Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Need some REALLY GOOD

[hammersley]

"Walkie Talkies" I want something that will really work and be reliable... ... I don't want some piece of JUNK..... not sure about the technology..... for example I was looking at these... .



UNIDEN MHS350 - Handheld Marine Two-Way VHF Radio - Uniden VHF - Uniden Handheld VHF - MHS350 Deals - MHS350 Reviews - Uniden Marine - Marine VHF - Marine Electronics - Boating - Uniden Radio



Now I'm not going to use these strictly over water... . as we have radio's on all our boats..... BUT I want something that will work in the mountains. HELP on education as well as type of radio.....

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

H - you have to realize that MOST of the handheld type radios commonly marketed for free public use are essentially line-of-sight, due to the low power and extremely high frequencies they operate on - so what has acceptable operating range over water - may do VERY poorly in mountainous terrain.



Some of the best of those I have seen in past years, include a GPS function, where all similar sets not only communicate audibly with each other, but also track each other via satellite - thus are less susceptible to uneven terrain, at least for locating others in your party - talking is still and issue, since that is a separate function of those sets.



Garmin Rino 120 GPS Radio at The GPS Store, Inc.



The only reason cell phones are able to provide reliable communication over vast distances, is that they usually don't communicate directly to each other, or thru each other - but rely upon higher elevation and powered repeaters to do all the actual work - something handheld "family radio" type talkies don't have...

 

[hammersley]

Gary - they look great......

This past weekend I was trying to get a friend to a Hood to Ccast leg - in the Western Oregon Range - without having any cell communication for 10 hours... . what a mess..... these should get the job done... ...

 

[Steve Robinson]

H. All the guys in my elk hunting party have been using the Rino 120s for years and I too highly recommend them. One function that is extremely helpful is the ability to keep track of everyone on the map screen by just keying the mic without having to speak. All can stay very quiet and know your position relative to all of the others on a drive. When you get one down, there is no problem for anyone in the party to find your exact spot to help as necessary. We also use them for quail and chukar hunting although that is more for fun and convenience than anything else. Steve

 

[barkerdl]

While it is unlikely anyone will check on you, the Garmins are FRS/GMRS combo radios and require a FCC GMRS license that costs $80 for five years if you use them above channel seven. The license is good for all members of your family - even the outlaws - and the band is designated for family communication.



I suggest you take a look around the commercial radio section of eBay for Icom F4TR radios. Lots of agencies are surplusing them and they can be had cheaply. You would need to buy software and cable to program them or have a shop do it for you, but they are virtually bulletproof radios. Check with the ham club in your community, it is likely someone there has the ability to program them and will likely do it for you for nothing. If you were in Las Vegas, I would do it.



I use them for convoying with my friends in the camping club who have not yet taken the plunge into ham radio.



Good luck finding radios you like. The Garmins have a great advantage if you need to know the position of your friends, but the Icoms are much more rugged.



Dennis