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Space was my biggest constraint as well. Once you add "detachable face" to the list of requirements, the list of available products drops dramatically and the cost goes up. Tough pill to swallow, but it will be a clean install when done. That is one I initially looked at... my concern (with my aging eyeballs) is how far I would have to mount it from me and I would need a larger screen. But the cabin in my truck is so small, there is nowhere to mount it where a radio is visible that won't get kicked, kneed or launched at my face as an airbag accessory.... that brought me back to the detachable face thing. FYI, I'm just on the other side of the ship channel from you (League City/Friendswood). Happy to see a neighbor here.

I considered this one when I was choosing a mobile but I needed a detachable face due to space constraints. The 778UV is still on my list of potential base station radios. It looks to be a good bang for your buck radio.

As it has been said it really depends on how you define best. I truly like the KG-935 plus. However I recommend a fully immersive approach to the radio illness and keep buying radios one after the next. You’ll be in good company.

Ya its almost like being under water. You have to get the antenna's above the surface so to speak. Both party's need a tower. That works for base to base but your out of luck with HT's and mobiles.

Same with foliage. One would think that flat Florida would be perfect for radio, but trying to push 5W on a stock antenna through the woods means 1/2 - 2 miles, max.

So select cross tone then 69.3 in tone tx and 103.5 in tone sqwelch rx then select tone type tone->tone I sent you a pm. I’m glad to help over the phone but won’t be able to untill I get home from work. If no you don’t have it figured out by then I can also input it into chirp and send you a screen picture

As already stated the 771g or a tactical foldable. You can get them upto 48”. They look silly but do work. Also an external antenna on the house and car with an adapter to your hand held will work wonders. Gmrs is super line of site to get what ever antenna you use get it up as high as possible. The city is also hard on gmrs signals. Out in the open a 4/5watt hand held can do 30plus miles all day long but the same radio in the city will fall off at a mile or so. Height is might.

check out his new KML lookup.. (Google Earth)

i had one for my RV for awhile was a nice radio until the display decided to go south.

@TacticalTodd Read this link about the CHIRP columns.

If you want to stick with Part 95 certified radios, recommended for now, your choices are a bit limited. You have two routes to try, new or used. The prior posts cover the new more popular, and cheaper, Chinese radios. The second are the older used LMR, Land Mobile Radio, the type you see used by factory workers, security guards and some police and fire departments. My personal experience is mainly with Kenwood radios. The software is normally fairly easy to find and the accessories, battery packs - charger bases - speaker microphones - spare antennas - programming cables etc. are easy to find on line new and used. My top pick for everyday carry is either the TK-3170, or the version with trunking (which you don't use on GMRS) is the identical looking TK-3173. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new A radio with more channels and a few more features is the TK-3180. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/417-tk-2180jpg/?context=new The above radios are analog FM only. If at some point in the future you think you might want to try Armature Radio the above can be "pushed" to operate down in to the 70cm band to cover the repeater section there. Also there are some radios that include various digital voice modes, currently illegal on GMRS, in addition to the typical analog FM mode. A few of these are also Part 95 certified, for FM use. They also cost significantly more money even used. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/254-tk-5320-1jpg/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/251-nx-300jpg/ If you don't care about Part 95 certification there are a bunch of Part 90 radios that can be used. Just be warned the FCC might not be enforcing the rules when Part 90 radios are being used, but that could change at anytime. Keep that in mind. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/418-nx-320jpeg/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/261-motorola-xpr6550jpeg/?context=new And then there are the non US radios that don't even have a any FCC ID or certification. They were never intended to be sold here but can occasionally be found for sale. They are however perfectly legal to use on the Ham 70 cm band. https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/255-tk-d200ed300e-fmdmr/?context=new

While I'm jealous of all you guys that can afford to buy the nice radios, my AnyTone AT-778UV with Nagoya UT72 antenna is actually performing quite well.

Yep, so far I haven't heard of anyone walking off a cliff or into traffic while talking on a two-way radio.

@Chessy68 Welcome to GMRS. As far as antennas go, Both Nagoya and Abbree make a 771G which is a very good antenna. Nagoya also makes a 701G which is shorter but still typically better than the stock antenna. Abbree doesn't offer the 701G yet, only the 701UV. Abbree does provide some good Tactical antennas. I haven't tried one yet but so far all the reviews I've seen have been good. I live in Baytown. I'm not aware of any GMRS clubs in the area but there are a lot of good repeaters around here. Check this site, myGMRS.com and also texasGMRS.net to find lots of good repeaters.

I have a question on antennas for hand held radios, I've got a few Baofeng uv-5G and wondered what antenna would be good for suburban area's. I live just outside the Houston in a area with homes,warehouses,chemical plants and schools. The stock antennas work ok at about mile but after that not so much. Looking for groups around the Pasadena, Deer Park, and channel view area's but no luck. Any suggestions on this, thanks for any help y'all can give me.

Yup! That's what worked for me, using GM-5RH.

I found as a noob my self that if you are programming via CHIRP you need to select the Uv-5H then for the repeaters scroll down to those channels with the + in the column put in your repeaters in to the correct channel slot. WSCH382

So, I went to the Baofeng website and in the product description, I saw this: "it is compatible with Chirp[Choose:GM-5RH]"

i am on the fence of this radio. what work around in Chirp did you use to program this? for my Baofeng GM21, i had to use the GM5RH to read and upload to it.

This will be valuable information for the door to door GMRS radio salesman I’m sure.

I received an email when I got mine. Seems like the sort of thing that might be worth checking your spam filter/junk mail for though.

I agree it’s a great radio and it’s what I have in my truck.

My most recent license was in early 2022. I received an email notification that my license had been granted. Also, a year ago I changed the trustees for our ham club licenses and I received an immediate notification. Here’s the screenshot:

You'd think you would get some sort of piece of paper in the mail afterwards, but nothing of the sort came for me.. Just kept checking in on that broken website until it listed a call sign.

I don't think I ever got a notice mine was granted. I just kept doing the lookup on the FCC site till it showed on there.