(Part 2) Best portable frs two-way radios according to redditors

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’s been a ham most of his life makes fun of my baofeng, but it works and it’s 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’t 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

Get a BF-F9 V2+. There's a lot you can do with it. Get another antenna and a bigger battery for it. You now have a really versatile analog HT. You can reliably hit repeaters 15-ish miles away with it, depending on terrain, and in narrowband mode, probably a bit more. It has a DTMF keypad (DTMF = touch-tone phone keypad), so you can do some fun things with repeaters that have internet links and other little oddities. Get a programming cable and CHIRP, and you can do lots of fun and convenient things like program all your local repeaters and simplex calling freqs into it, and train it to swear.

Get a 12-volt power kit, a headset, and a mag-mount antenna, and now you have a halfway-respectable mobile rig. With that antenna, you'd be VERY surprised how far that little radio can reach out. I've talked to repeaters 25 miles away with my little BF-F9 and a mag-mount, and had no complaints about sound quality.

The point is, don't go crazy with expensive-ass kit right now (cue bot appearance in 3... 2... 1...). You're still very new to the hobby (I'm at the point where I'm kinda new), and you don't quite know what you like. I didn't think I'd care very much for longwave DXing and all that, and for the most part, the idea of having a "shack" doesn't appeal all that much to me, but I'm getting more and more interested in mobile HF. Just noodle around, talk to people, go to field days, etc.

MURS is the way to go for your application.
Dakota Alert M538-HT is only $85.

https://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Alert-Wireless-Handheld-M538-HT/dp/B013XQMPSM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1484776174&sr=8-5&keywords=dakota+alert+murs

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

I solved the problem! Only HGNFJD$31.98 (Homo-Gay Nazi Fascist Jew Dollars) per aircraft.

Generally, UHF is better suited to urban environments. The shorter wave length of the frequencies has an easier time of being reflected and bouncing around off glass windows and other metal surfaces to reach the repeater or other intended station.

Almost all the Baofeng HT's (handheld transmitters) are dual band and will work on VHF & UHF. Personally, I would recommend the Baofeng BF-F8HP 8-watt model. It can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174MHz-400-520MHz/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501540520&sr=8-1&keywords=BAOFENG+f8

If the 1.25m band (220 MHz) is popular, you can look at the the UV-5x3 tri-band model. It can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-5X3-Watt-Tri-Band-Radio/dp/B01J2W4JUI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501540679&sr=8-1&keywords=UV+5x3

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/

I have one of these and I was happy with it. Link

However I recently picked up one of the NanoVNA and for just about $10 more than the one you linked this things is totally amazing. Here is a great YouTube video which is sort of a review and instruction video all in one.

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.

I've researched a little bit about comms. I am on my way to spending much of 2014 in the wilderness of the west coast of the US, in the mountains for 30 days between resupply. It would be nice to have a chat once in a while, report any garbage dumping / fires / what-have-you, and have the radio as a backup lifeline. In my dream set-up, I'd have this radio and get this license. Funding is the issue on that one, but I can be patient. I started spending time in the wilderness with just a Sony Walkman radio, now I have Android smart phone, two different ways to get photos and video, an awesome e-ink tablet reader, a better pocket radio, and 7 watt solar collector to power it all.

At my blog you can see what I've set up to share what I experience and learn along the way. I'll be posting from afield within 2 weeks. I don't want to blog spam, but I thought I'd post the links above since the SHTFjournal post doesn't talk about how a simple hand radio would work with repeaters and on what frequencies, links to study materials, etc. When I can raise a few hundred more $ I will explain the process on my blog.

I find it easiest to teach by sharing what I'm learning. By approaching this body of knowledge from the aspect of a non-expert who is dedicated to showing the skills as I learn them, I can share what it takes to learn an off-grid, bushcrafting, survivalesque lifestyle today, before the shit hits the fan.

I believe MURS would be the best bet, I know these MURS radios come recommended from others around here. MURS gives you 2 watts on VHF unlicensed, where FRS/GMRS are more limited power levels in the UHF band.

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.

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.

It's very important to remember that AA NiMH batteries are not 1.5V batteries. In fact, a fully charged AA NiMH battery will rarely read over 1.2-1.3V. This can render NiMH batteries useless for some types of devices. For instance, a 5V microcontroller will run just fine on 4xAA alkaline batteries (4 1.5 = 6V) with a voltage regulator, but 4xAA NiMH (4 1.2 = 4.8V) provides a lower voltage that may not be sufficient for some devices. Many will do just fine with 4.8V; others will experience sporadic behavior or outright refusal to function. For low-drain devices, alkaline batteries will also last much longer than NiMH batteries.

As far as NiMH goes, I've used both Eneloops and Energizers and have had equally good experiences with both. Of course you run into some a bad one now and then, but they've both been good to me.

