BEING PREPARED IS PARAMOUNT! And Communications is a key to being prepared! GMRS radios provide an avenue of communication for everyday life and especially when landlines and cell towers have failed.
Since the launch of the BBARC-ESDA General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) repeater using the HC Highway Antenna Tower, we’ve received a lot of questions about GMRS; how to obtain a license, available resources, and what radio/equipment to buy.
The single, most frequent question we get is “Do I need to take a test to get a GMRS license?” NO- NO TEST IS REQUIRED!
So here is some information that may help. This is mostly about GMRS, but we at BBARC and ESDA are always available to help with questions about GMRS and HAM and to assist in radio programming.
First, a great website about everything GMRS is at www.mygmrs.org. That site gives a lot of basic information about GMRS, step by step instructions on obtaining a license, a list of some GMRS radios and links to purchase, and a site listing all registered GMRS repeaters and information about them.
Also, there are lots of YouTube videos about GMRS radios, antennas, programming and using GMRS radios and repeater sites.
Nauvoo recently established a GMRS repeater as part of their Nauvoo Emergency Communications Network https://sites.google.com/view/nauvoogmrs/home . I have borrowed some of their information on purchasing radios. There are lots of different GMRS radios and lots of different options, but be a wise shopper, and read available reviews and other person’s experiences with it. BBARC and ESDA can help you with this.
Some HandHeld Radios:
Low power (2 watts or less) (License Free) radios:
Motorola Talkabout (various models) – 2 watts or less
Radioddity FS-T1 – 2 Watts
BaoFeng MP31 – 2 Watts**
High Power (over 2 watts) (License required) radios:
BaoFeng G11S – 3 watts
Retevis RB17P – 5 Watts
Radioddity GM-30 – 5 Watts
BaoFeng GM-15 Pro – 5 Watts
BaoFeng UV-5G Plus – 5 Watts
TIDradio TD-H3 – 5 Watts
Some Mobile Radios (for vehicle or home all require external power and antenna:
Retevis RA87 – 40 Watts
Radioditty DB25-G – 25 Watts
Midland MXT500 – 50 Watts
All radios are available on multiple retailer sites; Amazon, Retevis, Midland, Buytwowayradios and many others.
It is easy to be confused on which radio or equipment to buy, but make sure it is a GMRS radio and will transmit on GMRS frequencies (462.5500 MHz – 467.7250 MHz).
Some of the BBARC club members use the Radioditty GM-30 and like it and have had good experience with it. The power of 5 Watts will give you about a 5-mile radius of coverage depending on terrain, but a mobile radio and good antenna can provide up to 30 or more miles depending on terrain. Generally, the greater the Watts, the further the transmission. A good GMRS antenna is needed for a mobile and if you want to use a mobile as a home base radio, we’d suggest mounting an outside GMRS antenna as high as possible. Handhelds run on an internal, rechargeable battery. If you plan to use a mobile radio in your home, you will also need a 12V power supply for it and if purchasing a 12V power supply for a mobile radio, make sure it can provide the necessary amperage needed for the radio. Radio specs show max amperage needed.
Our recommendation is if you are going to purchase a handheld, to have one with at least 5 Watts, and if purchasing a mobile, 25 or even 40-50 Watts would be preferable.
Again, BBARC and ESDA are always available to help with questions about GMRS and HAM and to assist in radio programming.