GMRS

We get asked a lot of questions, either by phone, email or over on our two way radios forum. One question that comes up a lot is which consumer FRS and GMRS two way radio "feels" the most solid and durable. We all know this is rather subjective, but there was a conversation here about this just the other day and I thought some of you might like to know what we think.

Now, most people would never put their radios through the kind of abuse that it would take to break them. They are not that fragile and are made to be dropped and knocked around a bit.

At the top of our list (and big, tough and heavy) are Garmin Radios, though Danny thinks they should instead be called Awesome Garmin GPS Map Devices that Just Happen to be Very Good GMRS Radios as Well. (Garmin, feel free to call us for permission to use that). They are heavy radios so they might weigh a bit too much for some people. They are also one of the coolest bits of tech we carry. If you spend a lot of time camping and hunting you should seriously consider a set just for the GPS functionality. They remind me more of commercial grade radios in quality.

Next would be Midland radios. Sure, they are boxy, but they have a nice heft without being too heavy and are very tough. There is something about a simple "works no matter what" design we like.

Cobra, Motorola, Uniden and TriSquare get lumped together. While they are far from fragile, they just do not have the same "solid" feeling. Uniden radios do feel a bit tougher that the others. I would not want to drop any of these radios too often on pavement, though. A few of the Motorola radios feel like I could squeeze them and break the shell even.

All of this is, once again, very subjective. In fact, many of you could easily argue that we are crazy and wrong. Also, none of these are as durable or tough as a commercial grade radio. Most consumer radios use a thin plastic shell and plastic frame. Many commercial radios have a shatter proof shell and a metal frame. That is also one of the reasons there is a price difference. Consumer radios are designed to be a compromise between having a lot of features, durability and price. And in truth, most of the time they do a very good job balancing all of this.

We have had a few customers lately looking for radios with NOAA weather alerts. It is a lot of fun for us here at our Walkie Talkie Laboratory to let them know there are a lot of FRS and GMRS radios with NOAA alerts and more! Here are just a few of the more popular ones available:

Midland GXT760VP4 Two Way Radios: The Midland GXT760VP4 Walkie Talkie is a full featured radio with good range (about 2 miles) and has NOAA weather channels and alerts. We have them here and ready to ship for $59.99 a pair!

Midland LXT480VP3 Two Way Radios: The Midland LXT480VP3 Walkie Talkie has a great set of features and has NOAA weather channels and alerts. They are in stock and ready to for $44.95 a pair!

Cobra microTALK CXR825 Two Way Radios: The Cobra microTALK CXR825 Walkie Talkie has a Lithium-Ion battery (very long lasting!) and NOAA alerts. These are great compact radios for 59.95 a pair!

Motorola TALKABOUT MR350R Two Way Radios: The Motorola TALKABOUT MR350R Walkie Talkie has a lot of features including NOAA weather channels and alerts. These are great all-purpose radios for $69.99 a pair!

Uniden GMR2872-2CK Two Way Radios: The Uniden GMR2872-2CK Walkie Talkie is designed for outdoor activity. It is very water resistant and has NOAA weather channels and alerts. We have them in stock for $74.99 a pair!

Garmin Rino 530 HCx Two-way Radio with GPS: The Garmin Rino 530 HCx Walkie Talkie with GPS is one of the best two way radios made for outdoor use. This is a top-of the line radio and GPS system. In addition they also have NOAA weather channels and alerts. Get the best two way radio / GPS combo for $399.99 a radio!

These are just a few of the two way radios we have with NOAA weather alerts. Give us a call at 1-800-584-1445, send us an email, or visit our walkie talkie forum if you have any questions.

Yes, Spring is here! Many of us are now thinking about camping trips, perhaps a bit of yard work, and a rediscovery of the joys of being outdoors. Well one radio you might want to have with is the Midland Base Camp XT511. The XT511 combines a NOAA weather radio, AM/FM radio, and FRS/GMRS radio.

One great feature is that is can also operate on battery power, you can plug it into a power source, or by turning the Dynamo crank. This makes the XT511 ideal for emergency use, especially in areas with harsh weather conditions. And since this a GMRS radio, just add a set of Midland GMRS radios to cover all of your communication needs.

The XT511 also has a USB connector so you can charge your USB enabled devices (such as many cell phones). We have the Midland XT511 Base Camp Two Way / Emergency Crank Radio in stock and ready to ship for $69.94. Give us a call at 1-800-584-1445 if you have any questions!

The Midland GXT740VP3 GMRS radio is not just a favorite here on our two way radio blog, it is also one that is very popular with many of our customers and friends. Midland makes quality, all-purpose consumer radios that are also budget friendly. We have been able to have special sale on the Midland GXT740 for a while now, and honestly they are great deal at $39.99. They are some of the best general use GMRS radios you will ever find.

The Midland GXT740VP3 value pack includes two Midland GXT740 radios, two NiMH rechargeable batteries, a desktop charger, and two belt clips.

I may have some very interesting news next week, so check back here on our walkie talkie blog. Until then, everyone have a great weekend!

The Cobra LI-7200-2WXVP two way radio is a full-featured GMRS radio. It has 5 watts of power (the maximum allowed by law), 10 NOAA weather channels, silent paging, 10 channel memory, and a lithium battery (They can be used up to 12 hours without needing to be recharged).

