Newly interested in gmrs-looking for advice

[Banzai22]

Hi
I’ve played around with Cb but am now interested in what gmrs radio has to offer. Specifically a high power base station and a quality antenna I can mount to my house.
I’ve looked on line at a few Midland radios but wonder if there’s anything else besides them to consider.
If I end up buying equipment for the house I’ll eventually want to install a mobile unit into my car and van. Appreciate your help and advice.

 

[WB9YBM]

Hi
I’ve played around with Cb but am now interested in what gmrs radio has to offer. Specifically a high power base station and a quality antenna I can mount to my house.
I’ve looked on line at a few Midland radios but wonder if there’s anything else besides them to consider.
If I end up buying equipment for the house I’ll eventually want to install a mobile unit into my car and van. Appreciate your help and advice.

I've had a few Midlands (although they're for ham use), and have had good luck with that brand, although in general the majority (if not all) name brands should be okay. You didn't mention if you have a scanner; that might be a useful tool to show you what kind of activity there is in your area. Since antennas are the most important part of any radio set-up, you might want to focus on that--getting the best set-up you can afford, with good height and etc.

 

[Banzai22]

I do not have a scanner. My main interest is in getting a backup service my cellphone and my wife doesn’t want to get her tech license
I figured gmrs would meet my needs and want some guidance in equipment

 

[jeepsandradios]

How far do you plan to talk ? An HT isn't going to get too far if your cell isn't working. Unless there is a great repeater site that is open for public use its not going to work. Then again if the cell system is out due to power outages most likely the repeater is out.

 

[Banzai22]

I’m not looking for handheld radios. Im interested in a base station setup and then mobile units for my vehicles. I’ve never researched the gmrs service and am just starting to understand the pros, cons, of the equipment available and functionality. My head is spinning after reading several pages worth of topics on this forum about consumer grade vs commercial type equipment that’s available.
As far as range I’d like something that is reliable to about 5 miles in the small town I live in without depending on repeaters. That range would cover communication with relatives local to me.

 

[mmckenna]

As far as range I’d like something that is reliable to about 5 miles in the small town I live in without depending on repeaters. That range would cover communication with relatives local to me.

That should be entirely possible with good external antennas.

Put a base antenna up as high as you safely can at your home. Feed it with a high quality coaxial cable suitable for the length.

On your vehicles, to get maximum range, you'll want permanently installed mobile antennas on the top of the vehicle.

Unless you live in deep canyons, you should have no issues getting 5 miles of range out of a system set up like that.

 

[Banzai22]

Are there any usable glass mount mobile antennas available? The ones I’ve used before specified they work only on non tinted windows but both of my vehicles are tinted. In fact I think I recall reading that some window tints contain metallic additives to help reduce light transmission and therefore interfere with the window mounted antenna performance. I realize that the best mobile antenna is one screwed into the roof, followed by a magnet mount antenna but still I’d be interested if the is a window mount solution. Thx.

 

[WB9YBM]

Are there any usable glass mount mobile antennas available? The ones I’ve used before specified they work only on non tinted windows but both of my vehicles are tinted. In fact I think I recall reading that some window tints contain metallic additives to help reduce light transmission and therefore interfere with the window mounted antenna performance. I realize that the best mobile antenna is one screwed into the roof, followed by a magnet mount antenna but still I’d be interested if the is a window mount solution. Thx.

I used a glass-mount antenna many years ago for 220MHz--it was so long ago I can't remember the manufacturer or tinted glass spec's, but the one I had the SWR was problematic (couldn't get it as low as more "standard" antennas). Personally, I wouldn't go back to that type of antenna.

 

[mmckenna]

I realize that the best mobile antenna is one screwed into the roof, followed by a magnet mount antenna but still I’d be interested if the is a window mount solution. Thx.

Larsen KG-450

https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=859

I used one for a while on GMRS and 70cm amateur radio.

Glass mount antennas are not a great solution. They are a half wave antenna with no ground plane, so 0dB of gain, and the glass mount often puts them down below the roof line, further impeding their performance.

The one I had worked for short range stuff on my wife's old car. But it was no where near as good as a 1/4 wave antenna mounted on the roof.

You can give one a try, but the good ones are not cheap, and the cheap ones are not good.

You do need to have non-tinted glass, or tinted glass that has zero metal film. You have to avoid defroster wires, as well as those few cars that embed the AM/FM radio antenna in the glass.

I'd not count on getting 5 miles of range with a compromise antenna, but if you have a really good base antenna and a clear line of sight, it might work well enough.. Radio performance really depends on the antenna, and any sort of compromise comes at a cost.

 

[Banzai22]

Thank you to all that have replied. Outcome is that after researching the rules, abilities and restrictions of gmrs I have decided it’s not for me (us). My wife agreed to study for her ham license and take the test in a few months.