Noob question...

[KK4JUG]

Generally, the Motorola radios are considered the best but that's not saying a whole lot. You're pretty much stuck with what they make. The CCRs are not certified for use on GMRS. That fact notwithstanding, lots of people use them for that. In reality, they're not really any better, regardless of the increased wattage.

 

[nd5y]

A good antenna and good receiver is way more important than transmit power but with cheap FRS/GMRS radios you can't change the antenna and you don't know if the receiver is any good.

 

[p1879]

You are getting some great advice from some folks in the know.
I love the "timeline" pointing out how GMRS/FRS has evolved. One respondent mentioned MURS positively, and another mentioned the vast importance of good/better antennas.

Perhaps you could try MURS, and at the campsite you could have a better antenna system to reach out to the portable radio.

MURS radios could be used with a cheap, home-made ground plane, and if it could be elevated even a dozen feet in a clear spot should make a real difference. You could also use a mag-mount antenna on the vehicle, which would still be far superior to the little stock antenna on the radio. Another possibility are the telescoping or 5/8 Wave antennas made for 150-155 mhz by Smiley Antennas. I got the telescoping one as a gift for a friend who has the Baofeng (legal) MURS-only radio for farm use. It made a big difference, but is quite heavy and ungainly on a portable....in his case it is used with a legal Dakota Alert base MURS unit and he stayed with the stock antenna on the Baofeng MURS.

You could equip both radios with the 5/8 WL Smiley duckies too...even one on the campsite unit could make some difference. If I recall correctly, they are 9" long.

MURS is typically very quiet in most places, and has very good signal performance in wooded areas. I am sure some of the wise people here could recommend some good field-expedient solutions for improving the campsite end of the comms chain.

 

[p1879]

My apologies folks...looking the thread over I had missed that the gentleman had already obtained his new radios. So my plug for MURS was not needed. The important thing is he has a communications setup, enjoy our great outdoors!
p

 

[Unforgiven_AF]

My apologies folks...looking the thread over I had missed that the gentleman had already obtained his new radios. So my plug for MURS was not needed. The important thing is he has a communications setup, enjoy our great outdoors!
p

I appreciate all of the replies, and as I said in the OP, I hoped to learn while making a selection and I certainly did, MURS included. If I had the option there would have been a lot of likes and thanks throughout the thread.

The radios I got were pretty cheap, and now that I understand the privacy codes and group codes, I should be all set. I was especially happy discovering I could change the channel/privacy code for all radios in my group, so if I'm on a high traffic channel I can move off without calling my son back to the site. We will be hiking around the campground as well as Gettysburg National Park, so they will get some use.

The folks here could be more patient and friendly helping me learn.