Would you see any real difference on the range with say a pair of Midland GXT radios? I mean if you were in the same general locations, would you get any more range if you swapped to channel 15 and bumped watts up to max compared to say channel 14 frs? If so are we talking another football field or are we talking 1/2 a mile?? Just looking for general numbers here.
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Any real range difference for GMRS/FRS radios?
- Thread starter wiz4769
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I think the recent Motorola video here explains it best. It is the best I have ever seen to date in regards to explaining range figures - and why switching to a higher power (1/2 watt to 4 watts or so) won't drastically change the range, but "fill in" weak areas around the obstacles within your existing range.
How-To Optimize the Range of your Talkabout Radio - YouTube
The major problem besides immediate obstructions is the curvature of the earth for those of us just standing. Height, rather than power, (and holding your radio vertically for both parties) provides the most benefit. I noticed the presenter got into a 45 degree angle or so - maybe not so bad if only one party does it, but if the receiving end is also holding his radio at 45 degrees in some other direction, you've got some good cross-polarization attenuation going on. Hold 'em straight up!
The video has some good charts and topographical rf exposure displays for comparison.
How-To Optimize the Range of your Talkabout Radio - YouTube
The major problem besides immediate obstructions is the curvature of the earth for those of us just standing. Height, rather than power, (and holding your radio vertically for both parties) provides the most benefit. I noticed the presenter got into a 45 degree angle or so - maybe not so bad if only one party does it, but if the receiving end is also holding his radio at 45 degrees in some other direction, you've got some good cross-polarization attenuation going on. Hold 'em straight up!
The video has some good charts and topographical rf exposure displays for comparison.
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I don't think using a bubble pack gmrs radio would extend your range if you bumped up the watt output,but it might extend the range if your using a professional handheld or mobile gmrs radio and did it.
b7spectra
EMS Dispatcher
With 40 watts on my mobile, when I get within about 5 miles of my friends, we normally switch to simplex as to let the repeater be available for other users (which normally doesn't matter because there is almost never when someone else wants to talk). If you are, say, standing on top of a 50 story building, yeah, you will get some good range with a portable, even more with a mobile/base (more power).
I think the recent Motorola video here explains it best. It is the best I have ever seen to date in regards to explaining range figures - and why switching to a higher power (1/2 watt to 4 watts or so) won't drastically change the range, but "fill in" weak areas around the obstacles within your existing range.
How-To Optimize the Range of your Talkabout Radio - YouTube
The major problem besides immediate obstructions is the curvature of the earth for those of us just standing. Height, rather than power, (and holding your radio vertically for both parties) provides the most benefit. I noticed the presenter got into a 45 degree angle or so - maybe not so bad if only one party does it, but if the receiving end is also holding his radio at 45 degrees in some other direction, you've got some good cross-polarization attenuation going on. Hold 'em straight up!
The video has some good charts and topographical rf exposure displays for comparison.
Thanks for posting the Motorola YouTube Video. If was very informative.
ab6ojll
Member
It is a characterristic of uhf wave propagation.
The uhf wave propagate straight and if it can not penetrate it cannot reach.
The difference between low and high power is a less scratch with the higher power.
Eventually if the low power cannot reach then so does the high power.
In a case with a high power, there is some reflection of propagation against the other mountains but still
rare..
The vhf is different. It propagate on the earth surface extending farther(But not for the GMRS/FRS)
That is the why the FCC keeps UHF for the private wireless(gmrs/frs) because it limits the range..
IT LIMITS THE RANGE... but it can reach the sattellite(good news ?)...
The uhf wave propagate straight and if it can not penetrate it cannot reach.
The difference between low and high power is a less scratch with the higher power.
Eventually if the low power cannot reach then so does the high power.
In a case with a high power, there is some reflection of propagation against the other mountains but still
rare..
The vhf is different. It propagate on the earth surface extending farther(But not for the GMRS/FRS)
That is the why the FCC keeps UHF for the private wireless(gmrs/frs) because it limits the range..
IT LIMITS THE RANGE... but it can reach the sattellite(good news ?)...
Phantom1989
Member
If the radio allows you to get 5 watts on FRS channel 14 you would get the same result as 5 watts on channel 15, but it would be illegal to use more then 2 watts on the FRS band (Ch. 1-14).
I've never used that particular radio you mentioned but I know from experience that the consumer level "bubble pack" radios are not dependable at all unless you are on a lake or talking to your neighbor across the street. The antennas on them are trash.
you might get 1/2 a mile with your set up but I can't tell you for sure since I do not know what environment you live/work in. Terrain can be your worst enemy (talking to someone around tall buildings) or your friend (rural, minimalistic area).
Normally I'd agree, although as you mentioned height and clearing obstructions are more important at UHF than raw power between 2-5 watts.
I think manufacturing quality is also important, especially when it comes to the receiver.
I just ran an interesting test. Originally I picked up a Midland GXT1000 and like it so much that I also got the smaller LXT490. I also have a Radio Shack Pro-106 digital scanner, and a Uniden 396XT digital scanner.
For the test, I listened to a very weak GMRS repeater out in the boonies, that barely popped open the squelch on the smaller 490, and ran to my other radios for testing and here is how they came out from best to worst:
LXT490
GXT1000
Uniden 396XT scanner with Comet HT-55 dualband 155/465 mhz
Radio Shack Pro-106 with Diamond RH-77CA (dualband amateur 2m/440)
The 490 recovered the audio for 100% copy, although weakly
The 1000 recovered the audio, but had to run with open squelch and find a hot spot
The 396XT knew that something was there, and even broke the minimum squelch, but no recoverable audio was heard.
RS Pro-106. Quiet - nothing heard even with open squelch and no hot spots to be found unless I went up on the roof.
Each radio is being powered by capacity-matched Sanyo Eneloops.
What blows my mind is that a $20 bubblepack actually had a better receiver than a $500 digital scanner for frs/gmrs, running with highly popular tx-capable antennas.
The 490 has a slightly smaller antenna than the 1000, yet it performed better (at least on receive - suspect a higher sensitivity / better filtered receiver on the 490.
What this showed to me was that the quality of the receiver at least, has much to do with it as well. I'm sure if I cut open the 490/1000 antenna, I'd be shocked, but at least from an rx-only standpoint, the best performing radio was the one with the smallest antenna for this weak-signal test.
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scanningisfun
Member
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You can only use .5 Watts on FRS.
Phantom1989
Member
It was a typo. Didn't catch it until you pointed it out.
I keep seeing range is 1/4 mile with the GMRS bubble packs.
I live in a rural area, in a valley that slopes slightly between two mountians on either side.
Transmitting from one town to another, 6 + miles apart is done all the time with one radio being in the middle of a small town.
So much depends on the where you live, if one radio is higher in the valley by a bit so the curvature of the earth is not such a problem.
I have transmitted 3.5 miles with Trisquare radios, but have not tried for further distance.
So to make a blanket statement that 1/4 mile seems to be the distance is wrong, it all depends were you are and how many obstructions there re, height of one radio compared to the other, just too many varibles.
John
I live in a rural area, in a valley that slopes slightly between two mountians on either side.
Transmitting from one town to another, 6 + miles apart is done all the time with one radio being in the middle of a small town.
So much depends on the where you live, if one radio is higher in the valley by a bit so the curvature of the earth is not such a problem.
I have transmitted 3.5 miles with Trisquare radios, but have not tried for further distance.
So to make a blanket statement that 1/4 mile seems to be the distance is wrong, it all depends were you are and how many obstructions there re, height of one radio compared to the other, just too many varibles.
John
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