best starter gmrs base/mobile radios

[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!!

[WRTS781]

I prefer the Kenwood TK-8180 & 3180s. Fleetsync is handy...

[WRTC928]

On 3/11/2025 at 6:34 AM, jwilkers said:

My radio of choice is the BTECH GMRS-20V2.

Fully Programmable channels with unlimited flexibility.



Sent from my SM-S911U1 using Tapatalk
 

I have the ham version of that radio (Anysecu WP9900) and it's a decent radio. I swapped it out for one with 1.25 meter capability, but it got the job done on GMRS, 2m, and 70cm. Having all the controls in the handset is quite convenient. It's a PITA to adjust the volume on the fly, but that isn't an issue for everyone. I wasn't entirely happy with the sound from the little speaker either, so I plugged in a USB-powered speaker with a volume control knob. Being USB-powered, it can give you all the volume you want and the knob makes it easy to adjust.

[Lscott]

5 hours ago, WRTS781 said:

I prefer the Kenwood TK-8180 & 3180s. Fleetsync is handy...

It’s hard to beat commercial grade radios. The mobiles are designed with the idea of them operating in all kinds of environments so the audio is usually loud and of good quality. 

[WRUE951]

its funny how starter radios turn into gold mines, for the manufactures..   How many of us can say, 'been there done that' and ened up with Kenwoods, Motorlols, Harris, or Hytera..      

[Lscott]

10 hours ago, WRUE951 said:

its funny how starter radios turn into gold mines, for the manufactures..   How many of us can say, 'been there done that' and ened up with Kenwoods, Motorlols, Harris, or Hytera..      

The main issue with commercial radios is the usual lack of front panel programming. There are some, but it's usually a paid-for option. I have one of current manufacture that the option is included for free. However after reading the procedure in the service manual I concluded it was fare easier to use the programming software.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new

These are very nice radios, but sort of expensive. The cost could be anywhere from $200 to $300 plus for used to new condition. If you get one stick to the display models. Don't get anything with "ProTalk" in the description or a "P" somewhere in the model code!  Those have a fixed list of frequencies you have to choose from and are not "freely" programmable. Verify the model by looking at the rear side of the radio for the FCC ID and model tags before bidding or buying a used radio. Sellers of used radios frequently get the descriptions wrong!

I haven't found the lack of front panel programming to be a deal breaker for me. I have the local repeaters all programmed in so all I need is to recall them from memory. 

I prefer Kenwood since I've had a far easier time finding the software. Also most, a few won't, of the programming software allows one to "push" the radio outside of it's official band split. A favorite Kenwood HT, TK-3170, has an official band split of 450 to 490 MHz. I have a bunch of Ham 70cm repeaters programmed into it in the 440 to 450 MHz range along with the GMRS stuff. The software generates a warning about the out of band frequency but accepts it anyway after clicking OK.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new

You can usually find these used for under $100 in good condition.

[WRUE951]

21 minutes ago, Lscott said:

The main issue with commercial radios is the usual lack of front panel programming. There are some, but it's usually a paid-for option. I have one of current manufacture that the option is included for free. However after reading the procedure in the service manual I concluded it was fare easier to use the programming software.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new

These are very nice radios, but sort of expensive. The cost could be anywhere from $200 to $300 plus for used to new condition. If you get one stick to the display models. Don't get anything with "ProTalk" in the description or a "P" somewhere in the model code!  Those have a fixed list of frequencies you have to choose from and are not "freely" programmable. Verify the model by looking at the rear side of the radio for the FCC ID and model tags before bidding or buying a used radio. Sellers of used radios frequently get the descriptions wrong!

I haven't found the lack of front panel programming to be a deal breaker for me. I have the local repeaters all programmed in so all I need is to recall them from memory. 

I prefer Kenwood since I've had a far easier time finding the software. Also most, a few won't, of the programming software allows one to "push" the radio outside of it's official band split. A favorite Kenwood HT, TK-3170, has an official band split of 450 to 490 MHz. I have a bunch of Ham 70cm repeaters programmed into it in the 440 to 450 MHz range along with the GMRS stuff. The software generates a warning about the out of band frequency but accepts it anyway after clicking OK.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new

You can usually find these used for under $100 in good condition.

I' ended up with a slew of  Hytera commercial radios off Ebay.   HT's, Mobile and Repeaters (450-520) and each of them offer front panel programing options based on how i load them with CPS..  One of the HM 782's is VHF.   Once i have the radios programed how i want, i have never used the front panel programing to change anything other than entering PL tones..  I'll never go back to any radio you can't program in zones.  The supply on these radios, along with Motorla's, Harris and Maxon are beginning to dwindle as most government and cities have completed there transition to Digital.   For awhile, Ebay was so saturated with these retired commercial radios they were giving them away.. I ended up with 4 Hytera PD982 repeaters that came out of a school district, one of them was new in its original sealed box with the factory duplexer installed.  The seller was trying to get $1,200 each, after watching for several weeks i offered $2500 for all 4 and got em. Each repeater was like new, even had the plastic screen protectors..  I'm using one and don't know what i'll do with the other 3.  i'll just sit on them for now..    Each one of these radios are also digital/analog and the repeaters can be programed for IP transport or Trunking..    I also ended up with CD's containing every CPS vers for each radio model.   I did buy a couple Motorola Astros pretty cheap, but couldn't get my hands wrapped around Motorolas CPS and ended up selling them here..  Those radios were also like new, now i wish i would have kept them but then again i got radios i'll never touch..   Pretty addicting isn't it?  

[Lscott]

14 minutes ago, WRUE951 said:

Those radios were also like new, now i wish i would have kept them but then again i got radios i'll never touch..   Pretty addicting isn't it?  

No sh*t. I have radios I'll likely will never touch after buying them. I guess it's the thrill of getting a good deal. I have no idea how much money in radios I have just sitting on the shelves in plastic food storage boxes.

The only main digital modes I don't have yet is System Fusion and P25 Phase 2, I have P25 Phase 1 radios now.

The Phase 2 radios aren't of interest since it just for trunking operations at the moment and Ham typically doesn't use this.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/249-my-radio-collection/?context=new