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When it comes to choosing and using your two way radios, we want you to be informed. There are informative blogs, articles, podcasts and videos available with tips, tricks and reviews to help you navigate the world of radio technology and keep you ahead of the curve. We have a number of resources at Buy Two Way Radios to help you get the most out of your radios. To make them even better, Here's one more. We now carry books about two way radios!

Our new premium selection of books covers every type of two way radio available, including FRS and GMRS radios, marine radios, UHF/VHF business radios, CB and Ham. They're all listed right here on our web site and available now.

Need a basic book for beginners? Two Way Radios and Scanners for Dummies is the perfect choice. It's easy to read, easy to understand, humorous and just a little technical without being boring.

If you want to get into amateur radio, Ham Radio For Dummies is also a great choice. This book how to understand Ham jargon, prepare for your amateur license and how to set up a station. Getting acquainted with amateur radio has never been easier!

Need a technical book for the serious amateur? The ARRL Handbook is a must read for you. Recognized as the standard reference for amateur radio operators everywhere, this handbook covers nearly every aspect of radio communication and is now available in a hard cover 90th edition for 2013.

The ARRL Repeater Directory is a handy resource for locating repeaters across America. The directory lists 21,800 repeaters across the country in a spiral bound 2012-2013 desktop edition.

These are just a sampling of the publications now available to provide you with the knowledge you need maximize the potential of your radios and put you in control of your communications. Whether you are new to two way radios, or you're a seasoned pro, There's a radio book waiting for you.

If the publication you need is not listed on our site, please contact us and let us know.

We've talked on the Two Way Radio Show about how two way radios are used by model railroaders. Well, we just got a great review from Chris The Train Guy of Falls Church Station, Virginia that we thought we should share! Chris purchased an XLT Communications HS150-MT headset for his Motorola Talkabout radio on the recommendation of other members of his model railroad club. Here's what he had to say:

Good morning! I am a first time buyer, and am duly impressed with the service from Buytwowayradios.com! On the recommendation of several members of my Vienna Virginia model railroad club, I ordered an XLT HS150-MT headset last Friday afternoon, and BOOM, it arrived, carefully packed, by Priority mail, on Monday afternoon! Thanks and a tip of the engineers hat to the good Folks in the SHIPPING DEPT., the unsung heroes of any mail-order business!!!

Thanks for the kind words, Chris!

It is 2012 and hurricane season is here. Hurricane Isaac is now bearing down on the Louisiana coastline. A Tropical storm warning is in effect from East of Morgan City Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border.
According to the National Weather Service, Isaac became a hurricane Tuesday and will continue to strengthen until landfall occurs along the northern Gulf Coast. If you are located in or around these areas, Are you ready?

Have you put together your Hurricane Preparedness Kit? If not, consider it now. Get the official FEMA checklist of Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit or purchase one of the ready-made Survival /Emergency Kits from Buy Two Way Radios.

A Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA emergency weather radio are also on the list and are considered very important. You may also need Extra batteries for both radios.

For more information on emergency weather radios, listen to The Two Way Radio Show Episode 13 - Emergency and Weather Radios.

Air band or avionic radios are used in aviation as for both navigation and two way communication. If you are into aviation, you probably already know how important it is to have a radio while in the air.

Air Band Basics
Air Band radios use VHF frequencies in the 108 MHz - 137 MHz range. VHF air band channels are different than those used for land based radios and are specifically allotted by the FCC for use in avionics. In addition to the VHF channels, trans-oceanic aircraft may use HF frequencies as well. But that's another topic for another time. For now, we will focus exclusively on VHF.

VHF provides optimal coverage in open spaces with a clear line of sight. Since air band radio transmissions primarily occur in the air or air to ground from high altitudes, range will generally be much greater than land-based radios. This means typical 5 watt handheld airband radios in flight will reach considerably farther than typical 5 watt UHF or VHF radios communicating ground to ground. Panel mounted NAV/COM airband radios around 8 watts can go even farther.

Air band is divided into COM and NAV channels. COM channels use the higher end of the band and are programmed to frequencies used specifically for voice communication. In the US, the frequencies assigned for amplitude modulated voice communication are between 118.000 MHz to 136.975 MHz. NAV channels use the lower end of the band and are assigned the frequencies from 108.000 MHz to 117.95 MHz for navigational assistance. These frequencies are split into 200 narrow-band channels of 50 kHZ.

