What is the best CB/GMRS/HAM config?

The mount is something that I splurged on and am really really happy with. I bought the accessory mount and have a Hondo Garage Perfect Squeeze that holds the head unit. I've also got the tablet mount. With the tablet, I can tie my friends APRS signal from their radios onto a map on my tablet and see exactly where they are. I'm working on getting that all self contained so I won't have to rely on cell service to do that.

https://expeditionessentials.com/products/toyota-tacoma-3rd-gen-usb-powered-accessory-mount

My antenna is a Comet CA-2x4SRNMO with the added spring mount. It's tall but not too crazy. And I can hear repeaters 60+ miles away from my location on the valley floor. In the mountains I change to a shorter antenna because of the elevation differences and the radio signal not broadcasting straight out on a relatively flat pattern.

 

I would just like something to use for when I'm on active logging roads that require the driver to call their position so you don't end up running into a loaded log truck somewhere you shouldn't. Something that doesn't get used that often, but needs to work for at least a 5 mile range.
Anything out there in the hand held world that would fit that?

 

Santa just dropped off a

$40 Baofeng UV-5R Ham Radio Long Range Handheld UV5R Dual Band 3800mAh Rechargeable Two Way Radio Walkie Talkies for Adults with Earpiece,Speaker Mic and Programming Cable Full Kit (Black-1Pack)

Baofeng UV-5R, what’s the scoop on these being illegal to use? I was all set to start studying for my license when I read this thread.

 

They are not illegal to use as long as you stay within the band limits for HAM radios. By default they are able to transmit on MGRS and FMRS frequencies but at a higher wattage than allowed by FCC. They are still handy little radios to have although they can be a pain to program.

 

They are meant for HAM only but many people use for GMRS. The issue there is The power output and antenna.

 

Thanks for the information guys!

 

I did it in person at the local library, looks like there are some online options now http://www.arrl.org/findonlineexam

 

Baofengs are fine

 

I'm considering the midland 15W. My question for you experts in the group, if my buddy has a 2w handheld will I be able to have more range Tx and Rx or do both parties require a stronger radio? Or is communication is as strong as the weakest link? Thanks

 

If going the GMRS route, is money spent on a handheld unit a waste or will it likely (terrain dependent) get that 10-15+ mile range? Would something like the

$90 Midland T290VP4 High Powered GMRS Two Way Radios

Midland T29OVP4 work for most basic comms? The intent being to talk to a buddy a miles down the road doing recon, not for getting out of a really sticky or emergency situation.

 

that would be terrain dependent. LOS it will possibly work up to it’s specs but given tree coverage and hills etc you might get a couple miles. I use a similar setup for communicating in backcountry terrain skiing and has worked well for me. But we are never more than a mile apart.

 

Good question. The more powerful 15W radio with a better antenna extends the range of the 2W radio, all other things being equal.

 

As a licensed ham here myself, figured I would chime in...

When you ask, "What is the best CB/GMRS/HAM config?", I would imagine the best response is, "What do you hope to accomplish with it?".

If you spend A LOT of time on the road, CB is probably your best option, as I would imagine nearly EVERY rig out there is equipped with one.

GMRS tends to be a niche allocation. We have a repeater here, and there are some folks who use it, but it tends to be a smaller group. If you are trying to keep up with your buddies while out in the sticks, and they are out there with you, this fits the bill nicely, even without repeaters.

Amateur Radio is another beast entirely... Much has been touted regarding "Disaster Preparedness" and "Emergency Services" with HAM radio, much of which is vastly overrated, in my opinion. I have been on road trips and called out on 146.52 more times than I can remember with no response. Even the repeaters one encounters on the road or the woods can be hit or miss. I PERSONALLY would not trust ham radio for emergency situations as much of the repeater based stuff is sort of a "club", and yes, I belong to one, thus, your "assistance" may or may not happen.

There is one area of Amateur Radio which may prove useful to you if you are wheeling, etc. Have you heard of Winlink? Take a look at http://www.winlink.org. With an HF transceiver, a laptop, and reasonable antenna, you can send/receive e-mails while out in the boonies. In other words, you are not dependent on another human being at the other end of the circuit to pick up the microphone.

Given your initial post, it seems to me that Winlink best fits your needs, at the expense of getting the higher license classes. In your situation, I would take a look at the question pools on http://www.eham.net (the test questions are public), start taking the practice tests, and knock out Technician, General, and Extra. Should take you about a month, with relatively minor effort.

If there is a GMRS repeater in your area (and you will need permission to use it) with excellent coverage, the $70 for the license might be an easier alternative.

And do you want something even easier? Garmin InReach... Believe it or not, this is probably your BEST option. And SIMPLEST. Take a look at the following link, https://discover.garmin.com/en-US/inreach/personal/. Equipment is minimal, you can start/stop the service as needed, and being satellite based, is relatively reliable and has global coverage...

