(Part 3) Best cb & two-way radios according to redditors
We found 1,472 Reddit comments discussing the best cb & two-way radios. We ranked the 494 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 41-60. You can also go back to the previous section.
Which Baofung radio should I buy?
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-1800mAh-Battery-TIDRADIO-Antenna/dp/B0772FYKK8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1536765489&sr=8-5&keywords=boefang%2Bradio&th=1
Radio range is dependent on several factors. In no particular order:
Transmit power
Antenna Height, position and orientation
Atmospheric conditions
Surrounding terrain / environment
Overall quality of equipment
Frequency/band
RF gain/loss
Type of antenna
Operator experience
That being the case I would recommend you read up on repeater operation, and look into getting a technician class ham license if you're in the US.(or your local equivalent) Using an HT, and knowing how to get the most out of them isn't as simple as turning on the power and clicking the transmit button, and a local ham radio club can really help with this. It's also a great way to network with other preppers because hams have been in the prepping world since before prepping was ever a "thing".
For a point of reference, this is the radio kit I put together for my own bag:
Yaesu VX-6R with 19.5 inch counterpoise , Signal Stick , roll up J - pole, speaker mic, USB charging cable, & spare battery.
Picture of the J-pole kit with a 10 foot RG-58 extension and weighted cord for getting it up in trees or whatever.
Honestly a baofeng is a great starter radio. Mine works awesome in my area for hitting those 2m and 70cm repeaters. I have a few repeaters close by that I can hit and talk to my dad 50 miles away with no problems. If you do go the baefeng route, make sure you get a Nagoya whip antenna, you will get way better tx/rx out of it. I used the stock rubber duck for a while before I got my whip and was very surprised at how much it improved.
Some of the older guys despise the Chinese radios. My dad who鈥檚 been a ham most of his life makes fun of my baofeng, but it works and it鈥檚 cheap.
Edit: Amazon has a deal for a uv-5r with whip antenna, programming cable, and a few other extras for $37.99. You seriously can鈥檛 beet that for a starter radio.
Edit2: BaoFeng UV-5R VHF/UHF Dual Band Radio 136-174 400-480Mhz Transceiver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007UYKG4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BXfWAbPN95MYH
Here's what I use:
Baofeng UV-5R
Retevis PTT
Howard Leight Impact Sports
This is just a private label rebrand of the Baofeng UV5R which is available on Amazon for $37.99.
BaoFeng Walkie Talkie UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio with one more 1800mAh UV5R Battery one Hand Mic and one TIDRADIO NA-771 Antenna Baofeng Radio Ham radio https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0772FYKK8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_G9XWDbKJR0NQ8
So no that is not a good deal.
> Motorola MS350R'S, they come in a 2 pack with a base station charger for about $100 U.S.
Amazon has them for $67 and change... OP you need to be buying these, they are only a couple bucks more and way way easier to use. We do NOT!!! recommend you buy the BF-888s unless you plan to study for and earn your amateur radio license. Which admittedly does open up a lot of other cool things to do besides talking to your buddy on road trips, but I'm sticking to basics for now in this reply.
According the the same question on amazon, no from the factory these are on licensed frequencies and you should NOT use them. You can reprogram them to be on FRS (they will be too high power) or GMRS (but you need the GMRS license and they are not certified) but you're less likely to bother anyone there.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/BAOFENG-BF-888S-Transceiver-Illumination-Flashlight/dp/B007F7MZ04
For that price I'd spend the extra $30 - $40 and get a VX-6R
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/0666.html
http://www.amazon.com/Tri-Band-Yaesu-VX-6R-Submersible-Transceiver/dp/B004ESEW6C
Yes, that's the one. I came to this thread with the intent of recommending any UV-5R variant and someone beat me to it. I have 8 of them and use them on a weekly basis. I prefer these myself https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Transceiver-400-520MHz-65-108MHz-Upgraded/dp/B00YMN0SCG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=uv-5r5&qid=1569739224&sr=8-3 because of the choice in color but they all do the same thing.
So far my personal record for clear communication is 11.68 miles with the "stock" antenna and 14.74 miles with a longer whip antenna. People love to bash these things but for the money they simply cannot be beat. Myself and my friends use them kayaking, backpacking, rockclimbing etc and you can purchase AA battery packs, 12v 40w amplifiers for your vehicle, etc, all kinds of accessories and modifications are possible.
Edit for spelling
Molded Earpeice for Walkie Talkie Headsets like this
So after about a year into this great hobby I've accumulated pieces of gear into what it is today. Not exactly everything I want yet, and for sure I'm going to be replacing around 30% of things in a few months (hopefully!). Still pretty noobish in terms of skill but I'm working on it! Onto the kit list!
