Who’s running radios out there?

[Birdeye]

I have been thinking about picking up a ham radio setup for hunting trips and range days. Cell service drops fast where I go, and I kinda like the old-school vibe of radio comms, is anybody here still running ham or GMRS gear regularly, what’s your setup?

 

[Magnus]

"Running radios? Yes, but my best radio is usually a desperate yell that echoes for about five yards. My setup for range days is pure GMRS and GMRS repeater coverage is surprisingly good in my area. I run a Midland MicroMobile MXT275 in the truck and a couple of rugged, waterproof GMRS handhelds for the woods. It's simple, legal, and way clearer than a crackly old CB

 

[Squarepants]

I settled on GMRS first...getting my GMRS license was just a simple online form which was a huge plus for my range day group. For gear, I bought a couple of the ubiquitous Baofeng UV-5R-style radios, but I had them professionally programmed only for GMRS channels to keep it 100% legal as you cannot legally transmit on GMRS using an unmodified ham-only radio, so i am careful. Next step is getting a better external antenna for the truck to maximize that GMRS range in the mountains.

 

[Lucas mighty]

Good talk, everyone, but this thread needs to talk about the elephant in the room (licensing and legality) Everyone loves the cheap, programmable HTs, but be warned, transmitting on GMRS frequencies with a non-certified ham-only radio is technically illegal (FCC Part 95 vs Part 97). The debate rages on about enforcement, but if you're serious about reliable radio communication, you should get a certified GMRS radio (like a Midland) or get your Ham Technician license and operate strictly on ham frequencies. I run licensed GMRS for my tactical comms because it's simpler for a group without tech exams. I don't risk my rig on questionable gray-market equipment for critical communications...so play by the rules, get the best range/clarity, and keep the airwaves clean

 

[Clyde]

Yeah, radios still beat cell service way out there. I run a GMRS setup with a handheld for camp and a mobile in the truck… feels old-school but works every time

 

[Birdeye]

"Running radios? Yes, but my best radio is usually a desperate yell that echoes for about five yards. My setup for range days is pure GMRS and GMRS repeater coverage is surprisingly good in my area. I run a Midland MicroMobile MXT275 in the truck and a couple of rugged, waterproof GMRS handhelds for the woods. It's simple, legal, and way clearer than a crackly old CB

That’s awesome, I’ve been eyeing that MXT275 actually..It sounds like a solid setup for backcountry use, I might start with GMRS too before diving full-on into ham

 

[Birdeye]

Good talk, everyone, but this thread needs to talk about the elephant in the room (licensing and legality) Everyone loves the cheap, programmable HTs, but be warned, transmitting on GMRS frequencies with a non-certified ham-only radio is technically illegal (FCC Part 95 vs Part 97). The debate rages on about enforcement, but if you're serious about reliable radio communication, you should get a certified GMRS radio (like a Midland) or get your Ham Technician license and operate strictly on ham frequencies. I run licensed GMRS for my tactical comms because it's simpler for a group without tech exams. I don't risk my rig on questionable gray-market equipment for critical communications...so play by the rules, get the best range/clarity, and keep the airwaves clean

I’ve been reading up on the FCC rules and it’s definitely a gray area a lot of folks ignore. I’ll probably go the licensed GMRS route to keep things clean.

 

[Birdeye]

Good talk, everyone, but this thread needs to talk about the elephant in the room (licensing and legality) Everyone loves the cheap, programmable HTs, but be warned, transmitting on GMRS frequencies with a non-certified ham-only radio is technically illegal (FCC Part 95 vs Part 97). The debate rages on about enforcement, but if you're serious about reliable radio communication, you should get a certified GMRS radio (like a Midland) or get your Ham Technician license and operate strictly on ham frequencies. I run licensed GMRS for my tactical comms because it's simpler for a group without tech exams. I don't risk my rig on questionable gray-market equipment for critical communications...so play by the rules, get the best range/clarity, and keep the airwaves clean

Yeah, that’s a good reminder. I’ve seen plenty of folks mixing bands without realizing it’s not legal. I’m leaning toward getting both...GMRS for group trips and a tech license for solo use.