Best radio for in the thick stuff.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

 I was looking for input from you guys that use radios to stay in touch. I am taking a rookie out with me this year and am thinking of getting a radio to stay in touch. My only experience is with some handheld CB's that I own, but once you get off the road into the woods you might as well be carrying a rock. What kind of input/advice do you have?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

 

[matlockmike]

These are what we use in our party.  http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602025-cat130007&id=0069202229812a&navCount=3&podId=0069202&parentId=cat130007&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QZ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

Works great in timber but if your trying to reach over a mountain not so good.

[halflife65]

You had to get a license from the FCC to use that radio?  Wow.

[smdave]

The GMRS high power channels are regulated, the license can be a family license, easy to get hard to enforce.

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=service_home&id=general_mobile

Dave

[Slider]

Garmin Rino!!!

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=3944&ic=48_0&search_query=rino&Find.x=22&Find.y=7

[matlockmike]

License was a piece of cake.  My dad took care of it and it covers all his radios. 

[Gobble]

Garmin Rino!!!

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=3944&ic=48_0&search_query=rino&Find.x=22&Find.y=7

+1  Thats what I use, love them

[haugenna]

Here is what I have discovered on the radios.

A majority of them work pretty well UNLESS you put a ridgeline or mountain top in between you and the person you are trying to talk to.  Then they are all pretty much worthless.

[jjdavis2222]

  I just got the Rhino 530. Love it. And what i understand is that you can still use the GMRS channels with out the FCC lisence, your just suppose to get one. Is this true?

[Alchase]

I have two different sets of Motorola the 5 series and the 6200s. Both work alright for normal use. The 6200s have double the range of the others. It is a good bet if you cut the advertised range in half, you will be closer to the "actual" real world range.
As Haugenna said, once you get a ridgeline between them they become pretty much useless.

One word of advise, which ever you do get ensure you have private channel cabability and use it. If you do not, every Tom, Dick, and Harry that did not take time to lock theirs will be broadcasting on the same Frequency as you are.

[SpokaneSlayer]

A quick lesson in radio wave propagation for those interested:

Radios that advertise up to x miles get that number by transmitting over flat featureless ground.  This is called "line of sight".  Start putting stuff in the way, and this number drops fast.  The more power a radio transmits, the easier it will go through brush.  Rocks, on the other hand, forget it.  If you want to get really technical, look at the reciever's sensitivity, usually called the signal plus noise to noise ratio (S+N to N).  The more sensitive the receiver, the better it will pick up a weaker signal and not just be static.  Hope this helps in choosing what radio you get.

[jjdavis2222]

  Miles... My buddy has the same Rhino i do and we did a test one day. I live down in Des Moines and he was coming my way from Federal way. We both had our radios on and we picked each other up when he was at the intersection of Pac HWY and 272nd. As the bird flys thats around 3 miles. For the GMRS channels the Rhino says it can go up to 14 miles, but like many have said start to put things in the way and it goes way down. Now there are a few little hills and plenty of other stuff inbetween Des moines and 272nd. So 3 miles is not that bad. Just my 

[jjdavis2222]

530HCX. If you want a really good deal on one go to www.pcnation.com

I got mine there for $368 out the door, no tax or shipping! They retail at stores around here between $450-500.

Great deal and they are brand new just like you would get in a store.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Thank you for input, I wish I would have gotten the Rhino when I got my 60CSx, but finding a partner to shell out $400 +/- at the same time wasn'i going to happen. so those Midland ones dont look so bad, if he goes over ridge I guess he is on his own...