can be a matter of survival, but modern advances in communications technology provides us with the means to communicate with one another in the field more effectively than ever before. 

Whether you’re calling home to say you’ll be late for dinner, or calling your hunting companion to let him know you are heading toward his tree stand…or even better, that you need his help to haul your deer out of the bush…we are certainly less alone than in the past.  Accidents can happen and knowing that you are able to communicate with others while in the field will really increase your comfort level.

In more populated areas taking your cell phone with you, particularly if you hunt alone, can be a life saver.  And for those remote hunts, if your budget allows, a satellite phone like the one our Canada in the Rough™ team uses when we are in remote locations will keep you in contact with civilization from just about anywhere on the planet.  This type of phone removes the line of sight barriers presented by land based systems by allowing the user to directly utilize communication satellites orbiting the earth.
Another more affordable option is to buy one of the two basic types of portable radios available to the general consumer; GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) or FRS (Family Radio Service), are the two-way radios that are readily available at your favorite hunting store like Bass Pro Shops.  They offer a wide range of both features and prices with many makes and models being readily available.

Two-way radios operate at ultrahigh frequency (UHF) between the ranges of 462.5625 and 467.7125 MHz.  There is no license required for GMRS units up to 2 watts in Canada, but be careful if you intend to use them in the States, because an FCC license may be required.  Many GMRS units have a range of nearly 12 km making them ideal for a variety of outdoor activities.

FRS units are less expensive and do not require a license in Canada or the US, but have a shorter range, often less than five kilometers and a fewer number of useable channels.  Both types have a typical talk time of 8-10 hours without recharging, or replacing batteries.

The ability to keep in touch is not only convenient it can potentially be a lifesaver.  But remember that your GMRS or FRS unit operates on the line of sight principle and the effective range is greatly reduced in hilly terrain or dense cover.  The same thing applies to cell phones plus it is necessary to be within range of a transmission tower.  Always…always know your device and its limitations.

Modern communication devices are just one more tool to add to the hunters backpack and used responsibly they will add a whole new level of safety and security to your outdoor pursuits.