jtphoto JK

As outlined on another thread, up north here we have an issue with CB reception and have found no solution for this problem. It is so bad that a standard 12$ GMRS gets better distance. We have been told by radio shops and truck drivers that it is interference up here in the radio waves.

So, we are slowly moving to 2-Way VHF radios. We have a local radio shop that has set us up with our own Jeep channel and radio prices comparable to a good CB set up.

I'd like to hear others thoughts on this in your specific area.

Motorola radio on Quadratec console side mount. Basic VHF mobile antenna .

ShawnInPaso

Looks to me like you found a decent solution. I would guess all that noise on CB is "skip"? Does it last all night and day, or just sometimes?

ShutterBug

A group of us "down" here in Ohio are doing the same thing. Switching to what he US calls GMRS. The radios are relatively cheap (~$100) and the license is easy to get. You get better power output, FM vs. AM, and UHF (462-467 MHz). MUCH clearer, much better distance.

CB sucks. I still have one in the Jeep. I just don't like to use it unless I have to.

larry0071

Are these CB-like boxes for GMRS, or the FRS/GMRS hand held radios?

I currently carry 4 of the FRS radios when I lead a group and I pass them out, and it helps greatly being that many show up with no CB nor FRS radios. It would be nice to have a single box that could go back and forth between CB and FRS/GMRS so that I don't need to run the CB and have the hand held bouncing around.

I currently use a Midland 75-822 handheld CB with an external magnet mount antenna on the front cowling, and I use COBRA CRX825 Ni-CAD rechargeable FRS radios. The Midland handheld works surprisingly well with an external antenna, with the short rubber antenna that comes on it, it is useless.

ShutterBug

I haven't found anything that will do both CB (AM) and UHF/VHF (FM). I still have a Cobra 75 I used for CB. I'm sure someone makes something, I've seen some come close (Chinese junk) but they usually lack something, like AM on the CB channels. Of course, it would likely be illegal (technically) to use these on FRS/GMRS/CB.

The radio I have for GMRS is a Leixen I got from Amazon. It is stickered to say it's FCC Part 97 accepted (legal for GMRS frequencies). Whether that's legit - anyone's guess. I'll play dumb. As a licensed ham, I'm not going to risk my license too openly.

https://www.amazon.com/LEIXEN-VV-898...eywords=leixen

It's range is crap from a Ham Radio standpoint, especially since my antenna is on top of my tire carrier, right next to my Hilift. But it's still a lot better than CB.

arjeeper

For close-in communications, VHF will almost always be more reliable that HF.

I don't have a CB in my Jeep, but do have VHF and UHF through an Icom ID-5100.

Of course I have the required amateur radio licensing required to use it. If advice those looking into VHF to just get your entry level amateur (ham) radio license and an appropriate radio.

MrKenmore

I thought this was pretty cool!

Midland MXT100 GMRS MicroMobile 2-Way Radio https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z7XNWAK..._e5A4xbWT65049

Midland GMRS. Mag mount us a problem of course. Nice little radio though. I would go with GMRS in the States. It's unregulated as far as I can tell (I know it is supposed to be but so is CB 11 meter). As a licensed ham, I stick to the ham bands which offers any and all frequency options.

ShutterBug

It is NOT unregulated. You need to obtain a license, which is really easy to get. As a ham, this gives me the opportunity to communicate with non-hams over FM. FRS is another option, but the range is limited.

The license fee is $65 for 5 years, IIRC.

stew

Bumping this thread. Been looking for a vhf since that's what the fire service uses in my area. Is there any shops in socal that I can call? I'm looking for something small that I can put behind the glovebox

arjeeper

Are you looking to just monitor the fire service? Can likely do that with a small scanner. Look at Uniden. No transmit, of course.

If you're wanting to operate and communicate with the fire service, I'd suggest contacting your coordinating entity for whatever fire team you're on and ask who configured their radio as you'd likely not be able to communicate with them unless they configured the radio for you. I'd assume it's a non-ham band radio built to operate on specific frequencies they use.