Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

Did it say why? H kills batteries FAST!

 

No. It didn't.
And you're right.......really fast.

 

L for unlicensed / line of sight

 

Found the manual online.
Down at the bottom....

 

What's the max range?

 

It doesn't say anything for that, either.
Looks like a generic manual for several different models.

Link to Midland manual
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:53d7dafb-edb0-4922-9380-4a4449f27021

 

the setting is for transmit / broadcast power... its usually something like this depending on the radio
low - .5w
med - 5w
high - 15w

more broadcast power, more battery power required.
more power will also get you more distance / obstruction penetration.

 

With the exception of Channel 8-14.
That are always low.?

 

8-14 are frs channels so they are limited in power yes. thats the trade off for being unlicensed channels.

 

This is all helpful info. I've been considering an upgrade to my old Uniden radios that I got free probably 15 years ago. They're very basic in options and I have a lot of trouble hearing some people unless I have the radio at full volume, and then others come across way too loud. It's very frustrating. Would better quality new radios help balance this? I'm willing to spend a little money for better quality.

 

That might have to do with transmitting and receiving a call.
Post #46064 ^
2-3" from face, in a normal voice.

There's a 'whisper' function, on the Midland, that allows you to transmit quietly and still receives at normal volume.

 

Might be, but it's certain people I don't hear well and it seems others do hear them because they're responding to them. James and Carlos are two that I seem to have trouble hearing on the trail, sometimes Tim. Curious to know if maybe they're using similar devices, same brand or something, and my radios just ain't picking them up well.

 

Not sure. The times I wheeled with them I.
A - Didn't know how to use it.
B - My son left the radio on and killed the battery.
C - The battery pack from Midland wouldn't hold a charge.

Ice Road Trucking was the 1st time the radio actually functioned for me. All the other times I went without.

 

could be a lot of things and the issue isn't always the receive side. sometimes its the person transmitting. some people dont talk into the radio or dont pay attention and cover the mic with their hand so its hard to hear. if everyone stands around an open area and each talks / compares with other, it would be easy to determine where the issue is.

 

It’s good to know that. I use the cheap handheld Midlands radios and until recently used them on low power to save on batteries. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade.

 

Idk, maybe we shouldn’t test like that lest we discover our entire group is a bunch of retards.

 

From my experience, not what I learned on the internet. In our adventures the people with handheld seem to be the hardest to hear.
Example,, on your way out to Moab 2 years ago, going through the Rockies Jason was leading and I was in the back. At one point I was 7 miles behind him. I could hear him but not the guys with hhandheld.

Comments from the peanut gallery are now being taken.

 

They're only necessary when slowing down or you see the lead guy turning around.
The rest is a bunch of jibberish about chickens and goats.

 

Sheep were also mentioned.

 

I’ll spare the group the lesson on antenna theory but if you want range, you need an externally mounted antenna.

If anyone ever ventures in amateur radio (ham), you quickly learn every handheld comes with a garbage antenna and a $20 replacement is a huge upgrade.

Gmrs is the same. Just different frequencies, less power and no tests to take.