Guns:
Gear:
Clothing:
I solved the problem! Only HGNFJD$31.98 (Homo-Gay Nazi Fascist Jew Dollars) per aircraft.
Since you mentioned talking with local hams while riding a bike:
Baofeng UV-5r
External mic
This antenna mounted to a metal plate on a rear bike rack, or this antenna and you can just strap the radio to a back pack or your belt.
And you'll need a programming cable.
Use Chirp to program in all of the local repeaters as well as the 2m calling frequency and any other freqs you might want to use.
I didn't do the math, but that's well under $100 (probably around $50 in fact). You can also use the mag mount antenna on your car for mobile ops, I've been doing this for a while, and it works great, but I am finally upgrading to a real mobile with a more proper mobile whip.
My advice would be to get a flexible ear mold (you can have them custom made as well, but that involves trips to the audiologist and lots of money and doesn't improve things that much) like this: https://smile.amazon.com/HDE-Replacement-Earpiece-Insert-Acoustic/dp/B01N27TTDD/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1518372563&sr=8-5
This is not only way more comfortable, but it also doesn't block your hearing entirely in the ear the headset is in. The downside is that you'll perceive the radio as being quieter, but I think the increase in comfort and situational awareness was a great trade-off for me.
Then you can (in very small increments) trim the acoustic tube to length on both ends. They're all just press fit, so you shouldn't have to worry about messing anything up, just pull them apart. Start with the portion that loops over your ear and then cut it until it just fits over your ear comfortably. Once that's done, you can trim the end that hooks up to the transducer until it doesn't have any slack from where you're placing it (I found that the back center of my shirt collar proved to be ideal).
As this looks like a surveillance headset, I'm guessing you have to wear it for a while, and those two things made the biggest difference to me. I also bought a kevlar reinforced two wire headset because I was going through them so often, it proved to be damn near unbreakable. Unfortunately, the company that made it went out of business some time ago. The fact is on a quality headset, my experience is that the PTT button on the mic goes out first. If anything else goes out on your headset, you should probably be buying a better headset.
Also, don't forget to air dust the various tubes and parts (the transducer just snaps apart, so get in there too) to keep condensation from forming and wax from building up. And change your ear mold and acoustic tube at least every 6 months, if not more often. They not only get inflexible and crusty (especially if you're exposing them to a lot of uv light), but they can cause ear infections if you use them all day every day.
My 2垄, hope it helps. I'm not tacticool, but I wore a surveillance headset 12+ hours a day 5 days a week for about 10 years, so I spent a lot of time trying to optimize my setup.
Happy to help!
The NA-771 antenna has good reviews, but I didnt get it yet.. may consider it at a future time, but right now I am happy with the stock performance
The USB cable is a great accessory for programming and saving different frequencies. I did not get this either, rather I have a piece of paper next to the Radio's Charger and I just manually keep a log. I haven't ventured into the manual programming without the USB cable, but I did see tutorials on youtube so that will be my plan of action when I am ready to program manually (without the usb cable). If programming manually does not work, ill purchase the cable. But for now, my little paper and pen works just fine! the radio also remembers the last 2 channels you left on which is a nice bonus
Ask me any other questions if you have em
Here is an amazon "package deal" direct from Baofeng for $37 dollars. It comes with an extra battery, antenna upgrade, and usb cable. If your interested in the accessories, this would be a perfect package deal
https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-1800mAh-Battery-TIDRADIO-Antenna/dp/B0772FYKK8/
You don't strictly need the directional antenna if your receiver will give the signal strength -- just put your RX right near your body and rotate and watch the signal strength -- the strongest signal indicates that the transmitter is in that direction.
It's also pretty important that your receiver has an attenuator button -- otherwise, as you get close the signal will get too strong to tell which direction it is, even if you do have a directional antenna. (Well, especially if you're using a directional antenna!)
Yagi antennas are pretty easy to make if you don't just buy one (just make sure the right size for the needed frequency) but most FRS walkie talkies will not have an antenna jack for it. (Because it's not legal to change the transmitting antenna for such things. Ham radio gear lets you change the antenna even for transmitting, but of course you need the amateur radio license and you can't transmit on the FRS frequencies.) So, if you want to use a directional antenna, you'll probably need a scanner, general purpose receiver or ham radio walkie talkie with a removable antenna (that can't transmit on the FRS band but can receive it) rather than a cheap walkie talkie. Cheap walkie talkies also don't usually have signal strength or an attenuator -- and really, neither do most scanners.
The best thing for this is going to be a ham radio handie talkie. They used to be expensive, but not so much any more -- but that said, I don't know if this one actually has a signal strength display or an attenuator. (Without a license, you can legally receive with these but not transmit.)
