Best radio recommendation for hiking in the mountains? VX-6R?

[GROL]

Thanks. I had originally posted this thread in the "Amateur Radio" section but it looks like it was moved.. perhaps it is better suited in this section.

Okay so i am mainly looking for something reliable to communicate to my team members during a hike in mountains. A two way radio while i am in the back country. The range would be a key factor but it should ideally be within 5 miles or so of each other.

What would you suggest based on this or is there any other info you will need? thx in advance!

5 miles is going to be difficult with any handheld radio. You can expect probably no more than 2 miles and realiably 1 mile in decent conditions, unless there is a very nearby repeater. Especially in terrain with lots of trees and hills. As said before, MURS using VHF will have a little advantage over UHF on GMRS and FRS over terrain.

Will the other team members be licensed? You may want to consider 2 watt FRS channels or maybe MURS radios of at least 2 watts. You can also consider GMRS but team members will need a license which were recently lowered to $35 for 10 years. You could use 5 watt GMRS handhelds for improved range but still 5 miles is unlikely.

Not to be sarcastic, but where you will be is there any possibility of cellular coverage? I know this can definately be a big problem in mountain terrain, but are you lucky enough there may be some coverage? Voice may be unreliable, but texting may be practical with spotty coverage.

 

[icestorm81]

I do not quite understand how you will not have a view of the sky, yet will have a view of the minimal horizon, in a mountainous terrain, unless you're sometimes in a tunnel, or cave system, which is a fair reason. Anyways, you have already noted that the monthly fee is a deal breaker, yet the device price is not, so let's move on from there.

I was thinking more of when it is cloudy and/or rainy. Even with my Garmin, i have sometimes had issues with it sending out messages when it has been relatively clear. i checked the pricing again for the IC-Sat 100 and it is ~$71/month for PTT only per device. It is a cool device but i think at that price point and for my purpose it does not make sense. it will be fun to try it out and i will keep it in mind perhaps for future use.

If I was going to use UHF only and or VHF/UHF and the device price is not a problem I would use my XTS5000 in either VHF or UHF flavor, or more than likely my dual band APX7000xe. They are a bit of a brick though and offer more features than you may need, or want in weight, for hiking.

I had to look up both XTS5000 and APX7000xe. XTSS5000 does not seem to be available for sale..

APX7000xe looks interesting. Initially when looking for radios I had also considered Motorola but could not really find anything worth considering. I used to work for Motorola so it would have been nice to have a radio from Motorola but unfortunately could not find anything which would be similar to VX-6R or even FT5DR...it is not really talked about in any of the reviews i found online.. or a preferred brand for ham radios.

It is also unfortunate you will not have a view of the sky as the Garmin 66i GPS will not function, nor would the GPS in Yaesu FT5DR radios which could provide you with distance and direction of the other radios when using the Fusion DN mode. You know, because "I'm over here" on a radio, in the woods, does not seem to work that well. You may already know this, but you should all carry whistles as well. No batteries, or GPS needed. Three blasts each time means you are in distress. (This is for others that may read this post as well)

Well, VX-6R would be my first ham but that does not mean it would be the last one. I may consider getting the FT5DR as well just to experiment. I think the device you chose would depend on the situation or the environment you are in and VX-6R seems to be the one which should be good for all environment (with some limitations / lack of features).

I tried to find Fusion DN mode on youtube but found Group Mode..i think that is what you were referring to? That does sound interesting.

Do you have a preferred whistle for the backcountry? Amazon seems to have a lot of options. Honestly, i have not considered it but perhaps it is not a bad idea to carry it but i wonder how far can it be heard.. perhaps depends on the whistle.

If you have settled on the VX6R and UHF, I have found the Diamond SRH77CA performs very well on UHF and slightly better than the SRH320A. If you're not sure which of the three bands you will use, or may flip/flop depending on conditions, then go with the SRH320A.
* I should also point out that the best handheld antenna I have and use is mono band and telescoping. I don't use it while actually moving, but when stopped it is the king. Just use a hand mic in order to keep the radio/antenna vertical. Also, learn and teach others the importance of keeping your antennas vertical. The keywords to search for are polarization, antenna, dB loss and attenuation. Test this out on flat land before you even hike with someone who would be whatever distance away during the hike. This is probably the most important part of using a handheld radio. It will be rather evident going from vertical, 45°, to horizontal, when the other person keeps their antenna vertical.

