Good Beginner GMRS Radio?

[cyrix9445]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for opinions on a good mobile GMRS radio setup.

I have a bunch of parts for Motorola Spectras, should I peruse that?

I'm also looking the Motorola MCS 2000, seem to be in the $150 price range, are they easy to program? I have the RIB that I use for the Spectras and Sabers, is that the same box?

 

[fineshot1]

I would go with an MCS2000 but its all a matter of preference to the individual.

Yes - same OEM RIB works for both.

 

[b7spectra]

Motorola in notorious for making software about as easy as Chinese Algebra! But, once you have done it several times, it gets easier. Unless you get a radio that uses CPS, you have to have a slower computer to do the programming (even though I have programmed many with a P166). The software for Kenwoods and Icoms are about as easy as it gets. I have a Kenwood TK830 with a remote head that has a large 12 character alpha display that I really like.

What ever you get is going to be up to you, as everyone here, myself included, have personal preferences. I used to use Spectra's, but they were limited to 8 characters, 11 on the A9 head.

 

[johnwashington]

GMRS Radio

Although not a GMRS radio in the sense that you can walk into some store and the radio with the GMRS frequencies are already programmed in, i am using a Bearcom /Vertex BC95 5W UHF radio which Bearcom programmed for me. The BC95 can be used by a whole hosts of other industries as long as you are licensed to do so.
www.bearcom.com http://www.bearcom.com/ecatalog/Rad...il.cfm?PID=2037&CFID=1189046&CFTOKEN=94396957

and no I have no affiliation with that or any other company.

 

[johnwashington]

GMRS certified

I hope the bearcom/ vertex BC95 meets all GRMS rules and regulations. Anyone have a clue?

 

[johnwashington]

bearcom BC95 radio-new

This radio is rather new to the Bearcom group of radios, coming out in July of this year, 2011.

 

[rescue161]

Isn't Chinese algebra just as easy as regular algebra? :lol:

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Yeah, I used to be a hard-core Motorola guy, but times change. Make sure you take a real hard look at the other manufacturers like b7spectra said.

 

[johnwashington]

Motorola Radios

Isn't Chinese algebra just as easy as regular algebra? :lol:

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Yeah, I used to be a hard-core Motorola guy, but times change. Make sure you take a real hard look at the other manufacturers like b7spectra said.

I have two old Motorola radios we were licensed for two vhf HT600 and two uhf Radius p110s. I called the FCC and only had our former call signs to give them and they could find no record of them. Heck our license expired to those two years ago and have no idea where the paper license even is.

 

[ab6ojll]

I have two old Motorola radios we were licensed for two vhf HT600 and two uhf Radius p110s.]

------- Why don't you use the old radios for the GMRS radio rather than buying new ?
-------- Any reason ?

---- License is for the station/operator. Not for the Equipment.
..

 

[62Truck]

I currently have one of my many radios programmed up for GMRS its a HT600 its only 6 channels but it works pretty well.

 

[johnwashington]

why not use

I have two old Motorola radios we were licensed for two vhf HT600 and two uhf Radius p110s.]

------- Why don't you use the old radios for the GMRS radio rather than buying new ?
-------- Any reason ?

---- License is for the station/operator. Not for the Equipment.
..

You are correct in licensing is for the operator and not the equipement.

The HT 600s and the Radius P110 did not use GMRS frequencies. Yes the HT600 is a 6 channel and the radius p110 is a 4 channel Motorola radio.
They were out of use for so long that the FCC has no records of our call signs and I copied down from a frequency counter the frequencies those radios used, and the FCC doesnt even recognize those frequencies although we were licensed to use both radios. All we did was purchase new batteries for the old radios. Luckly we were able to find them. Yes I suppose we can use those too as well.

 

[johnwashington]

The HT 600 is like a tank in size and weight in comparison to today's smaller technology.

 

[62Truck]

The HT 600 is like a tank in size and weight in comparison to today's smaller technology.

That it is, but they are cheap and good basic radios and they are durable. I'd rather drop a HT600 then my HT1000 or my HT1250

 

[N1SQB]

I remember using HT 600s when I was on the Sheriff's Dept. a few years back. You couldn't kill those boat anchors if you tried!

Manny

 

[johnwashington]

Those are tough radios. No denying that at all.

 

[62Truck]

Another good radio too are the Jedi series, Like the HT1000's or the MT or MTS2000's. You can pretty much find HT1000's for around 150 bucks on ebay now days.

 

[johnwashington]

Worth looking into - thanks

 

[62Truck]

All HT1000's/Visars are Narrow Band Compliant the only difference with the DN revisions are that the DN radios will take the splinter freqs ie the 2.5 spacing channels.

 

[Arizona_Scanner]

Well for the money you could go with a Puxing or Quansheng, they seem to work pretty well. They are CHEAP on ebay. Good luck.

 

[SCPD]

Well for the money you could go with a Puxing or Quansheng, they seem to work pretty well. They are CHEAP on ebay. Good luck.

Both radios you mentioned are not legal to use they are not FCC Part 95 certified