Looking for the ultimate Hiking Radio with support for 2m,70cm,GMRS,MURS

[pcradio]

Environment:
I do a lot of hiking in areas with little to no cell phone coverage. I hike with and around others who will have different combinations of radios. I need one radio to handle coordination and emergency communication, even with others, who are not a part of my group, if they need help.

I wish I could carry three radios, but space on my person is at a premium.

Today:
I know that the UV-5R and many other CCRs can in fact TX on all three frequency bands, but I'm looking for a high end radio. Yaesu can be modified by any dealer to open the bands in question, for example, and has caught my eye. I will be using a HAM/GMRS license/callsign and will have permission for all bands in question.

Elephant in the room:
I'm aware of Part 95 & Part 9*. This thread is not a discussion about that. Respectfully, please use another thread if you need to discuss. The FCC moves slowly and they have thankfully proven they don't really believe the outdated arguments of yesteryear. All these radios can be purchased in the USA. Modern Hams are encouraging the FCC to do the right thing. Special thanks to you, my favorite reader, for being onboard with common sense. Now, let's have a fun discussion with what is available today.

Requirements:

• Transmit on 144-154Mhz, 420-470Mhz (2m,70cm,GMRS,MURS)
• Dual Receive (listen and/or scan two frequency sets)
• Onboard GPS
• Water resistant (waterproof not required)
• Analog (digital not required)

I’m looking at the Yaesu FT3DR because it looks amazing. However, I'm open to any brand if it meets the requirements. Anyone else have my same need? What did you do? Anyone found the perfect hiking radio?

[tweiss3]

I will say, you are going to have one heck of a time finding that, and its not going to be new. Keeping on that we all know this isn't going to be type accepted, the amateur radio market seems to be where you should look. The professional radios don't do both VHF/UHF in portable, though a handful do VHF or UHF with 700/800MHz. I have a FT3DR, and its a good option, battery life is pretty decent, and it has APRS built in, but you have to do the hardware modification to get GMRS & MURS. Yaesu VX-7R can do a software mod to get those, but it hasn't been in production for quite some time, and doesn't have GPS. I just picked one up not very long ago, and really really like the radio. VX-8GR had the GPS on top of VX-7R features, but I'm unsure about the software modifications.

[BoxCar]

Yeasu FT-4XR and FT-65 will also meet your need. The mod to allow out-of-band isa simple key code entry for either.

[pcradio]

3 minutes ago, BoxCar said:

Yeasu FT-4XR and FT-65 will also meet your need.

Do they have Dual Watch? The images online I see of these units, it doesn't appear to show two frequencies?

[MichaelLAX]

55 minutes ago, pcradio said:

...

Requirements:

• Transmit on 144-154Mhz, 420-470Mhz (2m,70cm,GMRS,MURS)
• Dual Watch (monitor two frequencies)
• Onboard GPS
• Water resistant (waterproof not required)
• Analog (digital not required)

I’m looking at the Yaesu FT3DR because it looks amazing. However, I'm open to any brand if it meets the requirements. Anyone else have my same need? What did you do? Anyone found the perfect hiking radio?

I am not aware of any HT that will meet 100% of your requirements*, but until one pops up, for $30 (and free shipping) here is what I recently purchased and is now my favorite HT!

If you purchase a TYT-UV88 from Lets Get Ready, Bob Yuan, its owner, can provide you with an easy to use code sequence to open up the full transmitting capabilities of this Ham Radio clone of the Radioddity GM-30.

This radio satisfies Requirements 1, 2 and 5: it is only missing GPS and I am not sure how water resistant it is (it uses the K-1 style jack for earphone/mics and USB cable, so I suspect it does not meet any water resistant specifications).

It can be programmed with CHIRP.  I used CHIRP to move my library of 93 channels easily to it and then read the contents into the TYT software (on Windows XP) and continue to use the manufacturers software.  There was a couple of "glitches:"

It has 3 bandwidth choices: Wide, Midd and Low and my choices of High from my Library converted over to Midd; so I had to manually changes all of these to High. Low did convert over to Low.

The other glitches were minor, but obvious and can easily be cleaned up in reviewing your channels.

*UPDATE: While I was typing this @BoxCarposted his suggestions and maybe they satisfy your needs 100%. And YES: this HT has dual watch.

[pcradio]

19 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

If you purchase a TYT-UV88 ...

Thank you for the recommendation. However, I'm hoping to get a high-end radio. Unless I'm mistaken, the Yaesu FT3DR does meet all my requirement?

[wrci350]

I know you said you didn't need digital, but I believe the Alinco DJ-MD5XT checks all your boxes and is half the price of the Yaesu.

I have the older version and it's a nice radio.

[MichaelLAX]

1 hour ago, pcradio said:

I’m looking at the Yaesu FT3DR because it looks amazing. 

Glad you found what you are looking for!

Can you please link us over to how to open this HT to GMRS and MURS, please.

[pcradio]

9 minutes ago, wrci350 said:

I know you said you didn't need digital, but I believe the Alinco DJ-MD5XT checks all your boxes and is half the price of the Yaesu. I have the older version and it's a nice radio.

