Yeah, I'm afraid so. What I'd really like does not exist, that being a base style with separate microphone and always plugged in.
The closest thing that ever existed was an old Radio Shack model from the 1990's. I guess more research is in order.
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What's considered a "GOOD" FRS radio?
- Thread starter Omega-TI
- Start date
Yeah, I'm afraid so. What I'd really like does not exist, that being a base style with separate microphone and always plugged in.
The closest thing that ever existed was an old Radio Shack model from the 1990's. I guess more research is in order.
GadgetGeek
Member
Alinco has a new one that looks nice. ALINCO DJ-G46T
Requires a gmrs license being 5 watts , this thread has me considering getting one again $35 fee, buy a gmrs base
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
If you get your GMRS license, you can use a base radio with a mic and talk with FRS users on most of the channels. Midland makes some halfway decent mobiles, that when paired with a 12 volt power supply and a suitable outdoor antenna, will do what you want fairly easily.
This.
It's going to be difficult to find something that's not CCR (even the Cobra radios linked are made in China). If you want some inexpensive FCC certified FRS radios that charge by USB-C, these are what we have been using. They show 1.8 watts in the FCC certification and are inexpensive enough to not worry about. They are $45 for a pair.
Amazon: BTECH FRS-A1
Amazon: BTECH FRS-A1
rf_patriot200
Active Member
As McKenna suggested, a Gmrs license is cheap, allows up to 50 watts and allows considerably more choices. Retevis, Midland, Radioddity and others have dedicated Gmrs mobiles.
Blackswan73
Active Member
Lenovo is the Company that used to make laptops for IBM. All the old IBM PC think pads, etc were Lenovo. One of the best laptops on the market. I would have no trouble trusting anything built by Lenovo
B.S.
B.S.
I didn't know Lenovo made radios until I read this post.
As for PCs, avoid Lenovo products at all costs. The DoD and the IC banned the use of Lenovo PCs many years ago. I believe they had a habit of calling home...
The best FRS radio I ever had I stupidly got rid of years ago. It was one of these...
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Yeah, those were cool 25 years ago. But back then being able to buy a mobile GMRS radio off the shelf was not an option.
Time has moved on and there are better solutions out there. Get your GMRS license, then get a proper (not Chinese) Part 95 certified UHF mobile radio, a 12 volt power supply and a proper antenna and enjoy the benefits of a better radio system.
sempai
Member
Communications gear made in the United States has to be scarce to say the least; not a lot out of Finland or Sweden these days compared to China either. Plenty of high-value purchases I've made in the last decade are products made in China though, and some of them are total garbage well suited for a culture the values cheap replacements to durable repairable goods and we are just now finally starting to see some "right to repair" legislation take hold and I have no idea how long it will take for that to translate to a better future of our hobby.
There's a reason Yaesu still gets USD$400+ for radios they started shipping in the aughts, and I realize that. I buy my cameras and lenses from Japan and Germany. Leica and Fujifilm probably have a lot of components made in China, I just assume everything you see on a shelf was a Chinese citizen at some point.
These FRS radios are what I would buy if I were shopping for any, I know some winter sports people in CO/UT/ID that love them and while it won't appeal to everyone I rather like the design of some of them and there are location services available on the T800 series it looks like.
1. TALKABOUT T470 Series Walkie Talkies - Motorola Solutions
2. Talkabout T800 Walkie-Talkies - Motorola Solutions
Can't say I've gotten a 2 year warranty out of Baofeng.
K6GBW
Member
Update: Midland just came out with their GXT-67Pro. Looks like a good radio. The only down side is the price.
N4KVE
Member
Looking for a good FRS radio is like looking for a good Fiat, or Alfa Romeo. No such thing. You’d have to put a real commercial radio like a MTS, XTS, or APX on FRS freq’s, but that’s not kosher, so there are none.
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If you have a GMRS license, you can operate your new GXT-67 Pro on channels 1-7 and 15-22 at five-watts ERP instead of the two-watts ERP bubble-pack Walmart specials. Although, the price is up there but, I would rather spend $199 on a better quality non-Cheap Chinese Junk Radio than $18 on a less quality Cheap Chinese Junk Radio. However, you're still stuck with .5-watt ERP on channels 8-14. Oh well, no biggee. I thought about getting one of these radios as a loaner for my radioless friends when on a Jeep Trail Run or on a Corvette or Porsche Club Driving Tour. I have other radios for my radioless friends.
I have the Motorola Radios for my FRS use and agree with simple and durable radios. If you dont need GMRS stuff they are a buy it an use it radio. For my jeep events and other off road events they are simple and durable. If you dont want the GMRS stuff they are probably the best on the market.
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And companies there often hire Chinese nationals or subcontract.
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Yep, but anti-Chinese radio people here do not want to hear that. Many of which have never touched a recent Baofeng reminding me of the anti-Japanese car people when I grew up. I am not saying they do not have problems, but so do my ICOMS, Yaesu's, Kenwoods, and others. ***Radios should be precisely criticized for their failures, not there origin or inexpensive cost.** Otherwise is some sort of radio racism. In the case of Yaesus, there is an issue about spectral purity on some models and type acceptance issues. Only radios I have had failed were *very* expensive ICOMs of two different models. But of course many Chinese radios are not legal for GMRS and FRS and cannot be due to power and antenna restrictions for those services.
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sempai
Member
I can't help but compare it to a btech GMRS-PRO and honestly i'd take the btech over the MIdland in that pairing. It's far from perfect, but in the last week i've owned one and taken it with me traveling i have about half a dozen ER/bug reports to file, but there will likely be a future iteration of the -PRO HTs and maybe they'll start shipping one with tx 2m/70cm as well as GMRS?
i wouldn't hate a UHF alternative to TYT's DMR HTs although the TYTs can run OpenRTX.
K6GBW
Member
I think one of the problems that we run into with FRS radios is that people develop an unrealistic expectation of what they can do. The outrageous advertising on them is a part of the problem. At the end of the day, a 2 watt UHF radio will transmit as far as a 2 watt radio will transmit. If they are used within the parameters of what they can do they're fine. As an example, when I was in the Army our dismount radio put out a whopping 1.5 watts on VHF Low Band frequencies. By all accounts a total crap system! But we used them for a maximum range of about 1 mile, so they worked fine. If we needed longer range we went to a vehicle radio. The FRS was meant to talk around a mile and they do that just fine. I use mine on backpacking trips all the time and two watts gets me plenty of range.
If I had a wish list of radio features it really wouldn't be more power. It would be for them to be very rugged, simple controls, not look like a childs toy and to be USB-C rechargable. Having one that came WITHOUT all the Roger beeps and other non-sense would be nice too.
If I had a wish list of radio features it really wouldn't be more power. It would be for them to be very rugged, simple controls, not look like a childs toy and to be USB-C rechargable. Having one that came WITHOUT all the Roger beeps and other non-sense would be nice too.
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