Seeking advise on 5w HT vs. 15-20w mobile for repeaters

[WRZI393]

I need some advice. I'm about to purchase some type of GMRS radio. I have the license already. But before wasting money on a radio that won't do what I need I will ask for opinions. Here is the situation. I live in a very rural area with hills and trees everywhere. So, I'm thinking of becoming a member of nggmrs.org which is about $100/yr. They have a large network of repeaters in the southeast. According to Google earth and mygmrs.com maps, I'm almost 10 miles from the closest repeater. The repeater has an estimated range of 50 miles. I can hear it on a handheld in my house. The handheld is a 5w UV-5R. (not GMRS approved, I realize I need something approved). My elevation is 742ft. Repeater elevation is 2000ft. There is a hill and a few trees in between. Elevation of hill is 800ft. Hill is directly in line with repeater at about 1000ft. from my house. When standing on that hill, I can see the mountain that the tower is on. (In the south we consider 2000ft a mountain.)

My questions are: do you guys think a 5w handheld would work at all, or should I be looking at a 15 or 20w mobile? Is a 5w HT even strong enough to connect to a repeater 10 miles away with clear line of site? At least with the mobile I could drive to the top of the hill. I would rather use an HT or mobile rather than base station. Also, are any of the Baofeng GMRS handhelds, worthwhile? Thanks in advance.

[WRWE456]

Hello and welcome.

Ten miles is no problem for a 5 watt handheld line of sight. I talk 30 miles fairly often on mine. The only way to know for sure if the hill will hinder you is to try. It is just as easy to take a hand held with you in the car to the hill top rather than having a mobile in the car. It will work a little better if you get out of the car with it.

Baofeng's are an inexpensive entry level radio that are popular and have lots of support. There are better radios but they cost more. Baofeng's are good for getting your feet wet though.

[WRHS218]

A 5W handheld will easily get you 10 miles if there is clear line of sight. I am at 3340 feet elevation and one of my daughters is 3.7 miles away at 2400 feet. We have a ridge between us that is 80 higher than the line of sight. We can talk on handhelds at 5W and 2W. We have to be standing outside to get clear communication. 

If you can hear the repeater you might be able to hit it with the 5W. The best test is to try it. If it were me I would have both a handled and a mobile anyway.

[WRQC527]

If you get an HT, you're always limited to 5 watts. That may be good for walking around as long as you have reasonable line of sight to a repeater. You can even set it up mobile with a magnetic mount antenna. But if you're going to be out driving around much, in and out of handheld range, marginal line of sight, etc, you'll eventually wish you also had those extra watts. Also remember that once you permanently install a mobile, it's stuck with that vehicle. So you could make a mobile more versatile by making it moveable from one car to another. Like in a go-box or something. You may find you need both HTs and a mobile to fill your needs. Another solution is a mobile amplifier you can install in a vehicle so you can connect your handheld. But those cost as much as a mobile radio. 

[WRXB215]

In my neighborhood wattage does come into play. It is because of all the thick trees not because of distance. Better antennas on the HTs has also been a big help.

[BoxCar]

Handhelds are limited to low power, but the advantage is that they're self-contained and very portable. They can be connected to an external antenna through adapter cables or plugs, but you're still limited. A mobile will have more power to punch through local obstructions but require an external power supply, power cable adapter, or connectors, along with an external antenna and cabling. The biggest advantage is power, of course, but also much greater flexibility with the programming. What you get will depend on how you are planning on using the radio. If you are primarily using it from your home, then a mobile would be the better choice. With an extra power cord and antenna you can use the same radio in your vehicle. If you wander around the landscape on foot, then the HH is better.

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WRQC527 said:

If you get an HT, you're always limited to 5 watts. 

On the 462/467 MHz main channels handhelds fall under the same limit as mobile radios. That was the subject of another thread about a year ago maybe and one of the forum members wrote to the FCC and asked. Although extremely impractical you could have one that transmits at 50 watts. 
 

 

[WRQC527]

25 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

On the 462/467 MHz main channels handhelds fall under the same limit as mobile radios. That was the subject of another thread about a year ago maybe and one of the forum members wrote to the FCC and asked. Although extremely impractical you could have one that transmits at 50 watts. 
 

 

I don't know what you have in your HT collection, but every one of mine is limited to five watts. 

[WRWE456]

I think he meant that most HT's only put out about five watts max and that you are stuck with that unless you get a mobile/base.

[WRZG451]

23 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

I don't know what you have in your HT collection, but every one of mine is limited to five watts. 

The Tidradio TD-H8 can put out close to 10 watts, they have an app to tune the output at different power settings and frequencies too.

[WRZI393]

Thanks a lot guys. That makes the decision easier.

