Communications

[nepawolf]

The easiest way (short of using a handheld) is to use a remote mount CB. All of the controls are in the handmike. If you mount the main box (which tends to be rather small) in your backpack, you can power it off of a whole bunch of different kinds of batteries. Two 6 volt lantern batteries hooked up in series will give you the necessary 12 volts for a vehicle CB. This will give you all kinds of options for antennas. They're available as small as cell-phone passive repeater antennas (usually 1 foot or less long) or you could go all out and put a 102" whip on there. A three foot whip mounted lower on an external frame pack won't stick up past the top of the pack. If it's mounted on the frame rail with an antenna mount for a mirror, the nuts could be replace with wing nuts and the antenna could be moved higher for better reception easily. Most of the CB antennas with different shapes or diminutive in size tend to not be very good.

As far as the FRS/GMRS, put it in a pocket in the backpack and get a hands-free mic/headphone of some type with an external PTT button or voice activation.

ETA: For CB info, the CB Radio Talk Forum is a good place to look around. For those looking for highly amped setup help, go to competition section.