One navigation system is the VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR). It is a system of short-range radio beacons developed by the US in 1937 to help pilots determine their position and stay on course. It is now a global standard for navigation in aviation with around 3000 VOR stations worldwide.

In addition to the COM and NAV channels, VHF air band radios typically support NOAA marine weather channels and NOAA weather alerts. Air band also includes an emergency communication frequency at 121.5 MHz with a 100 kHz bandwidth. This frequency is known as International Air Distress (IAD).

Licensing
Until the mid 1990's, a license was required to operate air band radios in most countries, including the US. On October 25, 1996, the FCC released a Report and Order in WT Docket No. 96-82, 11 FCC Rcd 14849, FCC 96-421 (pdf) eliminating the individual licensing requirement for aircraft radio stations operating domestically which are not required by law to carry a radio.

Currently In Part 87 Subpart B of Title 47, the FCC rules are as follows:

(a) Except as noted in paragraph (b) of this section, stations in the aviation service must be licensed by the FCC either individually or by fleet.

(b) An aircraft station is licensed by rule and does not need an individual license issued by the FCC if the aircraft station is not required by statute, treaty, or agreement to which the United States is signatory to carry a radio, and the aircraft station does not make international flights or communications. Even though an individual license is not required, an aircraft station licensed by rule must be operated in accordance with all applicable operating requirements, procedures, and technical specifications found in this part.

Types of Air Band Radios
There are three basic types of air band radios. A handheld air band radio is about the same design as a typical handheld portable land mobile two way radio. Panel mount air band radios generally mount in the cockpit of an airplane or other aircraft, much like the typical mobile radio in a vehicle. A ground station refers to an air band radio that operates on the ground, whether mounted in a vehicle or sitting on a desk.

Examples of handheld airband radios are the Icom IC-A6 and IC-A14. The A6 offers COM channels only. The A14 includes both NAV and COM channels. Both models are available from Buy Two Way Radios.

We just received word that TriSquare is going out of business and its products will no longer be available. The entire TriSquare TSX Series has been discontinued.

We know a lot of our customers are fans of TriSquare radios. It's no big secret why. First, the TSX Series radios use Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, allowing operators to choose from up to ten billion channels for greater privacy and more secure communications than typical business or consumer two way radios. Second, the radios often include advanced functionality typically found on cell phones, such as direct call, text messaging, contact lists and great displays.

Most importantly, TriSquare radios can be used by anyone or any business without a license, unlike GMRS. They operate in the 900 Mhz range, so no FCC license is required, yet coverage and performance is roughly equivalent to a conventional GMRS two way radio.

However, there is one caveat to TriSquare TSX Series radios - these models only communicate with each other and are not compatible with other makes and models of two way radios. This is important to consider when buying TriSquare radios, especially now.

We have sold out our last inventory of radios and TriSquare accessories at Buy Two Way Radios. Since these models are no longer manufactured, they will not be restocked. If you are shopping around for radios and considered purchasing TriSquare, we recommend that you choose among our other business or consumer two way radios instead.

For those who are die-hard fans of TriSquare (and there are quite a few out there), your long term options are to either continue using the TSX Radios available to you or replace them with conventional radios. if you do decide to stay with the TriSquare radios, The TSX100, TSX100-2VP, TSX100R-2VP, TSX300-2VP, and TSX300R-2VP are no longer available. All Accessories such as the TriSquare Replacement Battery (TSX-BP) and the TriSquare TSX10A Accessory Pack are now sold out.

If you recently purchased TriSquare radios from us and are concerned about warranty and support issues, not to worry. TriSquare informed us that your warranty is valid and they will continue product warranty and support for the radios "for as long as needed". If a warranty or support issue arises, the company recommends customers contact the service or sales email addresses on their web site for assistance or call Buy Two Way Radios at 1-800-584-1445.

Updated June 6, 2020.

There are a number of GMRS two way radios on the market today that are advertised as weatherproof for outdoor use, and many of them are. However, there are varying degrees of such protection, and these different levels are not always considered or even known to consumers, who are largely unaware of rating standards such as Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) and Ingress Protection Code (IP). The terms weatherproofing, water resistance and water proofing can become confusing and unintentionally misleading, because many consumers think of them as interchangeable. Such misunderstanding can lead to a frustrating experience when radios purchased for their ruggedness in rough, outdoor weather turn out not to be all that resilient to the elements, or not resilient at all.

