Newbie Questions

[Laz]

Hello,

 

I am new to GMRS  (I do not even have a radio yet, not even FRS ) which is why I am posting this, I know some will ask why I have a LIcence when I do not even have radios and know so little. Basically its becasue I like to do things right and plan long term which is why my first step was to get a GMRS license.  I am hoping I can get some friendly advice for the newbie.

 

I am thinking of geting a couple Icom IC-F40GT for my wife and my use as there seems to be good things being said about them (at least in posts from 2009) and I have found a couple for about $100. I would also like to get relitivly inexpensive radios for my young children to use on family bike rides, so VOX capability is needed.

 

I would like all the radios to be repeater capable so as ther kids get older they can take the (cheaper) radios when they go to DC or other areas without the blatant "target me" indicator of commercial looking radios such as the ICOMS

 

Does anyone have any recomendations?

 

-Laz

[PastorGary]

Please look at the first and second units at the top in the following link as a possibility. These are not (yet) Part 95 type accepted but neither are half of the commercial radios being used on GMRS.  The Part 90 UHF equipment standards are nearly identical to the Part 95 standards, but use at your own discretion.

 

Click >>> http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=kg-uvd1p&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=7287388581&hvpos=1t2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7157974081546864570&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_9r1djcp252_b

[Laz]

Thank you

[Billy]

I am a big fan of Icom and those are great radios.  If you can get them and program them for GMRS for that price jump on it.  As far as the radios for bike riding go as long as you expectations are realistic, 1/4 mile or so any of the radios sold as Radio Shack or other stores will do fine.  Just make sure they have the features you are looking for.   I have some expensive radios but I also have cheap radios that go where I fear losing the expensive peice.  Sometimes a good cheap HT is all you need, leave the investment at home. 

[WQLH409]

I would go with getting a bulk order of older vertex or kenwood radios. Sometimes you can get good deals on the older radios but make sure they fall in the correct band, 400-470 or 450-490MHz. Before you buy the radios, do some research online, eham.net usually has reviews. Also make sure you can easily buy the programming software and cable online. as programming at a dealer can be a hassle and expensive. I don't recommend motorola only because the radios are very expensive compared to other companies and it is so hard to buy the software. Kenwood, icom and vertex are the way to go. Decent radios, with ok customer service and easy to purchase software. Good luck.

[WQLH409]

Also how many radios do you need and how much are you willing to spend?

[dwest]

I use Icom F21 and F21GM (GM is getting harder to find). The F21 is Part 95 accepted and you can program yourself.

 

On the less expensive side Motorola has a couple consumer grade (bubble pack) that are repeater capable. you can get a pair for less than 100.00.

 

Of the consumer grade, I prefer Uniden the receive is better than the other but the batteries dont hold a charge long

so use recahargeble AAA's. They dont have a repeater funtion.

 

Cobra's are probably the best all around consumer grade and battery life is excellent. But they dont use typical AA or AAA. But spare are not hard to find.