I will phrase it like this: I am starting my ham radio journey with VX-6R and we will see how it goes. :--) Same goes with UHF..i am definitely open to suggestions and will be experimenting to see the results in the field for my situation. There is so much googling and youtube videos you can watch!

So far VX6R seems to be the best option that I have seen available for my situation. :--) Do you have other suggestions other than VX6R and besides FT5DR? I would definitely consider adding additional radios as I learn more about them.

Noted about your antenna comments. Will keep that in mind. What is the best handheld antenna that you are referring to and have used?

As for batteries, just stick with the SBR40LI. The AA case more than likely offers reduced performance in the form of less watts, and operating lifespan due to the lower voltage. Check the VX6R manual for details. * Well I just checked the manual and the AA battery case only offers 300 or 50 mW output, so stick with the SBR40LI. (I only use the AA battery packs on my handhelds just for RX)

Yeah, that is what i have found so far. Having atleast one extra battery at a minimum. I found somewhere that a battery should last about a day and several days to maybe a week if you use the "wakeup" feature which i need to investigate more.

If you want to power and or charge the radios you could use the E-DC-6 cable and wire that to a lightweight (around 1 lb) 6A LiFePO4 battery. Those are relatively inexpensive compared to however many SBR40Li packs you would purchase. You could probably top-up the handhelds using that battery when you make camp, as most people are not constantly transmitting during a hike. Still, each radio having a backup SBR40Li battery would be prudent.

Interesting..i will do some research on this on youtube to rig this setup. If you have a preferring cable/LiFePO4 battery then please share.

And finally...for hiking I carry a tiger tail, also known as a rat tail with my handhelds. These are odd names for what is just a counterpoise wire. It simply hangs from the radio, but I only use it when conditions are intermittent. Not only will it slightly improve your TX, but RX as well. It does not perform miracles, but it definitely helps. The cost for a bit of thin 22 gauge wire is worth the slightly improved performance when needed, or just let it hang if the radio is clipped to your backpack.

Have fun!

Yep, i have seen counterpoise wires and came across some youtube videos on how to make them. If you have a preferred one then please share the link.

 

[mmckenna]

I was thinking more of when it is cloudy and/or rainy. Even with my Garmin, i have sometimes had issues with it sending out messages when it has been relatively clear. i checked the pricing again for the IC-Sat 100 and it is ~$71/month for PTT only per device. It is a cool device but i think at that price point and for my purpose it does not make sense. it will be fun to try it out and i will keep it in mind perhaps for future use.

The frequencies these use should not be impacted by cloud cover or rain. They use the same technology that is used by ships at sea in storms and heavy seas.

I had to look up both XTS5000 and APX7000xe. XTSS5000 does not seem to be available for sale..

Don't go down the Motorola hole as your first step in your hobby. APX radios are very expensive. A lot of the used XTS series have been beat to hell. They are heavy/large radios. The function set is designed public safety users, and while you can make them work on ham frequencies (and they do it well), the programming is complex.
When you get more experience and figure out what you want to do with the hobby, then look at them.
Amateur radios will have more flexibility for what you want to do. Much easier to make programming changes if needed.

Well, VX-6R would be my first ham but that does not mean it would be the last one. I may consider getting the FT5DR as well just to experiment. I think the device you chose would depend on the situation or the environment you are in and VX-6R seems to be the one which should be good for all environment (with some limitations / lack of features).

Sometimes simpler is better. Especially as a new user. Some of these top tier radios have a ton of functions which make them look really cool to the newcomer, but they often confuse people and make using the radio difficult until you get some time under your belt. The amateur radio test will not teach you everything you need to know.

The VX-6 is a nice radio. When I first got my ham ticket, I blew my budget on the top of the line radio at the time. I regretted it. As I learned, I realized that there were other things I wanted, things I didn't need, things I wish I'd done differently.
My favorite hand held ham radio I ever owned was a Yaesu FT-170. It was a 2 meter only hand held. Extremely rugged, submersible, and easy to use. I used to carry it clipped to my pack while out riding ATV's. It would get snowed on, rained on, dusty, muddy, occasionally dropped, and generally beat up. It took all of that in stride. I could dunk it in the river to get the dust and mud off it at the end of a long day.
And, it was simple. It did what I needed it to, nothing more, nothing less. I'd set it up and lock the keypad.
I ended up giving the two we had (my wife is a ham) to a friend of ours who was starting off.

