Portable radios

[Spokerider]

Just wondering what folks are using for portable radios when out hunting.

I was on Cabelas site looking at GMRS radios, they boast up to a 25 mile range under "optimum" conditions, but the user-reviews reflect a range anywhere from a few hundred yards to a few miles at best. Not quite 25 miles....... We all know game doesn't live where "optimum" conditons exist.

So what's the real story, what ya using and are you happy with it?

[Steeleco]

I use a 4 yr old set of Cobra GMRS radios. They are claimed to have 13 miles.
I've spoken to people at near that range but they were on a lake below the mountain peak I was hiking. Between the two I have an honest mile through trees seems normal. That's can be a long way in the bush. Make sure whatever unit you get, that they can be muted. They all beep and click for some strange reason. Mine vibrate in my pocket when it's check in time!

[Wildman]

I use a Motorola Radius CP200......worth about $500, but way more reliable than those fsr types.

[BCKID]

I use an older set of Motorola radios, not sure what the posted range was but they work at 5 miles line of sight and 1 mile in the timber. As mentioned make sure you can shut off the beep and ringer. BCKID

[tuchodi]

We are starting to use the Garmin Rino series. They have worked great so far and it saves you packing both the Radio and a GPS. We are looking at getting the new 530 series out of the states as it has a 5 watt transmitter not the 2 watt that you can only by in Canada. If everyone in your hunting group has one you can see on the GPS map exactly where your hunting budies are.

[Brambles]

I bought the new GMRS midlands GXT850's that have a 26 mile range in optimum conditions, got them off Ebay cause they are too powerful to be sold in canada.

Haven't really used them so far so not much I can say about their performance.

[dime]

We are starting to use the Garmin Rino series. They have worked great so far and it saves you packing both the Radio and a GPS. We are looking at getting the new 530 series out of the states as it has a 5 watt transmitter not the 2 watt that you can only by in Canada. If everyone in your hunting group has one you can see on the GPS map exactly where your hunting budies are.

Ditto on the Rino's. Two of us have the 120 and one the 110, nice to get updated positions on where your buddies are when out in the bush. We have received updates and radio signals up to 4 km away but that is line of sight across a valley. The reality is if you are 200 yards away on the other side of a hill they are useless. We looked at the upgraded US models but they only seem to run on rechargeable batteries which would be useless when out in moose camp for a week.

[tuchodi]

Dime: You are rite about the rechargable packs but they have an adapter so you can charge off your cigaret lighter. We used this up the river for a month and carry an extra battery pack. We have gotten reception with one of the newer ones up to 6 miles and not really a direct line of site. We have one of the newer ones in camp and it will recieve as it has the better antenna system. They also will match channels with your regular little radio's.

[sparky300winmag]

My partners and i use vhf radios we bought out of Alberta.I know you are supposed to be licenced ,but the way we look at it , it is much safer to be able to listen to the logging trucks and such .As well as, you are far more likely to get some one in case of an emergency.They have been one if our best investments.We used to use the FRS but they had a very limited range.

[Spokerider]

Thanks for the replies.

It seems that the gmrs radio transmitting / receiving distance is so dependant upon terrain.

I was wondering about a pair of handheld VHF's. How are they for distance in steep timber? Are they also a "line of sight radio"? I know a lisence is required for vhf.

[tuchodi]

We have a few VHF which we have quit using when the better little GMRS radios came out. There is a lot of difference in weight and where we hunt there are no roads so if you walk 6 miles and can talk to everyone that you are hunting with thats all we need. Maybe if you road hunt and have a couple of trucks that are always a long ways from each other the VHF might be better for you. Like I said we have now started to use the Rino's combining the radio and GPS. As we get older our daypacks seem to be getting more like a (Day And A Half Pack).

[srupp]

HMMM we us the new GMRS..general Mobile Radio system...and have indeed gotten over 8 miles of good clear conversation...and that IS a long way in hunting with a partner...

Under very challenging situations..ie a MOUNTAIN between us..yes 1-1.5 miles was about it.

Under BEST case scenario with one of us on one open mtn top and the other on another open topped mtn with a valley between..open line of site 13 miles...

my experience the newer ones work exellent for hunting situations...

Steven

[ryanb]

I have a I-Com VHF handheld with a 7 watt transmitter. These are the best to use if you can find a way to get them since you can use it to get weather if available and on the roads. Just know they are illegal unless licensed, and you cannot use any frequency willy-nilly.

I have a couple GMRS which are OK...but certainly no VHF radio. Just remember any radio, even a hundred watt base station only works line of sight.

[ROY-alty33]

I like the little gmrs radios. They work just fine under most hunting conditions. Mine are cobra that have a posted 28 mile range. I think they leave out a decimal point, cause 3 miles is more than I would trust my life with one to.
What we have found over the 3 or sets we've had, rechargable batteries are nice, but make sure that normal AA batteries will work as well, thefirst ones we had used a unique battery and if it died in the field....
Second spend a bit and get thae hands freekits that most come with or are available for. If you are tech. slow as I am trying to stop the clicking and beeping is near impossible, so silence it with the ear bud.