This product might be good if you regularly lose things a long ways off. But do some practicing with finding things before you need to do it for real! If you keep your craft close in, an ordinary audible beeper will be a lot easier to deal with.
If you find a radio capable of all that across the different bands and able to power itself in the mentioned price range I'd genuinely love to know what it is as I've been throwing my money away piecing it together.
My main go to radios are the Eton scorpion II which receives AM/FM/NOAA broadcasts in addition to being an extra flashlight and phone charger. I've had this for months and have not had to charge it yet(crank nor USB), the solar recharge has kept up with my usage just sitting opposite a window or on my dashboard when driving.
https://www.amazon.com/Eton-NSP101WXGR-Scorpion-Portable-Multi-Purpose/dp/B00WS6SKTM
For communication I have a cheap baofeng uv5r5 requires a ham license to use which is max $15 to test for and a few hours of study. It works on ham frequency ranges and also receives NOAA (edit: and FM) stations and has another built in flashlight.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00YMN0SCG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498753670&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r5&dpPl=1&dpID=51Iz2MzNWNL&ref=plSrch
For truckers would think you'd want a citizens band radio with no licensing requirements. I had one of these in the early 90s which would pick up some traffic but from what I gather reading online I don't think they get nearly as much traffic and can probably glean just as much information hitting local repeaters as you travel. Hammies are always giving updates on weather and driving conditions while mobile, at least in my area.
For emergency channels (again as far as my area goes) many emergency response have switched from analog to digital broadcast which means analog sets like the baofeng can't pick up the transmissions. I think you'd need a scanner or type of radio they use whatever that is.
I have other cheaper backups but those two aforementioned radios are my go to. My eton keeps itself charged and I can charge my baofeng through other means.
Edit: and of course I'm still not finished in what I want as far as radios go. At some point down the road my next radio related purchase will probably be something with shortwave reception capabilities.
Baofeng I have one of these, works a treat. You will have to buy the connector cable to use it though, the fequencies it comes preset with are mostly illegal to use. Its a 5 minute job to reset it with the right kenwood 2 pin - to USB lead.
Range is reportedly 6 miles with clear terrain. I've found in a town with buildings, hills and trees etc we got just about 2 miles, barely. Thats easily enough for airsoft. Sound quality is decent and clear and its surpisingly solidly built for such a cheap price.
The 'standard' UV-5R will be great for that.
If you're in a car, and wanna be cheap, just by a car antenna and swap it whenever you get into the car.
If you don't wanna be cheap, this lil guy will do you well, but you'll still need an antenna. This Diamond antenna has worked out okay enough for me. My requirements aren't yours though (I wanted a mag mount, and something short enough to stuff in the trunk when I wasn't using it). Due to them, I don't get as much range as I could with a larger antenna, but it works well for me.
Out where it's flat country? You'll have plenty of range.
Here鈥檚 the Amazon links for the battery and the cord.
The battery is well reviewed, the cord slightly less so, but I have no complaints so far.
No problem. Here's a link for the PTT mic. It's not the highest quality thing, but it's small, light, and it works. Also, it's only $12 so hard to complain too much about that.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WWQ3R32/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
There aren't that many people on CB radios compared to ham or FRS (Family Radio System) / GMRS. In my city's CERT program, we rely on ham radio to communicate with CERT leaders (and anyone else who has a ham license) and then the leaders communicate to their neighborhood via FRS. Because realistically - how far do you need to communicate? I would advise a quality set of FRS to start, and then start to look into ham radio.
Edited to add: A lot of FRS also have NOAA weather alerts. Here are the FRS radios I have. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W75BKQ4 They're also good for camping / traveling with multiple cars in areas with poor cell reception on top of emergency situation uses.
Okay, hrm.
Nope, not knockoffs. They're the real deal. Cheap, only FM, and if you break it you get another one.
Check out the anytone for just under 300 dollars if you're going new. Only does VHF/UHF, so if you're asking for HF let me know instead.
http://www.amazon.com/AnyTone-Transceiver-AT-5888UV-Amateur-Radio/dp/B00B1F7IEE
We use the Baofeng BF-F9 V2+ with Nagoya 701c antenna and QHM22 waterproof speaker/mic.
While inexpensive, these are full fledged HAM radio transceivers, not toys. You can't just take them out of the box and turn them on like walkie-talkies you buy at Walmart. They have to be properly programmed to talk to each other on the right frequency, including any tone coded squelch you wish to use.
