GMRS in a Box

[dosw]

My MX275 radio goes between my RV, boat, and occasionally my wife's car, depending on the activity. It always has been kind of a handful of stuff. Harbor Freight had a coupon that I used a week or so ago, purchasing an inexpensive Pelican case knock off. There was room in the case for the 275, its cig plug, two UV5Gs, one "RM", three rubber duck antennas, a charging base for the UV5Gs, and the stock mag mount antenna for the 275, which I don't use, but seemed like a good thing to toss in for completeness sake. I used the lower foam layer for the Baofeng charging base, cig plug, and stock external magnetic mount antenna for the 275. The MX275 instructions are underneath it all, since you need them to translate real PL tones to the codes that Midland uses.

 

None of this is high end stuff, but it should be relatively convenient.

[WRYZ926]

The Apache cases are hard to beat, especially when on sale and/or you are an Insider Member. I have several Apache cases.

Here is one I setup for portable use with my Xiegu G90 20 watt HF radio.

I've been thinking about setting another one up for my Wouxun KG-XS20G and maybe a 2m/70cm radio.

[WSHH887]

Well, that's a neater setup than mine.  I'm currently using a small backpack for a DB20-G.  It's got all the needfuls, (radio, HT's & charger, 110v to 12v transformer, programming cable, and mag mount) except an antenna.  I'm looking into a ghost type.  I do have an antenna permanently mounted on my truck.  Mine isn't so much for portability but more for security.  They have been hitting vehicles nightly in my area, so everything comes in at night. 

I'd really like to mount the radio in the truck, but I doubt it would last a week before some "individual" smashed a window and took it.  My currnet mount is a very clunky cup holder mount.

Your box set up looks good.  And darned if Harbor Freight isn't just a few of miles away.

[WRUE951]

now thats pretty impressive,,  a case twice the cost of the radios  

[LeoG]

I have two of the Apache cases too.  The Retevis RT97 repeater setup an a few HTs.

 

All the appropriate accessories under the repeater.

[WRYZ926]

8 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

now thats pretty impressive,,  a case twice the cost of the radios  

The Apache 3800 is $40 and the Apache 4800 is $60. Plus they are on sale quite often for less.

[WRXB215]

2 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

The Apache 3800 is $40 and the Apache 4800 is $60. Plus they are on sale quite often for less.

Yep, there are other brands that are way more expensive.

[amaff]

I dig it
Here's mine:

 

 

[LeoG]

Man, those green one sure do stand out LOL

[WRUE951]

22 minutes ago, LeoG said:

Man, those green one sure do stand out LOL

All the fire fighters in my community have the green Motorola's..  I was joking with one of the firefighters at Panda Expfress last week,,  "Can you accidentally forget that thing on the table"  .   

[amaff]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

Man, those green one sure do stand out LOL

"Stealth" wasn't so much a consideration as "easily finding it when 1 of the kids accidentally drops it down a ravine"

[RoadApple]

@amaff  Very Nice.  The bright colors were a great choice for such a setup.

[WRTC928]

On 6/6/2025 at 8:46 PM, WRUE951 said:

now thats pretty impressive,,  a case twice the cost of the radios  

True, but it's not about the cost/value of the radios. It's about being sure they don't get damaged and will work when you need them. 

[WRUE951]

Even the Baufang's are pretty tough.  Couple years ago when installing solar panels on my RV roof one of my UV5R jogged loose from my pocket clip and took a 12' fall to the cement..   I just said 'oh $hit" let it sit there on the cement while I continued with my work.   The radio was blaring away  sitting there on the ground.     When i got down on the ground i checked her for damage, nothing but a slight indentation on one corner of the radio bear the antenna.   Today, its one of my favorte radios, only becuse its been battle tested.   

