# hand held radios



## saltysenior (Jul 15, 2009)

what would be your choice..........ten guys hunting 4-6 miles apart.....flat tall pines ..no big hills....no cell phone service....for safety use mostly.....do we all buy the 2 way radios ,or do we go to the marine hand held vhf???


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## SmokyMtnSmoke (Jul 16, 2009)

Here's what I've found to be the best of both worlds and is added to my next radio purchase list.

Cobra MR HH425LI VP
Combination VHF/GMRS with Rewind-Say-Again™

The HH425 has the same great VHF radio features as the MR HH325 VP. In addition, it has Cobra’s exclusive Rewind-Say-Again™ feature, GMRS Channel Dual-Band functionality, a 1900 mAh Lithium Ion Polymer Battery, S.A.M.E. Weather Alert Filtering and a Rapid 3-4 hour Charger. This is a professional quality VHF radio but it is also the world’s first combination VHF/GMRS radio.

GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) is the modern standard in consumer grade two-way communications. It's 10 times more powerful than the FRS competition! 

http://www.cobra.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=290&category_ID=26







http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16872007060


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Jul 17, 2009)

Any of the higher power, like 5 watt FRS/GMRS radios should do the job fine. There's tons of sellers offering multiple radios like these on ebay cheap!

The marine radios are bigger and heavier and they're illegal to use on land unless you're at a certified "coast station" communicating with a boat.


good luck


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## Davexx1 (Jul 19, 2009)

The problem with all of the FRS/GRMS hand held radios is the "lack" of range in wooded terrain.  Pay no attention to the advertised range because it will not work any where near that distance in the woods.

I would like to see an actual "test" of sorts in wooded terrain to determine just how far they will work.

Dave


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## Mako22 (Jul 19, 2009)

Cornelia_Hiker said:


> Any of the higher power, like 5 watt FRS/GMRS radios should do the job fine. There's tons of sellers offering multiple radios like these on ebay cheap!
> 
> The marine radios are bigger and heavier and they're illegal to use on land unless you're at a certified "coast station" communicating with a boat.
> 
> ...



Every redneck in North Florida who runs dogs has a Marine radio antennae on the back of his truck.


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## Cornelia_Hiker (Jul 20, 2009)

Woodsman69 said:


> Every redneck in North Florida who runs dogs has a Marine radio antennae on the back of his truck.



Oh I agree, folks use 'em and the FCC looks the other way. They don't have the personnel/budget to go around citing every radio rule breaker.

I'm not really much a stickler for all the radio rules myself anyway. I have....ah...er....too much fun shall we say with my CB/Ham hobby to cut my life short worrying about all those pesky rules 

Just thought I'd mention the legality part to Saltysenior in case that info would be useful to him.

Thanks


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## SmokyMtnSmoke (Jul 20, 2009)

Woodsman69 said:


> Every redneck in North Florida who runs dogs has a Marine radio antennae on the back of his truck.



The same can be said for all the E. Tn Bear hunters too.


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## huntone (Jul 30, 2009)

haven't had a Cobra, but of the others Motorola will out last them all. Get as long a distance as you can, it's mostly **** because the distance would only work at the Salt Flats (flat and level).


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## augustaranger (Sep 1, 2009)

I would suggest MURS rather than FRS/GMRS.  MURS is a hand-held VHF radio, up to 2 watts, no FCC license required.  You can use an external (magnetic) antenna on your truck to really increase the range.  VHF is way better in wooded areas than UHF which works better around buildings, etc.  Look on eBay.


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## Davexx1 (Dec 14, 2009)

The newer hand held two way radios by Motorola, Midland, etc. are advertised as having 35 mile range.  In typical deer hunting woods, I have no idea how far these radios will actually work, and which brand is best.

Dave


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## saltysenior (Dec 18, 2009)

well we did some ''on site testing''.....the so called 28 mile radios worked about 2 miles..but we could see the guy we were talking to,sittin in his truck.....the third guy who was in mature planted pine,up a tree ,1 mile away,could hear us sometimes,but we never heard him at all....people w/ marine vhf were doing a lot better,but they were not using hand helds.......found out more options are on the market..


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## Davexx1 (Dec 25, 2009)

One mile or less of dependable range thru wooded terrain is not adequate for our communication needs.

Dave


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## Doyle (Dec 25, 2009)

My buddy and I tried those thinks.  A pair of tin cans and some string would have given more range.   We just use cell phones now.


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