Not that I'm a HAM radio expert or anything, but you do have to kind of know what you are doing to use these. They are capable of transmitting on frequencies you absolutely should not be using, like police, fire, ems, s&r, government, commercial, etc. It's also worth noting that unless you have an FCC license, you can't actually use these radios legally. However if you are just using them for occasionally dirt bike chit chat, using them responsibly, on the correct frequencies, and not pissing off other users, the chances of being caught are basically zero.
Bottom line is that these cheap Chinese HAM radios work great for dirt biking I have had great success, they have much better range and performance than cheap 'bubble-pack' FRS radios. But they do take a little research and effort to learn how to use them.
I'm a newbie too but if your looking for cheaper and good reviews check this one out:
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-136-174-400-480Mhz-Transceiver/dp/B007UYKG4E/ref=cm_sw_em_r_awdt_VjuJub11NJEKW_tt
'inexpensive' and 'built into goggles' is not going to happen.
What is 'cheap' to you? $20/$50/$100/$200?
Hands free is the other part that jumps from cheap to expensive.
The basic answer is something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-16-Mile-Channel-Battery-Two-Way/dp/B004RG0YMM/ref=sr_1_3
but they don't meet your requirements, other than cheap.
The quality answer is something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/BCA-RL-10000-Backcountry-Access-Link/dp/B00HZLMHFS/ref=sr_1_1
US skiing? You don't happen to have an FCC license for HAM radios do you? That could be another option.
I think it is a baofeng tech but they call themselves BTECH, and baofeng tech sells them on amazon. It is a smidge over your budget @ $115, but I'd like to know how these stack up.
BTECH MINI UV-25X2 25 Watt Dual Band Base, Mobile Radio: 136-174mhz (VHF) 400-520mhz (UHF) Amateur (Ham)
A hamstick dipole mount, Some ham stick antennas and an extendable painters pole from the local hardware store would give you a pop up antenna you could stick out of a window or off a balcony and hide away when not in use. Check out HRO's used section, ebay and any local ham festivals for a radio. I know these aren't the cheapest options but it's the best I can think of.
Family Radio Service (FRS) walkie-talkies are an improvement over CB's with less interference and good range. Here's a pair on Amazon for less than $25.
BAOFENG BF-888S UHF FM Transceiver
and $15+ for license
My opinion, this is all you really need. My team made speaker mics the standard because they are cheap, effective and simple. The guys on my team who have been in the Army/Marines said this is how they used comms and it worked for them. Also My Radio is a BaoFeng Uv-5r. It's cheap and has never failed me.
Get one of the Baofeng speaker mics. They come with a normal headphone socket so you can stick a decent pair of heaphones in them. The earpieces you tend to get for these things are absolute crap.
http://www.amazon.com/BAOFENG-Speaker-MIC-UV-5R-5REPLUS/dp/B00BYMKKT4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408659661&sr=8-1&keywords=baofeng+speaker+mic
they're your stock walkietalkie channels, but the UV5R is illegal on them. Please don't perpetuate the culture of blatantly violating federal law, just because it's not often enforced doesn't mean it won't be and doesn't mean it's not wrong because everyone else does it. UV5Rs are a serious tool and can easily (and easily accidentally) be used to disrupt police, fire, and EMS communications, and that WILL cause legal issues.
For the same price as a uv5r you can get a pair of tacticool black radios with great usable range (even at bigger events) - https://www.amazon.com/Midland-LXT500VP3-22-Channel-24-Mile-Range/dp/B007B5ZPGG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1494875746&sr=8-4&keywords=frs+radio
If you're willing to spend a little more, you can get even higher range.
Yes, the UV5R will have longer real world range, but the increased power is why you need a license. And you don't need that range for 99% of airsoft communications
Nope! The Motorola TalkAbout series is very well regarded, and should come out of the box ready to go. You can always assign the CTCSS codes, too, as I note you tried to program those into your radio. https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Talkabout-T460-Rechargeable-Two-Way/dp/B00W75BKQ4/ref=pd_sbs_107_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00W75BKQ4&pd_rd_r=2VXWDFJH948E4VQ2HVXN&pd_rd_w=lr9VB&pd_rd_wg=bjS9s&psc=1&refRID=2VXWDFJH948E4VQ2HVXN
Those aren't the top of the line top of the line, but they are better than 99% of the GMRS stuff you would find at WalMart. You will need a license to use the GMRS channels, but the FRS channels should be just as good unless you plan to use GMRS repeaters.
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-AVPH3-Transparent-Security-Headsets/dp/B000CNAEEW
Like these.
