Handheld GMRS?

[JoshT]

Thinking about picking up a GMRS before the trip in October. Don't know if anyone else will have one, or if they will get used, but seems like a good thing to have anyway. I also know that it is recommended for some of the TRS off-road gatherings. I know that teh Vegabonds page mentions a mounted GMRS as a vehicle requirement, and I seem to recall another TRS adventure page listing it as one too. Regardless it seems like a good thing to have.

I know that a vehicle mounted 15w is recommended. Problem with that is I'm taking the F-150 and don't want to mount a radio or antenna on it. Also I've got a few vehicles and, once up to par, I'm likely to take any of them on a trip so don't want to be mounting them in each one. Primarily for quick group communication in a convoy or around a park, not reaching out a long distance. Seems like a GMRS handheld is the flavor of the day, with a higher powered mounted unit coming later if I use it enough to justify and/or see myself going to an event where there will be some real distance.

So what handhelds are decent price v performance?

Honestly I'm cheap, so one of those Chinese brand like those Baofeng things I used to see in emails would be just my style. I don't mind going a bit technogeek (IE: modifying and tweaking) if necessary, just don't want to buy a total POS. I'll mostly be communicating with people who have their own, so I'd also rather pay a little more for a single decent one, than go cheaper to get a pair.

 

[SenorNoob]

The Baofengs are probably the way to go.

I picked up the cheapest 2 pack of Midlands. I did that because I knew I wanted 2 and when I bought I wanted them faster than I could get the Baofengs shipped.

 

[Curious Hound]

I have a pair of Midland handheld radios that I use as backup or to loan out to people who don't have one. They are handy and we do use them while driving around.

Back when I was studying for my HAM license (not completed yet), I saw a lot of good comments about Baofangs in forums. They seem to be well respected for their price.

 

[sgtsandman]

If the price point is the important thing for you, Boafeng is the way to go. Get the GMRS dedicated one so you don't have to figure out how to program the radio. Like @Curious Hound said, some of us bring hand held radios just in case someone needs one, or in off road situations, the spotter has something to communicate with the driver instead of just yelling.

I have a pair of Midland HTs that I bring on group trips for those very reasons.

 

[JoshT]

If the price point is the important thing for you, Boafeng is the way to go.

I wouldn't say that it's main concern, but it is a consideration. I want to get one for this or future trips. Will get a mounted eventually, but don't want to mount one in the F-150 or the Kia if I happen to be in it. As noted above, even when I get a mounted unit in one or both of those trucks, having the handheld can still be handy.

If things work out then the Ranger will be the future truck for trips like this and it will likely get a permanently installed one, or atleast a mounted setup that can easily be swapped between it and the F-100. Wired in, mounting bracket, and a magnetic antenna mount or something easily removable for swapping or storing when not in use. No place to magnet mount on the aluminum bodied F-150. I know that there are other options for the F-150, but none I want to utilize at this time.

Since it's probably destined to become a backup or secondayr radio, don't want to spend top dollar on it for features I don't need. At the same time I want more than the bare necessities and want something that's going to be fairly decent and relatively easy to use.

After reading around a bit I was considering these two, but wanted to do a bit more studying.

Baofeng UV-5G Plus
Radioddity GM-30 Plus

Both seem to get good reviews, though it sounds like either (like most handhelds?) could benefit from an antenna upgrade out of the box.

 

[sgtsandman]

I wouldn't say that it's main concern, but it is a consideration. I want to get one for this or future trips. Will get a mounted eventually, but don't want to mount one in the F-150 or the Kia if I happen to be in it. As noted above, even when I get a mounted unit in one or both of those trucks, having the handheld can still be handy.

If things work out then the Ranger will be the future truck for trips like this and it will likely get a permanently installed one, or atleast a mounted setup that can easily be swapped between it and the F-100. Wired in, mounting bracket, and a magnetic antenna mount or something easily removable for swapping or storing when not in use. No place to magnet mount on the aluminum bodied F-150. I know that there are other options for the F-150, but none I want to utilize at this time.

Since it's probably destined to become a backup or secondayr radio, don't want to spend top dollar on it for features I don't need. At the same time I want more than the bare necessities and want something that's going to be fairly decent and relatively easy to use.

After reading around a bit I was considering these two, but wanted to do a bit more studying.

Baofeng UV-5G Plus
Radioddity GM-30 Plus

Both seem to get good reviews, though it sounds like either (like most handhelds?) could benefit from an antenna upgrade out of the box.

No hand held really comes with a good antenna. It's a limitation of the form factor and most people don't want a long, floppy antenna on their HT. An HT works with the majority of the stuff we do as a group. Range is limited some because of the antenna being in the cab, and thus, being shielded by the cab. But for a group convoy, where everyone pretty much stays within viewing distance of the group like we tend to do, they will work just fine.