In the past, Solera residents who participated in the Emergency Prepared Program (EPP) drills or activities used walkie-talkie radios. Those radios were low-power consumer products from the Family Radio Service (FRS). Use of the radios required no FCC license since they had a limited range of about two blocks. The lack luster radios caused residents to be frustrated with the inability to hear or communicate with others in the gated community.
Clearly, residents needed a more capable radio for the size of the community. Radio Club members came to the conclusion that a commercial-grade radio system would meet the needs of the community.
To meet the community's needs, members of the Solera Radio Club built and licensed a business-band radio system for use by residents. The high-powered radio system was installed at the Oakmont Clubhouse. Members conducted an intense analysis and survey of the system performance. They discovered the system has a service area of about a two-mile radius of the clubhouse.
The Solera Emergency Communications Radio System covers the entire community (in contrast to the FRS radios used before). No FCC license is required by individual residents to use the radio system. The Radio Club purchased a business-band radio license that allows all residents, property staff members, and our private patrol personnel lawful use of the radio frequencies.
The Solera radio system is a high-end business-band system. Radios like the former FRS (Motorola brand) radios, GMRS radios, or CB radios will not work on the system. Software-driven UHF or business-band radios are the only type of radios that will access the system. The cost of the radio will vary on the transmit output power of the radio. More power may require more money. The minimum transmit output power is "2-Watts," which will cost a mere $20.00. The following is a list of recommended radios that can access the Solera Emergency Communications Radio System (SECRS).
The Baofeng BF-888S is a small, rugged, and capable UHF radio that operates in the 400-470 MHz range. It is programmable for 16 channels and comes with an antenna, wrist strap, 1.500 mAh Li-Ion battery, charger, belt clip, and an English manual. The BF-888S is waterproof and has a low price.
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The Retevis H-777 is a two-way radio with 16 channels and a frequency range of 400 to 470 MHz. It is a compact and lightweight radio that is easy to carry around. The H-777 has a long battery life of up to 12 hours and comes with a belt clip for hands-free use.
The Retevis RT22 is a two-way radio that is lightweight, compact, and has an excellent range. It is not waterproof, but it is dustproof and anti-fall. The RT22 has a 1000mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery that can be used for 8 to 12 hours at a time. It also has a hard-cased shell to protect it from drop impacts.
RR85 is a dual-band dual standby UHF and UHF ham radio. The RT85 heavy-duty 2-way radios are an affordable and reliable solution for professionals who require a rugged and reliable radio to stay in contact. It has a dual-band and high-power design. It performs great in steel or concrete structures.
