Seeking User Comments on 25W to 50W GMRS Mobile Radios

[K4EET]

Whatever your needs are, that's what you use. <snip>

Precisely! In my case, I have a GMRS repeater about 15 miles away that I need to access. I receive it fine on an HT and I can bring it up on transmit but my audio is just white noise. There is a second GMRS repeater that I cannot bring up that is about 25 miles away. With a 5 dBi gain base antenna that I have and a 25 to 50 watt transmitter, I know that I will be solid into the first repeater and the second one we’ll just have to see. The second repeater is not critical that I access it.

 

[Coffeemug]

Precisely! In my case, I have a GMRS repeater about 15 miles away that I need to access. I receive it fine on an HT and I can bring it up on transmit but my audio is just white noise. There is a second GMRS repeater that I cannot bring up that is about 25 miles away. With a 5 dBi gain base antenna that I have and a 25 to 50 watt transmitter, I know that I will be solid into the first repeater and the second one we’ll just have to see. The second repeater is not critical that I access it.

I knew one day I would surprise myself giving some sensible advice to a fellow radio enthusiast. I guess I underestimated some folks, because it seems like I get a lot twisted around when talking a Two-way Radios in general. I do my best to be knowledgeable and up to date with correct information.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Kenwood TK8180H-K, TK-8180H-K2 both 45-ish watts. 512 channels, 128 zones.

The H-K is 450-520Mhz
The H-K2 is 400-470MHz. Pretty sure both are part 95-E certified.

TK-8180-K and TK8180-K2 both are 25-ish watts. 512 channels, 128 zones

The -K is 450-520MHz
The -K2 is 400-470MHz I believe both also have part 95-E certification.

I've used TK-8180-K2 and H-K2 models as well as NX700 Mobiles(Very similar but better display plus NXDN) and they are excellent radios, software is pretty straight forward. Much simpler to use than Motorola software. Cables are cheap, and if you look, both the narrow and and wide band software is fairly easy to find.

They are capable of being remote mounted, the only thing with them is the front firing speaker is not the greatest, I'd recommend an external speaker for better 300-3000Hz response. Other than that, very solid radios.

 

[hill]

The H-K is 450-520Mhz
The H-K2 is 400-470MHz. Pretty sure both are part 95-E certified.

Only the 450-520 30!watt radio has Part 95.

Petty sure this correct off the top of my head, but McKenna knows for sure and will likely chime in.

 

[hill]

NX700

Guess you mean NX-800. The NX-700 are VHF and NX-800 are UHF in a few band splits.

Don't think the NX-800 has Part 95 for GMRS.

 

[mmckenna]

Kenwood TK8180H-K, TK-8180H-K2 both 45-ish watts. 512 channels, 128 zones.

The H-K is 450-520Mhz
The H-K2 is 400-470MHz. Pretty sure both are part 95-E certified.

The "H" models (45 watts) don't have Part 95 in either bandsplit, unfortunately.

On the 30 watt non-H models, only the 450-520MHz model has Part 95, and it's technically only Part 95A which covers GMRS, but the other Personal Radio Services as well, even though they don't cover the others ones, and do not meet the FRS rules by any stretch.

I've got the NX-700 VHF mobile in my wife's truck and it's a good radio. I had a KRK-10 remote head kit, so that made installation easy. Unfortunately the KRK-10's are going for absolutely stupid prices on the used market right now. Last one I saw was close to $200.
They do sound good with a good external speaker.

 

[mmckenna]

Guess you mean NX-800. The NX-700 are VHF and NX-800 are UHF in a few band splits.

Don't think the NX-800 has Part 95 for GMRS.

They don't. But they are great radios for amateur use.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Guess you mean NX-800. The NX-700 are VHF and NX-800 are UHF in a few band splits.

Don't think the NX-800 has Part 95 for GMRS.

Nope. NX700, I had one in my work truck for years working in the oil patch. I had back up ham stuff in it as well. Mentioned it because the NX-x00 and TK-x180 are quite similar radios.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Only the 450-520 30!watt radio has Part 95.

Petty sure this correct off the top of my head, but McKenna knows for sure and will likely chime in.

I thought they all did. Regardless, the TK-8180 is a really decent analogue radio, and they are fairly inexpensive.

 

[K9KLC]

For HT radio to radio simplex maybe.

Maybe in some environments, I know before MURS came to be, when they were "DOT" frequencies a fellow came in needing some HT's to talk abound a race track. We tried the DOT frequencies on VHF and it was a NO go. Got him some Business UHF stuff in the 464 area, and he had no problems getting it done. Probably in a more friendly RF environment they might have worked better but frankly we never tried.

 

[merlin]

Don't forget you can always use MURS equipment the way I do also but nobody's around I live in southeastern Wisconsin and not a peep on any of the channels anymore other than those Garmin Astro dog collars that's about it Hopefully that picks up though and I'll hear more voice traffic if it comes through!!!!!!!

MURS has its downsides. 5, VHF channels, 2 watt limit, and no repeaters. It is just about a dead band, go ahead and run
more power, no call sign, do what you like.
Scanning MURS here, not a peep in close to a year.

 

[merlin]

Hi @Coffeemug and thanks for your comment. Not entirely off-topic since the theme of my thread is to be compliant with the FCC rules and regulations. As I am finding out, in the GMRS area, compliance is easier said than done. There are so few Part 95E radios out there that I can understand how easy it would be to just program any “unlocked” radio for GMRS and have at it.

One thing that I’ve not gotten an answer to, and contacting the FCC is probably needed here, “are previously type accepted Part 95 radios that are no longer in the FCC’s database still legal to use for GMRS?” I probably know what the FCC’s answer will be, further decreasing the number of type accepted radios in the GMRS world. It is getting darker the further I go down this rabbit hole…

I am sure a good many radios comply with part 95 that have never gon through FCC testing. Also, once approved, they still would be even if removed from FCC database.