[WRUU653]

3 minutes ago, WRZG451 said:

The Tidradio TD-H8 can put out close to 10 watts, they have an app to tune the output at different power settings and frequencies too.

I noticed their Ham version is but their site says the GMRS version is 5 watts. Does this app change that? 

[WRQC527]

1 minute ago, WRUU653 said:

I noticed their Ham version is but their site says the GMRS version is 5 watts. Does this app change that? 

You guys go ahead and keep debating which GMRS HTs put out the most power. I'm going to lunch. Lemme know if you ever settle it. On second thought, no. 

[WRUU653]

11 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

You guys go ahead and keep debating which GMRS HTs put out the most power. I'm going to lunch. Lemme know if you ever settle it. On second thought, no. 

I wasn't debating. I was asking. I don't have the radio or the app. 

[WRZG451]

18 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

I noticed their Ham version is but their site says the GMRS version is 5 watts. Does this app change that? 

First all the TD-H8 are the same, they are just running different firmware modes.  You can change this mode by holding PTT plus either Asterisk (Ham), Zero (GMRS), or pound (fully unlocked) as you turn on the radio.

If you fully unlock it it defaults to medium power being 5 watts and high power being 10 watts on GMRS frequencies

Even in GMRS mode though, the power configuration app can indeed be used to change it to 10 watts.

14 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

You guys go ahead and keep debating which GMRS HTs put out the most power. I'm going to lunch. Lemme know if you ever settle it. On second thought, no. 

We aren't debating anything, we are passing on information on how different radios work.  Why comment if you have nothing useful to add?

[WRUU653]

3 minutes ago, WRZG451 said:

We aren't debating anything, we are passing on information on how different radios work.  Why comment if you have nothing useful to add?

That's what I thought. Perhaps he just needed lunch. 

[FlatTop]

Get an HT...AND get a 15 or 50 watt mobile.  Don't forget an external antenna up as high as you can put it.  And personally speaking, not sure I'd want 10w of UHF RF 3 inches from my face. 

[WRQC527]

17 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

Perhaps he just needed lunch. 

I did need lunch, and yes, after about the first few replies, mine included, the thread went about a mile off topic. Carry on.

[WRWE456]

13 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

the thread went about a mile off topic

Its amazing how that happens!

[WRYS709]

5 hours ago, WRZI393 said:

I need some advice. I'm about to purchase some type of GMRS radio. I have the license already. But before wasting money on a radio that won't do what I need I will ask for opinions. Here is the situation. I live in a very rural area with hills and trees everywhere. So, I'm thinking of becoming a member of nggmrs.org which is about $100/yr. They have a large network of repeaters in the southeast. According to Google earth and mygmrs.com maps, I'm almost 10 miles from the closest repeater. The repeater has an estimated range of 50 miles. I can hear it on a handheld in my house. The handheld is a 5w UV-5R. (not GMRS approved, I realize I need something approved). My elevation is 742ft. Repeater elevation is 2000ft. There is a hill and a few trees in between. Elevation of hill is 800ft. Hill is directly in line with repeater at about 1000ft. from my house. When standing on that hill, I can see the mountain that the tower is on. (In the south we consider 2000ft a mountain.)

My questions are: do you guys think a 5w handheld would work at all, or should I be looking at a 15 or 20w mobile? Is a 5w HT even strong enough to connect to a repeater 10 miles away with clear line of site? At least with the mobile I could drive to the top of the hill. I would rather use an HT or mobile rather than base station. Also, are any of the Baofeng GMRS handhelds, worthwhile? Thanks in advance.

I am a big fan of the Anytone AT-779UV a/k/a Radioddity DB20-G GMRS mini-mobile radio. I have two: one in the car with a cup-mount and mag-mount antenna for easy in and out and one at home with a rooftop antenna. 
 

$99-109, cigarette lighter plug, 18 watts, and has great coverage. 

I have multiple HTs and they are good when hiking but disappointing otherwise. 

Enjoy and good luck!

[SteveShannon]

Just now, WRYS709 said:

I am a big fan of the Anytone AT-779UV a/k/a Radioddity DB20-G GMRS mini-mobile radio. I have two: one in the car with a cup-mount and mag-mount antenna for easy in and out and one at home with a rooftop antenna. 
 

$99-109, cigarette lighter plug, 18 watts, and has great coverage. 

I have multiple HTs and they are good when hiking but disappointing otherwise. 

Enjoy and good luck!

And the db20g is on sale with a mag mount (no whip) for $85. 

[WRQC527]

33 minutes ago, Sshannon said:

And the db20g is on sale with a mag mount (no whip) for $85. 

Where? 

[WRYZ926]

9 minutes ago, WRQC527 said:

Where? 

https://www.radioddity.com/products/radioddity-db20g

[WRQC527]

Thank you. I was hoping to find it in stock somewhere at that price.