Well first off I want to say that I'm not trying to offend anyone. With that out of the way I will state my professional opinion. I worked as a two-way radio technician for 4 years and have seen way to many RELM radios in for repair. And as far as being able to withstand riding on an ATV I would have to advise against it. They are made cheap, sold cheap, and will come nowhere near the specs of a Motoroloa radio. I have had to total to many RELMs because it was more cost effective to buy another one that still had a factory warranty than to fix it. I'm not saying that a Moto is indestructable. They do break, but they will take alot more abuse. I've seen them dropped in ponds (like mud riding), run over by bulldozers (falls off atv and is run over), and dropped by construction workers from heights that would make most people pass out (falls off atv in rocky area), and I was able to repair all of them without condeming them.

Okay enough about that.

As far as using the repeater and the phone patch: WHY? I don't want everyone with a HAM radio, or even for that matter anyone with a scanner, to hear my phone conversation! Also the conversation is simplex in the fact that you can't talk and listen at the same time. That is annoying. Why not take a cellular phone with you? They have service in the mountains. I know. I've built many cellular sites in the mountains in the last year. Also a cell phone will work if you decide to leave your repaeter coverage area. I also know many of the Hammers in my area from working in the radio shop and I wouldn't want to ride with them because it would turn into Hamfest and they would want to sit around and just try to talk to someone. I can see it now, if someone gets stuck they would try to radio someone from another state to try and come help them!

Well I guess the bottom line is that radios are a good thing to have when riding and the kind of setup is left to the individual rider.

"LOCK 'EM AND LEAVE 'EM !!!"
SwampMonster