Hunting / Hiking with 2M vs. FRS/GMRS

[cockpitbob]

I'm with Coyote33 on this. I'm not going to get my hunting/hiking buddies to go to the trouble of getting a ham license then spend $100+ for an HT. In a country of 300,000,000 people only 750,000 have ham licenses, and probably 1/3 of them are inactive. That means 0.17% of americans are active hams. That's a very narrow field of people to talk to. If I'm in the woods, hurt and alone its a 2M HT that will reach a repeater and save me, but for just staying in communication with others in your group FRS/GMRS seems the way to go.

What I wish existed is a does-all HT that covers 2M, 70cm and the FRS/GMRS bands. I know the rules won't allow that, so I have both.

 

[C-pher]

I'm with Coyote33 on this. I'm not going to get my hunting/hiking buddies to go to the trouble of getting a ham license then spend $100+ for an HT. In a country of 300,000,000 people only 750,000 have ham licenses, and probably 1/3 of them are inactive. That means 0.17% of americans are active hams. That's a very narrow field of people to talk to. If I'm in the woods, hurt and alone its a 2M HT that will reach a repeater and save me, but for just staying in communication with others in your group FRS/GMRS seems the way to go.

What I wish existed is a does-all HT that covers 2M, 70cm and the FRS/GMRS bands. I know the rules won't allow that, so I have both.

Correct, I'm going to agree with you on if it's you and your buddies. He's making it sound like he's alone out in the woods...


Like I said, I have FRS, GRMS and XMS radios....so I use them all the time as well with family and friends.

 

[n1oty]

I'm with Coyote33 on this. I'm not going to get my hunting/hiking buddies to go to the trouble of getting a ham license then spend $100+ for an HT. In a country of 300,000,000 people only 750,000 have ham licenses, and probably 1/3 of them are inactive. That means 0.17% of americans are active hams. That's a very narrow field of people to talk to. If I'm in the woods, hurt and alone its a 2M HT that will reach a repeater and save me, but for just staying in communication with others in your group FRS/GMRS seems the way to go.

What I wish existed is a does-all HT that covers 2M, 70cm and the FRS/GMRS bands. I know the rules won't allow that, so I have both.

If you get a commercial or public safety grade radio, you can cover 70 cm and GMRS with one radio. Motorola XTS3000's without a digital flash are dirt cheap now and Kenwood TK-380's are even cheaper. And if you are willing to pay a bit more, you can even get an XTS3000 with a P25 flash for $200 to $400, depending on version. I've seen TK-380's go at Near-Fest for as little as $100.

 

[jar]

Is operating GMRS on a commercial or public safety radio legal?

 

[Coyote33]

I'm with Coyote33 on this. I'm not going to get my hunting/hiking buddies to go to the trouble of getting a ham license then spend $100+ for an HT. In a country of 300,000,000 people only 750,000 have ham licenses, and probably 1/3 of them are inactive. That means 0.17% of americans are active hams. That's a very narrow field of people to talk to. If I'm in the woods, hurt and alone its a 2M HT that will reach a repeater and save me, but for just staying in communication with others in your group FRS/GMRS seems the way to go.

What I wish existed is a does-all HT that covers 2M, 70cm and the FRS/GMRS bands. I know the rules won't allow that, so I have both.

...and comes in at a cost of 2 for $50!

Correct, I'm going to agree with you on if it's you and your buddies. He's making it sound like he's alone out in the woods....

I'd be alone if I were using a radio nobody else I know has. I want to communicate with people I know, not strangers many miles away, using a repeater.

 

[uncle griz]

Well, I cover everywhere with one handheld, a yeasu vx-6. Remove a chip resistor and it receives broadcast band through 950 mhz. Transmits 40-55 hhz(6mtrs), 140-174 mhz (2mtr and vhf band),220-240 mhz ham band,420-480mhz(uhf ham and gmrs and commercial band) ....hunting we all use the "murs" channels(151mhz) at 5 watts and never have a dead area.....good luck...W1GRC

 

[jar]

I'd be alone if I were using a radio nobody else I know has. I want to communicate with people I know, not strangers many miles away, using a repeater.

There's value to the fact that said strangers have a phone to call for help with, unlike the friends lost with you in the woods. There are two different uses for the radios. Staying in touch with your group, which FRS is acceptable for but ham does better, if you're willing to deal with the cost and licensing. Then there's calling for help in an emergency, for which FRS is pretty much useless.

 

[C-pher]

Then there's calling for help in an emergency, for which FRS is pretty much useless.

That was what I was talking about. He's in the woods alone...accidently falls out of the tree stand, shoots himself, gets antleered by a pissed off buck because he's wearing too much sent...anything. FRS/GMRS is not going to do him any good as he's not going to be able to get out far enough for someone to help.

 

[cockpitbob]

That was what I was talking about. He's in the woods alone...accidently falls out of the tree stand, shoots himself, gets antleered by a pissed off buck because he's wearing too much sent...anything. FRS/GMRS is not going to do him any good as he's not going to be able to get out far enough for someone to help.

OK, I'm convinced. The HT comes along. Now I'm thinking my FT-60 is a little big and heavy compared to those HTs that are about the size of a zippo.