2-Way Radio Recomendation??

jsdboy

jsdboy

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saanichton, b.c.
I was wondering if anyone has some comments about their favorite (or any) 2 way radios.
2 other buds and I have shared tags this year in an area devoid of cell phone reception. it is a high rolling plateau area that we will hunt, and we need communication over a pretty big area.
the array of Motorola and Cobra radios is confusing to me - what with all the channels and "privacy codes" and such. I am looking for something that a Luddite like me can figure out and use............:confused:
any comments/experience about these units?
 
I use motorola on the job and in the field on my personal time. I love them. They've got a great selection of radios to suit your needs. If you want something that goes a couple km's or something that goes a couple dozen km's. What ever is in your price range.
 
I have these. They're waterproof, and work awesome:

598632.jpg



http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/598631.html
 
Yes, all the different channels, power levels and privacy codes can be confusing, but if you want simple, just keep it on channel "1"... Lol.
 
My local "Source" store had them marked as "salvage" for $45. BNIB, but the box was torn. I have no idea what they're supposed to be worth, but I think I got a smoking deal.... :)
 
Stay away from the GMRS radios like Cobra and many Motorola's, I have a box full of them. They may advertise as having a range of 40 km, but you'll never get that. On a good day they'll go 2 miles on open,treeless terrain

My suggestion is to spend a bit extra on a couple of 5 watt VHF radios, Standard Horizon makes some good ones, for example.
 
bearkilr said:
Stay away from the GMRS radios like Cobra and many Motorola's, I have a box full of them. They may advertise as having a range of 40 km, but you'll never get that. On a good day they'll go 2 miles on open,treeless terrain

My suggestion is to spend a bit extra on a couple of 5 watt VHF radios, Standard Horizon makes some good ones, for example.
Click to expand...

thanks bearkilr - i had to google "GMRS" (general mobile radio service). And indeed it was made clear that the range statements are usually grossly overrated - but may work under ideal conditions. (sounds kind of like a lot of claims about rifle calibers eh? :p)
i am thinking that i may rent some of the 5 watt VHF radios for the hunt rather than buy. i found a place in town that does that for a reasonable price, and then i don't have to go through the licensing stuff etc. Hunting is about the only app. i have for them............
i have used 5 watt VHF's in work related situations and they were quite remarkable in terms of range and what they could go around in terms of terrain. so thanks again, i think you just saved me some $ and more stuff sitting on the shelves
 
Carefull....especially with VHF. Using VHF frequencies (esp the wrong ones!) requires a lic, and the wrong channel can get you into a HEAP of trouble.

The rino's (GMRS) from the US are 5 watts, and also have a repeater function that would work well......also against the rules here in Canada, but almost impossible to get busted for.

We just use cheapy motorollas....not perfect, but better than nothing. If we could get cell service where we hunt, we'd just stick to phones :)
 
bearkilr said:
Stay away from the GMRS radios like Cobra and many Motorola's, I have a box full of them. They may advertise as having a range of 40 km, but you'll never get that. On a good day they'll go 2 miles on open,treeless terrain

My suggestion is to spend a bit extra on a couple of 5 watt VHF radios, Standard Horizon makes some good ones, for example.
Click to expand...

I have to agree here... I was a sucker for the false advertisement on two occasions. First I got a set of Motorolas good for 5 miles.... and a couple years later I got a Midland set good for 15 miles. At any range in the woods that you can't hear a person yelling, the Motorolas are useless... The Midlands are a bit better, but not much... each year we use them when we go get carrots for deer hunting... if a couple kms come between us on the open road, they will start to break up pretty bad. You can switch them over on high power, but then you get about 2 transmissions out of them before the batteries are completely dead.
 
Go with a hand held VHF. Get all the FSR and RR frequencies programed into it (25 bucks) and pay NRCAN the 40 bucks for a liscence. You will then be able to drive all the forest service roads in western canada with out getting killed/hated/fined. You will also then be able to summon help in an emergency. They are more money then the cheapo stuff above BUT they will last forever and avoiding one collision with an overloaded logging truck or learning of a bad stretch of road before you drive down hill into will pay for the investment. The other nice thing is that if you monitor the lad channels or the local road channel you generally get a pretty good idea of who and what is around you. Just don't be talking about supper options on an active road control channel! BTW Grader operators (bless thier souls) always know where the the moose are.