I tried to find Fusion DN mode on youtube but found Group Mode..i think that is what you were referring to? That does sound interesting.

Fusion is a proprietary digital mode only used by Yaesu. You can only use it to talk to other Yaesu radios, with the exception of some small hot-spot type devices and the rare Fusion repeater. Digital is a fun part of the hobby to play with, but understand there are a number of non-compatible digital modes used used in the hobby. Buying into one digital mode may not be a good choice until you figure out exactly what you want to do. The analog only radio will give you want you need.
You may find in your area that DMR is much more popular, and the Fusion radios are not compatible with it.

Do you have a preferred whistle for the backcountry? Amazon seems to have a lot of options. Honestly, i have not considered it but perhaps it is not a bad idea to carry it but i wonder how far can it be heard.. perhaps depends on the whistle.

These will make your ears hurt.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KWMDQ39/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have one of these in my pack and one in the tool bag on my dirt bike and my sons bike. It's a good way to attract attention if someone is within a few hundred yards.

I will phrase it like this: I am starting my ham radio journey with VX-6R and we will see how it goes. :--) Same goes with UHF..i am definitely open to suggestions and will be experimenting to see the results in the field for my situation. There is so much googling and youtube videos you can watch!

Set your YouTube filters on high….
There's some good info on YouTubes and the internet, but there's probably 5 times as much bad info. Every ham operator considers themselves a world class communications expert, and their opinions are gospel truth.
Learning what is B.S. and what isn't will take some time. Unfortunately anyone can post on YouTube, and it doesn't have to be accurate.

 

[ko6jw_2]

Appreciate your comments!

I did consider FT-5DR and was leaning towards it but was told by the Yaesu support that VX-6R would be the better choice mainly due to its ruggedness.

Great that you have used both VX-6R and FT-5DR. Can you please elaborate a bit more on the use case of the built in GPS? Would this help locate the members of the team so lets say if one of my partners is not responding over the radio, will i be able to locate him/her using the GPS?

I had to look up APRS and it sounds like essentially it is a way for you to transmit your location/GPS coordinates over radio so others can find you (and it sounds like you will have to setup your own servers to receive that info). The Garmin device i have GPSMAP 66i offers similar functionality where you can log your track and your friends/family can view it online of course with the difference that it is transmitted via satellite and Garmin has a nice interface/app to view/log your route.

If you can think of any other features which would set FT-5DR from VX-6R (and which would be useful in the backcountry) then plz share.

Also, do you have any stats on how long does the stock battery for VX-6R would last? I am deciding on how many extra batteries would make sense to carry or plan for depending on the trip.

I would say that the FT5 and VX6 are equally rugged. It depends on what you are planning to do. The VX6 would probably be better for pounding in tent stakes.

APRS can be set to beacon at intervals. If a member was unable to talk the FT5 would automatically transmit their position. APRS usually uses a digipeater to report positions but if you are not within range the FT5 can report units within range. Also in the digital mode a position report is sent in the DN mode. You do not need to set up a server. The dual band features of the FT5 allow the radio to do both voice communication and position reporting at the same time.

Battery life will depend on a lot factors. How long and how much you talk. Power level. Whether you beacon and the use of GPS. The VX6 has a 1600 mAh pack vs 2200 for the FT5. However due to its advanced features the FT5 uses more current. Your mileage may vary. How many batteries to carry depends on how or if you charge them in the field.

The VX6 is a much older design but has 222Mhz transmit. With its GPS and APRS function the FT5 is clearly more useful in the back country. Also, it can do dual band at the same time whereas the VX6 cannot.

The Garmin is clearly the best bet for navigation and emergency notification. But, not for group communication using voice.

I would encourage you to find a ham club in you area where you can get assistance. It isn't just about getting a license, you have to learn a lot before you go out in the field. The FT5 in particular has a steep learning curve.

