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Two way radios

Bagger

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Hey Braaap,
Our Garmin 520's vibrate to alert for a call. Expensive, but really nice units.
Hope it helps.


Bag
 

Pro-8250

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Any suggestions for two way radios (no GPS) that have a good range out West? Cooke City, Island Park.
 
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zoombyu

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I have been researching radios and a few of the newer models do have a vibrate mode. Two of the models I am considering are the Motorola MR350R VP or the Midland GXT1050VP4.
Motorola site- http://www.motorola.com/Business/US...umers/MR350R-VP_Talkabout_Two-Way-Radio_US-EN
Midland site- http://www.midlandradio.com/Two-Way-Radio.BS3/GXT1050VP4

Other models can be found on both sites. Both have a vibrate mode. Both seem to have more good reviews than bad. Motorola looks easier to operate. Midland throws in a few goodies and longer warranty. Tough to decide which way I am going to go. Leaning a little more to the Midland.
 

clatla

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I have a pair of older Motorola radios. They have a vibrate mode. Like stated above they vibrate when alerted & before recieving a call. They are Talkabout T6220. They are very durable. Like I said I have had them forever. I believe they are still making this radio in a newer model.
 

smwizzz

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FYI

Ladies and Gents. GPS units and two way radios are awesome tools to have with us in the backcountry. I have tried a bunch of different brands and a few of us in our group have gone to the Rhino model (not sure the number) that has GPS locator for others with similar units. It is a handy device because it incorporates GPS, Tracking, and GMRS radio into one unit.

One problem with all of these devices is... they can interfere with avalanche safety equipment. I never knew this, however we recently did a course that addressed this issue. It applies to iPhones and other electronic devices. If you carry these units they should be in the off position unless they are needed. Phone units should be checked with the airplane mode on with beacons for interference prior to riding.

Please note, I am not selecting any particular models or manufacturers. I do not know which ones actually interfere with which avy equipment. I am stating that you should all check for interference prior to riding with your equipment and those you are riding with!!!

We did a check with this equipment including an iPhone and discovered it can in fact be a problem.

FYI
 
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smwizzz

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Re

Any suggestions for two way radios (no GPS) that have a good range out West? Cooke City, Island Park.

Most are good, they all follow the regulations for manufacturing these units. Motorola usually has good deals and work well. Some deals are two for one etc. I had Uniden years ago, but back then they didn't work as well as motorola. Uniden has always been a good product and I am not sure if they even make them anymore, but I am sure they make a great product if they do now. I think a few months ago I saw 2 motorola's c/w a double charger for $120.

Thats what I would buy. Seem the cheaper stuff is the better it works these days. Even if they stop working they are cheap to replace and if you wreck one same thing....

JMO
 

Matte Murder

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We used Rhino 650 radio/GPS units this year and I can't tell you how highly I recommend them. The radios save so much hassle trying to keep track of your party. We use Motorola speaker mics on a tether attached to our avy vests and they work great and save pulling the radio out to talk on it. We tested our Rhinos several times for interference with the search function of our beacons(Pieps) and there was NONE for us but you should check them your self. smwizz is right about the iPhone though, it showed up on a practice beacon search for us. An instructor was using his to time the drill and it showed up on our beacons as a target. We now shut our phones down and turn them off and on as needed.
 
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A good one is the Motorola MR350R 35-Mile Range. This has 22 Channels FRS/GMRS and can vibrate like that of a cellphone. Hope this helps.
 

smwizzz

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Rhino

I personally use Rhino. It is expensive but.... it has GPS, it has a radio, it has a friend locator on the GPS. It is a bit tricky to run but once again... use it and it is an awesome tool. Oh yeah... GPS rule of thumb (learned the hard way!!!)... Turn it off while you play and use only for trails, waypoints and communication.


When playing it tracks where you are going. You can turn off tracking on some GPS models but you have to remember to do this. If you come across a situation where GPS is needed, the small screens make it difficult to find your way back on occasion. If nothing else it wears the battery down and when you most need it... you don't have it!!!