Good idea on the rental. Here a lic, programmed brandnew VHF hand held is less then a 100 bucks per month.
 
Wrong Way said:
Carefull....especially with VHF. Using VHF frequencies (esp the wrong ones!) requires a lic, and the wrong channel can get you into a HEAP of trouble.

The rino's (GMRS) from the US are 5 watts, and also have a repeater function that would work well......also against the rules here in Canada, but almost impossible to get busted for.

We just use cheapy motorollas....not perfect, but better than nothing. If we could get cell service where we hunt, we'd just stick to phones :)
Click to expand...

In Canada the GMRS radios are limited to 2 watts, US is 5 watts.

To get max range, you need to hold the antennas VERTICAL. In simple terms, they have made antenna longer to get more "gain", and hence more range. (Gain is focusing the transmitted energy perpendicular to the antenna, instead of radiating it out in all directions, including up and down.)

When most people talk into a "little" GMRS radio, the antenna typically points backwards over their shoulder, so the transmitter signal goes straight up, and straight down. Not the best for range......

Batteries? Most GMRS radios with come with rechargeable packs that have TINY capacities. Get rid of those packs, and use alkaline disposable, or build your own pack with proper capacity rechargeable batteries. Both the alkaline and full size rechargeable batteries typically have 4x the capacity of packs that come with the radios.

I did an experiment and got a measured 9km (Google Earth) with an OLD 1 watt GMRS with a short (low gain) antenna, over flat ground. However one unit was at ground level, and I was up on a little rise/hill.
 
jsdboy said:
thanks bearkilr - i had to google "GMRS" (general mobile radio service). And indeed it was made clear that the range statements are usually grossly overrated - but may work under ideal conditions. (sounds kind of like a lot of claims about rifle calibers eh? :p)
i am thinking that i may rent some of the 5 watt VHF radios for the hunt rather than buy. i found a place in town that does that for a reasonable price, and then i don't have to go through the licensing stuff etc. Hunting is about the only app. i have for them............
i have used 5 watt VHF's in work related situations and they were quite remarkable in terms of range and what they could go around in terms of terrain. so thanks again, i think you just saved me some $ and more stuff sitting on the shelves
Click to expand...

I have 4 of the Standard Horizon 5 watt VHF radios that Cabela's Canada sells, they're $110 + tax ea. IIRC. They work fantastic, are small and waterproof. As far as licensing goes, I'll just say to not use the Emergency channel,16.

Maybe if you only talk Canadian content on the unlicensed VHF, they won't prosecute!!! :D
 
bearkilr said:
I have 4 of the Standard Horizon 5 watt VHF radios that Cabela's Canada sells. As far as licensing goes, I'll just say to not use the Emergency channel,16.
Click to expand...

Since the radio you are describing is a marine VHF, it is more than just channel 16

X indicates a pleasure boat may use the channel on the left in the maritime region at the top.
PC=Pacific coast,
WA=West Arctic, Athabasca-Mackenzie,
PR=Prairie Provinces,
LW=Lake Winnipeg, Red River,
EA=Eastern Arctic,
GL=Great Lakes,
NL=Newfoundland & Labrador,
AC=Atlantic Coast.
A after a channel is for U.S. mode.
B is International mode, normally used in Canada.

VHFMarineChannels_1.png

VHFMarineChannels_2.png
 
bearkilr said:
Stay away from the GMRS radios like Cobra and many Motorola's, I have a box full of them. They may advertise as having a range of 40 km, but you'll never get that. On a good day they'll go 2 miles on open,treeless terrain

My suggestion is to spend a bit extra on a couple of 5 watt VHF radios, Standard Horizon makes some good ones, for example.
Click to expand...

i second that i even have a 30 watt VHF in my truck
 
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