Best 2 way radios? HELP!
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 11:15 am
Hey guys,
I'm trying to get some powerful 2 way radios for my wife and I to use and for use in the boonies where there is no cell phone service. Also I want to use it at my home because we need to be able to communicate through out the day when we are 3 floors apart. Distance is a MUST.
I've talked to a few people and have been told that VHF is the way to go for "going through/around objects" but I'm finding UHF to generally have more watts.
Either way I'm going to purchase an FCC license but I've narrowed it down to the following 2 radios:
Midland GXT5000 UHF GMRS 5 watt radio - http://www.amazon.com/Midland-GXT5000-3 ... ds=GXT5000 - $240 total price.
~VS~
VHF 5 watt Motorola's RDV5100: http://wwww.factoryoutletstore.com/deta ... y_id=34573 - $518 total price. I'm leaning in this direction currently. I would need an FCC license for this too right? These appear to be everywhere with local retail shops and they used something similar in my old apartment complex. They seem to punch though everything... This guy is also repeater capable according to Motorola: http://www.motorolasolutions.com/US-EN/ ... 5100_US-EN
Needed:
DURABLE, water-resistant/proof - Of course right????
Lithium Ion battery that is wicked powerful on run time (Which the Midland doesn't have)
Question is: Which will work for me? I wanna be able to go up the road 4 - 5 miles. The basic 2 watt GMRS radios I have now I'm lucky if I get half a mile out of them. Is it even possible to do what I wanna do with a more powerful radio? Example: Last year I was travelling in 2 different vehicles with another friend and when we got as little as .25 to .5 mile out in traffic our radios cut out using the low .5 watt FRS channel (8 - 14)... STUPID. That isn't practical.
FWIW, I'm NOT apposed to installing a base station or repeater in my house but my understanding is that they need to be able to hop +5Khz to use a system like that and NOT all radios can do it.
Total budget for radios = MAX $500 - $600 but with a base station I know it'll be more. Considering I have always been fond of Motorola and the fact that they INVENTED the radio I'd prefer Motorola. I've been told that Motorola radios are the Toughbooks of the radio world.
Last but not least: What about these? http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-DTR550-P ... rds=DTR550 - I've seen these in use at a local retail store and have the "Nextel Chirp" style system and run on 900MHz. Are they better for distance? - They are also license free. About $563 total package for 2.
Thanks!
I'm trying to get some powerful 2 way radios for my wife and I to use and for use in the boonies where there is no cell phone service. Also I want to use it at my home because we need to be able to communicate through out the day when we are 3 floors apart. Distance is a MUST.
I've talked to a few people and have been told that VHF is the way to go for "going through/around objects" but I'm finding UHF to generally have more watts.
Either way I'm going to purchase an FCC license but I've narrowed it down to the following 2 radios:
Midland GXT5000 UHF GMRS 5 watt radio - http://www.amazon.com/Midland-GXT5000-3 ... ds=GXT5000 - $240 total price.
~VS~
VHF 5 watt Motorola's RDV5100: http://wwww.factoryoutletstore.com/deta ... y_id=34573 - $518 total price. I'm leaning in this direction currently. I would need an FCC license for this too right? These appear to be everywhere with local retail shops and they used something similar in my old apartment complex. They seem to punch though everything... This guy is also repeater capable according to Motorola: http://www.motorolasolutions.com/US-EN/ ... 5100_US-EN
Needed:
DURABLE, water-resistant/proof - Of course right????
Lithium Ion battery that is wicked powerful on run time (Which the Midland doesn't have)
Question is: Which will work for me? I wanna be able to go up the road 4 - 5 miles. The basic 2 watt GMRS radios I have now I'm lucky if I get half a mile out of them. Is it even possible to do what I wanna do with a more powerful radio? Example: Last year I was travelling in 2 different vehicles with another friend and when we got as little as .25 to .5 mile out in traffic our radios cut out using the low .5 watt FRS channel (8 - 14)... STUPID. That isn't practical.
FWIW, I'm NOT apposed to installing a base station or repeater in my house but my understanding is that they need to be able to hop +5Khz to use a system like that and NOT all radios can do it.
Total budget for radios = MAX $500 - $600 but with a base station I know it'll be more. Considering I have always been fond of Motorola and the fact that they INVENTED the radio I'd prefer Motorola. I've been told that Motorola radios are the Toughbooks of the radio world.
Last but not least: What about these? http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-DTR550-P ... rds=DTR550 - I've seen these in use at a local retail store and have the "Nextel Chirp" style system and run on 900MHz. Are they better for distance? - They are also license free. About $563 total package for 2.
Thanks!