Reliable Walkie Talkie?

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ktmrfs wrote:

For a few more bucks you can get the rugged radios version of the same units that are much more robust, but more expensive. Rugged radios periodically puts their units on sale. Again, you'll need a programming cable and chirp website to program them.

I won't beat the dead horse on the rest of ktmrfs post and what he suggested. Totally illegal. Don't do it.
And for the quoted part of his post above recommending Rugged Radio. For those who say don't worry about it, do it anyway. Rugged Radio was cited this week by the FCC for illegally marketing the very radios ktmrfs suggested. What they were cited for was selling Baofeng made radios which are only approved by the FCC for Amateur Radio use and advertising those radios as programmable to non-ham frequencies. Rugged Radios was also programming, for a fee, frequencies the buyer wanted.
The FCC has been very clear, particularly the last few years, that radios not type accepted for the frequencies are not to be used for non-type use. That means Amateur Radio equipment cannot be used for Part 90 and 95 use because those radios are not accepted in those frequencies.
BTW those "rugged radios" Rugged Radio was marketing were nothing more than Baofeng radios labeled with their own name. Nothing more. And they jacked up the price. People paid way too much for them thinking because the price was higher they must be better and more 'rugged' radios. Nothing but salesmanship and uninformed people falling for it.

I am well aware of the legality of using a marine radio for shore to shore comms. My ham 2M radio can receive everything from the aviation freqs all the way up through the marine freqs & I have some of them programmed to scan sometimes.

Quite surprised to hear marine channels used far from any water & obviously non water related use.

Not saying it is OK however a handheld radio on low power is not having a range of more than a few miles at best.

For CG parking & not losing each other in a big box store the best to use is a cheap FSR. If it gets destroyed by dropping it or getting it soaked, no big deal.

rlw999 wrote:

Veebyes wrote:
Of course you could always get a couple of basic marine radios, pick some obscure channel that nobody uses & go at it that way. Range is going to be basically line of sight, the same as ham 2M or the commercial VHF band radios.

That's just as illegal as using a non-type rated Baofeng radio on MURS bands -- with probably more chance of getting caught if you're near water and the USCG is listening.

If I had to choose between using a non-type rated radio on MURS frequencies or using a type rated Marine radio on land, I'd pick the former.

But fortunately, those are not the only two choices, as there are legal options even if you don't want to get a HAM license (which is easier than many people think it is!).

You can get a type rated MURS radio like the BTECH MURS-V1 if you want to stick with VHF. Or if you're ok with UHF, get a license and use GMRS radios -- GMRS base stations are pretty cheap, so if you mainly talk RV to handheld, you can get great range with a 15W or 25W base station on the RV with antenna on the roof. You can get high quality GMRS radios if you need something better than the cheap blister pack radios available in stores.

I agree, using marine channels on land is a BIG NO NO could be big trouble if you get caught.

Veebyes wrote:
Of course you could always get a couple of basic marine radios, pick some obscure channel that nobody uses & go at it that way. Range is going to be basically line of sight, the same as ham 2M or the commercial VHF band radios.

That's just as illegal as using a non-type rated Baofeng radio on MURS bands -- with probably more chance of getting caught if you're near water and the USCG is listening.

If I had to choose between using a non-type rated radio on MURS frequencies or using a type rated Marine radio on land, I'd pick the former.

But fortunately, those are not the only two choices, as there are legal options even if you don't want to get a HAM license (which is easier than many people think it is!).

You can get a type rated MURS radio like the BTECH MURS-V1 if you want to stick with VHF. Or if you're ok with UHF, get a license and use GMRS radios -- GMRS base stations are pretty cheap, so if you mainly talk RV to handheld, you can get great range with a 15W or 25W base station on the RV with antenna on the roof. You can get high quality GMRS radios if you need something better than the cheap blister pack radios available in stores.

I am getting off topic a little, but my wife and I use these Baofeng BF-888 radios for use in our kayaks. If we drown one (and we have), we don't care.

We also use them for backing into a site in the dark.

Double post. SRI.

Of course you could always get a couple of basic marine radios, pick some obscure channel that nobody uses & go at it that way. Range is going to be basically line of sight, the same as ham 2M or the commercial VHF band radios.

down home wrote:
We have a couple of Midland GMRS/FRS radios. We have a couple more somewhere.
The reed switches are cra3p on all of them. Easily damaged with a bit of thumb pressure.
Range is supposedly about 35 miles, with lots of disclaimers. Wife and I tried for range in Indiana. There might have been a few buildings somewhere in the way. A little over a mile was it. In the woods etc don't expect but hundreds of feet, probably.
Considering for a long time 2 meter radios.So much Information/Misinformation is out there.
Prices in a couple of shops over from over $600.00 to over $1,000.00 for Motorolas and some others. Power is limited by small batteries and antennas and frequencies. A better model with larger battery on belt etc is available but cumbersome.VHS is allowed in Canada why not here instead of reserved for marine use? It would be a lot cheaper.
I will spend a couple hundred maybe three hundred for two radios...with range..and reliability if I could identify them.
There surely is someone here with experience not afraid to warranty, so to speak his recommendations. Licenses are not a problem

You do not "need" Motorolas..

You do not need to spend $600-$1000, not sure what shops you are talking about but if you are looking at commercial radio shops, yeah they beat you over the head for their commercial radios.

In the US, VHF covers a considerable range of frequencies that are broken into segments.

Aeronatical is 117-137 Mhz, a sliver between for meteorologic stuff, Ham is 144-148 mhz, 149-150 radio navigation, 153-174 old analog Police/fire Marine, business Band (this is where a business would use) with a cut out for NOAA at 162 mhz broadcasts.

So, in reality, you COULD apply for a VHF BUSINESS Band frequency and use a VHF handy talky like a Baofeng and you CAN get those dirt cheap now days if you wanted to go that route although seems to me that you have a bigger world if you simply get a No Code Tech Ham license.

8W VHF/UHF Baofeng HERE for $55

SIX PACK OF 4W/1W Baofeng VHF/UHF HERE for $115 ($20 EACH!!!)

We have a couple of Midland GMRS/FRS radios. We have a couple more somewhere.
The reed switches are cra3p on all of them. Easily damaged with a bit of thumb pressure.
Range is supposedly about 35 miles, with lots of disclaimers. Wife and I tried for range in Indiana. There might have been a few buildings somewhere in the way. A little over a mile was it. In the woods etc don't expect but hundreds of feet, probably.
Considering for a long time 2 meter radios.So much Information/Misinformation is out there.
Prices in a couple of shops over from over $600.00 to over $1,000.00 for Motorolas and some others. Power is limited by small batteries and antennas and frequencies. A better model with larger battery on belt etc is available but cumbersome.VHS is allowed in Canada why not here instead of reserved for marine use? It would be a lot cheaper.
I will spend a couple hundred maybe three hundred for two radios...with range..and reliability if I could identify them.
There surely is someone here with experience not afraid to warranty, so to speak his recommendations. Licenses are not a problem