TDM827

I don't have a Baofeng, but there are tons of how to videos on YouTube on how to use them. I am sure you will get some great info here as well. Best of Luck.

Suggest you type "Jeep" into the search bar. There has been lots of discussion about mounting antennas on Jeeps, perhaps there are antenna recommendations as well.

I really don't think about it much. Professionally, over the last few decades I used all kinds / combinations of PTT buttons you describe. I can't say I really strongly prefer one over the other or worry about how hard the button is to press, as long as the radio works. Force me to pick and I would go with a tactile click.

You hit on the head. I believe when it comes to large companies creating user manuals the legal department has as much influence on the content, if not more, than the engineers. So we get these often ambiguous and confusing user manuals.

When I got a couple Midland GXT1000s I wondered the same thing. The owners manual kind of addresses the matter when using a NiMH battery pack. The manual does not specifically say you cannot do this. It basically says... "For maximum battery life, we recommend charging the battery pack when the low battery icon comes on." And to "remove the radio from the charger when the charge time expires." Their recommend charge time is 12hrs with the radio "off." So while they do not directly address if this will harm the radio, they do say you may not have a fully charged radio if you have the unit on while it's in the charger. They also recommend removing them from the charger when fully charged, but stop short of saying it will damage the radios or the battery packs. Personally, I don't know if the Midlands are up to long term continual monitoring while the radio is in the charger. So I avoid doing it. I do leave them in the charger and simply unplug the charging cord at the base of the charging unit. I plug it in ever few days for a few hours to "top" them off. About once a month I fully drain the batteries and recharge them fully. Here is the link to Midland radio manuals: https://support.midlandusa.com/hc/en-us/articles/25312693396375-Midland-Walkie-Talkies-Owner-s-Manuals I would file this under "at your own risk."

I second TrikeRadio's advice and do some testing to see what simplex will do for your group before going too far down the repeater rabbit hole. Of course, as preached continuously on these forums, things like topography, antenna height and type of antenna will have a huge impact on effective range. As an upside you, already have a group if interested friends. So if you do need a repeater you can spread the cost over several users. If you need a repeater, don't forget to budget for back up power (battery back up) or your repeater will likely be of no use during power outages.

I am super grateful to the owners / operators of our local repeaters. They dedicate lots of time and money making these repeaters go, and in return they seem to put up with a lot of BS. Way more than I could LOL Who knows what can happen or how long a disaster will last. So for any emergency comms planning it's good to have one plan for repeaters being functional and another if you are limited to simplex.

I am super grateful to the owners / operators of our local repeaters. They dedicate lots of time and money making these repeaters go, and in return they seem to put up with a lot of BS. Way more than I could LOL Who knows what can happen or how long a disaster will last. So for any emergency comms planning it's good to have one plan for repeaters being functional and another if you are limited to simplex.

Only when I buy that junk in the large tins every Xmas, lol

Well, looks like we have been told!

If the roof is steel and you are not keen on drilling into your new Bronco go with a good quality mag mount in the center of your roof. I believe you can find ones under 20 inches tall. If that is still too tall I second the recommendation for a low profile Midland. I personally like the Midland MXTA26, but its pretty tall and looks kind of ridiculous on a compact car. Believe it or not I have had good results with the small mag-mount that came with the mid-land. Of course it's not dual band.

Got no Jeep now, back in the 80s and 90s when I was stationed in California had a Wrangler. Back then they were not nearly as popular as they are today.

Sitting here, eating pop-corn, reading this thread and listening to my Midland = Priceless!

Google search for clubs in your area, you can also check facebook. If I remember correctly I found and joined Midwest GMRS via facebook.

I think if you are off roading in remote areas you will be fine chatter wise. But, when you get back to civilization you may run into hobbyists and rag chewers on GMRS. Besides self regulating and being courteous enough to allow others to use the frequencies there is nothing to prevent this. Saturday afternoon took the radio off scan as 2 repeater channels we nearly non-stop chit chat about radios, antennas the weather and what ever else the users thought everyone needed to hear about. Sometimes it just is what it is, Welcome to GMRS.

Sounds like you already are familiar with the need for emergency power. Unless you have something you can use, budget for battery backup and perhaps an emergency generator for your repeater.

Very good point. In an emergency if you don't own it and maintain you just can't rely on it.

My last big project before retiring a few years ago was implementing a new large scale repeated public safety / public works radio system for a county. The bean counters pushed hard for cell based communications because they felt it would save a ton of money and was the wave of the future. After lots of research and hiring some really smart consultants we determined Land Mobile Radio (LMR) is still the way to go, for now, Not to say there are not some awesome systems using cell technology along side LMR, there is lots of cool stuff out there. But the last we learned was LMR will probably remain the primary king of the hill for at least the next 5 years. Come the 2030s I am sure cell based comms will start becoming the preferred and primary reality more and more, with LMR being the alternate backup system. Of course this all moves at the speed of money and even more so politics!

If by "properly" you mean communicating with my immediate family on simplex or sometimes repeater then yes. "Properly" means a lot of things to different people, preppers, off-roaders, campers, hikers, and road trippers. And unless they are breaking the rules they are probably using GMRS "properly." Now as as personal note, I prefer not to hear rag chewers and contact junkies, but they have as much right to the frequencies as I do!

Thanks Marc, I didn't know you did this. Very generous of your time! Now I have something to watch tonight. Also have something to point people to when they start asking the "radio set up" I have.

If a handheld is acceptable, especially if it can hit a repeater that works for you, bicycle cops get good results with them. If a mobile is required you can probably find what motorcycle cops use, I am thinking if you use a ground plane antenna it could be a challenge. Below was taken from: https://www.k5pa.com/Ham Radio/Bicycle Mobile.htm Just google it.

Might as well join and take advantage of the nice distances the network offers. But you may actually get sick of the chatter. Sooner or later someone will drop a dime, rat out, the network operator to the FCC, who at sometime may or may not care. If anyone is left working at the FCC they might send out a strongly worded letter telling the network to stop linking. In the mean time enjoy!

Depends on how complicated you want to get and what you are gonna use it for. Like many others, Midland is my primary base / mobile. Perhaps limited in features and extra programable channels compared to other radios, they are simple to use. Especially for my family members who rarely use radio. I bought the Midland base knowing most in the family just want to key up the mike and talk without touching other buttons, or looking at a information packed screen they find confusing. So if it is simplicity you seek Midland works fine. If you need / want a lot more features, you will find plenty of other good recommendations here. Keep in mind if you buy a combo pack of Midlands the included handhelds are generally not repeater capable. On the other hand I do have some handhelds that only I use which are packed with lots of features and lots of channels. Paid pretty good money for them and in all likely hood will never use more than half their capability, lol.

Better Yet!

GMRS is great for family communications. And, if by clubs, you mean GMRS groups which give you access to regional repeaters, that's a solid plan. If you are also looking for a hobby and are interested in chatting and making contacts add a ham license to you plan.