GMRS Radios

Grunt8541 · Jul 24, 2020

I just got my FCC GMRS radio license and now I’m shopping.
I can transmit up to 50 watts, so I was trying to get as close to that as possible. I have been looking at the Midland - MXT400, 40 Watt.
My only experience is military comms of 15 plus years ago. So, talk slow please.

Recommendations?

MericaMade · Jul 24, 2020

Check out the Icom 2300 I believe it does up to 65 Watts.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

wjtstudios · Jul 24, 2020

I run the Midland 400 and have been really impressed with it

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

Andy5160 · Jul 24, 2020

wjtstudios said:
I run the Midland 400 and have been really impressed with it

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

I been looking into MXT 400 is this what you have?

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

wjtstudios · Jul 24, 2020

Andy5160 said:
I been looking into MXT 400 is this what you have?

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Yes, it’s a boomer. We’ve been able to talk between two of them a couple miles apart in our pretty hilly and forested terrain. The higher number channels are the 40 watt channels. The 1-10 I think are limited at 15 watts

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

Andy5160 · Jul 24, 2020

wjtstudios said:
Yes, it’s a boomer. We’ve been able to talk between two of them a couple miles apart in our pretty hilly and forested terrain. The higher number channels are the 40 watt channels. The 1-10 I think are limited at 15 watts

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

Thanks Bill

Sent from my iPad using WAYALIFE

Grunt8541 · Jul 25, 2020

wjtstudios said:
Yes, it’s a boomer. We’ve been able to talk between two of them a couple miles apart in our pretty hilly and forested terrain. The higher number channels are the 40 watt channels. The 1-10 I think are limited at 15 watts

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

Are you using the 3dB Gain Antenna?

wjtstudios · Jul 25, 2020

I thinks a 4db gain. Works great

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

jeffj · Jul 25, 2020

I’m entertaining getting a nice system hard wired Into my Jeep. Give me some recommendations on some nice systems. Can I get a higher end set up without license? Will they come with programming software? Thanks in advance, I’m really new to these radios.

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

wjtstudios · Jul 25, 2020

jeffj said:
I’m entertaining getting a nice system hard wired Into my Jeep. Give me some recommendations on some nice systems. Can I get a higher end set up without license? Will they come with programming software? Thanks in advance, I’m really new to these radios.

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Look at either the Midland MXT 400 or look into Icom. I’m going to move my 400 to the scrambler and look at getting an icom ID 4100 for Bison.

The GMRS license is easy, it takes 10-15 minutes and $75 bucks. An Amateur radio license takes a class and test for the Icom.

The Midland 400 comes pre programmed.

The ICom can be programmed to most frequencies.

Hope this helps,

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

jeffj · Jul 25, 2020

wjtstudios said:
Look at either the Midland MXT 400 or look into Icom. I’m going to move my 400 to the scrambler and look at getting an icom ID 4100 for Bison.

The GMRS license is easy, it takes 10-15 minutes and $75 bucks. An Amateur radio license takes a class and test for the Icom.

The Midland 400 comes pre programmed.

The ICom can be programmed to most frequencies.

Hope this helps,

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

Indeed it does.....thanks a lot.

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

jeffj · Jul 25, 2020

This is probably a dumb question, but if I got the icom and people that I’m wheeling with are using GMRS frequencies will I be able to communicate?

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

MericaMade · Jul 25, 2020

jeffj said:
This is probably a dumb question, but if I got the icom and people that I’m wheeling with are using GMRS frequencies will I be able to communicate?

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

Not that I am aware of.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

wjtstudios · Jul 25, 2020

jeffj said:
This is probably a dumb question, but if I got the icom and people that I’m wheeling with are using GMRS frequencies will I be able to communicate?

Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app

MericaMade said:
Not that I am aware of.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

I believe they can be programmed or tuned to the GMRS channels.

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

MericaMade · Jul 25, 2020

wjtstudios said:
I believe they can be programmed or tuned to the GMRS channels.

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

Would you happen to have a link how to do this? I can only find FQ 136 -174 on my 2300H. Maybe its just this radio that can't IDK.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

wjtstudios · Jul 26, 2020

MericaMade said:
Would you happen to have a link how to do this? I can only find FQ 136 -174 on my 2300H. Maybe its just this radio that can't IDK.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

I’m not sure the different radio specs. The ID 4100 and 5100 appear to be able to key or set the frequency directly. In this picture is show the frequency keyed in.

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

nbunga · Jul 26, 2020

MericaMade said:
Would you happen to have a link how to do this? I can only find FQ 136 -174 on my 2300H. Maybe its just this radio that can't IDK.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

Looks like yours is only VHF. GMRS is on the UHF spectrum so it won’t work on those.

You would want to look for ones marketed as dual band, those would have UHF/VHF. The tri band models would work as well but would be overkill probably unless you were going to get into amateur radio, since they have HF frequencies.

MericaMade · Jul 26, 2020

nbunga said:
Looks like yours is only VHF. GMRS is on the UHF spectrum so it won’t work on those.

So the Midland is the better option I take it? I got 2 Baofeng for GMRS if needed.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

nbunga · Jul 27, 2020

MericaMade said:
So the Midland is the better option I take it? I got 2 Baofeng for GMRS if needed.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

For gmrs the midland is going to be the easiest option, and they are good radios. The bonus with the baofeng is you can program the emergency channels in just in case.

wjtstudios · Jul 27, 2020

MericaMade said:
So the Midland is the better option I take it? I got 2 Baofeng for GMRS if needed.

Sent from my SM-G986U using WAYALIFE mobile app

nbunga said:
For gmrs the midland is going to be the easiest option, and they are good radios. The bonus with the baofeng is you can program the emergency channels in just in case.

Yeah, the midland are so easy. Just wire it in, run an antenna somewhere and you are good to go. No tuning required.

2015 JKUR AEV JK350
1985 CJ8 Scrambler

GMRS Radios

New member

Active Member

Hooked

Hooked

Hooked

Hooked

New member

Hooked

Caught the Bug

Hooked

Caught the Bug

Caught the Bug

Active Member

Hooked

Active Member

Hooked

Caught the Bug

Active Member

Caught the Bug

Hooked