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-701C (Commercial Frequency Tuned) 8-Inch Whip VHF/UHF (155/455Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AX3AYOK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bb9PBbJ916DPC
Or
Authentic Genuine Nagoya NA-717 8.5-Inch Super Whip VHF/UHF (144/430Mhz) Antenna SMA-Female for BTECH and BaoFeng Radios https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XQAY7WI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9a9PBbJC50SVF
$40: Howard Leights
$12: Retevis PTT Mic
$5: Amazon 3.5mm Aux
$57 total to flesh out your radio setup.
Something like this?
>BaoFeng BL-1 3.7V 1500mAh Battery Pack with USB Port Power Supply for BaoFeng BF-888S & Retevis H-777 Two-Way Radio Walkie Talkie Transceiver, Black
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JYJCNU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZH66ybRHG1SY1
Or like this?
>BTECH USB Smart Charger (9-10.8V) Transformer Cable for BaoFeng, BTECH BF-F8HP, UV-82HP, UV-5R, UV-5X3 (CH-5, CH-8, etc. charger base compatible)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2HN1KO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XI66ybDJN7TRX
I used these this year at Coachella. I had zero issues except for when I was near the campgrounds, I got some interference from other radios.
Something like this runs anywhere from $40-$100 depending on quality. We used Push To Talk radios, so they wouldn't turn on from the bike noise. Some of the guys we ride with use these headsets
These dual-band/dual-watch Anytone radios for around $200 are pretty good and can be programmed with Chirp. Just don't try to transmit at full power for extended periods.
http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=295
https://www.amazon.com/AnyTone-Transceiver-AT-5888UV-Amateur-Radio/dp/B00B1F7IEE/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525458568&sr=1-3&keywords=anytone
Getting a better antenna is well worth it. I went from only having two or three miles range to having 15 with a better antenna. I got the two antennas listed below when I ordered my Baofeng.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C4ZBM38/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DTQ4A6M/
BTech UV-5X3 + USB charging cable adapter.
I have two of the UV-5X3's, great little radios.
It's a cheap mag mount
This one > https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DTQ4A6M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have one cable that works great. And another cable I bought online (because my first one went missing) that I had to contact the seller for their software about it. Once I installed that, my cable worked.
I suspect you're having a problem with that cable being seen by OS X. You may want to consult the manufacturer - particularly if it was an amazon.com purchase. This is the cable I ordered that I needed special software for (mods, that should not be an affiliate link, if it is somehow, I apologize, but I have no affiliate account). This is the bundle I ordered wherein the cable worked once I rewired it (mods, ibid).
HTH
I had a similar situation when I leased my Honda Fit.
The Anytone AT-5888UV that I wanted came with a detachable head. I had to get the remote mount separately though.
I got a gooseneck mount. You loosen the bolt of the passenger seat, and tighten that down on the gooseneck mount.
I attached the faceplate to the remote mount. I did drill a couple holes in the flat plate that came with the remote mount so I had holes that lined up with the gooseneck mount clip. I used a normal cat5 computer cable to connect the faceplate to the actual radio.
The radio pretty much just went under the passenger seat. I meant to fasten it with velcro or cable ties, but it pretty much stayed put on its own since it was connected to all the other cables.
I used a magnet mount antenna on top of the roof. I was always paranoid that it would damage the paint, but I found that each time I took it off to get it washed that I couldn't tell where it had been.
To get power to the radio, I got a tap fuse that fit the fusebox underneath the steering wheel on the driver side. I got the fuse from a local auto parts store, so the one I have might be different than the one I linked, but it looks very similar. For ground, I just loosened a bolt near the fusebox and got an o-ring connector for the ground wire.
I wanted a convenient place for the speakermic to live. I ended up putting some velcro on the back of it, and some velcro on top of the radio faceplate. I had a very large velcro target on the radio so I could easily holster the speakermic without looking.
The audio was a bit weak on the speakermic, so I ended up getting an external speaker as well. I had that just sit in the center console.
All the cables in question pretty much stayed out of the way once I tucked them in at the edge of the carpet. The car I had was a stickshift, and the radio could be positioned in such a way that I could use the shifter no problem without encroaching on the space of the person in the passenger seat.
I don't know that I have any pictures of the setup in the car. I am hoping to sell this car soon so I've recently taken it all down. There's absolutely no evidence that there was a radio in place ever. The tap fuse just pops out, the two bolts needed to be loosened and re-tightened, and the magmount left no marks. All the wires came out no problem, and the car is still as good as new.
You are way out of touch with the state of FRS/GMRS radios. If you only get 100ft range and 40min battery life, you need new batteries or your radios are broken. Nearly every FRS/GMRS handheld out there is small enough to fit in a jersey pouch.
You can get a pair of vox-capable headsets for $20.
To transmit without a license you need a GMRS/FRS or MURS radio.
