2021-09-14, 06:41 PM
Ham radio is great fun but also perfectly inappropriate as a survival tool - especially in DVNP. VHF and UHF require line of site which means in Basin and Range country you need repeaters on peaks you can see. There aren’t any in DVNP and even if there were a few the likelihood you would have line of site when in an emergency are low. HF while very entertaining is even less appropriate for emergency use. These days actually a cellphone would be more likely to connect you with help in DVNP than any form of ham radio.
What you should absolutely carry is a PLB which is no bigger than a cellphone and sends an emergency signal to satellites forwarded directly to the correct SAR agency. These cost a few hundred dollars and are free to use (you don’t pay any monthly fee or anything).
Alternatively if you also want to send non-emergency messages you can look at InReach which is just as reliable as a PLB in an emergency but does require a monthly or annual plan.
What you should absolutely carry is a PLB which is no bigger than a cellphone and sends an emergency signal to satellites forwarded directly to the correct SAR agency. These cost a few hundred dollars and are free to use (you don’t pay any monthly fee or anything).
Alternatively if you also want to send non-emergency messages you can look at InReach which is just as reliable as a PLB in an emergency but does require a monthly or annual plan.