Two Way Radio's

Keep in mind the temperature rating of the radios. My Motorolas work simply wonderful in the nice warm summer months but pretty much are useless in the fall/winter. They really don't like to be cold, even stashed in an inside pocket doesn't guarantee them being ok.
 
titch-- said:
Just got a quick question here guys. So with this Baofeng UV-5R can I add my own frequencies so I could talk with people on other motorola radios?
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Yes.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS/GMRS_combined_channel_chart

This radio is completely programmable. You can enter FRS/GMRS/Marine VHF/HAM (with approprate licences, of course....)
You can either manually program it with the buttons on the radio or use your computer + free software + cable from ebay, enter the frequencies in a spread sheet like format and then upload it to the radio. I would say you do need to have some "geek" blood in you to not get a little frustrated but there is lots of help on the web specifically for the Baofeng.
It comes with NO channels entered on it.
 
OK thanks Tony

Just for reinsurance because I would never do this, of course.. It operates without the appropriate licenses right?
 
Bought a pair of Motorola radios at Cabelas that advertised 58km range under "ideal conditions". In the bush they are 1-2k at best...garbage.
 
Our Ontario hunting group has used these for two years now with great success: Puxing PX-888K-G Dual Band UHF/VHF Two-way Radio. Completely programmable and comes with a cute female Chinese voice that says: "Power on, channel fwee". :) We have programmed them to work on the FRS/GMRS channels; we just avoid channels that are busy out of courtesy. We also hunt in a fairly remote location.

Licences are designed to prevent overcrowded airways and people on emergency channels who shouldn't be. As has been said, no one is checking. Just behave responsibly and avoid channels you shouldn't be on.
 
mrgoat said:
A lot of folks in our deer camp including myself have Garmin Rhino GPS's which have the radios built in. Accumualtor is correct the ones in the states are more powerful than the Canadian version. My Garmin Rhino in the states is 5watt, in Canada 2watt. Canadian regulations. The radio still works well though even in the bush and way better that those Cobra style walky talkies.
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What kind of range do you get with the Rhino? I am surprised they have not been recommended by anyone else.

I hunt with my son and daughter a fair bit and have been thinking of getting a Rhino for each of us so we can stay found and stay in touch.
 
mrgoat said:
A lot of folks in our deer camp including myself have Garmin Rhino GPS's which have the radios built in. Accumualtor is correct the ones in the states are more powerful than the Canadian version. My Garmin Rhino in the states is 5watt, in Canada 2watt. Canadian regulations. The radio still works well though even in the bush and way better that those Cobra style walky talkies.
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I also have a couple of US Rhino's that are 5W, I bought them (used) for 4 wheeling up north but in the end we never ended going on that trip. May put them up for sale one of these days.
 
Awesome thread. Seems I have a lot to learn about radios. I think I'll get a couple of those Baofengs and learn as much as I can about this stuff.

Not happy at all with my Costco specials (2w Canadian Motorolas).
 
titch-- said:
OK thanks Tony

Just for reinsurance because I would never do this, of course.. It operates without the appropriate licenses right?
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Ya, you can listen, just don't transmit on those frequency's you are not licenced for.
Acutally, it has gotten me interested in amateur/HAM radio and I am considering taking the course.

Go here and spend and evening reading everything you want to know about Baofeng UV-5R
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/baofeng_uv5r/info
 
TonyMo said:
Ya, you can listen, just don't transmit on those frequency's you are not licenced for.
Acutally, it has gotten me interested in amateur/HAM radio and I am considering taking the course.

Go here and spend and evening reading everything you want to know about Baofeng UV-5R
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/baofeng_uv5r/info
Click to expand...

I was kind of checking out that site last night alittle. You have to join the group to see anything though?
 
I started using Motorola Mike phones this year. They have a feature, Talk Around, that allows you to use the two-way radio feature between phones in areas that do not have cell coverage or phones that are not active on the network. They have far better range than the FRS/GMRS radios.
 
Bringing a thread back instead of starting a new one...

My outdoor adventures which include: hunting, fishing, quad/biking, hiking etc...I was looking through Cdn Tire site at two way radios, and non of them have any good reviews, at not enough to make me part with my meager cash.

So, I am looking for a two way radio that can handle the above tasks, and cover some distance.
I have been reading that these Beo's (spelling?) are the business, but, you guys are talking FRS/GMRS and this makes no sense to me. Google has only got me more confused...

So...can someone explain to someone who is new to all of this radio-ese what it all really means? And possibly suggest a set of radios that will work in ALL weather/temperature conditions?

Thanks for the patience.
 
correct me if i am wrong, but can you not be fined if you are transmiting higher than 2 watts? or on any channel that is not frs/gmrs/murs?
 
Big thing is getting radios that are programmable, I bought one these after last years flooding in Calgary the cells were jammed but some radios can listen in to municipal frequencies and even use ham repeaters to extend ranges and lastly emergency radio alerts.

The radios you see for camping are okay for families but not the same as ham hand held radios, don't believe 40 km claims from 30.00 radios,typically handheld ham radios are between 2 and 5 watts, my GT-3 is my bug out radio I have just used it to monitor with.

Randy

http://www.radioddity.com/us/baofen...version.html?gclid=CLLvhdrhtb4CFQZcfgod-IIAKA
 
You can indeed be fined for exceeding transmit power. But you'll never, ever, ever be caught for doing it on a handheld unless you do something stupid repeatedly, like step on EMS or LE frequencies and in the same general area, or horn in on a frequency that someone is paying good money to 'own'. Friends in the CRTC that monitor and deal with this sort of thing have far too little money and far too much work to do to worry about this. They're more interested in whoring themselves to Bell and Rogers anyways :)

I've got a Baofeng UV-5R+ that I ordered from China where they don't give a s--t about the CRTC regs, I should check to see what my output is in these bands after I templated it for FRS, GMRS and MURS. FRS is supposed to be something like 100mW and GMRS something like 1W, now whether I'm now doing 4 watts in these bands I dunno.

Also the Baofengs are much cheaper then most of the crap frs/gmrs you'll get at Staples or Canadian tire :)

Mark Mags: there's a decent enough explanation here http://thoughtsfromfrankandfern.########.ca/2013/07/radio-gmrs-frs-murs.html just ignore the christian nonsense on his site.

Rule of thumb : take the range they state on the box, and insert a decimal place after the most significant digit. Much closer to reality.
 
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haven't read the whole thread yet, but I have a question before I forget. I want to buy the snowmobile/motor cycle helmet communicators. Is there a difference in the ones sold in Canada and the USA for power and strength? Good, better best brand etc. thx.
 
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