 

[icestorm81]

The frequencies these use should not be impacted by cloud cover or rain. They use the same technology that is used by ships at sea in storms and heavy seas.

Yep. My comment was in reference to using devices dependent on satellites (sat phones). That is an advantage that a ham radio would have over a sat phone/device.

The VX-6 is a nice radio. When I first got my ham ticket, I blew my budget on the top of the line radio at the time. I regretted it. As I learned, I realized that there were other things I wanted, things I didn't need, things I wish I'd done differently.
My favorite hand held ham radio I ever owned was a Yaesu FT-170. It was a 2 meter only hand held. Extremely rugged, submersible, and easy to use. I used to carry it clipped to my pack while out riding ATV's. It would get snowed on, rained on, dusty, muddy, occasionally dropped, and generally beat up. It took all of that in stride. I could dunk it in the river to get the dust and mud off it at the end of a long day.
And, it was simple. It did what I needed it to, nothing more, nothing less. I'd set it up and lock the keypad.
I ended up giving the two we had (my wife is a ham) to a friend of ours who was starting off.

I am actually leaning towards FT5DR now... :--) I was reluctant mainly due to the ruggedness of "FT5DR" but after reading some of the comments and the advantage FT5DR has over VX-6R, i would prefer to go with FT5DR. I am okay with spending more on a quality product and i would rather go through the learning with the right device (=FT5DR). I am not in a rush to learn..

If you have any other suggestions or any strong reasons on why VX-6 would be a better option over FT5DR besides the simplicity then then let me know. I bought VX-6R from HRO and plan to do an exchange.. There is a local HRO location not too far from where I live.

These will make your ears hurt.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KWMDQ39/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have one of these in my pack and one in the tool bag on my dirt bike and my sons bike. It's a good way to attract attention if someone is within a few hundred yards.

I had found this comprehensive comparison at the link below. Hyper whistle seems to be at number one while Storm whistle is number 2.

Set your YouTube filters on high….
There's some good info on YouTubes and the internet, but there's probably 5 times as much bad info. Every ham operator considers themselves a world class communications expert, and their opinions are gospel truth.
Learning what is B.S. and what isn't will take some time. Unfortunately anyone can post on YouTube, and it doesn't have to be accurate.

Agreed.

 

[icestorm81]

I would say that the FT5 and VX6 are equally rugged. It depends on what you are planning to do. The VX6 would probably be better for pounding in tent stakes.

APRS can be set to beacon at intervals. If a member was unable to talk the FT5 would automatically transmit their position. APRS usually uses a digipeater to report positions but if you are not within range the FT5 can report units within range. Also in the digital mode a position report is sent in the DN mode. You do not need to set up a server. The dual band features of the FT5 allow the radio to do both voice communication and position reporting at the same time.

Battery life will depend on a lot factors. How long and how much you talk. Power level. Whether you beacon and the use of GPS. The VX6 has a 1600 mAh pack vs 2200 for the FT5. However due to its advanced features the FT5 uses more current. Your mileage may vary. How many batteries to carry depends on how or if you charge them in the field.

The VX6 is a much older design but has 222Mhz transmit. With its GPS and APRS function the FT5 is clearly more useful in the back country. Also, it can do dual band at the same time whereas the VX6 cannot.

The Garmin is clearly the best bet for navigation and emergency notification. But, not for group communication using voice.

I would encourage you to find a ham club in you area where you can get assistance. It isn't just about getting a license, you have to learn a lot before you go out in the field. The FT5 in particular has a steep learning curve.

I am planning to exchange the VX6 with FT5 over the weekend...I do like the GPS/Group/APRS feature which i agree would be very helpful in the backcountry. With the ruggedness not being an issue, i would prefer to go with FT5 as well.

Joining a local ham club is a good idea.. I will look into that.

 

[mmckenna]

I am actually leaning towards FT5DR now... :--) I was reluctant mainly due to the ruggedness of "FT5DR" but after reading some of the comments and the advantage FT5DR has over VX-6R, i would prefer to go with FT5DR. I am okay with spending more on a quality product and i would rather go through the learning with the right device (=FT5DR). I am not in a rush to learn..

If you have any other suggestions or any strong reasons on why VX-6 would be a better option over FT5DR besides the simplicity then then let me know. I bought VX-6R from HRO and plan to do an exchange.. There is a local HRO location not too far from where I live.

