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[9W2VAT]

Hi all, I'm new to Ham radio. I really hope that someone can help me here.

I would like to be able to make radio communication while I'm in the jungle. For your information, I live in Malaysia and the jungle (rainforest) is very dense with trees rising to 20 meters high. The nearest repeater would be around 50 kilometers away.

My question is:
1) Should I use VHF or HF. Please recommend the exact model if possible
2) What type of antenna should I use. Please recommend the exact model if possible.
3) Should I use a telescopic pole to mount the antenna? Please recommend the exact product if possible

Thank you in advance for your help!

[K1KIM]

A few questions.....

Are you a General Class ticket or above? Ie: what bands are you legal on?
Are you looking for only local suppliers or worldwide?
QRP or 100W?

You need to tell us more of your specifics.

[9W2VAT]

Hi K1KIM

I'm in general class (known as class B in my country). It's the entry level for ham radio operator.

I'm allowed to transmit in 40m HF (max 50 watt), VHF (max 50 watt) and UHF (max 50 watt)

I'm able to make the purchase online from any supplier worldwide. Supply is very limited in my country anyway.

Thanks for your reply

[KB4U]

Hasnuddin, Apa kabar?

For what purpose {for example, emergency, routine health and welfare communication, hobby and leisure, etc.) will you want to have a radio in the jungle?

With what station do you want to make contact (and how far away is that station)?

With what modes of communication (for example, Morse Code, PSK31, SSB Voice, etc) are you proficient?

What power sources {battery, generator-set, solar) will you have?

How many persons will be with you to assist with antenna placement and with transporting necessary equipment?

How often will the antenna and equipment be moved/transported between places?

I have more questions to ask after I see your responses.  Terimakasih / 73, Jim KB4U

[WA3SKN]

I did a quick scan of Malaysia Class B privledges... not sure if they were current though.
You will have to limit power to 50 watts.
I would set up for 40m SSB if available. Maybe 10m SSB and 6m SSB. Are there any 6m repeaters in your area?
What times of day do you plan to operate?

-Mike.

[AC2EU]

UHF and VHF might be difficult with thick jungle vegetation and 20 meter trees! Great to hang a 40 meter antenna , though, which will probably work OK.

[K1FBI]

I did a quick scan of Malaysia Class B privledges... not sure if they were current though.
You will have to limit power to 50 watts.
I would set up for 40m SSB if available. Maybe 10m SSB and 6m SSB. Are there any 6m repeaters in your area?
What times of day do you plan to operate?

-Mike.

Wow, thanks for letting him know he is limited to 50 watts. I would imagine that’s the same 50 watts he posted previously in his second post.
That’s why it’s good to read previous posts so you don’t end up telling someone what they previously told us.

[9W2VAT]

Hasnuddin, Apa kabar?

For what purpose {for example, emergency, routine health and welfare communication, hobby and leisure, etc.) will you want to have a radio in the jungle?

With what station do you want to make contact (and how far away is that station)?

With what modes of communication (for example, Morse Code, PSK31, SSB Voice, etc) are you proficient?

What power sources {battery, generator-set, solar) will you have?

How many persons will be with you to assist with antenna placement and with transporting necessary equipment?

How often will the antenna and equipment be moved/transported between places?

I have more questions to ask after I see your responses.  Terimakasih / 73, Jim KB4U

Hi KB4U! Saya khabar baik!

Thank you for your reply. I will give more details soon...

[9W2VAT]

UHF and VHF might be difficult with thick jungle vegetation and 20 meter trees! Great to hang a 40 meter antenna , though, which will probably work OK.

Thanks for your suggestion. I will look more into HF.

[9W2VAT]

I did a quick scan of Malaysia Class B privledges... not sure if they were current though.
You will have to limit power to 50 watts.
I would set up for 40m SSB if available. Maybe 10m SSB and 6m SSB. Are there any 6m repeaters in your area?
What times of day do you plan to operate?

-Mike.

As far as I know, there is no 6m repeaters in my country. I will use this radio for emergency and should be able to operate day and night. Thanks for your comment

[9W2VAT]

Hasnuddin, Apa kabar?

For what purpose {for example, emergency, routine health and welfare communication, hobby and leisure, etc.) will you want to have a radio in the jungle?

With what station do you want to make contact (and how far away is that station)?

With what modes of communication (for example, Morse Code, PSK31, SSB Voice, etc) are you proficient?

What power sources {battery, generator-set, solar) will you have?

How many persons will be with you to assist with antenna placement and with transporting necessary equipment?

How often will the antenna and equipment be moved/transported between places?

I have more questions to ask after I see your responses.  Terimakasih / 73, Jim KB4U

Hi KB4U! Thanks for the reply.

Here is more details to help you answer my question.

1) The radio will be a mobile unit carried in my Land Rover Defender 110. Usually I will drive around 10-30 kilometers into the jungle via offroad track for camping activities. Usually I will be in the jungle for 3-5 days.

2) I need the radio mainly for emergency contact while in the jungle. Type of emergency such as - vehicle broke down, sickness or accident. I also like to use the radio for leisure in the jungle.