Super interesting. Out of the box too with no modifications. Nice looking radio. Have you ever used it side by side with a Yaesu? Sorry, I have that brand in my head. But at only $200 that does make it an easier buy. Is the front-end receiver just as nice?

[pcradio]

4 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

Can you please link us over to how to open this HT to GMRS and MURS, please.

Sure, you can do it yourself by removing a diode from under the battery cover. Or you can have it professionally done here.

[tweiss3]

4 minutes ago, pcradio said:

Thank you for the recommendation. However, I'm hoping to get a high-end radio. Unless I'm mistaken, the Yaesu FT3DR does meet all my requirement?

Modified, yes, it will meet all your requirements.

[MichaelLAX]

12 minutes ago, tweiss3 said:

Modified, yes, it will meet all your requirements.

I think that comments about this HT on Amazon indicates that it is not water-resistant.  So be sure to double check this feature.

And thank you for the CAP/MARS mod links, too.

[tweiss3]

11 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

Comments about this HT on Amazon indicates that it is not waterproof.

FT3DR, VX-7R & VX-8DR are IPX5, 3' submerged for 30 minutes. How much waterproof do you need?

[MichaelLAX]

3 minutes ago, tweiss3 said:

FT3DR, VX-7R & VX-8DR are IPX5, 3' submerged for 30 minutes. How much waterproof do you need?

As I pointed out the source was Amazon comments and that he should double check this feature, which you did for him. 

[gortex2]

I carry my APX8000 for SAR most of the time but do grab my FT1DR sometimes. I dont see a need for GMRS/MURS most of the time anyway. If I can't do what I need with ham I grab the 8000

[Lscott]

2 hours ago, MichaelLAX said:

As I pointed out the source was Amazon comments and that he should double check this feature, which you did for him. 

A number of people recommend the FT-60R. About the only thing it doesn't have is GPS.

A number of radios that have GPS it ONLY works in the digital modes. So if the others in your party don't have similar radios it's sort of useless. Plus the GPS function simply TX's position messages that are displayed on a compatible radio. Again if the others don't have such a radio, that can display the text messages, the feature isn't going to be useful. Before spending the money you need to check into this very carefully or you'll end up with a nice radio with GPS nobody else can take advantage of on the air.

https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&encProdID=6EC43B29CEF0EC2B4E19BB7371688B7F

Brochure.

https://www.radiotrans.com/archivos/catalogo/FT-60_EN.pdf

On line sellers.

https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-007323

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=115&products_id=432

For the RX/TX frequency expansion. If done by HRO they will warranty the radio.

https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=71-002354

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=417

 

 

[pcradio]

5 hours ago, Lscott said:

A number of people recommend the FT-60R. About the only thing it doesn't have is GPS. A number of radios that have GPS it ONLY works in the digital modes.

Thank you. I did't realize that. I wanted GPS so I could note my coordiantes in real time while speaking with someone. However, I will have a GPS device on me, but was hoping I could get it in the radio too. Hmmm.

[Lscott]

2 hours ago, pcradio said:

Thank you. I did't realize that. I wanted GPS so I could note my coordiantes in real time while speaking with someone. However, I will have a GPS device on me, but was hoping I could get it in the radio too. Hmmm.

Yeah, check it out for the specific radio you're looking at buying. With all the features radios have now it's easy to overlook a detail like this and end up with something you can't use and paid a premium to get it.

Some of the Ham radios include a feature called "APRS". You can get the details of what that might do for you here:

http://www.aprs.org/

[daschnoz]

[my_opinion]

Personally, I'm not a fan of "all-in-one" devices.  If you break/lose the radio, you're also out your GPS, clock, and whatever other functions the single device covered.  Now you're double/triple/quad... screwed.

In addition to the quality radio, I would suggest a CCR that meets as many of the requirements as possible.  If you're that far away from civilizaion, you need a spare. One is none, two is one...

[/my_opinion]

[BKmetzWRKZ843]

pcradio, good discussion. I'm also of thinking along the same lines you are in my need for a do-it-all HT.

First I'll address what you haven't said, do you have a ham license? I'll assume so because of the Yeasu radio you mentioned.

I own a Kenwood TH D74A. It's a tri-bander (2m/1.25m/70cm) and rather than list all it's features, I'll just post a link.

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/amateur/th-d74a/

It has everything you're looking for but it's discontinued and sold out everywhere. Used ones are going for stupid money. 6 months ago these radios were selling for $450 to $500. Then Kenwood unexpectedly discontinued it because of the chip shortage. Open box radios (if you can find one) are going for $800 to $1000. Prices of used radios are just as high.

I had the MARS-CAP mod done on my D74A by HRO so the warranty is intact. What this means is the radio was internally modified (removal of one tiny resistor) to open up those extra frequencies. What I have not done is get the firmware tweaked so I can take full advantage of those frequencies. I have a bunch of radios so it hasn't been a high priority.

