Tag: gmrs
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What Handheld Radio Should I Get for Emergency Comms?
GMRS, ham VHF/UHF, repeaters, and HF, compared for emergency comms with real-world vs best-case range expectations, plus my actual pick by scenario.
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GMRS vs. Amateur Radio VHF/UHF vs. HF: Picking the Right Tool
Three services, three very different propagation stories. Here’s how GMRS, ham VHF/UHF, and HF actually compare on hardware, range, and what each one is really good for.
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The AnyTone AT-D578UV III Plus: Why I Own Three of Them
One radio in the Jeep, one in the manpack, one in the shack. Here’s why the AT-D578UV III Plus earned three spots in my setup instead of one.
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A Comms Plan for Apartment or Multi-Family Housing Renters
You can’t assume a yard, a roof, or even a balcony. Here’s a comms plan sized to what renters actually have.
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GMRS Scanning and Monitoring: What You Can (and Can’t) Legally Do
People get confused surprisingly often about what’s legal when it comes to GMRS scanning versus GMRS transmitting, and the confusion is understandable, since the two activities are regulated completely differently. Listening is unrestricted You do not need a GMRS license, or any license at all, to listen to GMRS frequencies. Scanners, dedicated receivers, and radios…
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Tactical Team Comms vs. SHTF Comms: Why You Can’t Copy-Paste the Playbook
Why the PACE-driven, locked-down comms plan of a tactical team doesn’t hold up in a grid-down scenario, and what your radio setup actually needs instead.
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GMRS for RVers and Overlanders: A Practical Setup Guide
If you travel with other vehicles, RVing in a caravan, overlanding with a group, GMRS is the easiest way to keep everyone in touch without the complexity amateur radio brings and without the range limitations FRS imposes. Why GMRS fits this use case so well One license covers your whole family, no exam required, and…
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GMRS Repeaters, and How They’re Different From Ham Repeaters
GMRS is not just a walkie talkie service anymore. A growing network of repeaters gives it real range, with a much simpler entry process than amateur radio.
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Icom IC-2730A Review: The Dual-Band Mobile I Regret Selling
Part of our New Ham? This Is Where You Should Spend Your Money guide. I ran an Icom IC-2730A in the shack, in my Jeep, and in my truck, all at the same time, for years. I don’t say that to brag about owning three radios. I say it because that’s exactly the kind of…
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Teaching Young Kids Radio Basics Without Overwhelming Them
A short list of what a young kid actually needs to know, taught like a game instead of a lecture.
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Channel Congestion After a Disaster: What Actually Happens on GMRS and FRS
Everyone has the same idea at the same time. Here’s what actually happens to GMRS and FRS channels after a disaster hits.
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Finding and Programming GMRS Repeaters in Your Area
GMRS repeaters can turn a 5-mile radio into a 40-mile radio. Here’s how to find the ones near you and get them programmed into your radio correctly.