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Posted: 1/6/2010 11:09:13 PM EDT
| i'm looking into building some Kit for me and my brother, we have the firearms area more than covered but are way lacking in kit. i was wondering what you guys are running for com gear, this would be used in Vermont with 2 miles at the furthest needed range, this is in a valley so no hills are going to be in the way. no looking for anything crazy just something that can be used with a press to talk button and a head set or throat mic. pics and links would be great |
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Sounds like you are looking for the same set-up I just went through. I ended up buying a set of cobra radios:
cobra radio These have been very good so far, more features then I will ever use. They have also kept good reception in rough terrain...something that is hard to find with these little 2-way radios. I think I got a pair with charger for about $80...shop around on the net. |
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i have a drawer full of grms and frs radios. every brand but motorola had atleast one of the 2 radios fail within a few months with very limited use.
i finally just sucked it up and went ham. the tech test is easy and GOOOOOD radios can be had for not much more than the crappy frs/gmrs market. |
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I've been lucky with my Midland GTX..they work great even in urban enviorment. very similar to the one posted above but take standard AA batteries I agree. As far as FRS radios go, I'm happy with my Midland GTXs. They are limited of course but they are reliable and the battery charge lasts a long time. Mine have the weather feature too. |
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Check out the Garmin Rino 120. Kinda kills several birds with one stone.
Garmin Rino 120 |
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i have a drawer full of grms and frs radios. every brand but motorola had atleast one of the 2 radios fail within a few months with very limited use. i finally just sucked it up and went ham. the tech test is easy and GOOOOOD radios can be had for not much more than the crappy frs/gmrs market. can you give me a make or model you went with or point me in the right direction? |
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Luckily I have a friend with the programming gear, so I snagged a couple of VHF Motorola Sabers for super cheap. Got them on MURS at half power and ham bands at 5w. I've gotten a good solid mile outdoors before and a little beyond that at the beach before, but that's flat open line-of-sight. |
| i'm looking around ebay as well but i can't always tell what is chain made crap, good china made stuff, and just plane good gear. i'm looking for something that's just put in batteries or change up, plug in head seat, turn on, select channel and go. what is something that will give me 5+ miles in flat open conditions? |
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Quoted: i'm looking around ebay as well but i can't always tell what is chain made crap, good china made stuff, and just plane good gear. i'm looking for something that's just put in batteries or change up, plug in head seat, turn on, select channel and go. what is something that will give me 5+ miles in flat open conditions? 2 meter. the frs/grms wont get 5+ miles. a 2m with good antenna will and then some. Mine with shitty duck will get 5+ all day long. http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=111&encProdID=5CB596EBED9A3EE26635C7E1F02500D9&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0 its the 3R good radios . i personally run some atlinco's cuz they were cheap. i can get a aa batt pack for them..just to cheap right now to buy the conversion. |
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i have a drawer full of grms and frs radios. every brand but motorola had atleast one of the 2 radios fail within a few months with very limited use. i finally just sucked it up and went ham. the tech test is easy and GOOOOOD radios can be had for not much more than the crappy frs/gmrs market. can you give me a make or model you went with or point me in the right direction? i have a yaesu vx-7r but it's on the top end. you can get the waterproof milspec 2m only rigs for 100.00 or less if you look around. if milspec isn't a requirment you can get some chicom radios for as low as 30-45.00. Thes DO require at least a tech class ham license. but the test is easy and 25.00 for 10 years. free to renew after that. |
| found this place here in CT which is a Yeasu dealer. so for me to use those i would need a HAM license and that would give me the most reliable coms for the money? what bout these 30 mile Cobras they say 30mi which i know is in ideal conditions but would that work reliably in the woods of VT or new England in general? |
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found this place here in CT which is a Yeasu dealer. so for me to use those i would need a HAM license and that would give me the most reliable coms for the money? what bout these 30 mile Cobras they say 30mi which i know is in ideal conditions but would that work reliably in the woods of VT or new England in general? no such thing as a 30 mile frs or gmrs anything. MAYBE if you 300' in the air on open ocean with the proper alignment of the constellations, but real world you will do good to get a 1 or 2 at best. and most 2m radios have wide recieve which will allow you to listen to most public service bands as well. some reviews on the cobras..... http://www.testfreaks.com/walkie-talkies/cobra-cxr920/ of 4 people found the following review helpful: This is a Scammmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, April 22, 2009 By Franklyn Miller "The pc specailist" (Bahamas) - See all my reviews I live in the bahamas; nassau, to be more accurate. It is only seven by 21 miles and I can get only about three miles tops, even with the so called range extender; which only disables the automatic squelch so the radio will recieve a weaker signal. For kids playing in the yard it is a dream but for any other use froget it. It's garbage atotal waste of money and time. if there was a minus rating I would give them a minus five star or even a ten but I give it one because the unit Seems well built. |
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Quoted: found this place here in CT which is a Yeasu dealer. so for me to use those i would need a HAM license and that would give me the most reliable coms for the money? what bout these 30 mile Cobras they say 30mi which i know is in ideal conditions but would that work reliably in the woods of VT or new England in general? no they wont work that far. yes you need a tech lic# to use the 2m. plan on any frs/grms radio to only go 1-2 miles AT best. expect 1/2 to 1 mile performace if the woods aint to thick. |
| ya, i didn't think any hand held 2 ways work much past a mile unless you get some good Motorola's or something. how do you have yours set up? i would like to have this mounded on my back or shoulder with a head set running off of it with a press to talk button maybe this possible for the M2? i think i would go with that one due to the water resistant ability, i don't plan on swimming with this but if i fall in a river or out in the rain i want to be able to count on this. |
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even a "good" motorola frs/gmrs will do good to get 2 miles in real world condition.
the power limitations are simply too much to get any real distance. figure in building/terrain/trees and you have cut even that 2 miles in 1/2. as i said above my radio is a vx-7. it's multiband.milspec rated and small. the one above is a pretty much bombproof radio but it's a bit larger. and technically you NEED a license for GMRS as well....... Licensing Any individual in the United States who is at least 18 years of age and not a representative of a foreign government may apply for a GMRS license by completing the application form (either on paper or through the FCC's Universal Licensing System) and paying the license fee (currently $85.00). No exam is required. Prior to July 31, 1987, the FCC issued GMRS licenses to non-individuals (corporations, partnerships, government entities, etc). frs is limited to FRS 500 milliwatts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service. no license required i believe but power and antenna limitations make these channels virtually worthless beyond about 1/2 mile. this is the reason i just went ham radio. the license is 25.00 for life, easy to get and the repeater infrastructure for 2m radios here gets me close to 60-80 miles radio to radio. plus the radios are so much better made it's not even funny. |
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If you guys don't mind, could you get some good info for a complete radio newb to read? I'd like to learn about ham radio and the equipment, and what kind of com gear you can use that fit in a pack/pouch for in the woods (with headsets to).
Another similar but slightly off topic question- what kind of adapter do I need to plug a radio into my Peltor TacSport muffs if it can be done? |
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