We have them in stock and ready to ship out for a special price of $49.99. For a limited time we are also offering $5.00 shipping!

The LI-7200-2WXVP two way radios have great range, features, and a great price. Each pack comes with two Cobra LI-7200 WX two way radios, two belt clips, one dual pocket desktop charger, and lithium rechargeable batteries.

Many experienced hikers and campers just will not head out without a set of radios or a GPS device. They are great for keeping everyone safe, and out of trouble. Garmin has radios that combine an GMRS radio with a GPS device. They are also water proof and repeater capable.

The Garmin Rino 520 HCx Two-way Radio with GPS (349.99) is a full-feature 5 watt GMRS radio and has a full color map screen. The TracBack feature that allows you to retrace your path. You are also able to share your position with other Rino users.

The Garmin Rino 120 Two Way Radio with GPS ($199.99) is a great entry level GMRS radio and GPS device. It features a two tone map screen and has 1 watt of transmit power. Like the 520 you can share your position with other Rino users.

Check out our entire line of Garmin Radios with GPS, and let us know if you have any questions.

Everyone involved with two way radios has their own unique relationship with the FCC. Very simple rulings can have a cascading impact on the radios that are designed and sold, and how people use them. There is a lot of debate out there about licensing, GMRS, and even the future of digital radio communications.

There are a lot of areas that have different effects on all of us. To keep this straight, the FCC not so long ago, promised to be more open and transparent. Well, it would seem for now they are keeping this promise. As detailed in this article, the FCC has a new search engine for researching filings and also for sending them your own comments about a proceeding. You can even set up an RSS feed.

This is a very small step though. The FCC has a lot of things to address in the world of two way radios. Making their website into a more useful tool is a move in the right direction.

We have a Midland radio that you all might be interested in. The Midland Base Camp XT511 combines a NOAA weather radio, AM/FM radio, and GMRS radio. The XT511 is perfect for campers and other outdoor enthusiast to use as a base station / weather radio.

One great feature is that it can also operate on battery power, you can plug it into a power source, or by turning the Dynamo crank. It is a smart idea to have a crank powered radio for emergency use, especially in areas with harsh weather conditions. And since this a GMRS radio, just add a set of Midland GXT740VP3 Radios, and you will have the communications part of a home emergency kit covered.

The XT511 and a set of FRS or GMRS radios is also great for a small home business since your family members can use the GMRS radios. They could even work as a base station and radio set for a small farm, or outdoor business that needs to stay informed of the weather.

Yup, the news is now out, we are now an official Icom two way radio dealer. Instead of telling you about all the business radios, base stations, and accessories we now carry, I am going let all of you in on something. We have a radio model, well two of them in truth, that all of you enthusiasts will find interesting.

First is the Icom IC-F21GM-02 Two Way Radio. The IC-F21GM is a heavy duty, business quality, repeater capable, 4 watt GMRS radio with a removable antenna for $134.99. I do not need to say more on this do I?

The other radio is the Icom IC-F21BR-01 Two Way Radio. The IC-F21BR is a two watt alternative to the F21GM. The F21GM is designed to double as a GMRS radio and as a business radio. It allows you to talk to both consumer GMRS radios, and low powered UHF business radios like the Kenwood TK-3200L and the Motorola RDU2020. It is also repeater capable, has a removable antenna and we have then for $124.99.

I know that a lot of you have been looking for a high quality GMRS radio that is also repeater capable. Well, these even have removable antennas! I was very excited when I found out that we would be carrying these, and I am certain that a lot of you will be as well.

Now that spring is here, it is time to talk about radios for your boats. Our current line of VHF Marine Radios is great for the majority of boaters, and we are planning a few articles about them right now.

Today though, we are going to look at a slightly different segment of boaters. The ones that may not realize they could utilize two way radios, thought they had to use VHF radios only, or have special equipment.

There are a lot of avid boaters out there with houseboats, pontoon boats, fishing boats, and personal watercraft. Most of these are used in small lakes and rivers and seldom taken far from a base camp or boat landing. Well then, why not use an FRS and GMRS radio? That way you can use them on shore at the camp site, boat landing, etc... where you cannot legally use a marine radio. Also, anyone can use an FRS radio, and family members are included in the GMRS license.

For a houseboat, two way radios are a great addition. When family and friends want to use some of the personal watercraft you brought along, two way radios will enable them to stay in contact with the houseboat and each other. This would also be great for those on overnight campouts on shore to stay in contact with those on the boat.

Do you like to take your fishing boat with you when you go camping? Two GMRS radios will provide extra convenience and a lot more security when you are able to communicate with others back at the camp.

With the NOAA weather alert ability of some radios, you can also be warned of any sudden changes in the weather.

Are you in a small marina, or a houseboat community? A repeater and a few GMRS radios may be a perfect addition. This would give you extended communication range, and provide a simple safety feature for everyone that cell phones may not provide.

In no way should you substitute a couple of FRS or GMRS radios for a true marine radio for most uses. They do not have the range or features needed. However, for a weekend boater on a small lake, they may be a good option. A two way radio that can also be legally used on shore is an attractive addition.