3) In emergency, I plan to make a contact to any ham radio listener via repeaters in VHF band. I also can contact somebody at my house using VHF radio via repeaters. Usually, the closest repeater is around 50 km from my location in the jungle

4) Mode of communication is voice only. I do not know Morse code

5) For power source, I will be carrying a power station with 600 Watt hour with solar panel to recharge the power station. Generator set is not acceptable.

6) When going into the jungle, there will be at least 1 vehicle and at least 4 person with me. So, I think, I can have enough help to carry and setup the radio and antenna. I can carry a lot of equipment too. Maybe, for radio equipment only, my allocation is around 15 kg and a medium sized carry case. For long and thin item such antenna, I can carry up to 1 meter long.

7) For budget, I have around USD1,500 for this purpose

For equipment purchase, I can buy from any online shop around the world

Please let me know if you need more info. Thank you for your help

[KB4U]

Class B privilege
Hasnuddin,

For all of us to clearly understand how to best provide help, I understand from referencing GUIDELINE FOR AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES IN MALAYSIA SECOND EDITION Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 (https://www.skmm.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Guideline-for-Amateur-Radio-Service-in-Malaysia-2nd-Edition_1.pdf) that your Class B privileges are:

Maximum Power Level: 50 Watts PEP
Class of Emission: A3E (AM), F1A (FM digital telegraphy without subcarrier), F2A (FM digital telegraphy with subcarrier), F3E (FM analog telephony), J3E (Suppressed-Carrier SSB telephony) and R3E (Reduced-Carrier SSB telephony)

Band Frequency Band (MHz):
HF 28.000 – 29.700

VHF 50.000 – 54.000
144.000 – 148.000
UHF 430.000 – 440.000

This will possibly reduce confusion from suggestions that you use HF bands other than the 10-meter band 28-29.7 mHz that is the ONLY HF band authorized by SURUHANJAYA KOMUNIKASI DAN MULTIMEDIA MALAYSIA (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) in the document referenced (Guideline-for-Amateur-Radio-Service-in-Malaysia-2nd-Edition_1.pdf).

73, Jumpa Lagi

Jim KB4U

[AC2EU]

He said he was allowed to transmit on 40 meters!

[9W2VAT]

Class B privilege
Hasnuddin,

For all of us to clearly understand how to best provide help, I understand from referencing GUIDELINE FOR AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES IN MALAYSIA SECOND EDITION Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 (https://www.skmm.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Guideline-for-Amateur-Radio-Service-in-Malaysia-2nd-Edition_1.pdf) that your Class B privileges are:

Maximum Power Level: 50 Watts PEP
Class of Emission: A3E (AM), F1A (FM digital telegraphy without subcarrier), F2A (FM digital telegraphy with subcarrier), F3E (FM analog telephony), J3E (Suppressed-Carrier SSB telephony) and R3E (Reduced-Carrier SSB telephony)

Band Frequency Band (MHz):
HF 28.000 – 29.700

VHF 50.000 – 54.000
144.000 – 148.000
UHF 430.000 – 440.000

This will possibly reduce confusion from suggestions that you use HF bands other than the 10-meter band 28-29.7 mHz that is the ONLY HF band authorized by SURUHANJAYA KOMUNIKASI DAN MULTIMEDIA MALAYSIA (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) in the document referenced (Guideline-for-Amateur-Radio-Service-in-Malaysia-2nd-Edition_1.pdf).

73, Jumpa Lagi

Jim KB4U

Hi... the document you referred dated 10 years ago. I have in front of me now the apparatus assignment, just issued to me by MCMC that class B can use 7.000 - 7.2000 MHz.

[K1FBI]

Class B privilege
Hasnuddin,

For all of us to clearly understand how to best provide help, I understand from referencing GUIDELINE FOR AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES IN MALAYSIA SECOND EDITION Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 (https://www.skmm.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Guideline-for-Amateur-Radio-Service-in-Malaysia-2nd-Edition_1.pdf) that your Class B privileges are:

Maximum Power Level: 50 Watts PEP
Class of Emission: A3E (AM), F1A (FM digital telegraphy without subcarrier), F2A (FM digital telegraphy with subcarrier), F3E (FM analog telephony), J3E (Suppressed-Carrier SSB telephony) and R3E (Reduced-Carrier SSB telephony)

Band Frequency Band (MHz):
HF 28.000 – 29.700

VHF 50.000 – 54.000
144.000 – 148.000
UHF 430.000 – 440.000

This will possibly reduce confusion from suggestions that you use HF bands other than the 10-meter band 28-29.7 mHz that is the ONLY HF band authorized by SURUHANJAYA KOMUNIKASI DAN MULTIMEDIA MALAYSIA (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) in the document referenced (Guideline-for-Amateur-Radio-Service-in-Malaysia-2nd-Edition_1.pdf).

73, Jumpa Lagi

Jim KB4U

Hi... the document you referred dated 10 years ago. I have in front of me now the apparatus assignment, just issued to me by MCMC that class B can use 7.000 - 7.2000 MHz.

Sometimes Google is your friend and sometimes it makes you look foolish. I was confident you knew what your band privileges were. It is a shame you have to justify yourself instead of just receiving the answer to your questions.