[WRTC928]

3 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

Even the Baufang's are pretty tough.  Couple years ago when installing solar panels on my RV roof one of my UV5R jogged loose from my pocket clip and took a 12' fall to the cement..   I just said 'oh $hit" let it sit there on the cement while I continued with my work.   The radio was blaring away  sitting there on the ground.     When i got down on the ground i checked her for damage, nothing but a slight indentation on one corner of the radio bear the antenna.   Today, its one of my favorte radios, only becuse its been battle tested.   

I few days ago, I placed a UV-5r on top of a 4x4 fence post while I was working on the pool and forgot about it. That night, we had a legit severe thunderstorm -- even got a tornado about 3 miles away. Two days later, I found it still lying on the post. I picked it up, carried it in, gave it 2 days to dry out, and it works just like it did before it got wet. Obviously, you can't count on that, and I wouldn't expose a UV-5r to rain intentionally, but still, I was pretty impressed.

[RoadApple]

I see/hear a lot of folks taking great joy in knocking the Baufang brand and Cheap Chinese Radios in general, but the proof is in the pudding, and quite often these cheap little radios can surprise us!

[OffRoaderX]

46 minutes ago, RoadApple said:

I see/hear a lot of folks taking great joy in knocking the Baufang brand and Cheap Chinese Radios in general, but the proof is in the pudding, and quite often these cheap little radios can surprise us!

Somewhere on Youtube there is a video of some weird guy submerging a UV-5R in the toilet, freezing it and running it over with his very-manly Jeep... The screen cracked when the extremely-manly Jeep ran it over, but the radio still worked just fine.

[WRUE951]

32 minutes ago, OffRoaderX said:

Somewhere on Youtube there is a video of some weird guy submerging a UV-5R in the toilet, freezing it and running it over with his very-manly Jeep... The screen cracked when the extremely-manly Jeep ran it over, but the radio still worked just fine.

if i remember, that was yellow water  too 

[SteveShannon]

7 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Somewhere on Youtube there is a video of some weird guy submerging a UV-5R in the toilet, freezing it and running it over with his very-manly Jeep... The screen cracked when the extremely-manly Jeep ran it over, but the radio still worked just fine.

So which was it, very manly or extremely manly?

[OffRoaderX]

21 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

So which was it, very manly or extremely manly?

It is very extremely manly!

[WSHH887]

Oh come on now!  What was it some sort of play Jeep like a YJ or worse yet one of those JK's?  Real Jeepers know real very extremely manly Jeeps start with CJ

[WRYZ926]

9 minutes ago, WSHH887 said:

Oh come on now!  What was it some sort of play Jeep like a YJ or worse yet one of those JK's?  Real Jeepers know real very extremely manly Jeeps start with CJ

Nope they start with a M as in the M38, M38A1, and M170. The CJ's are just tamed down versions for civilian use 

[W3sG4c]

M38 driver here……When a jeep was a JEEP!  Still going after 74 years.

[WRTC928]

17 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Somewhere on Youtube there is a video of some weird guy submerging a UV-5R in the toilet, freezing it and running it over with his very-manly Jeep... The screen cracked when the extremely-manly Jeep ran it over, but the radio still worked just fine.

I own the AR-5RM, UV-5r/Bf-f8hp, and AR-152. Quality control can be an issue. I sent back a UV-5r and a 5RM because the batteries wouldn't lock into place and an AR-152 because the audio was extremely low; the replacements were perfectly serviceable. I'm not intentionally abusive to my radios, but I'm not particularly gentle either and they just keep working. I frequently say that Baofengs are better radios than you have a right to expect for the price.

[WRUE951]

1 hour ago, WRTC928 said:

I own the AR-5RM, UV-5r/Bf-f8hp, and AR-152. Quality control can be an issue. I sent back a UV-5r and a 5RM because the batteries wouldn't lock into place and an AR-152 because the audio was extremely low; the replacements were perfectly serviceable. I'm not intentionally abusive to my radios, but I'm not particularly gentle either and they just keep working. I frequently say that Baofengs are better radios than you have a right to expect for the price.

For the price, it is surprising the quailty the Baufangs offer.