best starter gmrs base/mobile radios

[LeoG]

I have the XS-KG20G for both mobile and base.  I have a 4.5 amp power supply and it works just fine with the 20 watt output.  Another nice thing is you can plug the KG20 into the cigarette lighter port without issue.  Both of my radios output 25 watts which is nice instead of the standard "up to" nomenclature you usually see.

I am thinking about going to the KG1000 for the base since it's tough getting to my shop repeater because of terrain.  The repeater (50 watts) reaches the house good but the radio at the house is iffy and sometimes it reaches and other times it can only trigger the repeater but no audio or broken audio gets through.  So I think it's purely a power thing since one gets through fine and the other doesn't.

If it doesn't work out I could just put it into the mobile.

[WRYZ926]

45 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The repeater (50 watts) reaches the house good but the radio at the house is iffy and sometimes it reaches and other times it can only trigger the repeater but no audio or broken audio gets through.  So I think it's purely a power thing since one gets through fine and the other doesn't.

This is one case where more power can help. 

Can you raise your base antenna any to help?

[LeoG]

The home base antenna won't be going any higher, it's at 40' at the base  of a 7.2dBi gain.  The plan for the repeater antenna is to go from 40' to 80' and go from a Retevis 7.2dBi gain to a Comet CA712EFC 9.8Dbi gain antenna in the future trading up from M&P Hyperflex13 to 1/2" hardline.

[WRYZ926]

7 minutes ago, LeoG said:

The plan for the repeater antenna is to go from 40' to 80' and go from a Retevis 7.2dBi gain to a Comet CA712EFC 9.8Dbi gain antenna in the future trading up from M&P Hyperflex13 to 1/2" hardline.

That will definitely improve things for you.

[LeoG]

Also my base coax has water in it.  Put up a thread about it a while back.  When it gets to 26F things improve immensely.  At 32F you can watch the SWR go from 1.15 to 2.08 and things get much worse.  I plan on doing hardline from the lightning arrester to the antenna and going to a Laird 5 dBd antenna

[WSHK684]

On 2/14/2025 at 8:39 AM, WRYZ926 said:

I am opposite of @SteveShannon, I use the Wouxun KG-1000G as the extra power helps me. Part of that is because of where I live and the local terrain. Plus I like having a removable head unit both in my vehicle and at home. I can install the main unit out of the way and have the smaller head unit elsewhere. 

I would have considered the DB20G for my SxS if it would have been IP rated. But since it is not, I went with the Wouxun KG-XS20G since it meets my needs better.

There are a lot of different radios out there. Most people that have the DB20-G are happy with them and they are inexpensive.  Most people that own Wouxun radios have not had issues either. But the Wouxun radios do cost more. 

Again, more details will help us recommend a radio for you. You won't go wrong with the DB20-G or either of the Wouxun mobile radios.

I just received my new KG1000G+ UPS TODAY!!