PartsMan

I do think it is crappy of the FCC to let FRS on all 22 channels. They should have some of there own, us have some of our own, and a few overlapping.

For the same quality radio sure. A cheap bubble pack with a stubby fixed antenna vs a decent GMRS radio and antenna is a big difference. Get a mile away and they are gone.

On the original post. It has never been a real problem. Most FRS traffic seems to be on channel one. I have never had to change channels more than once o a camping trip because of traffic. Remember FRS radios are limited on range on purpose.

More than a few times my Chinese GMRS junk has performed fine in situations the internet experts say it could not. I have even out performed VHF ham radios a couple of times.

This is were the service naming is backward. "Family Radio Service" is for general use. "General Mobile Radio Service" is for anybody in your family (and other families with a licensed user). It is very common for a boss to get GMRS radios and communicate with his unrelated employees though.

Sorry. I wasn't clear. I meant the OP with the radios he is trying to diagnose this problem on.

My UV-5r is my worst radio. I still find it useful. I do hate seeing radio snobs that have played with one that think all Chinese radios are that bad.

What if you transmit with a tone but the other radio does not have a receive tone set.

I like my RA-25 (DB-20 AT-779 are the same). Nice simple GMRS mobile. Plus In an emergency It can be unlocked to other frequencies.

Call me old fashioned but I prefer to buy my radios.

Be sure to ask them what kind of access you will have to your repeater.

I once did a range test with a friend. We got about ten miles on medium with our mobile radios. About 10 watts. When we cranked up to high, 20 and 25 watts, we gained about 100 yards. After that my desire for a 50 watt radio diminished a lot.

Yesterday I had a teenager home sick from school because he had thrown up in the night and the school has a 24 hour rule. My wife called me at work on her lunch break. "He won't answer his phone. Text or call." I could tell by her voice that she was already worrying. She is across town and I am in the next town. So I say. Walk out to your car and try him on the base station. I get a text back a few minutes later that he is fine but has lost his phone in his pig sty of a room. Not a major emergency she can get pretty worked up worrying about her babies. Maybe I got a couple of my radios justified with the Wife.

I have not tried that one but I have three Retevis mobile radios that function as expected. I would also like to know more about this one for my wife's car.

You could buy on of these instead. I have had one up for a few months. Gets me to the horizon from my house. https://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-400-470mhz-Connector-Repeater-Transceiver/dp/B08TWN78MM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2ZXI7NCNZRN7J&keywords=base+antenna+gmrs&qid=1675179467&sprefix=base+anntenna+gmrs%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-3

This works fine for me. Not even a flicker on the TV when I key up my 20w base.

Maybe you shouldn't be looking at Midland then.

I have velcro under my dash.

I would like to experiment with a yagi but the direction I would want to go farther has a hill in the way.

My personal experience. A j-pole in a tube just above the roofline made a huge difference over a 1/4 wave on an ammo can in my living room. I can get 10 miles easy and 20 with high ground All with 15 and 20 watt Chinese mobile/base radios.

Have I got a deal for you guys. ? My old Asus EEE resets back to the early 2000s every time I shut it down. FYI you will get errors from windows update and browsers if you try to operate that way very long.

Bridgcom has done it. Does not look simple to me. Here is the video. No mention of loss or price. https://www.bridgecomsystems.com/blogs/bridgecom-tx-rx-blog/two-repeaters-one-antenna-feed-line

I have never used the strap or hands free ear piece. I don't know why they are usually included.

Both repeaters could be receiving 467 frequencies but from different channels to avoid a loop. .550 and .650 was my example.

GMRS all the way for me. Range isn't everything. The radio selection is infinitely better. Also A much better chance of some FRS radio being nearby in an emergency.