I believe the popular wisdom is to go with a handheld HAM radio set. The Baofeng brand radios are the cheap, gets-the-job-done intro models many people opt for. (They're Chinese. I know.)
These HAM sets are much more versatile and have more power than typical bubblepack walkie-talkies. It's pretty neat what they're capable of. Though you do need to get a basic HAM license to broadcast with them. It's not hard or expensive, you just have to do it.
YouTube has tons of decent tutorial videos if you search.
I can tell you, having had Hams in the family going back to the 1940s, that all these handhelds, regardless of band, are only good for a few miles at best. They all max out under 5w.
Unless the set has more battery or environmental endurance to justify the purchase, the GMRS sets the hunters and hikers use is going to have as much range as anything else. And it’s all about range with a handheld.
Save your big dollar comms for the basestations and a good antenna array. Or for a good repeater setup if you can pull that off.
Thanks! I'm an utter noob with HAMs. Antennas and licenses aside, could you tell me your take on those 8W handheld transmitters? Is there any kind of significant performance advantage in a real world (urban/suburban) setting?
8w is obviously better than 5 or 2. But with transmitters, as with receivers, the antenna ultimately tells the tale of range.
And the antennae setups on handhelds are subpar, to say the least. Five or even 8 watts on a cheap 1/4 wave fixed or even a fancy 1/2 wave telescoping dipole isn’t going to go all that far. Running to other bands isn’t going to overcome that fundamental transmission shortcoming.
If you want meaningful distance on a handheld, you need a nearby repeater set with a solid, well-matched antenna array. And your handheld is still leashed to its range to that repeater.
That’s why talk about handheld ham transceivers is just silly. Totally unnecessary for near-field two-way handheld comms. In the field, it will have no real advantage over a GMRS setup. You’re paying for a lot of added electronics you won’t need or take advantage of. If you want to just DX monitor those bands, have at it. But your key won’t likely be picked up by them.
A full-size 5w GMRS handheld will provide optimum range, which is to say in the real world about 2-3 miles maximum. And the better ones are designed to be dropped in streams and operated in bad weather. The lower powered micro models are also good for up to a couple miles, are much easier to carry, and will run much longer on a battery pack.
If all you are looking to do is maintain comms with your immediate group in the field, this usual GMRS gear is enough. Years ago we did it in the AM bands with CB handhelds.
A backpack radio with a decent antenna is a different story, but now you are getting into military-grade gear on an assigned operator’s back.
Again, spend your big comm money on a decent basestation setup.
I believe the popular wisdom is to go with a handheld HAM radio set. The Baofeng brand radios are the cheap, gets-the-job-done intro models many people opt for. (They're Chinese. I know.)
These HAM sets are much more versatile and have more power than typical bubblepack walkie-talkies. It's pretty neat what they're capable of. Though you do need to get a basic HAM license to broadcast with them. It's not hard or expensive, you just have to do it.
YouTube has tons of decent tutorial videos if you search.
Cool! Thanks.
I can tell you, having had Hams in the family going back to the 1940s, that all these handhelds, regardless of band, are only good for a few miles at best. They all max out under 5w.
Unless the set has more battery or environmental endurance to justify the purchase, the GMRS sets the hunters and hikers use is going to have as much range as anything else. And it’s all about range with a handheld.
Save your big dollar comms for the basestations and a good antenna array. Or for a good repeater setup if you can pull that off.
Thanks! I'm an utter noob with HAMs. Antennas and licenses aside, could you tell me your take on those 8W handheld transmitters? Is there any kind of significant performance advantage in a real world (urban/suburban) setting?
8w is obviously better than 5 or 2. But with transmitters, as with receivers, the antenna ultimately tells the tale of range.
And the antennae setups on handhelds are subpar, to say the least. Five or even 8 watts on a cheap 1/4 wave fixed or even a fancy 1/2 wave telescoping dipole isn’t going to go all that far. Running to other bands isn’t going to overcome that fundamental transmission shortcoming.
If you want meaningful distance on a handheld, you need a nearby repeater set with a solid, well-matched antenna array. And your handheld is still leashed to its range to that repeater.
That’s why talk about handheld ham transceivers is just silly. Totally unnecessary for near-field two-way handheld comms. In the field, it will have no real advantage over a GMRS setup. You’re paying for a lot of added electronics you won’t need or take advantage of. If you want to just DX monitor those bands, have at it. But your key won’t likely be picked up by them.
A full-size 5w GMRS handheld will provide optimum range, which is to say in the real world about 2-3 miles maximum. And the better ones are designed to be dropped in streams and operated in bad weather. The lower powered micro models are also good for up to a couple miles, are much easier to carry, and will run much longer on a battery pack.
If all you are looking to do is maintain comms with your immediate group in the field, this usual GMRS gear is enough. Years ago we did it in the AM bands with CB handhelds.
A backpack radio with a decent antenna is a different story, but now you are getting into military-grade gear on an assigned operator’s back.
Again, spend your big comm money on a decent basestation setup.
Great! Thanks so much for your knowledge. What you said is much clearer and more insightful than anything else I've seen.