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Recommendations needed for 2 way radios

rascole

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,662
Location
Bellflower, CA
Looking to buy some 2 way radios for camping. FRS/GMRS looks to be the best combo for range and compatibility with other brands. Need something that will transmit/receive at least 2 miles. Lots of options out there so need some expert advice.
 

MilamJR

Well-Known Member
Messages
810
Location
Alabama
Check out Rugged Radios. Have a unit installed in my H2 and a handheld unit.


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svxr8dr

Well-Known Member
Messages
198
Location
SW WA ST
For handhelds with an actual 2 miles w/terrain, I think your going to have to get away from FRS/GMRS and go to something like a Yaesu FT-60R or go full Taliban with a BaoFeng BF-F8HP[h=1][/h]
 

JPaul

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,427
Location
Way up north, UT
I concur on the ham radio license. The rugged radios are borderline, if at all, legal. The tech license is easy to get, there are free apps and websites to help you "study" (aka memorize the questions). Some old timers get all bent out of shape over that, but it's hard these days to get anyone really interested what with smart phones and high speed internet most places.

GMRS in a dash mount unit with an external antenna can get some good distance and would serve your needs though, I think some of the more expensive ones can even act as repeaters for handheld units. Midland makes some nice ones that I've thought about adding to my arsenal. They do deals every now and then over on expeditionportal.com's forum since they are a supporting vendor on there.

But compared to a good dashmount 2 meter ham radio pushing 50+ watts out of a 5/8 or 1/4 wavelength antenna on your roof, GMRS looks like a toy. You can get new ones for a couple hundred, or for the same price a nicer used one. Even some of the old ones from the 80's are plenty. I have an old Icom IC-228H from the late 80's that has served me well. I bought it for $70 or so off Ebay about ten years ago and it puts out up to 45 watts.

My current rig that will be going into my Alpha (if I can ever find time to get the wiring to the rear done) is a Icom IC-706MKII. It is a multiband radio covering from 440mhz and 2 meter (146mhz) through the HF bands including 6 meters down to 160 meters with up to 100 watts. You'll want a General license though to take better advantage of the HF bands. I have my Extra so I have full access to all the ham radio bands and power levels.

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rascole

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,662
Location
Bellflower, CA
I am looking for handhelds for hiking, the car based units are nice but I need mobility. A lot of handhelds claim a 30 mile range but I'm sure 10% of that is more like it on a flat day.
 

JPaul

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,427
Location
Way up north, UT
Depending on where you are hiking, there might be a GMRS repeater close by to use, but they do need to be more or less line of sight. Higher frequencies like the ~460 MHz GMRS use don't get around obstacles very well.

Here's a repeater map: https://mygmrs.com/map/

Full blown repeaters can easily extend the range of a handheld unit.
 

MilamJR

Well-Known Member
Messages
810
Location
Alabama
I got the extended range antenna for my Rugged Radio handheld. It is supposed to extend the range.


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Woodtick

Well-Known Member
Messages
801
Location
Ilanoid, UP MI
I just picked up two of these. I’m impressed for the price. Used them all day at a event and still had plenty of battery left. We were in a heavily populated area and they may have had a two mile range. Lots of cell towers ect. A Ham guy in our group, programed weather alerts and other thing in them for me. For $50 delivered to my door, you can’t beat them. They also make a weather proof model. 9D9D2C4F-7F1D-418B-A9B1-A94B968A30CC.jpeg
 

Mb30sdl

Hamster that pokes Bears
Messages
1,587
Location
Raleigh area NC
FRS/GMRS is basically CB. ~2 mil range if u use #4,5 channel (boost) u do need $80 license.
Benefits are privacy settings. So u can use it as 2way.
HAM is best I usually hear basecamp in the mountains ~10/15 mil away.


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Woodtick

Well-Known Member
Messages
801
Location
Ilanoid, UP MI
That requires a license right?
I only use it as a two way radio. We had twelve of them programed with a private murs channel. Over 650 Jeeps at the event and we weren’t getting walked on with everybody else on CB’s, and other radios. You don’t need a license when you use it as a two way radio. I’m not getting a ham license to talk on a $26 radio. I’m not even sure who could write you a ticket or would really care? We were parking and coordinating a Toys for Tots parade. After the event, the 12 sheriffs and other police Departments want us to program one of their channels in next year, so they can hear us and we can hear them. There was no mention of a license. They were really happy we were using them.
 

Mb30sdl

Hamster that pokes Bears
Messages
1,587
Location
Raleigh area NC
Chinese radios are the best( it’s completely unlocked) u can get FAA, LE and almost any channel u want.

I have a friend with his, he can do CB, FRS/GMRS, HAM etc.


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LagunaH1

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,719
Location
Idaho
Chinese radios are junk. They are cheaply made and you get what you pay for.

Regardless of what you choose, keep this simple rule of thumb in mind: FRS / GMRS / HAM (2 meter and 440) are basically "line of sight" radios. In other words: If you can see it, then you can talk to it and vice versa. A good GMRS or HAM radio should easily be able to give you 30 miles of range if there are no obstructions / if it's line of sight.
 

MilamJR

Well-Known Member
Messages
810
Location
Alabama
Looking to buy some 2 way radios for camping. FRS/GMRS looks to be the best combo for range and compatibility with other brands. Need something that will transmit/receive at least 2 miles. Lots of options out there so need some expert advice.

Rugged Radio has a close out and demo sale going on so if someone is looking for coms this might be a good opportunity.


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