I think it would be unlikely that you'd use 220MHz at all, or at least enough to justify that.

APRS is a useful tool. Where it works, it works well. You can share a website with friends/family that will let them track your location. I know the Garmin will do that, but it adds to the cost of the service. APRS will do it for free, once you have the radio.

I'd rather have APRS over 220MHz.

 

[icestorm81]

I think it would be unlikely that you'd use 220MHz at all, or at least enough to justify that.

APRS is a useful tool. Where it works, it works well. You can share a website with friends/family that will let them track your location. I know the Garmin will do that, but it adds to the cost of the service. APRS will do it for free, once you have the radio.

I'd rather have APRS over 220MHz.

Yeah, i had read about 220MHz but i also think that that it alone is not enough to buy a VX6R over FT5DR.

Okay so going with the FT5DR then... :---)

 

[vagrant]

Now that you are going with the FT5DR, I will revisit my earlier post about it. If you have two or more of these radios:
1. Turn on the GPS
2. Switch the voice mode from FM to DN on an amateur simplex frequency...for example:
145.510 MHz - or - 147.510 MHz - or - 441.000 MHz

Now when either radio transmits voice it also transmits the GPS data. One can then not only use the radio to communicate via voice, but observe the direction and distance from the other radio simultaneously transmitting on the agreed upon simplex frequency. Additionally, once a radio transmits, you would see the person's callsign in order to easily identify it. Yaesu calls this Real-time navigation function. I think the regular PDF manual has the setup as well as their advanced manual. This will obviously allow each person to easily see how far ahead/behind others on the trail are once they transmit, versus guessing.

APRS is fantastic, but when you need to find someone right away, this is a very good option. Additionally, the radio has a backtrack function, which I presume you are familiar with on the Garmin, but if not the manual has that covered too. By the way, if moisture is a problem, one could easily slip a plastic bag over the radio to really improve resistance. I use a hand microphone as well with my handhelds. (Bluetooth will just burn up more battery)

 

[icestorm81]

Now that you are going with the FT5DR, I will revisit my earlier post about it. If you have two or more of these radios:
1. Turn on the GPS
2. Switch the voice mode from FM to DN on an amateur simplex frequency...for example:
145.510 MHz - or - 147.510 MHz - or - 441.000 MHz

Now when either radio transmits voice it also transmits the GPS data. One can then not only use the radio to communicate via voice, but observe the direction and distance from the other radio simultaneously transmitting on the agreed upon simplex frequency. Additionally, once a radio transmits, you would see the person's callsign in order to easily identify it. Yaesu calls this Real-time navigation function. I think the regular PDF manual has the setup as well as their advanced manual. This will obviously allow each person to easily see how far ahead/behind others on the trail are once they transmit, versus guessing.

APRS is fantastic, but when you need to find someone right away, this is a very good option. Additionally, the radio has a backtrack function, which I presume you are familiar with on the Garmin, but if not the manual has that covered too. By the way, if moisture is a problem, one could easily slip a plastic bag over the radio to really improve resistance. I use a hand microphone as well with my handhelds. (Bluetooth will just burn up more battery)

View attachment 137401

Thx for the instructions. Will definitely try it out. I will have two. This is exactly what I need. Glad I went with FT5DR. I plan to swap the VX6R with FT5DR this weekend.

Real time navigation function sounds like a really cool feature and very useful in the backcountry. Not familiar with the backtrack function but will be ordering the hard copy of the manual to make it easier to study it.

Can you expand on your comment about the moisture? Improving the resistance to what exactly by using a plastic bag? Sorry, i do not follow.

 

[ko6jw_2]

The FT5 is rated IPX7 which theoretically means the it will withstand being submerged 1 meter for 30 minutes. No baggies needed. As I said in an earlier post I left one outside in the rain for several days and after wiping in off, it was fine and performs as well as another unit. There are rubber caps on various connectors which should be firmly in place to meet this specification.

Manuals for all Yaesu products can be downloaded from their website for free. www.yaesu.com Select the product and then the "Files" tab.