Take care on the use of these pieces of modern super tech. They are wickedly awesome tools when they work. It will never hurt to learn how to track your own butt back home with no tech. Sometimes this stuff fails. We had an experience recently that was not a real bad one, but a reminder that we should always pay close attention and remember that mother nature rules the back country!!!

Happy Trails!!!

Oh yeah... carry spare batteries!!! :)
 

smwizzz

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PS!!!

Forgot to mention.... Some units come with a rechargeable battery pack. Personally I think double AA's or something may be a good choice unless you can remove the pack and substitute for real batteries. Reason... If the pack cannot be replaced with actual batteries, you are done when the rechargeable unit is!!! The other option can be to carry spare rechargeable packs...=$$$???

I forgot to address vibrate... My Rhino vibrates. It has on occasion, scared me. I think this is a great feature, but once again I recommend turning off tracking or the unit when communication and GPS is not a concern.


:bounce:
 

blastco2

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TScott27 said:
A good one is the Motorola MR350R 35-Mile Range. This has 22 Channels FRS/GMRS and can vibrate like that of a cellphone. Hope this helps.

i hope that you didn't really believe that 35 mile range claim. the 35 mile thing might be doable if and only if the radios are on open ridge lines with blue sky between them and the operators are standing in exactly the right position/posture. then it will still be scratchy/noisy/unpleasant audio.

here's a way to help you get your mind around how far the moto/audiovox/cobra/rino, .5 - 5 watt radios will communicate.

radio waves behave much the same as light waves. imagine the world being completely dark. in the distance, there is a 1/2 watt light bulb. seeing it would be the radio equivalent of receiving it. see it clearly equals hearing it clearly. seeing just the glow from it = hearing it with some static.

having said all that, radio waves will follow the curve of the earth a little more than light waves.

vhf follows terrane better than UHF.
UHF penetrates trees buildings and such better than vhf.
more output power helps but, not as much as you might think.
doubling output will not double communication distance.
FRS\GMRS is UHF. (bca link). 462.5 - 462.725 MHz.
FRS is license by rule. follow the rules and you are good to go. .5 watt max, no removable antenna.
GMRS requires an FCC issued license, $90, covers your family out to 1st cousins, channels 1-8 5 watt limit, 15-22 50 watts. repeaters are allowed.
MURS is vhf, 154 MHz. license by rule. 2watt max. 20 ft antenna height.
AMATEUR is a whole nuther radio world. license is easy enough to get but, does require some study/effort. cost $14. only covers yourself. many more choices for radio comms. get yourself onto a ridge line and someone will be listening and able to answer and help.



Posted from Snowestonline.com App for Android
 
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Drewd

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Feb 2, 2012
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www.imnotrightinthehead.com
I've been using Baofeng UV82 for a couple of years and love them.

Dual band with FRS, GMRS, Ham Radio, and programmable to local SAR/EMS/Flight for Life frequencies and even has FM radio built in.

1 watt low and 4-5 watts high output.

Great battery life and easy to use and almost disposable at this price.

You can mount in a side pocket of your avi bag, mount on your body, mount outside of your avi bag, mount on your front avi bag straps or jacket pocket. Lots of options. I used to mount mind inside my avi bag but now I mount mine in radio holder case secured to the back of my avi bag and route cables neatly with zip ties so they don't interfere with deployment of the airbag.

$39 from Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191396651259?lpid=82&chn=ps

screen shot pc

Speaker/Microphone Options

BCA radiotype speaker mike:
1. You can use a speaker mic clipped to your front of avi bag or a pocket. May require you to stop or slow down to use it this way. I like this water proof speaker mic because it has optional ear buds that should make it easier to hear an initial communication.


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2. Helmet Speaker and Microphone: I use this system exclusively and love it. Single cord to helmet with quick release is easy to use and not obtrusive. Great sound quality and I use this ATV and sledding. I can remove helmet and hold helmet in hand without disconnecting and even hang it on sled handlebar without disconnecting. PTT button is mounted on front of left strap of my AVI bag and easy to use/find. Trail riders can mount PTT on handlebar. You can find cheaper headset/mic combos for helmets from Ebay but I went with planetheadset.com for mine.


upload gambar


You can buy 4 Baofeng radios for the cost of a single BCA radio and have a radio that has great output and range. With an optional longer whip antenna, you can easily double-triple your range and extend battery life by using lower power output option.

