Communication methods

[grasshopper]

I know this has been discussed elsewhere, but not here yet.

What does everyone use for communication between trucks? What are the costs/range/reliability of each.

We use Icom VHF radios. 55 watts, they have a range of about 50 kilometers. I have a base station in the office so during a storm we can be contacted immediately, and the nearest truck can be sent to look after the job. The radios were about $350 each plus the high gain antennas were about 50 each. I like this setup as it is low cost, once you have the radios initially purchased all there is is a yearly licence fee which gives you your own channel to use. They are reliable, and haven't let us down yet. Another benefit of them is having the local weather channels available at any time in the truck.

As backup we have cells, which also allow us to contact or be contacted by other plow contractors.

Lets here what everyone uses, and maybe see some pics of the setups.:drinkup

[Adams Plowing]

cb and cellphones although sometimes theres deadzones with the phones or theres just too much chatter or distnance inbetween the cb but usually between the two contact can be made. not only that the CB/Cell combo works better if your using subs because everyone can communicate with one another rather than some not being able to get on the private channel without buying extra equipment and vice versa.

[76chevyman]

I use nextel and the range is coast to coast :D

[76chevyman]

and there gps enabled so u can track it too for the drivers u dont trust to much

[NNJSnow]

just cell phones,

[cat320]

Nextell is good if you can get out lol A friend of mine has one has to go outside to use his whiel I just dial out lol

[kawdude]

I'm a one guy one truck deal, I just talk to myself.:argue

[phillyplowking1]

I use nextels ,I couldnt run my buisness without them.

[Jay ALC]

I use Kenwood VHF radios in the trucks and a few Kenwood handhelds for the skidloader or a person needing to get outta the truck. I also have a cell phone, as do my usual workers.

I too love the weather channels being programmed into our radios! Very convenient benefit.

[snowjoker]

CB and cell here too. Have an old 23 channel base at the house .

[JohnnyU]

40Ch CB and Cell. If nothing else, I'll turn on ch 19, there's always someone jabbering on there, even at 4am :haha

[Roger Dodger]

I have heard a tremendous amount of chatter on CB for some plow businesses. First of all it's the wrong use of that band when a business is using it for such activity. The plowers and the dispatcher take over 1-2 channels staking them as their claim, turn up their squelches to eliminate background noise/signals, and just chat away. It's not uncommon for the dispatch base to be running some high power as well. I take a dim view of this type of activity, unfortunately it's far too much effort for the FCC to crack down on these "temporary" infractions, much the same for the occasional hi-wattage CB transmitter. Plow businesses should realize that if they choose to use CB rather than their own dedicated FCC given freq. they open themselves to monitoring by other plowers with CB radios as well as other CB'ers that will intentionally interfere with communications.

[GLS]

We use nextel two-ways. They work great.

[nben]

VHF radios and cell phones. 40 and 45 watt Motorolas in the trucks, and 5 watt portables when we get out to shovel or recaffeinate. We tried NEXTEL a few years ago, but the service isn't that great around here yet.

[Plow Babe]

Nextel all the way.

[sno-mover]

I love my nextel.

[Pelican]

Nextel here. I agree the service can be spotty, but fortunately we have strong signals where I need them.

[W-n-K Landscaping]

Cell phone here- I have better coverage than most with my carrier. I have upset many a person by making a call when they had no signal!! I also use it to connect to the internet to track the snow squalls that we get regularly here- I have to keep up on the radar since we get localized lake effect regulalry. I usually end up with at least twice the amount they call for in Syracuse on a regular basis!

Bill

[BKrois]

Nextel. Done.

[CNY Joe]

We use Verizon cell phones never had a problem

[D&T Repair]

Nextel here also ~

[YAKO]

verizon and thinking of short wave radios

[jbutch83]

Nextel for me, and most of the other companies in town have them, so we can all talk when we need to.

John

[EIB]

Verizon cell phones. Verizon now has two way like Nextel.

[76chevyman]

yeah but verizons two way fails in comparisons to nextel.

[gordyo]

Two way Motorola portables carried by all the guys. The loader has a mobil unit, the Director of Physcal Plants pickup also has a mobil two way and most of the staff have nextels.

[WoofsPlow]

I use cell phone exclusively. Does anybody know what what the range would be for a standard cb setup would be, using standard antenna? :confused:

[EIB]

76chevyman,

Give Verizon some time, they will be better than Nextel.

[Pelican]

Woofsplow, that will depend on atmospheric conditions at any given time.

I've talked up to 50 miles direct on an extremely quiet night, but there are times where you won't reach another mobile on the other side of the parking lot. Sunspots and solar flares cause hash on the CB band, and if they are active you won't hear much else.

[nsmilligan]

Just went to Midland VHF this year, the licensing process for land mobile was a bit frightening at first, but did every thing on the net, quite painless. Cell phones are just too expensive, plus we have a lot of dead spots here locally. I carry a cell of course for customer contact.

Bill

[RPM]

Nextel all the way, by the time your sub answers his cell phone, you could be done talking on the two-way. I have to put this on it's like watching an old Ninja movie with sub-titles.:argue . Want to fight......FIGHT ME!!!!

[micah79]

Verizon. They have the best service around here. Nextel is shakey at best.

[KenP]

Nextel, when it's working:fuming

[turfguy]

I use nextel and love it ...all the subs have it an it works well here...

[WoofsPlow]

Pelican - I guess I will stick with the cell, probably not worth the time or money for the cb's. Thanks

[WoofsPlow]

Pelican - I guess I will stick with the cell, probably not worth the time or money for the cb's. Thanks

[D&T Repair]

Although I use Nextel as my main communication device, I will also install a CB with an amplifier, for when I have no service on the NExtel (more often than I'd like).

[castle]

We only use cellphones. I checked into radios, but seemed way too complicated for me. Right now we have about 15 cellphones and the bills normally run around 350 a month. Other than the costs we never have any trouble getting in touch with eachother. You do have watch those chatty employees that like to talk about almost anything to almost anyone usig up all your group minutes in the process.:argue

[szorno]

In rural Colorado Nextel coverage is marginal yet. Verizon is Ok to good with some holes. Several holes right where we need to be. We use a comobo of FRS radios and Verizon cell phones. Someday we want the walkie-talkie feature enabled, but like I said, coverage is holey. :mad:

[JustUsDe]

I use Verizon cell phones. I haven't switched to their radio ones yet.. I think I will wait a little while on them. I also have a couple of portable 800 meghtz radios. I can monitor the state plow trucks plus have a private talk channel that the trucks can talk to each other up to 5 miles.


Ray

[Dan725]

I use my cell phone for customers and the wife I'm a one man show so not really anyone to talk to .

[Tileman]

I use verizon cell phone, the guys I sub for have nextel..

Tileman

[SLC1]

Every truck and machine has a two way radio in them and also most of the employees have Nextels, they are great for the areas that the two ways dont work. Just my two cents.

www.schmidtlawncare.com

[Waterchikn]

Another Nextel vote here. At first, the coverage was kinda shakey here and there, but it gets better everyday. I had Verizon and their customer service was just as bad as the cell service. Oh well. Someone will come up with something better sooner or later. Plus, everyone and their dog has the 2 way radio now, I hardly use the cell minutes at all.

Now SNOW dangin.