New mobile GMRS radio

[buddy]

I am looking for a new (affordable) mobile GMRS radio that is easy to program.  I don't want to spent the money for a Motorola.

Thank you for any suggestions.

[PastorGary]

Hello, Buddy, and welcome to MyGMRS forums.  You will probably receive as many different suggestions for equipment than there are members here at the Forum...

 

Choose carefully for ergonomics and programming ease and good luck with your search.

[JohnE]

define "affordable"

I have "stuff" around but you need to find software and a cable on ebay.

[quarterwave]

http://www.randl.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=71892

 

http://www.powerwerx.com/two-way-radios/mobile-radios/

 

The basis for affordable also takes into account that "cheap" may play into it. If you want something you can program, works right out of the box, etc...there are a couple options. However, my preference would be a good Motorola (insert your brand here). Although you may have to do a little more work to get your self setup with software and cables, you will end up with a really good commercial grade radio that will go the distance, and look nice, like a pro, in your vehicle. For GMRS you can't go wrong with a GM300 (or sim) and a 1/4 wave antenna. 40 watts and 16 channel, gives plenty of options. 

[PastorGary]

There may be some gently used Kenwood TK863G  radios available in your area - These are Part 95 certified and do an amazing job. I'm partial to Kenwood because in the past 37 years of using Kenwood equipment commercially and on GMRS, I have yet to have a radio failure of any kind.

[zap]

Nearly all of the current Kenwood analog mobiles are type accepted for GMRS…but I'm not too in-depth on the features or how easy to acquire the programming software is. 

 

Motorola's are fairly cheap…if you buy from the used market (there is honestly a good like-new used market out there). One of my current favorites is the Motorola PM400 (a CM300 is the same radio without LTR trunking). The reason being, it's still under support (though recently out of production), programs in Windows. The other big reason, you can get someone to dump a GMRS cqodeplug into it and enable the programmable buttons for the following: PL Defeat/Monitor, a menu setting where PLs can be edited (take note there is a little more functionality in this compared to MPL) on a per channel basis and scan list can be adjusted, scan/nuisance delete, and tx power/talk around.

 

Most of my experience is in Motorola so it's what I can really recommend. I have some Icom's and Kenwoods but in my experience editing the PL's isn't as easy (usually have to enter a FPP mode which first has to be enabled in the software). Just my 2¢.