xts5000 no screen for GMRS?

[Defender92]

Is there any reason I shouldn’t use the xts5000 WITHOUT a screen for GMRS? I want to toss a durable radio in my wive’s car for emergencies. It probably won’t ever get used. I was thinking about putting a label on the front listing the channels. The no screen 5k radios are much cheaper and easier to find.

I already have a couple xts5000r UHF limited keypad radios I still need to program. My wife and I work together and we use the xts5000 at work. So we could swap batteries out with our work radios. The 5k just seems like the most logical radio to toss in her trunk.

 

[mmckenna]

No reason at all. In fact, I've found that for most users, simpler is better, way better. The less buttons, knobs and switches you can have on the radio, the more likely there will be a positive experience. Reducing the number of channels is a good idea, so only having 16 to choose from can be beneficial.

My opinion:
The -perfect- radio for a non-tech type user is one that has only the following controls:
On/Off/Volume
Push to talk.
Nothing else.

If you only use a few GMRS frequencies, then just putting a label that lists the channel positions is more than enough.

 

[Defender92]

No reason at all. In fact, I've found that for most users, simpler is better, way better. The less buttons, knobs and switches you can have on the radio, the more likely there will be a positive experience. Reducing the number of channels is a good idea, so only having 16 to choose from can be beneficial.

My opinion:
The -perfect- radio for a non-tech type user is one that has only the following controls:
On/Off/Volume
Push to talk.
Nothing else.

If you only use a few GMRS frequencies, then just putting a label that lists the channel positions is more than enough.

Thanks! That’s what I figured. She has 0 interest in radios. But I wanted to make sure. I also didn’t want to waste a limited keypad radio that probably won’t ever get used.

 

[mmckenna]

That's a good application for that radio. Simple is best in some applications.

 

[nokones]

Labeling the radio with a label is a good idea and that will give the user some idea what operational channel is in that particular channel position in the radio to prevent from being on the wrong channel, there is no reason to throw the radio away.

You can program the ABC switch on top for Zone Selection to at least have the ability to access 48 channels (the first three zone with 16 channels each, without the need of a display. You will need to delete any conflicting features from the menu selection. leave only a non-conflicting feature. You have to leave at least one feature in the menu.

 

[mbnv992]

I have many radios on our GMRS network setup as non-display XTS5000’s. I have the channel name / info printed on the back of the battery so everyone knows what channel is what. 16 channels with scan and that’s it. Dead nuts simple.

 

[MTS2000des]

It's work setting up voice files but may be worth it on a non-display XTS5K, especially for a "non-radio" user.

 

[n3obl]

There really not much of a price difference on the used market. Plus you can have the channel labeled as to what it is.

 

[Defender92]

It's work setting up voice files but may be worth it on a non-display XTS5K, especially for a "non-radio" user.

I like this idea a lot. I am definitely going to look into this

 

[MTS2000des]

I like this idea a lot. I am definitely going to look into this

Check out this thread. The biggest fun part is formatting the files in the right spec for the radio to accept them. That is the hard part. The actual encoding takes place in the radio. But once you have them, you're done.