Mounted search and rescue

["Joseph Huston" <jchuston@earthlink.net>]

I have been involved with SAR for about 8 years (foot, mounted, ATV, boat
and scuba) and regarding having/using communications equipment, I went with
a orange vest with a high breast pocket on both sides: one for my cell
phone and one for my radio/GPS. In addition, it has a camel back
(additional storage on the back in the same pouch) and 4 additional small.
This allows me to have the "necessities" when I dismount. As for belt
clips, I have lost/found 2 radios other team members were using.
Fortunately, they still had power and both were retrieved.

In addition, for securing the radio/GPS, I utilize a coiled line with a
clip (to the vest) that I can attach to the lanyard on the phone, GPS or
radio. These are the same coiled lines that I utilize when securing
equipment to my BC for diving. That way, when the phone/radio becomes
"dismounted" from my hand or vest, it is not going too far and easy to find.

Joe Huston
Trinity SAR Team (new in SE Texas)


> [Original Message]
> From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
> To: <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: 7/28/2006 1:53:49 PM
> Subject: [MSAR] Communications Harness
>
> [Deleted HTML duplicate.  -Una]
>
>
> Radios and cellphones can  be a real headache on horseback.
>    
>   As volunteers and through the years we have used various communications
equipment.... For our personal radios  we have had to fabricate a cloth
type carrier.  It has a strap that goes much  like a safety belt does in a
car and has a sack to hold 
>   the radio and it can be slung so the radio can be carried near the hip
or more towards your rearend when sitting on the horse.   It also allows us
to carry the radio either on our person or on the horn of the saddle. 
Since we are on older equipment, the snub antenna is still a problem,
however not like it used to be many years back when we used to carry
portable CB's however, those are no longer practical due to their size etc
and were a real headache taking up much room in the saddle bag and a real
pain with the larger whiptype antennas.  Nothing like mounting up and
having to kick over a three foot antenna sticking out of your saddlebag! 
Thank goodness for modern technology!
>    
>   I have had problems with belt clip type radios and also carrying a cell
phone on the belt  as they have a tendency to work themselves out of the
belt and will fall to the ground riding.  You can easily loose a radio that
way without your knowing it.  Getting a cell out of your pocket while
mounted can be a problem too.
>    
>   Cell phones are great..plastic zipper bags will easily protect
them....although the biggest issue there is holding the little phones while
on a horse and talking as they are so easily dropped if you need to control
your horse.  I would love to see some cell phone company come out with a
phone that actually has a wrist strap attatched to the hard case or a make
a cover that has a wrist strap  as dismounting and making a call is not
always practical.  The new flip phones are flimsy to me in that they have
too many "moving parts"!
>    
>   Waterproofing the radios are an even bigger problem.
>    
>   What the ride organizers provide us  to communicate back to them is
what we are stuck with and have to deal with.
>    
>   Hands fre head gear would be great but then we have the the helmet and
the bare head or cowboy hat!
>    
>   K. Nesbitt
>   Illinois - Unaffiliated
>   Iroquois County
>    
>    
>    
>      
>
>
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