I do not rely solely upon NiMH batteries, though. I have a bulk pack of alkaline batteries I keep in a small otterbox in my BoB. I have another larger otterbox containing a Raspberry Pi, touchscreen, a 5V buck converter, a 6600mAh 3.7V Li-Ion battery, and a Li-Ion/LiPo charger that accepts 5V-12V. I also carry a USB-powered AA NiMH battery charger and an Anker 14W fold-up solar panel with USB output. USB is 5V, so between all the battery types, chargers, and converters, I should be pretty well equipped to charge and/or power a wide array of mobile devices. Particularly key to me is the ability to charge from a 12V power source, which means any serviceable vehicle battery is a good power source for me. I carry a submersible Yaesu VX-8DR radio with the rechargeable pack as well as the FBA-39 3xAA battery pack. If I have to be mobile or am stranded, having an operable multi-band radio and the ability to charge or power it or similar mobile devices seems of paramount importance to me.

What's your budget? :-)


For starters I'm a big fan of the btech units. I recommend a dual band or a tri band unit. I've been using this and it's quite good:


https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-Band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V/

They're not bad for $130.


However, make sure you:

• get a triband or dualband antenna! I have a Comet dual-band vertical antenna on my roof for 2m/70cm FM operation.
  
• get a decent 13.8v power supply for home! I picked up the analog meter version of this a couple years ago and run almost everyone on my desk from it: https://www.amazon.com/TekPower-TP30SWV-Digital-Switching-Supply/dp/B00L2K263Q/ . It's $140 but it's well worth the money.
  
  • but obviously i only transmit from one at a time, purely to not burn out the power supply.
    
• get good coax! For VHF/UHF you wanna get LMR-400 to minimise loss over longer distance coax runs.
  
• get a SWR meter that'll do VHF/UHF as the output amplifier will overheat and burn out if you run it into a badly matched antenna. I er, burnt out the dual band version of the above when I got my technician ticket - I was used to more spendy radios that have mismatch protection (ie, reduce output power) but this radio doesn't.
  
• get the PC programming cable for it.
  
  Once you get more familiar with the radio-y bits you can look at the kenwood, yaesu, icom, alinco, etc VHF/UHF units. There are some very nice ones but you want to know what you're doing so you don't make them unhappy. It's better to learn that on a $130 radio.

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

I'm glad to see people speaking up for the Baofengs! (Gently thumbing my nose at the remark in the sidebar that Baofeng discussion is not welcome here.)

I have both the models you mentioned, the UV-5X3 and BF-F8HP.

Between the two, I suggest the UV-5X3 for one simple reason: it has newer firmware that gives you the option of displaying both the callsign and the frequency for the current repeater. The BF-F8HP is like the other Baofengs - it can use the two lines of the display for two different channels/frequencies, but it doesn't have the option of using both lines for the current repeater to show both its callsign and frequency.

For either one, I recommend the genuine FTDI programming cable that BTECH sells, not one of the cheaper cables with counterfeit chips in them. The genuine FTDI cable works in Windows 10 with no extra drivers; the counterfeit cables require you to install third-party drivers.

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 live in Washington so bringing a nice radio for calling when out hiking on the various ridge's and mountains

You want a VHF or UHF Radio, this type of communication is line of sight, which complement those activities. I would get a Btech UV-5X3, would get you on 3 bands, 2m-1.25m-70cm, a better antenna, and programming cable.

https://www.amazon.com/d/Two-Way-Radios/BTECH-UV-5X3-Tri-Band-Amateur-Earpiece/B01J2W4JUI

https://www.amazon.com/Nagoya-NA-320A-2M-1-25M-70CM-144-220-440Mhz-BTECH/dp/B01K10B9XK/

https://www.amazon.com/PC03-Genuine-Programming-Cable-BaoFeng/dp/B00HUB0ONK/

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)

If neither of you are licensed (and are in the US), then look at something that is labeled either FRS or MURS.

https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-T100-Talkabout-Radio-Pack/dp/B01DM7AESK/

Perhaps something like this.

47.99 on Amazon.

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

Radio

GPS module

GPS adapter

High capacity battery

Antenna

Paracord

Amazon has some great Ham units at reasonable prices. here are a couple of links, you can fish from there.
https://www.amazon.com/TALKCOOP-KT-8900-136-174-400-480MHz-Programming/dp/B01MY0WDAH/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1525452864&sr=8-13&keywords=Ham+Radio

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY0WL4P/ref=psdc_912322_t1_B01MY0WDAH

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MOBILE-UV-50X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XK83VRV/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525453018&sr=1-4&keywords=mobile+ham+radios&dpID=41XbQEkVKgL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I have a UV-50 (basically the same company that makes Baofeng, link below) in mine and love it. It isn't a Yaesu, but it's also not $500+ for something with decent features. It's not mounted right now, so unfortunately I can't give you pics, but it was living in the space formerly occupied by my passenger airbag. I whipped up a big faceplate to hold this thing and my CB in the airbag/glovebox space.

