Advice on radio useage

[mabarnes11]

I belong to an ATV group here in Idaho and we currently use the FRS channels to communicate while we ride. We find ourselves getting out of range due to distance and I assume power. We have heard that some other groups in the state use a higher wattage radios which I assume are of a different class. Would you please give me advice on what service/license we could use? Thanks in advance.

 

[mmckenna]

I belong to an ATV group here in Idaho and we currently use the FRS channels to communicate while we ride. We find ourselves getting out of range due to distance and I assume power. We have heard that some other groups in the state use a higher wattage radios which I assume are of a different class. Would you please give me advice on what service/license we could use? Thanks in advance.

There are a couple of options.

I ride UTV's with family, and we discovered pretty quickly how easy it is to get separated and the need for good radios. The short range of FRS and cheap GMRS radios is not a solution.

The limitation isn't just the power output of the radio. Using a radio with a better antenna will help. Receiver sensitivity helps. Proper radio use helps. Trouble is, the cheap FRS/GMRS radios have crappy antennas and poor receiver sensitivity.

Getting your GMRS license is one option. For about $75 you get a 10 year license that covers you and your immediate family. You'll need to acquire some suitable UHF radios that are FCC Part 95 accepted, or pre-programmed GMRS radios.
Up to 50 watts power output can help if you can do a full mobile radio installation with a real antenna mounted on your ATV. When you are using portable radios, you'll usually only find 4-5 watt radios. This additional RF power will help -slightly-. Going from a 2 watt GMRS/FRS radio to a 5 watt radio will not double your range.

MURS (Multi Use Radio Service) is another option. It's license by rule, so you do not need to apply/pay for a license from the FCC. Basically "license by rule" means that as long as you follow all the rules for that radio service, you are covered.
MURS allows 2 watts on VHF. This can often work better than 2 watts on UHF. There are 5 channels, but they are very lightly used.
Trouble is, finding quality radios can be hard and the good ones tend to be expensive. Ritron makes a MURS VHF portable radio that is pretty solid.

CB is always an option, but for portable radio use, the long antennas necessary get in the way. The short antennas that some portables have are very poor performers. Better if you can use a mobile radio with a proper external antenna, but that can be a real hassle on an ATV.

Amateur radio is an option. Pass a simple 35 question multiple choice test and you can run decent radios on VHF or UHF frequencies (as well as others) that are specifically set aside for amateur radio use. A lot less limitations that the above radio services, however unless you are going to use a mobile radio on your ATV, you are still going to have issues with the antenna limitations, power output, etc. Less people use this for off road use, but there is some usage. Also, access to amateur radio repeaters in some areas.


More than likely, what you are hearing about is the "Racing Radios" stuff. Racing Radios is a web dealer that sells higher end radios to the racing community. Rugged Radios is another brand.
https://www.ruggedradios.com
https://www.racingradios.com
A lot of the UTV guys are running these.
There's some issues, though:
1. They are very expensive If you are not sure what you are doing with radios, have experience in specifying equipment or programming radios, it might be worth the extra cost.
2. Legalities. The way these companies sell radios is shady when it comes to licensing. The frequencies in use do require licenses, but most users never bother to get licenses. The companies will often say that it's legal to use the radios, but it's not, not the way they are being sold.


If you are looking for communications between your own group, then the MURS or higher end GMRS radios might be your best option.
If you are looking to make random contacts or talk to people that are not within your group, then amateur radio, CB and the "racing radios" might be your best bet, but -never- rely on these as a way to get help in an emergency.


None of this equipment will work well unless it's set up correctly, people know how to use them, and the limitations are understood.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

mabarnes11,
What model of FRS radios are you currently using?

To add to what mmckenna said. Keep in mind that the FRS radios you are currently using *may* only be putting out 1/4 to 1/2 watt of RF power. Some models of the bubble pack 22-channel FRS/GMRS radios put out 1.5 watts (depending on the model and which channel you select). These 1.5 watt models are usual advertised as having a "35-Mile Range". This range is only achievable under ideal conditions such as mountaintop-to-mountaintop or mountaintop-to-valley. An example of this type of 1.5 watt radio is the Motorola MR350R which sells for about $65 a pair. These 1.5 watt 22-channel combined FRS/GMRS type radios are now legal to use without a GMRS license. Avoid using channels 8-14 on this type of radio as these are limited to 1/2 watt.

If the models you are using now are under 1/2 watt, switching to 1.5 watt models *may* increase the range to something more acceptable for your needs.

Regarding the MURS radio option. One example of a lower-cost MURS radio is the BTech MURS-V1. These sell for about $55 each. Here is a review of this model.
MURS-V1 Review - Miklor

 

[mabarnes11]

Thanks guys for all your knowledge.

 

[devicelab]

HAM tech license and 50w VHF or 40w UHF mobiles... if you don't mind longer antennas run on 6M mobiles... used radios are easy to find these days...

OR buy UHF DMR portable radios and run built-in encryption...