To use the Baofeng's you'd need a Amateur Radio license since they are not certified for use on GMRS/FRS or MURS bands. Transmitting outside of those bands or with improper equipment brings big fines if you're caught. On the other hand, the Amateur Radio licenses are cheap and only require passing a fairly simple test. - basic electronics, fcc rules, etc.. It takes a up to a few weeks to actually receive your callsign. You and your friends should look into this in the future.
Yes, if he also gets the BNC adapter, I ended up getting the adapters for my Nagoya. much easier to change to another antenna like http://www.amazon.com/Original-Hypario-Antenna-baofeng-Sma-Female/dp/B00DTQ4A6M?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 with this http://www.amazon.com/2pcs-coaxial-coax-adapter-female/dp/B00CVQK466?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02 and this http://www.amazon.com/Valley-SMA-Male-BNC-Adapter/dp/B00AWELKJE?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
Agree.... any FRS Radio should be good for the use.
Or Part95 GMRS radio, and keep it on the FRS channels and power level down to half a watt to stay legal (Which is plenty of power for comms. within the same building).
Example: https://www.amazon.com/Midland-LXT500VP3-22-Channel-24-Mile-Range/dp/B007B5ZPGG
[This] (http://www.amazon.com/Uniden-GMR1635-2-Channel-Battery-Two-Way/dp/B004RG0YMM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=19XIKAS79AJYG&coliid=I1ARU13LG9F5LI) would equal more road trips with more people!
Might as well go all-out and get the tank version. At least you know you can swim with it if you need to!
Well at least you won't run into any rust on it, but i'm curious, what other issues does it give you?
On the antenna front, the firestik NGP setup just relies on the quarter-wavelength of coax to be the "ground plane", though it's really more of a counterpoise at that point. This would require the coax to be straight mostly and not coiled up, a challenge with the ~9 feet of coax it will take.
Another option is to get a 3/8th stub dipole mount and two firestiks or other CB whips. One to be the hot element, the other to be its counterpoise.
You could also use the top of the microwave as the counterpoise.
You could also take two Tram 1185 elements (which are available without the magnetic base on Amazon I see), plus a dipole mount (there are certainly cheaper options available) and have a full dipole going.
FRS is legal for business, its basically a 'citizens band' and can be used by anyone for anything as long as they obey the legal limits of frequency and power etc.
HOWEVER, if you use it then, you can't get mad when kids in their backyard are interrupting your radios and you hear them come out of your speakers when talking to customers. They have just as much right on that frequency as anyone else so keep that in mind.
But, if you want really cheap and for just in-building use then FRS or GMRS is probably fine. Lots of businesses use them ok. Make sure you get some that have PL/privacy codes, that can help quite a bit. FRS/GMRS radios would probably be much more likely to work if you were using them in an area where there is not much in the way of housing such as a business district or downtown etc.
The Motorola MS350R/MT350R's are pretty much the best radios available these days if you go the FRS/GMRS route.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PGM9PO
https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MT350R-FRS-Weatherproof-Two-Way/dp/B0072LAAA0
https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MR350R-35-Mile-22-Channel-Two-Way/dp/B001UE6MJ8
They also support hand-mics, ear mic's and other accessories which might be handy in a work environment like you describe.
Very true, I seem to be unable to find another of the same battery that came with the F8HP; you think this would work?
The big battery is brilliant as well- lasts a long, long time: https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-3800mAh-Li-ion-Battery-UV-5RTP/dp/B013WPA6YO/ref=pd_sim_107_32?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B013WPA6YO&pd_rd_r=RQ3HBE97AMF4W4X8V0D7&pd_rd_w=fVhnk&pd_rd_wg=y1Wlw&psc=1&refRID=RQ3HBE97AMF4W4X8V0D7
I have four Baofeng UV-5Rs. They use Kenwood plugs. I have one of these, and it works well, but I prefer not having my ears covered just so I can hear better, so I currently run one of these and I love it.
There is something that these guys, who are responsible radio amateurs, aren't telling you. I myself am marginally responsible and would rather see you get interested in radio as a hobby than play it all by the book.
So, I will tell you that although everyone is right in telling you your radio is not a CB, in my opinion it's better than a CB. It's the awesomest walkie-talkie ever! By that, I mean that it can likely be programmed (or might even already be programmed) to operate on the frequencies that typical walkie-talkies operate on. That means those little Motorola/Midland/Cobra/Uniden radios that you, our friends, and everybody has, can possibly talk to that radio. They are operating on a band called GMRS, which can be good over much greater distances than typical walkie-talkie distances with real antennas and some power. The difference between your radio and the walkie-talkies is that they put out 0.5-2 watts of power, and your radio looks like it does 10 or 25 watts.
