Garmin went and made murs spendy,,but pretty cool maybe

[Craws907]

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/705043#devices

I just saw these little units that pair with garmin GPS navigators. Murs radio and group tracking for up to 20. Anyone tried or have one of these yet?

[KAF6045]

And strangely, all I get from the documentation is that it does not support stand-alone ad-hoc MURS communications; one must apparently be part of a "group ride" configuration.

[Sshannon]

4 hours ago, KAF6045 said:

And strangely, all I get from the documentation is that it does not support stand-alone ad-hoc MURS communications; one must apparently be part of a "group ride" configuration.

It looks like the navigation system is called Tread.  It pairs with your phone using Bluetooth and it communicates within its own network using 2.4GHz.

You can add the optional MURS voice radio for $400, which also serves as a holder/mount for the navigator.  Although the Tread navigator is networked to other Tread navigators, I saw nothing that indicates that the Group Ride radio is limited at all, or that the group ride radio is part of the navigator network even.  Actually, except for the specifications page and a couple videos, which I didn’t watch, there’s no documentation for the Group Ride radio at all.

I have been a user of the Garmin Rino GMRS radios for several years now.  I like the gps and the sharing of location data with other Rino users.  The GMRS radio works well.  It was spendy as well.  I am not tempted to switch, but for someone just getting into overlanding I could understand the temptation to adopt a Tread and Group Ride radio.

[PACNWComms]

I have stock in Garmin, and own way too many devices, to include several Rino series GPS/radios. Good concept and at some point I will probably break down and get one of these.

I used to use a Motorola MW800 mobile data terminal with Maxtrac data radio, GPS, and Streetview USA. It was a very cobbled together mess that weighed about twenty pounds, another twenty with the MobileView camera and VHS recorder, but did well for showing my off road adventures. All taken from police and fire vehicles. Now, Garmin bundles this together at a tenth of the cost, with streamlined capabilities, twenty years after the public safety version. 

Thank you OP for sharing.

[Lscott]

There aren't many radios specifically manufactured for MURS. There are some nice used Part 90 radios that will work just fine with the "proper" programming. If the radio was certified before 2002 I believe it can be used, grandfathered, so long as all of the technical requirements are met, power, frequency and bandwidth. I think radios like the following qualify.

TK-270G, FCC ID ALH29463110, Grant 1999

https://www.manasrekha.com/pdf/TK-270G-370G.pdf

TK-2140, FCC ID ALH32253110, Grant 2001

http://www.swscomm.com/kenwood/TK-2140_3140.pdf

Unfortunately the radios are only switchable between 5W and 1W so to be strictly legal the power would have to be set at 1 watt. It might be possible to adjust them to 2 watts on the low setting.

Oh, these radios make nice 2M radios once programmed for local repeaters too.

[KAF6045]

Retevis has a slew of them on sale (at those prices, I'd suspect clearance!) Down to $18 for some models. Though check the manuals for specs before purchase -- The RB17 pack doesn't seem to support CTCSS, and channels 4-5 are NFM (normally those are wide FM). The RB27V is a mixed FRS/MURS radio! The RB38V appears to be the only one I'd suggest (or BTech MURS-V1 with its 15 channel capability -- would permit setting up a single MURS frequency with different CTCSS combinations, but otherwise one just three copies of the 5 frequencies preset to no-tone, CTCSS, DCS).

 

[wrci350]

25 minutes ago, KAF6045 said:

The RB27V is a mixed FRS/MURS radio!

That would definitely not be type-accepted for either service.

If you dig into the website further it's an either/or ... there is a MURS version, an FRS version,  and a PMR446 version for Europe.  But you have to pick one.

[WRFP399]

If someone would create a plug-in for OsmAnd you could use any old radio to do the same thing, kind of like ATAK.

[Ian]

God, ATAK plus a MURS HT would make a damn fine mobile "dispatch" terminal for the Group Ride Radio.

 

 

[DominoDog]

That is interesting. I never realized it was based on MURS. I have a Garmin Xumo XT for my bike, it's been great. I looked at the group ride radio but honestly, I just never ride in groups. Now that I know it is based on MURS, it opens up the ability to talk with others using that system. Good to know it isn't some closed "Garmin" system, but based on a free to use, unlicensed public frequency.

It sure is expensive, though. But, I would feel awfully cool if I had a MURS and a GMRS mobile rig on my motorcycle. I bet all the pretty girls would think I was all right at that point.