Forewarning on mounting a HAM inside the dash; these things get HOT. Not quite burrito-cook-plate, but you definitely want it isolated and not resting on any dash plastic or wires, and good ventilation is a must. Size-wise, it's about the same width/height as your average cheap uniden CB's, and a little shorter in the depth.

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MOBILE-UV-50X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XK83VRV/ref=sr_1_3?crid=30XMK0ZLPLZF2&keywords=ham+radio+base+station&qid=1563293225&s=gateway&sprefix=ham+radio%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-3

I got this one...

Gam3Gear SURECOM SW-33 Mark II... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075H8FDDR?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It comes with a 5 watts dummy load and a bunch of adapters.

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.

>I don’t feel like a HAM radio is a viable option for both of us.

How come? You can get a radio capable of accessing repeaters for $25-30 (although I recommend the tri-band one for 60-ish), and 8 year olds sometimes pass the Tech exam. A 12 y/o passed it when I took my exams.

Not suggesting you don't have a good reason...just curious.

FWIW, I made a Comms Card so my unlicensed family members could use the radios in our EMCOMM kits in an emergency. The cards break it down simple enough that they can just follow the step-by-step instructions. And as long as it's a question of imminent danger to life or property, FCC regs say they can use it.

So if you just get licensed and set them up a kit, it might be a workable solution.

If you have an amateur radio license, it is legal to use in the amateur radio bands.

If you don’t, Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio, 2 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DM7AESK

Baofeng Tech UV-5X3 on "high" power which has been measured at 5w on the 144Mhz uplink frequency.

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 that, but those don't appear to have anywhere to loop a tether through.

I have something like this

The range they list is a joke, but you'll certainly be able to hear each other at the distance of a length of rope. And some local baby monitors too.

Something spammy about both links with that extra facebook id parameter added.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B07ZH7Q1ZS (make sure you know what you're clicking)

$47.99 each on Amazon

To add to this, OP is looking for FRS/GMRS radios. These(and radios like them) are typically sold alongside sporting goods, and do not require a license to operate in the US unless you plan on increasing tx power or running a repeater.

Hi - I recently bought the exact same radio and had the exact same problem as you. It frustrated me for a few days until I figured something out... the UV5RV2+ does NOT cover all of the VHF ham bands. I'm guessing you're having problems anytime you try to input any frequency that starts with 144.? After going crazy and realizing that was the problem, buying a programming cable and trying to see if I could use CHIRP to expand the frequency limits, I finally noticed in the product listing on Amazon (I'm guessing you got yours from Amazon too), and actually says in small print "Covers 145-148 MHZ." (The VHF ham band is 144-148 MHZ.)

I hate to say this, but this is an absolute garbage radio and will give you nothing but problems because of this limitation. The original UV-5R's seem to be ok and cover the entire range, but THIS specific radio does not and from what I can tell, there doesn't appear to be a way to fix it. I have returned mine and am waiting for a refund. My recommendation would be to return it and get either an original UV-5R or similar radio, or to spend a bit more and pick up a used Icom, Kenwood, or Yaesu which will give you better performance overall. Nothing against Baofeng's in general... when they work, they work. I actually have a set of BTech GMRS handhelds (BTech seems to be the American distributor for Baofeng), and those are absolutely awesome... I love them.

If you want to stay with a lower price point, I might recommend upgrading at least to a BTech radio. This will give you 3 bands, and should give you no problems: https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-5X3-Watt-Tri-Band-Radio/dp/B01J2W4JUI

I found out the same thing as you the hard way... the radio you have simply does not cover all the VHF/UHF ham frequencies. Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

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

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.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DM7AESK/ref=psdcmw_2230642011_t2_B007B5ZNV8

These are the ones I have I believe, they were gifts so I didn’t buy them but I’m 95% sure.

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.

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

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V

[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!

Or this one for $37
https://www.amazon.com/Gam3Gear-SURECOM-125-525-Digital-Handheld/dp/B075H8FDDR/

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.

What certified HTs? If you don't buy an old business band unit, there's like two on the open market, and one made exclusively for and sold exclusively to Wal-Mart. The others are the Motorola RMM2050 and the Dakota Alert M-538 HT which doesn't give me great vibes about ruggedness. They perform fine, though.

$36 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075H8FDDR?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

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!

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.

I've never used them on a bike, but why not use whatever the old Motorola talkabouts are called these days? Not voice activated, but they work great for short-medium range communication.

​

Hey, look at that, they are still called "Talkabouts":

​

https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-T100-Talkabout-Radio-Pack/dp/B01DM7AESK/

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

How far away is your closest repeater according to RepeaterBook etc?

