Uniden GMR3040-3CK Issues

[Docgrundle]

I just bought this for a road trip next week and I thought it would be fun since we are taking three cars. No matter what channel I put these things on they just don't work.

If were in the same house they work fine, even 1-2 miles away and absolutely nothing. I read that channels 1-7 and 15-22 should be stronger and we are using sub channels but their just not working.

Any suggestions (aside from returning them)?

 

[JStemann]

You'll probably get more responses if you post further down in the gmrs/frs section. Maybe the mods can move this for you.

I'll go ahead and give ya what info I can. You shouldn't expect too much distance out of those radios. I would expect around a mile, but not much more. Could be less, depending on obstructions and terrain. The long distances they advertise on theses radios is what they are capable of IF your using a GMRS repeater and in perfect conditions. Keep in mind, too, in order to use the GMRS channels your "supposed" to buy a license from the FCC. There aren't very many people doing that with the cheapo bubble pack radios, though.

My suggestion, if you want to talk more than a mile (without licensing) on your road trip, look into some cb radios or stick with cell phones( the Tikl app lets your smartphone act like a walkie-talkie). MURS radios might be an option, but they are a bit more costly than the bubble pack frs/gmrs radios.

Jeff.

 

[scannerfreak]

Moved to GMRS forum.

 

[Docgrundle]

Yea I mean I have Vox and some other apps for my phone that I can use like a walkie talkie, I just thought it would be fun to have an actual walkie talkie but I really don't want to spend more than I did so...

You don't think even on the road traveling they would go farther than a mile? or would they work in the smokey mountains while hiking? It seems like i should just return them at this point.

 

[UPMan]

Range is limited by terrain in most circumstances. We test the units out to 30 miles, but that is an "open field" test (we use a site that has an unobstructed 30-mile vista). If there is any terrain between you and the other radio, you will not be able to communicate. This is true for all simplex VHF or UHF transceivers. For more information about range, see the thread in the General Scanning forum entitled "How Far Can I Receive." (http://forums.radioreference.com/general-scanning-forum/115818-how-far-can-i-receive.html).