It's been asked before but I'll ask again. Good 20w mobile with....

[Ziggidy]

I know it's been asked but I'll ask again because times change and so do opinions.  I'm looking for a 20w mobile with a cigarette plug or some other connection so I do not have to wire it in.  I know there are many good brands but if you cannot recommend one, can you tell me what to stay away from? Yes, I'm in the early stages of learning.

Looking for portability, ease of programming at a decent price.  

Thanks

[amaff]

I like my DB20-G. The software to program it is a little clunky and the manual is *thin*, but there's plenty of user support out there (there's a few good thread on here regarding the DB20-G and the other Anytone 779uv clones). It's a bit restrictive in how it wants you to program it in GMRS mode but if your needs are for something a bit more open, it's easily unlockable if you're comfortable programming in the GMRS rules yourself.

(EDIT: Note that there are versions that do and versions that don't come with the programming cable. The DB20 did. I believe the Retevis did not. Just keep an eye on the listing to make sure it includes the cable)

I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT recommend the BTech GMRS 20v2. The interface is a mess, changing the volume involves hitting the MONI button and then tapping down the volume while listening to the speaker scream from static, and the speaker sucks so it had to be near full volume for me constantly.
That was before it just stopped working after a couple weeks. So...that one went back to the rain forest from whence it came.

[dosw]

Do keep in mind that even higher-powered radios often have some sort of a plug near the radio. My RA87 (40w), for example, has wiring that is permanently installed. At one end of the wiring it came with bare wires to be wired-in however you see fit. But the radio-end of the wiring uses a plug: 

 

This makes the radio removable almost as easily as with a cig lighter, after initial install.

However, I do like the ubiquity of cig adapter-compatible radios. The Wouxton KG-XS20G is the radio to beat, in the 20w category, from what I understand: https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-xs20g.html

It's $200. You can find 20w radios for less, though.

 

The MXT275 comes with a bracket that allows the radio to snap in, snap out. It's really simple to remove, and uses a cig adapter. I have one, and move it between my RV, my boat, and my wife's car depending on our needs. But the 275 is a GMRS radio for people who don't want to work multiple repeaters, since it only allows for one set of CTCSS tones per channel. And it's 15 watts (which was never a problem for me, with a decent antenna).

[WRXP381]

We totally love our tyt th8600 radios.  Very rugged and water proof and dust proof.  (Ask me how I know).  Picked them all up for less than $130 and worth every penny.  We totally abuse them from snow to ice to rain to dust to coffee and soda spills.   Same radio rugged sells for double in a locked down version.  Only down side is not chirp compatible but we also rt systems so not a big deal. 

[wayoverthere]

7 hours ago, amaff said:

I like my DB20-G. The software to program it is a little clunky and the manual is *thin*, but there's plenty of user support out there (there's a few good thread on here regarding the DB20-G and the other Anytone 779uv clones). It's a bit restrictive in how it wants you to program it in GMRS mode but if your needs are for something a bit more open, it's easily unlockable if you're comfortable programming in the GMRS rules yourself.

(EDIT: Note that there are versions that do and versions that don't come with the programming cable. The DB20 did. I believe the Retevis did not. Just keep an eye on the listing to make sure it includes the cable)

Both of my Anytone AT-779UV, which are twins to the DB20-G  came with the cable.  Heck, I even program them with Radioddity's version of the software.

And yes, I started with one, and liked it enough to buy a second.  Both are now on the shelf for the moment, since both vehicles I had them in have left; one is packed up in a travel kit, along with a mag mount NMO base, while the other will either go into the new truck, or into better half's car.

[jwilkers]

The BTECH GMRS 20-V2 is a 20 watt radio with a cig lighter plug.

Sent from my SM-S911U1 using Tapatalk

[WRYS709]

There is a local guy selling his extra Anytone AT-779UV for $75 complete with programming cable, software and willing to pre-prgram a code plug to your specs. 
 

PM me if interested. 

[Ziggidy]

All of this is very helpful, thanks.  

43 minutes ago, WRYS709 said:

There is a local guy selling his extra Anytone AT-779UV for $75 complete with programming cable, software and willing to pre-prgram a code plug to your specs. 
 

PM me if interested. 

Appreciate that but I am uncertain at this point.  

[Ziggidy]

All of this helps, thanks.

[gortex2]

I run the midland mobiles in my parents vehicles as they are KISS and plug into the lighter jack.

[Goldstar]

I use a Radioddity DB20-G. As others have noted, it’s the same radio as the AnyTone 779UV; and Retevis makes a virtual clone. I’ve never tested its power output but I’ve heard some say it’s slightly over 20W and others that it lingers at around 12W. All I know is that, for my own purposes (family travel communication and repeater conversations), it gets the job done very well.

Unfortunately, due to its Chinese origins, quality is hit and miss. I have bought three of these units…one works like a charm and has never given me any problems; the other two both had the same issue of sporadic received audio muting: when listening to the NOAA channels, even with a strong signal, the audio mutes itself sporadically for no reason, causing the listener to miss parts of the transmission. I am still in communication with the Radioddity Customer Service team to resolve this issue.

The programming software for the DB20-G is cumbersome and no where near as intuitive as CHIRP; but it’s not unbearable. 

