I advise those interested in radio gear to buy cheap, easily replaced off-the-shelf gear. After spending time in the bush with your gear, you quickly realize that things break, and you don't want to be stuck paying hundreds of dollars to replace a tool.
Handheld Radios
Students in the RTO and SIGINT courses used Baofeng radios for most course exercises. However, some students could not connect to the coaxial cables because their radios did not have the SMA Female to BNC Female Adapters. This happened several times, and people quickly realized that all their radios required these adapters.
Another trend I observed was that many students came in with their original antennas attached. Still, they switched to either a BNC Gooseneck Antenna or a Stubby Silicone Antenna during the course. Large antennas will get you the Nazgul on your ass, and this time Arwen (Liv Tyler) will not save you.
Baofeng BF-F8HP
Smaller and more compact than its big brother (AR-152). If you attach a Stubby Silicone Antenna to this radio, it's easy to hide and conceal. My recommendation is to pick up at least two of these radios.
- Baofeng BF-F8HP ($59.99)
Baofeng AR-152
This is a great radio that will serve you well in the field. It can handle rain and snow without a problem. You will want to pick up several of these. I would buy a radio for audio and data communications.
- AR-152 VHF/UHF Radio ($69.99)
QYT CB-58
For the Citizens Band (CB) part of the course, students used this type of CB radio. This powerful radio gives you access to 40 channels in the VHF 26-27MHz range.
- QYT 27MHz CB-58 Radio ($149.99)
DM-F8 Digital Radio
A simple DMR radio that is budget-friendly.
- Abbree DM-F8 Digital Mobile Radio ($99.99)
Handheld Radio Accessories
- BNC Gooseneck Antenna ($14.99)
- BNC VHF/UHF Stubby Silicone Antenna ($9.99)
- SMA Female to BNC Female Adapter 2 Pack ($5)
Tablets
You can only use Android tablets that have WiFi-only capabilities. For obvious reasons, you can never connect this tablet to the internet. You will load your apps via a Micro SD card.
Then, at either course, you will connect your tablet to your radio with a K1 Data Cable, and voila, you can now send data via andFLmessage to other people out in the bush.
ONN 7" Tablet
Many students used these tablets to send digital data bursts throughout exercises. It's cheap and can be tucked away in a pouch with no problem. I would pick up two if you can—one to take to class and one as a backup.
If you look for them at Walmart.com, it will likely say out of stock. I would run to your local Walmart store and buy them there.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite 8.7" WiFi Only
If you can find any of these tablets, they worked great for me. But they've discontinued them, and the A8 price has been jacked up to $249. I would never pay more than $100 for a tablet you take into the field. They will break or fall apart at some point. (Never buy a refurbished tablet; you have no idea what the seller has done to it)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 ($99)
Accessories
- K1 Data Interface Cable ($18.99)
- Supershieldz (3 Pack) for ONN tablet ($7.99)
SIGINT Gear
TinySA Ultra Spectrum Analyzer
The majority of the class bought this tool. Easy to use, you quickly utilize the spectrum analyzer's capabilities.
If you live in a rainy/wet climate, you must pick up the protective case for this tool. During the course, the touch screens glitched because of the rain/snow that got on them.
Also, to attach an antenna or coaxial cable (other than the one provided), you will need to screw on the SMA Male to BNC Female adapter.
The spectrum analyzer has identified a spike. You can see the wave recording underneath. It displays what its radio signature looks like.
Malihit Receiver
Several students, including myself, tested this beast of a SIGINT tool. It finds the frequency, and you can listen to it in real-time. It's beefy and very well made. But this tool is the next step after you've conquered the TinySA tool first.
- Malahit DSP2 SDR Radio ($329.99)
Accessories
- SMA Male to BNC Female 2-Pack ($5)
- Vigilante Engeering TinySA Ultra Advanced Protective Case ($54.99)
Jungle Antennas
You know what's cool? Building your antenna costs less than a cup of coffee. In the class, NC Scout (the instructor) provides all the material to build jungle antennas, so you don't necessarily have to bring your stuff.
However, after class, you will want to build your own, and here are some of the materials you need to give you a headstart when you complete the course and are building jungle antennas at home.
Accessories
Conclusion
All this stuff is just tools. But as you well know by now, to become proficient in tools, you need to use them. Yes, I recommend you buy some of these radio tools if they are within your budget.
But you don't need these tools to attend a Brushbeater training course. Through this post, I hope to encourage you to take the first step and learn about radio/comms and why they are important.
I hope to inspire you to attend Brushbeater training and become dangerous. The training with these tools and the group of people you meet at the courses will make you a more lethal man. That is something we should all aspire for in these calamitous times.
Stay well brothers.
~ FA
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