To use a 4W HT (doesn't actually emit a full 4W BTW) in your situation you may need to resort to making a Yagi beam antenna. Something like this https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/9ggxhr/2m_yagi_v2_with_improved_feed_point_and/ though I'm not sure I'd recommend my exact plan for making one. (It works but it's a bit shoddy and doesn't fold up.)

A J antenna is also good and is omnidirectional but also involves getting at least 2m of coax (it's not a handheld antenna design, though it's easy to make with twin lead "tv antenna" cable and some cutting/soldering), some twin lead cable, and some SMA connectors.

Getting a 25W or better "mobile" (car type) UHF/VHF radio like https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-Band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V/ with a reasonably well elevated J antenna is also an option that isn't too horribly expensive if you don't want to "QRP" around with 4W.

You might also want to use this http://www.hillmap.com/ as an easy way to figure out if you have any hills between you and repeaters around you. (This will show you a profile in a line between point A and B, but doesn't do radio propagation modeling. For that there's some other software called Radio Mobile.)

But basically even the best whip antenna isn't going to make it that far with a 4W HT unless you're on top of a mountain or something.

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.

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).

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

Apparently it's available for 360 on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Yaesu-VX-8DR-Multi-Band-Submersible-Transceiver/dp/B004MAKK7W

When you say the volume could be louder, is it something one could hear while driving? Or as in it's hard to hear what's going on when you have even a little background noise?

Got any of these yet?

Folding solar:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012YUJJM8/

Bigger folding solar (laptops, car batteries):
http://www.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Charger-Technology-Portable-Battery/dp/B00G6C5NR6/

Compact folding bolt cutters:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00582WQA2/

FuBarForcible Entry Tool (check other sites for a better description - it's an amazing first-responder tool):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LS4HZC/

Yaesu radios, in different price brackets:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BFAANC/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MAKK7W/

Pocket chain-saw:
http://www.amazon.com/Chainmate-CM-24SSP-24-Inch-Survival-Pocket/dp/B0026OOS60/

USB powered charger, NiCad, NiMH, Li-Ion, multiple cell sizes that also acts as a USB power source(!):
http://www.amazon.com/ThruNite-Charger-1x3400mAh-Multifunction-Portable/dp/B00WFXWUOE/

Setting all that aside, you could ask her for a gift certificate to "Archery Tag," "Axe Throwing," or an escape room with friends. Then you aren't getting more "stuff" you may not need or want but you get to have a great time. :)

UV-82X3: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B07R59DFGL](https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B07R59DFGL?fbclid=IwAR3le-SCs-o7jH8CXDzCwSSfnpWZzXwQKi_QHNdC6rZE6DsVvGfBzzviSJw)<br />
<br />
GT-22: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B07ZH7Q1ZS](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2Fproduct%2FB07ZH7Q1ZS%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2DmppWfPkLd3C5S4y5dHRsynUY_3wTsLzC9dFJ1VHnPzjUsZKOThN-kzQ&amp;amp;h=AT1SLYeyOyO2d50l_qzGRN4432PFVhqBq-6zTJVR6_coeFR_xaJ85c0K-EVUdlAYXds6BA7iNtcyl73FLfQwoiaQQnGrAp12KIsyhDrY62T-QzcfQ5D916WjAuibiGI08zb1y_4_u6WKjBzfxW8HrBnofh0kSTY9xg)

> 82X3GT22

first link if you scroll down shows the deal and code.

second link ends up here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B07ZH7Q1ZS

Would this work? It appears to list the proper frequency range. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YMN0SCG?aaxitk=LrP93b.UwJoogNyzcXvbfQ&th=1&psc=1

I've been looking at the BTECH's. Have these two saved to my Amazon list:

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525470026&sr=8-1&keywords=btech+mobile+transceiver

https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MOBILE-UV-50X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XK83VRV/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525470026&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=btech+mobile+transceiver

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075H8FDDR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It comes with an adapter and a couple of Low Power dummy loads. Mixed reviews, but I really can't complain for the price. Checked it against a Bird Watt meter. Seems fairly accurate, given the price.

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/

• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18098689
  
  Should I be ordering a bunch from Amazon to stockpile them? :)
  

On sale at Amazon for $50 with prime

Over 1500 reviews.

Note: this is capable of HAM frequencies.

The pair I ordered had me initially worried as they look and feel very plastic but I have used them over a year and a half now without any problems. Looks like the price has gone up during that time.


https://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Alert-Wireless-Handheld-M538-HT/dp/B013XQMPSM/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=dakota+alert&qid=1573098937&sr=8-4

Here is the mobile version of your link

Something like MURS might work but is limited to a 2-watt power limit.

http://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Alert-Wireless-Handheld-M538-HT/dp/B013XQMPSM

Edit: You could always use a simplex repeater between sites to help extend the range.