Handheld radios ?

[jandtjil]

I have used FRS radios when hunting and find their performance to be suspect in terrain. Anyone out there using something else, that provides superior range with similar size, battery duration and under $250 per unit. GMRS/VHF-UHF/amateur bands??

Not so much worried about GPS, ring tones or other "features", I want a radio that can reliably talk 2-3 miles in terrain.



JJ

 

[Skydiver]

JJ

Go to www.sportsmansguide.com and do a search on the 4-watt gmrs rechargeable radios. Claim a 10 mile range, I can talk 3 miles if I am on the hill when hunting. 2 miles is easy. I bought the AA battery model. Everything the Guide sells is lifetime warranty.

Tim

 

[Smokey96]

I use a vhf marine radio made by uniden. It is awsome. I've talked up to 13 miles on it. You can switch it from 1 watt to 5 watts.

 

[JPope]

"... I use a vhf marine radio made by uniden. It is awsome. I've talked up to 13 miles on it. You can switch it from 1 watt to 5 watts. "



Has the FCC changed the regulations on marine channels that allow you to use a marine radio on land, etc. , thought that was prohibited? But not knowing the particulars, maybe you are on one of the big lakes there?



"... I want a radio that can reliably talk 2-3 miles in terrain. "



Isn't the limiting factor antenna height, i. e line of sight, that may or may not contribute to range, including marine radios at sea. I know the Coast Guard towers are high, which contributes to range, plus they have very sensitive receivers for emergencies.

 

[bmoeller]

FM radios are mostly line of sight. When we still used Motorola SP-50 two-way radios, I have been is a situation that we were on the opposite sides of a hill (less than 500' apart) and couldn't talk to eash other. Get back up on the flat, it was fine.



IIRC, anything with more power than a FRS radio, you have to have license.

 

[JLEONARD]

Has the FCC changed the regulations on marine channels that allow you to use a marine radio on land, etc. , thought that was prohibited?

It is prohibited... . but I doubt anybody's really monitoring that very closely.

And they are pretty much line of sight.