Breaker, Breaker

[GRUNT 111]

What is everyone using these days? What is this GMRS? I have been out of the game for a while, so I am trying to my comms are effective to run with the group again. I am guessing I shouldn't bother putting my CB back in. I am a HAM hand have both a Yeasu FT-2980 and a Boefang handheld. Will those units communicate with the GMRS folks if I program their frequencies? Should I just resort to using hand & arm signals? I feel like I woke up from hibernation and everything is different. 

[GRUNT 111]

Okay, I just read this article:

https://strykerradios.com/ham-radios/gmrs-vs-ham-radio-which-should-i-choose/#:~:text=In fact%2C GMRS radios can,to the 70 cm band.

 

What radios are you guys running and if it is GMRS, do you use a frequency/channel that HAMs in the group can communicate with you?

[gearhead 693]

Well boo.....the  Yeasu FT-2980 is VHF only, so no way to mod it for GMRS.  Don't worry, same thing happened to me, lol!

 

Popular for mobiles are the Midland GMRS radios  

 

Tons of cheap options for handheld GMRS radios

 

Good luck!

Edited November 3, 2024 by gearhead

[ob1jeeper 849]

Depending on the model of the Boefang, it may have the ability to also use the GMRS frequencies.  

 

 

Edited November 3, 2024 by ob1jeeper

[4x4tographer 3,642]

Couple of good threads on GMRS: 

 

 

 

 

 

[GTGallop 60]

I think GMRS is mostly favored because you can still buy blister pack radios in a 2 or even a 4 pack from Walmart without a license from Walmart on your way to the meet up and use them.  It is the most accessible and affordable of all of the radio bands. Because of that it tends to be a fairly simple radio to use.  Laid out with the UXUI of a beginners perspective.

 

Ham Technician License opens you up for more wattage in a similar frequency range (70CM) and you pick up 2M as well as tiny portions of 10M and then the 6M bands.  Sounds like you gain a lot but really you don't.  As long as one vehicle in a large caravan has this capability then I think you are OK.  They can be the relay to take information and re-transmit it over the Ham Freqs if they are radioing back home for support.  The 6M band has some great performance factors that I think would make it a great band for Off Roading but hand held radios for 6M are virtually unheard of.  In Arizona there are ZERO repeaters listed in the 6M range so that limits practicality.

 

As you go up from there Ham General and Ham Extra licenses get you into the HF bands but those are really only practical as a base station radio when camping.  Most of your HF antennas are ridiculously huge for Off Road comms on the move.

 

There are a few other bands out there like MURS.  They fit all of the specs of GMRS, the only difference is that they run closer to the 2M Ham Frequencies and the radios cost a little more and aren't available in your local Walmart in your choice of 6 different uber-tactical camo-patterns and blaze orange.  CB is still around but it got so trashy that it became a punch line to the joke that was the 1970's and 80's.  As a result development in features kinda stagnated in that area.  But you can still get one, usually at a truck stop, where some guy in the back has a radio bench and will tweak and peak it for $25 extra.  There are some cheap CB's that can be had for less than $100 and some that are around $300.

 

GMRS is probably your best bet, lowest barrier to entry, radio service.  You can get cheap radios or higher end radios. I'd recommend one of the waterproof dust proof models. Then figure out from there what you want your AND radio service to be.  GMRS and HAM?  GMRS and CB?  GMRS and MURS?  Having a few vehicles in the pack that can flip between services is nice.

[theksmith 5,778]

On 11/2/2024 at 3:12 PM, GRUNT said:

What is everyone using these days? What is this GMRS? I have been out of the game for a while, so I am trying to my comms are effective to run with the group again. I am guessing I shouldn't bother putting my CB back in. I am a HAM hand have both a Yeasu FT-2980 and a Boefang handheld. Will those units communicate with the GMRS folks if I program their frequencies? Should I just resort to using hand & arm signals? I feel like I woke up from hibernation and everything is different. 

 

your older Baofeng should work on the GMRS frequencies. the easiest thing is to program it ahead of time with all the GMRS channels in memory. you just need a programming cable and the free CHIRP software - or just remind me to bring my cable and laptop on a run with you and i'll set it up... or catch @SonoranWanderer on a run - he usually has his laptop and the cable with him.

[SonoranWanderer 715]

On 11/2/2024 at 7:42 PM, gearhead said:

 

Tons of cheap options for handheld GMRS radios

 

I also have a GMRS on the cheap guide here

[GTGallop 60]

I just read that guide - Excellent post!  I don't know if you can pin it or make a sticky out of it but it is certainly worthy.  Definitely Top-10 Material.