I've used the radio for an entire day's worth of riding 6-7 hours without any battery issues. I do carry a spare in case of emergency situations. You can also get a battery pack that uses batteries (either rechargeable or standard batteries).

Although I carry a spot GPS tracker with emergency satellite 911 feature, I like the fact that I am almost always within range of a Ham Radio repeater station almost guaranteeing I have reliable comms if I get in a bind. Getting a Ham Radio license is easy with a little bit of study time and even easier nowadays since the FCC eliminated the morse code requirement a while back :-( For GMRS use, a license is required for this radio. Technically this radio is not legal for FRS use due to fact it has a removable antenna, has more than 1/2 watt output (output of BCA radio) but that is not an issue I'm overly concerned about in the back country.
 
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Nigni Novgorod
I have a set of PR 4750 WX Cobra two way radios for sale. Used only once at Tail of the Dragon Charger and ear buds are included. Asking 20.00…you come to Sun City Center and pick em up Call me for more info, 813-633-2621
Bill Johnson
 
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Spaarky

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Oct 5, 2001
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Chester, SD
Any suggestions for two way radios (no GPS) that have a good range out West? Cooke City, Island Park.

I don't know what you consider good range. We have BCA radios and they are amazing. We have been able to hear guys 4-5 miles away. I wont hardly let someone ride with us, if they don't have one anymore.
 
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Drewd

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www.imnotrightinthehead.com
I just added all of the MUR channels to my Baofeng rado with power limited to 1 watt. Using a Nagoya 701 antenna I have incredible range 5 miles easily. At 1 watt and no license required easy option with no need for GMRS or Ham radio license.

Just bought 2 Baofeng UV5R for ATVing and will keep the Baofeng UV82's attached to avi pack for sledding.

All 4 radios cost about same as one BCA radio and have greater flexibility.

I have national SAR, weather channels, local SAR, flight for life, and 100 other preprogrammed channels stored into memory.

Programming the Baofeng is not exactly easy but using CHIRP software with a USB to serial cable is tolerable.

GMRS with license and/or MURS are great options for our community with Baofengs. If you are a Ham than you are set!

I personally prefer having separate GPS and radios for increased battery life and redundancy.
 
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mx100

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Does anybody else use the Baofeng UV82? I like the price and it seams like it is comparable to the BCA. Just looking for more real world experiences. I have no idea on the ham side of things, I just want to use it as a communication device between me and my group. I read a review that said it didn't hold up very well to heavy use, I am assuming that means commercial use. I am thinking it is over kill for what I need, but maybe over time I would get interested in learning the features. Any input?
 

bhoth

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Does anybody else use the Baofeng UV82? I like the price and it seams like it is comparable to the BCA. Just looking for more real world experiences. I have no idea on the ham side of things, I just want to use it as a communication device between me and my group. I read a review that said it didn't hold up very well to heavy use, I am assuming that means commercial use. I am thinking it is over kill for what I need, but maybe over time I would get interested in learning the features. Any input?

I am using the Baofeng UV-5RE Plus radios. They are similar to the UV82 but a little smaller. I also use waterproof mike's that I found from a different place and they work great. I keep the radio in the backpack and just run the mike cord out the top of the backpack then clip to pack strap. I do not have a HAM license, just program them to the FRS and GMRS frequencies. I also use the CHIRP software and I actually found a profile that included all the channels I use. If you are in the SLC area, I would be happy to help you program them.
 
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mx100

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Thanks for the offer to help set it up, unfortunately I am in Montana. I do have tons of questions though, What kind of range can I expect in mountains with thick trees? What kind of battery life? What's the difference between the UV-5R and the UV-5RE? What kind and where did you get your waterproof mic, and excuse the ignorance, but does the mic serve as a speaker as well? I think the best price is on Amazon, and I would like to get 5 or 6 for my riding group. Do they have a lock so they don't get accidentally bumped into a different mode in the back pack while riding?

Sorry for the questions, just cant find a review that gives me these answers.
 
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