 

[icestorm81]

The FT5 is rated IPX7 which theoretically means the it will withstand being submerged 1 meter for 30 minutes. No baggies needed. As I said in an earlier post I left one outside in the rain for several days and after wiping in off, it was fine and performs as well as another unit. There are rubber caps on various connectors which should be firmly in place to meet this specification.

Manuals for all Yaesu products can be downloaded from their website for free. www.yaesu.com Select the product and then the "Files" tab.

Got it; i think you meant to use a bag just for extra protection just incase...

That is what I thought; with IPX7 it should be good for my use.

 

[prcguy]

I took a look at that Milo product. Usually those kick starter things are a lot of marketing and not much on the technical side. I had to go digging into their regulatory page, and found this:

Function Frequency Max. Transmit Power​

Bluetooth 2402-2480 MHZ 9 dBm (EIRP)​

The 2400MHz band is what is used by Bluetooth, WiFi and some other unlicensed radio services.
9dBm is the power output, and that is a tiny, tiny amount of power.
Bluetooth was originally designed to give about 30 feet of range indoors. It'll do a bit better outdoors, but not much. Under perfect conditions, maybe a mile at the most, but that would really be pushing it. My son and I use a set of bluetooth headsets built into our helmets when on our dirt bikes, and we get a few hundred yards at best.
Low power output is one issue. The other issue is 2400MHz will not propagate very well out in the wilderness.

Cool looking product, but not likely to be a good choice for what you are doing. At $250 each, I think you would be very disappointed.



If you need a bottom of the barrel crappy radio that you won't be sad if you lose, it's an option. Not good radios, not durable, not reliable. Someone bought a few at work and tried to use them on one of the systems I'm responsible for. It did not go well, they fell apart pretty quickly and the audio quality was poor. In other words, they got exactly what they paid for.

Some will gush on and on about how wonderful they are, but when you do some digging, you find out that they are not comparing them to anything reputable. It's so easy to get better radios, but some can only budget for a $20 Chinese toy.

If your going to go 2.4GHz forget Bluetooth and go with these which are used by the US military and other NATO countries. The Marconi/Selex PRR H4855 radios are 50mW spread spectrum in the 2.4GHz band and will go line of sight for many miles but rated for 500 meters due to terrain and having the antenna low and up against the body. They come with goofy looking headsets that work fine but I replaced a few of mine with cell phone type over the ear boom mics. You can replace the small 1/4 wave whip with a large SMA gain type antenna.

A group of us took these to the Dayton Hamstervention one year and they did work ok throughout most of the venu when the units were used up high on a shoulder but a few in our group kept putting them down on their belts which reduced range quite a bit. Anyway these are the best things you will come across above 900MHz and they cost a fortune new. I got several new in box for $140 each years ago.

Before going to Dayton that year I posted what channel I would be using on a military radio collector group and did make a contact with another military radio collector with one while at Dayton.

PRR H4855

www.cryptomuseum.com

Marconi Selex H4855 PRR Radio UNTESTED AS-IS | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Marconi Selex H4855 PRR Radio UNTESTED AS-IS at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[mmckenna]

Thanks PRC, I always wondered about those. I've seen them on the used market a few times and wondered how well they'd do.

My son and I ride dirtbikes (well, he rides, I tend to hang on for dear life) and we are using some Sena bluetooth helmet intercoms that seem to work pretty well. Before buying them, I wondered about these military units. Probably would have worked better, but then my son wouldn't be able to listen to his music while he's riding.

 

[prcguy]

Thanks PRC, I always wondered about those. I've seen them on the used market a few times and wondered how well they'd do.

My son and I ride dirtbikes (well, he rides, I tend to hang on for dear life) and we are using some Sena bluetooth helmet intercoms that seem to work pretty well. Before buying them, I wondered about these military units. Probably would have worked better, but then my son wouldn't be able to listen to his music while he's riding.

The PRR radios also come with a wireless remote PTT button to go on a rifle stock but it can also go on handlebars, steering wheel, etc.

 

[KF7GQY]

Interesting discussion! I have been in a similar situation and spend a lot of time outdoors. I think that there are use cases for several radios

Something that was mentioned briefly that is a significant requirement for me is size and weight. My goal with back country radio for trips is that it is small and light. Unless the trip is a radio specific trip, the radio needs to be as small and light as possible. Thus, the radios below all take that into consideration, vs radios such as the commercial options from Kenwood, Icom, Motorola, used by Park service, SAR, Wildland fire etc, where other factors are more important than size and weight. Now, on to thoughts on various radios and radio service.

