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[KG7HJG]

Not trying to start a war.     My primary reason for getting my license and having a mobile unit was for emergency comms while traveling.  I got the Kenwood TM-V71A close to 10 years ago and it's still chugging along.  I primarily got it because of the ability to cross-band-repeat.  Handheld -> Mobile -> Repeater when hiking.   

Cross-band repeat isn't a must-have anymore, and I've been looking at digital modes (DSTAR, Fusion, and DMR), and just "don't get it".   Is there something beyond "call Bob" and phonebook/talkgroup, APRS, etc. that I'm missing?  Are there digital-only repeaters?  Is it likely to only have access to a digital-only repeater in the middle of nowhere vs metro area?

For the use case of emergency comms, no-cell-coverage-when-traveling (and yes, maybe no repeater coverage, either), is there any benefit to digital?

Thanks,

[GRUMPY2021]

Nope.

[WA9AFM]

Although the various digital protocols have interesting aspects, when it comes to emergency communications, we will all fall back to analog.  That is the dominate protocol in the amateur radio community.

[K6SDW]

Emergency communications while traveling the back roads? I suggest OnStar or a Satellite phone

GL

[W1VT]

If you are fortunate enough to have half a dozen good sites and access to useful repeater pairs digital can be a convenient way of linking them all together into a network of repeaters.  This is useful in Connecticut, the land of rolling hills.  Not so useful if you can't get the repeater sites or the repeater pairs.

[KD4FUN]

I use VARA HF / WINLINK on my mobile Icom 7100 to facilitate Email or keyboard to keyboard chat. Just acquired an SCS Pactor 3 modem which I can also use for Emergency Communication events


73 De Brian kd4fun

[W9IQ]

Consider that OnStar is simply a cellular service wrapped with operator support. No cellular, no OnStar.

- Glenn W9IQ

[WA3SKN]

Not really.
And check the planned area for modes used before investing.

On the commercial side, the big reason is encryption.  But amateurs don't use that.  Plus it is not "weak signal".  You will want 10 dB plus signal-to-noise ratio for good comms.  Probably a better investment would be HF ability from the car.  Of course you want to upgrade to at least general class for that.

-Mike.

[KG7HJG]

Not really.
And check the planned area for modes used before investing.

On the commercial side, the big reason is encryption.  But amateurs don't use that.  Plus it is not "weak signal".  You will want 10 dB plus signal-to-noise ratio for good comms.  Probably a better investment would be HF ability from the car.  Of course you want to upgrade to at least general class for that.

-Mike.

I'm slicing the repeaterbook export for prevalent digital mode for where I'd generally be. Also considering testing for extra but MrsKG7 isn't going to be a fan of a physically larger antenna on the vehicle.

Also looking into SPOT and other personal locators.

Sounds like I don't need to worry about digital, though.

I'm also happy with current mobile reach. I was able to hit a repeater on the other side of a ridge about 30 miles away with 10W and also a solid simplex contact at 10W as well (opposite sides of Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA). The Kenwood can push 50W, so as long as I'm not in a total dead zone, I should have good reach.

Plus the normal plan and commicate route and check-ins, survival gear/food/water, etc.

Thanks!

[K3XR]

Not trying to start a war.     My primary reason for getting my license and having a mobile unit was for emergency comms while traveling. 

For the use case of emergency comms, no-cell-coverage-when-traveling (and yes, maybe no repeater coverage, either), is there any benefit to digital?

Thanks,

That's a great reason for obtaining your license, and there are others who have their interests.  Those may include different modes of communication, including digital communications.  Having been on the air for over 62 years there are a number of modes I enjoy using from CW to PSK-31, APRS, AM, SSTV, VarAC, the list goes on. 

Read over your post again, and it seems you are referring to digital voice modes.  Again, it's a personal choice.  I don't care for the audio quality of the digital voice modes and find them to be quite annoying. Others have a different take.

For me, having fun with the hobby takes precedent over all other aspects.

[K5LXP]

Digital mode de jour (DStar, Fusion, Nexedge etc) amount to proprietary networked protocols.  At least DMR is a standard, but it too without a network it doesn't do a lot.  Specific to the question, I can cite one example of a "useful" digital network and that's the Rocky Mountain Ham system in Colorado.  It has a network, but it's an autonomous one that doesn't rely on commercial internet.  They deployed their own microwave shots between nodes so it will operate when the net may not otherwise be available.  So as a mode alone I wouldn't consider any specific digital one particularly useful or advantageous but the RMH guys are utilizing it in a demonstrably effective way.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

[N8GNJ]

One Amateur Radio data activity is Winlink email via Amateur Radio. It used to be problematic and plodding to use a TNC and 1200 bps data rate. A new system called VARA FM has breathed new life into VHF / UHF Winlink by being able to reliable transfer data up to 25 kbps on standard VHF / UHF channels. Three things needed to go that fast - a radio with "flat audio" input / output (your TM-V71A has this on its "data" connector), a high quality audio adapter (see https://www.masterscommunications.com/products/radio-adapter/dra/dra50.html) and a Windows PC to run the VARA FM software and Winlink application. You can download the VARA FM software to experiment with for free, but to use the fastest modes of VARA FM requires a license key that costs $69.

Here's a typical YouTube presentation on VARA FM - https://youtu.be/FAn8eg3Lk3A.

Steve N8GNJ

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Cross-band repeat isn't a must-have anymore, and I've been looking at digital modes (DSTAR, Fusion, and DMR), and just "don't get it".   Is there something beyond "call Bob" and phonebook/talkgroup, APRS, etc. that I'm missing?  Are there digital-only repeaters?  Is it likely to only have access to a digital-only repeater in the middle of nowhere vs metro area?

For the use case of emergency comms, no-cell-coverage-when-traveling (and yes, maybe no repeater coverage, either), is there any benefit to digital?

Thanks,

[N6YWU]

Maybe not for VHF, but digital mode capability over HF might be useful in an emergency situation when on the road and outside of cellular and VHF repeater coverage.  The problem might be to find a digital mode where someone is listening for emergency messages using that same digital mode.  My guess is that either CW or a sat phone or satellite text message system would likely work better.

[AF5CC]

Maybe not for VHF, but digital mode capability over HF might be useful in an emergency situation when on the road and outside of cellular and VHF repeater coverage.  The problem might be to find a digital mode where someone is listening for emergency messages using that same digital mode.  My guess is that either CW or a sat phone or satellite text message system would likely work better.

Or SSB.

73 John AF5CC

[N6YWU]

Or SSB.

SSB requires either significantly more power or a much better antenna than do most newer digital modes or CW to get a message out.  Something that an emergency rig in the glove box or a coat pocket is unlikely to have.  Whereas I can usually get FT8 signals spotted non-locally with a 1 Watt pocket transmitter, 9V battery, and 20' of wire thrown over tree.