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dieseltruckdriver
Black Hills of SD
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Joined: 08/24/2005
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I am getting off topic a little, but my wife and I use these Baofeng BF-888 radios for use in our kayaks. If we drown one (and we have), we don't care.
We also use them for backing into a site in the dark.
2000 F-250 7.3 Powerstroke
2018 Arctic Fox 27-5L
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rlw999
Washington State
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Joined: 08/19/2020
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Veebyes wrote:Of course you could always get a couple of basic marine radios, pick some obscure channel that nobody uses & go at it that way. Range is going to be basically line of sight, the same as ham 2M or the commercial VHF band radios.
That's just as illegal as using a non-type rated Baofeng radio on MURS bands -- with probably more chance of getting caught if you're near water and the USCG is listening.
If I had to choose between using a non-type rated radio on MURS frequencies or using a type rated Marine radio on land, I'd pick the former.
But fortunately, those are not the only two choices, as there are legal options even if you don't want to get a HAM license (which is easier than many people think it is!).
You can get a type rated MURS radio like the BTECH MURS-V1 if you want to stick with VHF. Or if you're ok with UHF, get a license and use GMRS radios -- GMRS base stations are pretty cheap, so if you mainly talk RV to handheld, you can get great range with a 15W or 25W base station on the RV with antenna on the roof. You can get high quality GMRS radios if you need something better than the cheap blister pack radios available in stores.
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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Joined: 06/22/2005
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rlw999 wrote:Veebyes wrote:Of course you could always get a couple of basic marine radios, pick some obscure channel that nobody uses & go at it that way. Range is going to be basically line of sight, the same as ham 2M or the commercial VHF band radios.
That's just as illegal as using a non-type rated Baofeng radio on MURS bands -- with probably more chance of getting caught if you're near water and the USCG is listening.
If I had to choose between using a non-type rated radio on MURS frequencies or using a type rated Marine radio on land, I'd pick the former.
But fortunately, those are not the only two choices, as there are legal options even if you don't want to get a HAM license (which is easier than many people think it is!).
You can get a type rated MURS radio like the BTECH MURS-V1 if you want to stick with VHF. Or if you're ok with UHF, get a license and use GMRS radios -- GMRS base stations are pretty cheap, so if you mainly talk RV to handheld, you can get great range with a 15W or 25W base station on the RV with antenna on the roof. You can get high quality GMRS radios if you need something better than the cheap blister pack radios available in stores.
I agree, using marine channels on land is a BIG NO NO could be big trouble if you get caught.
2011 Keystone Outback 295RE
2004 14' bikehauler with full living quarters
2015.5 Denali 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison
2004.5 Silverado 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison passed on to our Son!
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Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland Eastern Shore
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Joined: 11/24/2003
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I am well aware of the legality of using a marine radio for shore to shore comms. My ham 2M radio can receive everything from the aviation freqs all the way up through the marine freqs & I have some of them programmed to scan sometimes.
Quite surprised to hear marine channels used far from any water & obviously non water related use.
Not saying it is OK however a handheld radio on low power is not having a range of more than a few miles at best.
For CG parking & not losing each other in a big box store the best to use is a cheap FSR. If it gets destroyed by dropping it or getting it soaked, no big deal.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter
2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel
Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995
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Wadcutter
IL
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Joined: 05/25/2004
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ktmrfs wrote:
For a few more bucks you can get the rugged radios version of the same units that are much more robust, but more expensive. Rugged radios periodically puts their units on sale. Again, you'll need a programming cable and chirp website to program them.
I won't beat the dead horse on the rest of ktmrfs post and what he suggested. Totally illegal. Don't do it.
And for the quoted part of his post above recommending Rugged Radio. For those who say don't worry about it, do it anyway. Rugged Radio was cited this week by the FCC for illegally marketing the very radios ktmrfs suggested. What they were cited for was selling Baofeng made radios which are only approved by the FCC for Amateur Radio use and advertising those radios as programmable to non-ham frequencies. Rugged Radios was also programming, for a fee, frequencies the buyer wanted.
The FCC has been very clear, particularly the last few years, that radios not type accepted for the frequencies are not to be used for non-type use. That means Amateur Radio equipment cannot be used for Part 90 and 95 use because those radios are not accepted in those frequencies.
BTW those "rugged radios" Rugged Radio was marketing were nothing more than Baofeng radios labeled with their own name. Nothing more. And they jacked up the price. People paid way too much for them thinking because the price was higher they must be better and more 'rugged' radios. Nothing but salesmanship and uninformed people falling for it.
Camped in every state
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ibridh
autermo
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Joined: 12/22/2021
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If internet connection is not an issue for you, you can consider using VoicePing walkie talkie app. VoicePing has world wide coverage as long as device has access to the internet. The cool thing is it has free channels and family channels (which is also free for up to 5 users). So pick the channels that suits your needs.
Here is the link to VoicePing apps:
Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.media2359.voiceping.store
iOS app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voiceping/id1249953303?ls=1&mt=8
Web app: https://web.voiceoverping.net
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vidotchis
Washinton DC
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Joined: 10/27/2021
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I deliberated heavily about which radios to buy, but ultimately price won. I bought a set of Motorola T100 Talkabout radios from nrcradio for under $20, and I am pleasantly surprised at how good they are for the money.
We used these walkie talkies on vacation in the Rocky Mountains so we could communicate between three cars when driving around and on the trails as well since sometimes our group would get split up and some people would go on ahead. I'm already aware that the advertised range of 20+ miles is idealistic and not to be expected in normal conditions, but I was very happy with how they worked.
In the cars, we could talk clearly as long as nobody got too far away from the convoy. On the trails, we would talk clearly even while people were out of sight and somewhere down the trail, even with rocks and trees everywhere. I wouldn't count on these working miles away, but they worked great for being able to communicate with others in the group who just might be spread out a bit.
I used Eneloop Pro rechargeable AAAs, and they easily lasted for hours on end even with a fair amount of talking back and forth.
Some of the reviews complain about not being able to change the batteries. I really have no idea what they are talking about, so maybe there was a bad batch that was defective or something. The battery cover comes off easily, although you do have to take the clip off first.
Really the only complaint I have is that I wish it had a volume knob instead of buttons, like most other radios. You have to hold the power button for a second to turn it on or off, and you change volume by pressing up or down buttons.
Also be aware that compared to other similar radios, these are cheap in part because they lack certain features. There are no privacy codes, only one ringtone, and as mentioned, buttons instead of a volume knob.
* This post was
edited 07/09/22 08:29am by vidotchis *
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