There is a big difference between weather resistant, weather proof, water resistant, and water proof. It's important know what each one means and what it doesn't. That is why the JIS and IP ratings exist. These are standards of measurement to determine and define levels of resistance of an object (in this case, a two way radio) to a liquid such as water. The different ratings determine the level of waterproofing (and with IP, dust proofing as well) the radio can handle.

To simplify the terms somewhat, a weather resistant radio can likely handle a little cold and damp air, but a weather proof device is protected from slightly harsher elements. A Water resistant radio can handle some rain and splashing, but a water proof radio will not allow the liquid to enter the enclosure if the device is immersed in it or, in some cases, even submersed.

A radio that is rated submersible to JIS and IP specifications means that it can withstand complete submersion in water to a specified depth for a specified period of time (usually up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes).

When choosing a two way radio for outdoor or all-weather use, it is important to know and understand the difference between the words weather and water and between the terms resistant and proof. To make it even easier, we created this simple Guide to Weatherproof GMRS Two Way Radios below.

	Weatherproof GMRS Radios	Rating	Details
	Garmin Rino 610	IPX7	Waterproof Submersible
	Garmin Rino 650	IPX7	Waterproof Submersible
	Garmin Rino 655t	IPX7	Waterproof Submersible
	Midland GXT1000VP4	JIS4	Water Resistant
	Midland GXT1050VP4	JIS4	Water Resistant
	Midland GXT5000	IP67, MIL-STD 810 C, D, E, F	Waterproof Shock and Dust Proof
	Midland T290VP4		Water Resistant
	Midland T295VP4		Water Resistant
	Motorola Talkabout MS350R	IP-67	Water Resistant Submersible
	Motorola Talkabout MT350R	IP54	Weatherproof
	Motorola Talkabout MT352R	IP54	Weatherproof
	Uniden GMR-2240-2CK	JIS1	Weather Resistant
	Uniden GMR-2875-2CK	JIS7	Water Resistant
	Uniden GMR4099-2CKHS	JIS2	Weather Resistant
	Uniden GMR-3699-2CK	JIS7	Water Resistant Floats
	Uniden GMR5099-2CKHS	JIS7	Water Resistant Floats, Submersible
	Wouxun KG-805G	IP55	Water Resistant

It's a beautiful day. It's bright and sunny, the wind is calm, and there is not a cloud in sight. It's a perfect time to sit back, relax, put some burgers on the grill and just enjoy the great outdoors.

Sure, its fine now, but what about tomorrow, or the day after that, or next week? It's summer. Storms can crop up suddenly, anywhere, anytime with little notice. Yes, the National Weather Service has no advisary out. There is no storm activity in the Altantic and nothing going on in the Gulf of Mexico. But all that can change anytime.

Now is the perfect time to get a weather radio. Why? because right now, you can. Right now, you have time.

Remember the old joke about the leaky roof? When asked why the homeowner doesn't fix it, he says that he can't because it's raining. When asked why he doesn't fix it when it isn't raining, he responds that he doesn't need to because at that time, it isn't leaking.

There is a right time for everything. Waiting until a storm approaches isn't the best time to buy a weather radio or otherwise prepare for an emergency. The best time to get one is when there isn't a storm currently overhead or quickly approaching.

Don't be the guy caught in the rain with the leaky roof. While it's nice and calm, make the most of a beautiful day. Get a weather radio, prepare an emergency kit, and have an emergency plan ready. The best time to do it is now.

It is 2012 and hurricane season is here. Tropical Depression Debby is heading out to the Atlantic after hovering over the Florida coast for four days, flooding the peninsula with a seemingly endless barrage of rain. According to the National Weather Service, the flooding remains a threat. If you are located in or around these flood-prone areas, Are you ready?

Have you put together your Hurricane Preparedness Kit? For those who haven't, now is the time to prepare. Get the official FEMA checklist of Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit or purchase one of the ready-made Survival /Emergency Kits from Buy Two Way Radios.

Of course, basic necessities such as food and water are critical to have available and are top items on any emergency list. However, there are a other items on FEMA's list that are also extremely important. The third and fourth items listed in order of importance are a Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert. The next item? Extra batteries for both radios.