Another radio, on the opposite end of the price spectrum, is the Wouxun KG-UV9P amateur band radio & scanner. It has everything your looking for except GPS. If you buy it from these guys https://bettersaferadio.com/wouxun-kg-uv9p-amateur-ham-two-way-radio/ they will pre-program all the scanner frequencies. That's why their price is a bit higher than other online retailers. This radio will only transmit on the ham frequencies and scan everything else. I don't know if the radio can be opened up to transmit on all its frequencies. There is probably someone out there who knows how to do this.

Good luck in your search and let us know what you end up buying.

Here's a photo of my Kenwood D74A. I'm monitoring my local NOAA frequency.

[tweiss3]

The FT3DR doesn't really she you the coordinates or gris square, the D74 does, but isn't "waterproof". Both do APRS adequately.

[BKmetzWRKZ843]

1 hour ago, tweiss3 said:

The FT3DR doesn't really show you the coordinates or grid square, the D74 does, but isn't "waterproof". Both do APRS adequately.

The OP stated 'Water resistant (waterproof not required),' which the D74A is. 

 

[tweiss3]

43 minutes ago, BKmetzWRKZ843 said:

The OP stated 'Water resistant (waterproof not required),' which the D74A is. 

 

I missed that the D74 is IP54 water resistant. I do consider it the best radio overall for GPS/APRS/Packet and use it for 220 all the time, but it's battery life is atrocious. Also, performing the MARS/CAP mod on it to work in MURS & GMRS is significantly more difficult, and you can't get it new anymore.

I do think it's durability is significantly less than other options, my keypad lost a key somehow, and I was still babying it.

[Lscott]

10 hours ago, BKmetzWRKZ843 said:

pcradio, good discussion. I'm also of thinking along the same lines you are in my need for a do-it-all HT.

First I'll address what you haven't said, do you have a ham license? I'll assume so because of the Yeasu radio you mentioned.

I own a Kenwood TH D74A. It's a tri-bander (2m/1.25m/70cm) and rather than list all it's features, I'll just post a link.

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/amateur/th-d74a/

It has everything you're looking for but it's discontinued and sold out everywhere. Used ones are going for stupid money. 6 months ago these radios were selling for $450 to $500. Then Kenwood unexpectedly discontinued it because of the chip shortage. Open box radios (if you can find one) are going for $800 to $1000. Prices of used radios are just as high.

I had the MARS-CAP mod done on my D74A by HRO so the warranty is intact. What this means is the radio was internally modified (removal of one tiny resistor) to open up those extra frequencies. What I have not done is get the firmware tweaked so I can take full advantage of those frequencies. I have a bunch of radios so it hasn't been a high priority.

Another radio, on the opposite end of the price spectrum, is the Wouxun KG-UV9P amateur band radio & scanner. It has everything your looking for except GPS. If you buy it from these guys https://bettersaferadio.com/wouxun-kg-uv9p-amateur-ham-two-way-radio/ they will pre-program all the scanner frequencies. That's why their price is a bit higher than other online retailers. This radio will only transmit on the ham frequencies and scan everything else. I don't know if the radio can be opened up to transmit on all its frequencies. There is probably someone out there who knows how to do this.

Good luck in your search and let us know what you end up buying.

Here's a photo of my Kenwood D74A. I'm monitoring my local NOAA frequency.

Yup. The D74A is a nice radio. I also got mine from HRO and had them do the MARS/CAP mod for the same reason. The only negative is the battery pack capacity, it doesn’t last that long.

[pcradio]

On 10/2/2021 at 8:27 AM, BKmetzWRKZ843 said:

pcradio, good discussion. I'm also of thinking along the same lines as you are in my need for a do-it-all HT. First I'll address what you haven't said, do you have a ham license? I'll assume so because of the Yeasu radio you mentioned.

I own the Kenwood TH D74A ... Another radio ... is the Wouxun KG-UV9P amateur band radio & scanner. It has everything your looking for except GPS. Good luck in your search and let us know what you end up buying.

That Kenwood is so nice! Way outside my budget for this application, however. I really appreciate what it can do. I was hoping GPS would exist in an analog mode radio to simply give me coordinates. If this is not true, I may remove that requirement. I have GPS already, just wanted the duplication in the radio. I am able to remove this requirement.

Today, on a hike, my wife was taking off her backpack and it caused the attached radio to hit a rock. Still works great, but cosmetically, it took a hit. For myself, I was trying to get something special, so I was looking past the Wouxun and AnyTone brands. I don't know. This is really hard and $150 for a radio is very tempting. But is it truly "high end"? Out in the wilderness, the air is quite clear, do I truly need a really sensitive RF receiver?

Since this radio will be used in harsh environments, I couldn't stand to take a desktop queen on the hikes. I do want one to look at, however! My radio is going to get hurt. This radio is going to get abused. I don't think I could stand to use something as nice (expensive) as the Kenwood, Motorola, and other $500+ offerings.

Since nothing can withstand total submersion across a body of water, I put them in bags. That's why I don't need waterproof. I wouldn't trust such a claim anyway.