1. FRS, these are great to hand out to people in a group setting and ideally are able to be locked so they stay on the same channel. Premium option is something like the Rocky Talkie, which are cheaper and better than the BCA Link. They can have an optional mike, but also use a standard mic plug, so you don't have to buy the Rocky Talkie mic to use as external mic.
2. GMRS, you can use these with your family license and much easier to get people to get a GMRS license than a HAM license as it does not require a test. Cost is 35$/10 years and covers everyone in a family. There are options for very cheap but workable radios such as the Baofeng MP31 (roughly 25$/2pack) or a full featured radio such as the Btech GMRS Pro, which has GPS and you can transmit your location to others with the same radio (about 135$/Radio).
3. MURS, great option as you don't need people to get a license and radios are not expensive. Retevis makes the RB38v which costs about 50$/3 pack, and gives you the option for other antennas, replaceable batteries etc, and can be given out to a group that does not have a license.
4. HAM, I agree with your choice of Yaesu VX-6R or FT5D. I have both and usually suggest the VX-6R to people in a situation such as yours. You already have the Garmin for GPS and Sat Comms, and the VX-6R is easier to use with gloves and less menu driven. Yes it lacks the GPS/APRS function of the FT5D. I also like the screw in Mic port on the top that the VX-6R has. Here is an option for charging in the field instead of trying to take extra batteries. Yaesu VX-6R External Power Accessories — The Tech Prepper

Overall, I have each of the options listed above and it depends on the situation on what I use. I do find that it is helpful to have the options of FRS and MURS for those that have no license. I do also use GMRS and HAM with groups that are licensed. I wish that Yeasu still made the VX-7R, VX-8DR or an updated version of these radios, but I think that the fact that the VX-6R is still out there as a current radio after all these years highlights the value of a simple, rugged radio. Until Yaesu updates the VX series (hopefully), I think that the VX-6R is my top pick for simple HT use in the back country. I do use the soft case with it.

I would also recommend a Signal Stuff antenna Products — Signal Stuff, I don't have any affiliation with these guys but appreciate the flexible antenna. Or if you are hoping to reach further, an ed Fong antenna with a throw line to hang in a tree may help as well.

 

[WRQS621]

I personally have had great success with the Baofeng TP-8 Plus (Amateur Radio), GM-15 (GMRS), and the Radioddity MU-5 (MURS). The biggest advantage is that they are USB-C chargeable. I use a Goal Zero Nomad 7 to charge them. Hard to beat that. You will even have extra money to buy several as back-ups.

Here is the FCC documents that show the radio passes FCC requirements: https://fccid.io/2AJGM-TP8

The documentation on this radio is amazing. Very thorough.

 

[mmckenna]

Here is the FCC documents that show the radio passes FCC requirements: https://fccid.io/2AJGM-TP8

That only shows Part 15B, which means the "Scanning receiver" doesn't spew out lots of noise. Doesn't mean anything about the transmitter. The transmitters do not require type acceptance for amateur radio use.

 

[WRQS621]

That only shows Part 15B, which means the "Scanning receiver" doesn't spew out lots of noise. Doesn't mean anything about the transmitter. The transmitters do not require type acceptance for amateur radio use.

Man, the FCC is so messed up. They need to do better job protecting us from this lethal device. I am now scared to use this radio.

 

[KF7GQY]

If you're going to go with the TP-8 plus, GM-15 and MU-5, you might as well get the TYT UV-88, and use it on HAM, GMRS, and MURS. Of course that is not legal and there is a reason why people frown on it from the spurious emissions side, but it is basically the same radio as the others listed and it does transmit and receive on all the bands. These appear to all be the same radio, same battery with USB charging, just some sold as HAM, some as GMRS, some as MURS, just locked in the firmware and maybe not even locked. So why spend the money to get the same radios that are simply marketed to different radio services but in reality, they all are the same build quality same poor filtering, same spurious emissions likely. But if a budget is tight, if you don't care about legality or spurious emissions, and want usb c charging and one battery, maybe it is a great option.