The strengths of my working DB20-G make it my favorite GMRS radio (though I’ll note you can also make it a dual band ham radio through a simple unlocking process, as I have done). However, the jury is still out on the model itself…if Radioddity can resolve my audio issue, I can recommend it even more highly. 

[Borage257]

Rb86/th-8600, at-778uv, at-779uv/DB20G. 
 

could also try the db25g

[Borage257]

14 minutes ago, Goldstar said:

I use a Radioddity DB20-G. As others have noted, it’s the same radio as the AnyTone 779UV; and Retevis makes a virtual clone. I’ve never tested its power output but I’ve heard some say it’s slightly over 20W and others that it lingers at around 12W. All I know is that, for my own purposes (family travel communication and repeater conversations), it gets the job done very well.

Unfortunately, due to its Chinese origins, quality is hit and miss. I have bought three of these units…one works like a charm and has never given me any problems; the other two both had the same issue of sporadic received audio muting: when listening to the NOAA channels, even with a strong signal, the audio mutes itself sporadically for no reason, causing the listener to miss parts of the transmission. I am still in communication with the Radioddity Customer Service team to resolve this issue.

The programming software for the DB20-G is cumbersome and no where near as intuitive as CHIRP; but it’s not unbearable. 

The strengths of my working DB20-G make it my favorite GMRS radio (though I’ll note you can also make it a dual band ham radio through a simple unlocking process, as I have done). However, the jury is still out on the model itself…if Radioddity can resolve my audio issue, I can recommend it even more highly. 

Try jiggling the hand mic plug, mine will sometimes be special

[Goldstar]

1 minute ago, Borage257 said:

Try jiggling the hand mic plug, mine will sometimes be special

Interesting…thanks for the tip. I’ll give it a try when I get home this evening. It’s currently serving as a base station of sorts. 

[amaff]

That's one thing I really dislike about a lot of mobile radios at the moment, is the RJ45 connector. They are terrible

[WRYZ926]

5 hours ago, Borage257 said:

Rb86/th-8600, at-778uv, at-779uv/DB20G. 
 

could also try the db25g

The TYT TH-8600 and Anytone AT-788UV are both amateur band radios which are not Part 95 certified for use with GMRS. That being said, yes they work quite well on GMRS when opened up.

If you are wanting to stay with a Part 95 certified radio then I will suggest the DB20G or Wouxun KG-XS20G. If you aren't worried about Part 95 then the TH-8600 and AT-778UV are good choices once they are unlocked.

PS: No need to argue about using Part 95 certified radios versus using unlocked amateur band radios. That horse has been beaten until pulverized into ground meat.

[Borage257]

4 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

The TYT TH-8600 and Anytone AT-788UV are both amateur band radios which are not Part 95 certified for use with GMRS. That being said, yes they work quite well on GMRS when opened up.

They both have “gmrs only” counter parts. Rt95 and RB86

[WRYC373]

6 hours ago, Borage257 said:

They both have “gmrs only” counter parts. Rt95 and RB86

RT95 is also a Part97 it was sold as a GMRS radio along with the similar AT-778UV but neither were actually part 95 certified.

The AT-779UV is the same as the DB20G but with a part97 cert instead of the Part 95.

[WRXB215]

I use the AT-778UV daily. It gets hot but apparently not too hot for the radio. If I ever get time, I'm going to pull the fan out of an old laptop and mount it on the heatsink just for good measure.

[amaff]

17 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

I use the AT-778UV daily. It gets hot but apparently not too hot for the radio. If I ever get time, I'm going to pull the fan out of an old laptop and mount it on the heatsink just for good measure.

I keep seeing people report this but I keep checking mine and it doesn't do that. Are you always using it on High output? Most of the time I run at low or at most medium (because 99% of the time it's for simplex, car-to-car type stuff) unless I'm struggling to talk to someone, and even during extended conversations it only ever just gets warm to the touch. If it got *hot* it'd probably be a problem for where I have it mounted, but I keep checking it waiting for it to happen and it just hasn't.

[WRUU653]

45 minutes ago, amaff said:

I keep seeing people report this but I keep checking mine and it doesn't do that. Are you always using it on High output? Most of the time I run at low or at most medium (because 99% of the time it's for simplex, car-to-car type stuff) unless I'm struggling to talk to someone, and even during extended conversations it only ever just gets warm to the touch. If it got *hot* it'd probably be a problem for where I have it mounted, but I keep checking it waiting for it to happen and it just hasn't.

He said his 778 gets hot and it looks like you have the 779 aka DB20. By the way that looks like a really convenient spot for mounting, very nice.

[amaff]

Ah, you're correct, I missed that. But I've read that several times about the 779uv variants as well, hence my question

[WRXB215]

I do a lot of rag chewing at the edge of my fars.

[back4more70]

I have the Retevis RA25.  It has been terrific.

[WRYZ926]

I know the Wouxun KG-XS20G is probably the most expensive 20 watt GMRS radio but it is an excellent radio. And most have found that they are actually putting out 25 watts on high power. I went with the XS20G since it is IP65 rated for dust and water. A radio with a good IP dust/water rating is a must when installing a radio in a SxS or other open type off road vehicle.