Below is a list of radios that meet the federal requirements suggested in FEMA's list:

Two Way Radios
Midland GXT1000VP4 Radios With Headsets and Charger - A powerful 5 watt all-weather radio. Durable and water resistant, the GXT1000 VP4 features NOAA weather channels, NOAA weather alerts and a 3 year manufacturer warranty. This is our most popular GMRS radio.

Motorola TALKABOUT MS350R Two Way Radios - Built for performance and designed specifically for extreme weather conditions, this radio is ready. The MS350R has 11 weather channels, operates on either rechargeable or disposable batteries, is submersible and floats. It even includes a built-in flashlight! This pack also includes an Emergency Preparedness Checklist Sheet.

Motorola TALKABOUT T9680R-SAME Two Way Radios - One of the most powerful FRS/GMRS two way radios from Motorola, the T9680R is designed as a Hazard Alert radio with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology, a system adopted by the National Weather Service to warn citizens of emergency situations within their immediate area. SAME monitors the NOAA weather stations in your region for emergency situations and hazardous conditions. The T9680R can operate on either alkaline or rechargeable batteries.

Midland XT511 Base Camp Two Way/Emergency Crank Radio - This powerful device is the "swiss army knife" of two way and emergency radios.It's an FRS/GMRS radio, AM/FM clock radio with an alarm, and NOAA weather radio with weather alerts. It's also a flashlight. The Midland XT511 has five power options: AC wall power, DC vehicle adapter, rechargeable battery pack, alkaline batteries and a Dynamo hand crank. The XT511 even has a built-in USB connector to charge a USB device such as a cell phone in the event of a power outage!

NOAA Weather Radios (receive only)
Midland ER102 Emergency Crank Radio - The ER102 has the key features of the XT511 without the built-in GMRS two-way radio, but with a temperature indicator and freeze warning alert.

Midland WR-120 Weather Radio - An All Hazards Alert weather radio that monitors the Public Alert system and features SAME technology to alert you to weather or civil emergencies in your area. It also includes an alarm clock with snooze and a blue backlit display. A battery backup, color coded alert light and external antenna jack round out the features.

Midland WR-300 Weather Radio - The WR-300 has all the features of the WR-120 - with an AM/FM radio and alarm clock with snooze to boot.

Midland HH54VP2 SAME Handheld Weather Radio - This compact, portable handheld radio is a great travel companion. It has NWS all hazard alerts with S.A.M.E. technology and other emergency alerts such as Amber Alerts, biological hazard warnings, civil emergency messages, nuclear power plant warnings, fire warnings and landslide warnings. But that's not all. The HH54VP2 also features a bulit-in alarm clock with snooze, user selectable alerts, color coded alert indicators, a large, backlit display with continuous backlighting option and battery backup.

Midland HH-50 Pocket Weather Alert Radio - The Midland HH-50 is a weather radio that is so compact it fits in your pocket. It instantly auto scans for emergency and weather alerts as soon as you turn it on. The HH-50 supports all hazard alerts, emergency alerts, messages and warnings. This is a great choice for the travel size emergency kit in the car.

There is no doubt communication is critical in any emergency, but when severe weather strikes, you need to be kept up to date on current, constantly changing weather conditions in your area. During such emergencies, power can go out, landlines can be lost and cell service can lose signals. In such situations, a radio may be your only means of communication and important weather alerts.

Don't wait for the next storm to hit before you prepare. Whether you buy it or make it yourself, get your Hurricane Preparedness Kit ready now.

For more information on emergency weather radios, listen to The Two Way Radio Show Episode 13 - Emergency and Weather Radios.

UPDATE - The FCC reformed the Part 95 rules in 2017 and the rule mentioned in the article below that provided the uncertainty was removed. The rules clearly indicate that only a Part 95E approved radio can be used on the GMRS. The current rule is as follows:

§ 95.1761 GMRS transmitter certification.
(a) Each GMRS transmitter (a transmitter that operates or is intended to operate in the GMRS) must be certified in accordance with this subpart and part 2 of this chapter.

The original article is below.

It's no big secret that most two way radios that are built specifically for the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) are not of the same quality as typical business radios. There's a good reason for this. Most people who are shopping for GMRS radios need a radio for occasional use, such as a camping trip, and simply prefer a lower priced radio that will get the job done. Occasionally, however, we have customers who need a business quality radio for use on GMRS.

