Europe Survivalist Channels

This is the primary PMR channel set worldwide. It is for NFM (Narrowband FM) simplex, similar to FRS. Coincidentally, the channels are within part of the UHF ham band in USA/Canada. Coincidentally, the PMR3 channel (446.03125 MHz PMR Survivalist Channel) is equivalent, within about 1 kHz, to the USA/Canada Ham UHF survivalist channel 446.030 MHz FM Simplex.

Digital DMR Tier I is 4FSK digital TDMA voice. Users of FM (NFM) also may freeband on these same channels.

Digital dPMR446 is 4FSK digital FDMA voice. Users of FM (NFM) also may freeband on these same channels.

REENET is a set of European license-free VHF radio channels. It is popular with preppers. Freenet started in Germany and has recently spread to other European countries. It is like VHF CB. The potential distance range is generally more than PMR 446 or UHF CB.

In some areas, users have built cross-band repeaters between FreeNet and 11 metre FM CB channels or PMR446 channels. Also, some internet-VOIP networks provide remote links similar to repeaters.

Alps Channel-E is an Emergency Search and Rescue (SAR) radio channel only used in the Alps mountain border region around Switzerland and France, where Mountain SAR and ski patrols monitor this emergency VHF channel.

The emergency radio channel (161.300 MHz) can be used by anyone throughout Switzerland in the event of an emergency, and emergency assistance can be directly requested on this frequency.

“If you wish to use your emergency radio in the Haute-Savoie region or in the Aosta Valley, it must emit a 123.0 Hz tone squelch (PL tone or CTCSS). You will not be able to contact the local rescue services in these areas without tone squelch.” Rega and KWRO/OCVS, are some of the organisations partly responsible for monitoring emergency radio coverage on Channel E (Canal E).

KDR 444 is a license-free set of UHF radio channels mainly active in Sweden and Norway. KDR is similar to FRS, PMR 446, or UHF CB and the potential distance range is about the same. KDR 444 also known as SRBR 444.

Jaktradio (Hunting Radio) is a popular license-free group of VHF high-band radio channels very active in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. It is similar to Freenet. The potential distance range with about 4 or 5 Watts FM simplex is about the same as Freenet, Marine VHF, or MURS. Inexpensive HTs (similar in form to PMR) are widely available. Some HTs are configurable for Norway, Sweden, and Denmark channels; other HTs may have only a one- or 2-country channel set. When all the jakt channels listed below are programmed into a conventional dual-band VHF HT or mobile radio, it enables communication with any VHF high-band jaktradio.

Sweden 69 MHz is a license-free set of mid-band VHF radio channels, mainly active in Sweden for base, mobile, or handheld units. With 25 Watts of FM simplex available, there is potential for greater groundwave distance range than a 5Watt 27 MHz AM-FM CB. This is a very attractive new radio service, with the added convenience of better antenna efficiency for a small antenna, combined with good local propagation over water, hills, and mountains.

Note: The normal standard is for users to always transmit PL Tone = 88.5 Hz, but other PL Tones may be used for other purposes, or by sub-groups. The use of this 4 metre band by Public Safety radios in Sweden has been common for many years, and this new 69 Mhz license-free service is in the middle of many other channels in the 68-69 MHz range, providing interoperability with first responders in case of emergency. It is anticipated that most early adopters of 69 MHz will utilize existing public service radio models, but there is potential for future CB-like radios to appear on the market. More info: see Svenka privatradioklubben Tellus (Swedish Private Radio Club).

The original source of this article is the RadioMaster Reports blog.

Many small inexpensive HTs, such as Baofeng, are sold without suitable default programming. To use these radios, as well as similar Ham radios, it is necessary to either program them manually using the keypad, or to use software to load the desired channel frequencies into the radios.