Just my thoughts...

Garry (AE5HL)

 

@Cows Have Claws what did you end up with?

 

Rock solid 2M 80 watts - that won't break the bank.

https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015771&oi=1

https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-007916

https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-006826

 

I ended up getting the

$165 Midland MXT275 MicroMobile® GMRS Radio – 15 watts Two-Way Radio with Integrated Control Microphone – Overland Caravanning Tractors – Detachable External Magnetic Mount Antenna - 8 Repeater Channels

Midland MXT275 Micromobile and 3dB stubby antenna. The antenna I stuck through the firewall and attached to passengers side on the hood. I went super stealth and velcro'd the base unit under the dash and used an add-a-fuse micro tapped into the hazards for power. I got an extension for the handset and wired it through center console and through the glovebox so it can be hidden away when not in use.

 

I went with GMRS over CB due to conversations with friends and articles like this:
https://jeepjamboreeusa.com/cb-replaced-by-frs-gmrs-two-way-radios/

I've got a couple Midway GXT handhelds and charger for camping or to hand to friends so we can chat if they dont have a radio.

 

nice! Sounds like a good setup! I went With a ham but want to double up with GMRS I’ll have to check out them at midland set up. How’s it been working out?

 

I just rolled across this thread. Might be late to the table as I see cows already picked up a GMRS radio.... but here is my 2cents

I started out with a CB, it was fun to listen to truckers while on the highway was fantastic for traffic jams to change lanes ahead of time or exit if needed. However it only had like a 2 mile at most range and was super fuzzy to listen to.

I kept the CB and expanded to HAM, punched my tech ticket and picked up a couple

$50 UV-5R 8Watt UHF/VHF Radio with 2 Rechargeable Battery, Portable Radio for Adults with Earpiece, GV-771 Antenna, Compatible with BAOFENG Programming Cable (3rd Gen)

UV-5R handhelds. They were sweet, way more clear than the CB and their range was much better. I could hit and hear repeaters 10+ miles away. having Them as handhelds I could use them in and out of my truck but I also wanted more power and a dedicated rig. I picked up a 2m Kenwood for my house and a 2m/70cm dual listen ICOM with a hood mounted NMO so I could switch between antennas depending on the terrain I was in. I also got into Skywarn after punching my tech ticket and aid in storm spotting so HAM at home and in the vehicle make an awesome combo. Ham is more worth it if you use it more than just for wheeling trips once a month. Plus the hardware and options can get way more expensive than the others.

After getting into wheeling I realized the people I wheel with aren't the type of people who wanted to take a test (i doubt some can even read) so that limited us to GMRS/FRS/CB. I relayed the distance and clarity limitations of CB and we all bought some UV-5x GMRS radios and they are killer awesome. The clarity is great, no tuning, some repeaters, and you have a bunch of cheap options for good radios.

Since we are never more than a mile apart on the trail GMRS works great but I still use my HAM to hit surrounding repeaters in the event we needed to reach out for anything. I would suggest to anyone go GMRS or HAM (or both) but ultimately get what the other people in your wheeling parties can easily obtain.

For handhelds I have 2x UV-5r, and 2x UV-5x
Hard mount:

$165 Midland MXT275 MicroMobile® GMRS Radio – 15 watts Two-Way Radio with Integrated Control Microphone – Overland Caravanning Tractors – Detachable External Magnetic Mount Antenna - 8 Repeater Channels

Midland MXT275 with a NMO stubby antenna mounted at the back of the truck
ICOM 2730A with a NMO mount on my hood.
Home base is a Kenwood TM261 with a attic antenna
​

The nice part is I have dash plugs for each of the hard mounted radios in my truck so I can unplug the mic and store it in the glove box and the rest of the radio is out of sight out of mind.

 

fewer and fewer are running CB. I hooked it up for a cross country road trip, all the way to LA and back.

All I heard was a couple truckers bitching at each other at merge points and asking if a rest stop was still open.



I ripped it out. Not worth the hassle of it. The groups I go out with use GMRS (and to be fair, a lot are using it via

$40 Baofengs UV-5R Ham Radio Long Range Handheld UV5R Dual Band 3800mAh Rechargeable Two Way Radio Walkie Talkies for Adults with Earpiece,Speaker Mic and Programming Cable Full Kit (Black-1Pack)

Baofengs UV-5R radios illegally). Almost every group ride I see around here is promoting GMRS.

I’d like to see MURS take off more, but doubt it will. I have my amateur radio license, so I can play on VHF bands with some of the other ham nerds. But, GMRS seems to be the go to (or FRS with no need for a license).

Thinking about dropping in a hard wire setup instead of an HT, so I don’t have to deal with batteries. We’ll see what happens this year, most likely I’ll end up with one of the cheaper Midlands.