Who Needs A Business Quality Radio For GMRS
These customers typically use their radios often - not just for an occasional hike with the family. They are sometimes looking to become members of a local radio or repeater club, or are radio enthusiasts in general. Perhaps they've purchased "bubble pack" GMRS radios (as typical 2-pack consumer grade radios are sometimes called) in the past and are just looking for better range, better audio quality, or more durability.

There is a reason that business quality radios sell for 6-10 times more than consumer grade radios - they're better. Whatever the reason, we often hear from a potential customer who is looking for a high quality GMRS radio.

Business Radios That Work On GMRS
Most all programmable UHF business radios can be setup to work on the GMRS. This includes practically all 4 and 5 watt business radios that we sell, including models by Icom, Kenwood, Motorola, Olympia, and Vertex Standard. Business radios that are two watts and less typically wouldn't work, as they have a built-in list of frequencies that do not include GMRS.

Is It Legal To Use A Business Radio For GMRS?
It is not entirely clear if it is legal to use a business radio for GMRS. Business radios that would be programmable to GMRS are going to be Part 90 type accepted (certified). This basically means that the FCC has found them to conform to the "Part 90" rules, which relate to land mobile or business radios.

The rules that apply to GMRS are in Part 95, and this is what "bubble pack" radios are type accepted for. While it is possible for business radio manufacturers to have their Part 90 radios also type accepted for Part 95, most do not. (Kenwood is the exception here and the TK3302 and TK3230 are certified for parts 90 and 95.)

The following is the specific section of the law that applies to GMRS equipment:

§ 95.129 Station equipment.
Every station in a GMRS system must use transmitters the FCC has certificated for use in the GMRS. Write to any FCC Field Office to find out if a particular transmitter has been certificated for the GMRS. All station equipment in a GMRS system must comply with the technical rules in part 95.

Many interpret that last sentence (our emphasis) to mean that as long as the radio is technically compliant with part 95, it is OK to use even if it wasn't specifically type accepted for it. Under this interpretation, Part 90 accepted UHF business radios would be allowed. (One caveat is scrambling. Some business radios support it but it cannot legally be used on GMRS.)

For an in-depth discussion on this topic, listen to The Two Way Radio Show TWRS-38 - Using Business Radios on the GMRS.

This week - May 27th through June 2nd - is National Hurricane Preparedness Week. With the coincidental arrival of Tropical Storm Beryl, we've already had a taste of what this 2012 hurricane season could be like. Beryl was not even a category one hurricane, yet this storm packed a considerable punch with wind and rain, causing power outages and cancelling Memorial Day events along the Florida and Georgia coasts.

Tropical Storm Beryl is said to be the most powerful tropical storm in recorded history to hit the Atlantic coast of the US outside of hurricane season, which officially begins today, June 1. But it wasn't the first cyclone to jump the starting date. Tropical Storm Alberto, which formed off the coast of South Carolina, claimed that spot in mid May.

The National Weather Service advises everyone to be prepared for hurricane season this week. Develop an emergency plan of action and/or evacuation in case of an emergency. Prepare an emergency disaster kit with basic provisions, including:

Collecting everything you need to build an emergency kit can be time consuming and even a bit daunting, especially if you are someone who is always busy or on the go. For those who want to be prepared but don't have the time or patience to go on a scavenger hunt for emergency supplies, you can get one already prepared for you. Buy Two Way Radios now carries a complete line of emergency and survival kits, from the Basic Necessities Emergency Kit to the Four Person Survivor Kit.

Of course, our specialty is radios. For the NWS Emergency Preparedness List posted above, we recommend the Midland ER102 Emergency Crank Radio or the Midland XT511 Base Camp Two Way / Emergency Crank Radio. The XT511 is also an FRS/GMRS two way radio, which could come in handy if land line or cell phone communications are out.

For a complete overview of these and other emergency/weather radios, read the Weather Radio Buyer's Guide. To help you choose the best weather radio for your situation, check out our Emergency Weather Radio Comparison Guide.

So far we've had two storms in one month, before the hurricane season has even begun. Is this just an anomaly, or a shadow of things to come? Does it really matter? The National Weather Service advises us all to get ready, always be ready, because you just never know until the next storm comes.

For more information on emergency weather radios, listen to The Two Way Radio Show Episode 13 - Emergency and Weather Radios.