How to Choose Backcountry Communication Devices for your Hiking Trip

Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kate I’m here with Zoar Outdoor on behalf of Expert Village and we’re going to talk about hiking today. We’re going to talk about back country communication. There are two types of communication, the communication between you and the other hikers you’re with or communication with the outside world that in case of an emergency. The most easily, the best communication device is a whistle between your groups. If you get lost and you don’t know where you are, you can have a whistle attached to your backpack, give a whistle and they’re going to immediately know you’re not with them. If you’re using a whistle the universal emergency is three blows on the whistle. If you just need to get attention, one blow would be sufficient. Three blows is an emergency, one blow is just to get everyone’s attention. There’s also 2 way radios, these only work as long as you’re close together within like half mile proximately possibly two miles. If they batteries are still working, if it’s not too cold, there are a lot of other circumstances, it might be working or not working, so you want to keep those in mind. If you have a two way radio, the other person’s capable of using it, this can also help you stay in contact with your group if you should get lost or disoriented in the woods. If you’re trying to communicate with the outside world, there are a few options, so there’s always a cell phone. Sometimes you get service sometimes you don’t, there are satellite phones and the same works for that, you get service it just takes a couple of minutes. There’s always a question of do you need to use it as an emergency. With a cell phone you’re pretty easily accessible to the outside community as long as there’s service. If you decided that it’s an emergency, you can use it. If it’s not an emergency or if you’re just calling your friends, people take it as an offensive matter. You don’t necessarily need to have your cell phone and be talking on it as your hiking, other people are trying to have a wilderness experience. But make sure that if it is an emergency you’re calling the appropriate people and you’re telling them where you are, what has happened and any other thing they’re asking you. Communication on the outside world with an emergency is a big deal, so before you do it make sure it’s an emergency and you know what you’re going to talk to them about.

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