To be clear, operating on the GMRS band technically requires a GMRS license (except for a few channels it shares with FRS, where you can transmit up to half a watt bla bla bla bla), even though virtually no one who owns those walkie-talkies ever gets the license. And there may even be some additional restrictions about power level in mobile stations etc. whatever.
To get operating, you would need:
A replacement whip for your antenna, which probably originally looked like one of these. Or just a new antenna. There are much shorter ones, too. Just note that if you get the whip only, it's very important that it is "tuned" to your frequency of operation, in this case "GMRS", or 462mhz. That means the wire is exactly some fraction of that frequency's wavelength, such as 1/4 (most common), and some other electrical engineering hand-waving.
To program your radio, with
A programming cable, and
the programming software
*the service manual will be helpful I hear.
The bummer is that it seems the programming software is extremely proprietary. So it'd have to be programmed by somebody who does that stuff - a dealer of those Motorola radios, for example.
If you can't find somebody to do that but this has been intriguing for you, consider getting an inexpensive radio that's a ton more versatile and think about getting a license to talk with us amateurs!
Sure thing! Sounds like a fun project.
You could pick up one of these and modify the cable, it would be a bit easier.
Yeah! I got these off of Amazon to replace the little round pieces that come with headsets.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N27TTDD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EvpWBb82HH899
The Anytone mobile rigs are really good for the price, and supported by CHIRP for programming.
https://www.amazon.com/AnyTone-Transceiver-AT-5888UV-Amateur-Radio/dp/B00B1F7IEE/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1542630873&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=anytone+at-5888uv&psc=1
And the tri-band version if you have a 220 repeater in the area.
https://www.amazon.com/AT-5888UV-III-Tri-Band-136-174Mhz-400-490Mhz/dp/B07DZKH6G3/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542630913&sr=8-3&keywords=anytone+at-5888uv+iii
I have the dual band AT-5888U and I love it, it is my favorite mobile rig for the price, full featured and easy to use and program. Comes with the programming cable and a mount for the remote head.
https://www.amazon.com/HDE-Replacement-Earpiece-Insert-Acoustic/dp/B01N27TTDD/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1541298757&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=earpiece+for+law+enforcement&dpPl=1&dpID=41FuQ-kGGhL&ref=plSrch
I put this piece on that set and never had an issue.
That, or this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H2HN1KO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_SIC5CbC7YY3ZJ
Here you go:
BTECH Mini UV-25X2 25 Watt Dual Band
Base, Mobile Radio
Price: $114.89
https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MINI-UV-25X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XD3CQ6H
I dont know why you dont want your radio to have distress beacon/emergency frequency capabilities, that is a very standard feature most FRS radios will have.
I can assure you the Motorola MS350R is plenty heavy-duty enough for your needs, it is also waterproof and comes in camouflage or yellow. They're even on sale on Amazon right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MS350R-35-Mile-Talkabout-Waterproof/dp/B004PGM9PO
The sound of two doors opening at once was heard. Not from their vehicle, but the only other one in the parking lot. The sunglass wielding hikers with faces that must of been the most hardass hikers ever would begin walking towards them. One had two black dufflebags which they'd try to place in the trunk. If it was locked, he'd give it two taps.
The other had a thick, fat black suitcase. While the trunk thing was being worked on, suitcase man would gently tap on the glass of the passenger seat to get the attention of one or the other. He'd place the suitcase down on the ground next to the door before walking away without a word while removing his, 'I love Ashton' hat.
He'd get into their parked car along with his ally once they were done with the trunk.
--
Assuming Eve looked at the suitcase, they'd see there was a yellow note on it reading, 'Gift'. If the two were to open it, they'd find the following. Two AR500 Ballistic vest with one a bit smaller than the other, two smaller boxes with a surprise inside,
and lastly two more smaller packages. They'd have a pair of charge-able radios in one and a pair of ear pieces in the other. There'd be a noticeable lack of serial codes on everything...there were even two pairs of gloves. Particularly thick ones at that. If the two knew much on finger prints, such gloves would significantly lower one's fingerprint information on any given surface.
Lastly, a note was inside with the address to a warehouse with a printed picture of it. If they tried to track the printer that printed it at a later date, it wouldn't work as there was no hidden or 'invisible' serial code on the print out.
--
---
--
/u/Shimme
This is the one I got: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013WPA6YO/
Says it works on the UV鈥檚 I鈥檓 using it on a BF-F8, works great still.
Wait, you probably meant... vs a UV-82. Yes.
