im looking to buy a couple from a friend how we program these....how do u guys rate this radios? is there something better i could buy for a field programmable radio?
They were low end junk radios manufactured in the mid-90's. Poorly made, difficult to operate, and most failed with any rough use. If you still want to get one, the programming manual is at http://www.mbay.net/~wb6nvh/RH256.htm.
Check here in the For Sale section and e-bay for a Kenwood TK 760H. They are very well built, have 32 channels, can be programmed from the front panel keys, and even a have good built-in speaker. You'll pay a little more than for that Relm junk but they'll last forever.
Yes, that's what my quote above means. What exactly are you going to use these radios for? It sounds like you don't have a very good technical understanding of radio programming. You might be better off with a pre-programmed MURS radio.