Yes. MFJ makes a thing to make it easy https://www.amazon.com/MFJ-347-HAMSTICK-DIPOLE-MOUNT-HAMSTICKS/dp/B00KGHZ2FU . Others have said efficiency drops as you fall in frequency below 14MHz; this is a function of the mobile whip's relatively short length.
So is Tri-Band Yaesu VX-6R Submersible Amateur Ham Radio Transceiver (144/222/440) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ESEW6C the one you just suggested?
Most of the cost of that bundle is the headsets.
The actual radios are only BF-888s, I would assume programmed to the same frequency.
A decent pair of headsets with PTT does cost a fair amount of money though, so it's not a total ripoff, but you'd be paying a premium for someone else to program it and slap some stickers on it.
I just bought a USB cable that connects to a Baofeng UV-5R charging cradle, to charge a 'feng while out on the road. I'll let you know if I burn the woods down! I wanted to get a single radio with just a USB connection on the side, but this will work for now. Thanks!
https://www.amazon.com/USB-Transformer-Cable-BaoFeng-compatible/dp/B01H2HN1KO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1491846801&sr=8-13&keywords=baofeng+extended+battery
I just purchased this radio and this antenna for my car.
Do I need anything else? I intend on ordering the cable, CD, and chirp soon.
Any people here in the SoCal/San Diego area?
https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MINI-UV-25X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XD3CQ6H
UV- 25X2
Sounds like you just want some simple GMRS radios. I'm not too sure of any "true radio" solutions for any mobile device platform (iOS or Android).
my uv82 is programmed for 469.550mhz, if i get this nagoya 701c thats tuned for 155/455, would that affect my tx/rx? im trying to replace my stock antenna for better signal. does 155/455 mean just those two frequency or frequencies around them?
https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-NA-771-15-6-Inch-SMA-Female-BaoFeng/dp/B01AX3AYOK/ref=pd_rhf_sc_p_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=D6SBZ6PC67ZVTZRQ7612&th=1
Most of my car crew use these when running to shows and what not,
https://www.amazon.com/BAOFENG-BF-888S-Transceiver-Illumination-Flashlight/dp/B007F7MZ04
Would you suggest any surveillance style earpiece? Like the clear tubing and the external mic? I want one for a midland radio, but everyone says the one that is recommended on amazon is crap.
If it's not in your camping gear already, firestarting gear. In particular a fire steel, since they can't get waterlogged. It's late spring early summer, but if you really kill the jeep offgrid, exposure can still sneak up fast.
I'd also recommend some kind of radio. Vehicle mounted would be the best, but that requires more knowledge, time, and money to set up. Regular FRS/GMRS 'walkie-talkies' is also good to have, but range is limited. For a 'cheap insurance' option, the baofeng uv-5r variants are cheap and powerful hand sets. I'll link some gear below. Keep in mind, these are HAM radios; you need a license to use them normally, but you won't get in trouble if you have to send out an urgent mayday if you're in danger. The range is much better on these thing over CB; before you take it out, pop on some YT vids about how to program in frequencies, and lookup local freqs that are used for emergencies.
https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Transceiver-400-520MHz-65-108MHz-Upgraded/dp/B00YMN0SCG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=uv5r5&qid=1556650528&s=gateway&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=psdc_764460_t1_B071JR2LZK
Would this work? It appears to list the proper frequency range. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YMN0SCG?aaxitk=LrP93b.UwJoogNyzcXvbfQ&th=1&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BYMKKT4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1396099175&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40
I made the job easier for you
I personally just got [these walkie-talkies] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007B5ZPGG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from Amazon for next to nothing and they work fine for the distances at D14.
Are there particular models that this would apply to?
From a comment on Hacker News:
> The trouble is this thing: "BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio (136-174Mhz VHF & 400-520Mhz UHF) Includes Full Kit"[1] This cheap radio is sold as a "ham radio", and requires a ham license. Large numbers of non-hams are using it in the GMRS service at higher power levels than allowed. It's popular with "preppers", even though it's not very rugged, is complicated to use, tends not to put out as much power as claimed, and the battery tends to come loose.[2] The FCC's concern is that it allows 8 watt blithering over a wide range of frequencies by people with no clue how to use it properly. There are GMRS radios made for hunters which are much more suitable for wilderness use - waterproof and easy to use.[3]
>
> [1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAULSOK
>
> [2] https://offgridsurvival.com/baofenguv5rv2review/
>
> [3] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PGM9PO/
Should I be ordering a bunch from Amazon to stockpile them? :)
the stock antenna,
i'm planning to buy either this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KC4PWQQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AA3MGRC7F9EI2&psc=1
or this, maybe both,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AX3AYOK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AA3MGRC7F9EI2
this, (including a large battery pack) might accomplish what i need it to.