Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

DAY-UM! That's right, a SIXTEEN MILE RANGE!* Only $25.00 for a PAIR!

WOW!!!

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=515168

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

hmm I'm struggling to believe they have a possible 16 mile range. In ideal hill top to hill top transmission they might just reach. I'd give them about 4 miles maybe 5. A bit more if there was a repeater involved but it would still be pushing it. There is no power rating on the specs so its hard to tell. 3 x AAA would really be struggling to give you the sort of power that would be needed for that kind of range. I'd be looking to a 4 to 5 watt radio at a mininum. That should get you about the kind of range they are suggesting, but it would need to be line of sight or to a repeater tower which is still line of sight when you think about it.

Still these would do for short range work, if you were traveling convoy style.

You could get a good chinese import for about $100.00. If you really wanted to splash out something like a wouxun is pretty good value. I also have a couple Puxing 888's which aren't too bad. Both are reasonably robust. The only catch is the frequencies might be only for licensed operators, but when TSHTF I don't think that is going to be much of an issue.

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

I agree completely.

I was being sarcastic. I was thinking more like mountaintop to mountaintop - maybe then, but doubtful. Anything beyond 8 miles is below the horizon, it'd take some power to do that.

There's no mention on there about needing a license for the GMRS, which makes me wonder if it really is GMRS.

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

yeah good point, and you can always strap a couple together for a repeater type solution so your scouts can call in to base. I you get some with ctss codes you've got yourself a nice little remote de-to-na-tor device. But you didn't hear that from me ok.

I did wonder there I am me I am free. :signs14: Can I save face by saying, I was just laying it out for the other less knowledgable GIMers who might go for em?

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

The radios in the link in the OP are strictly 0.5 watts FRS 'toy' radios NOT GMRS -
It appears to be that the reviews in the Amazon listing are likely real and not spoofed (as appears to be the case in the Sportsman Guide case).

There are other models of these what I consider 'low end/entry level' (i.e. not intended for daily use and abuse) including some GMRS units which are supposed to be a full 5 watts - http://www.dak.com/reviews/2027story...FRdc2god_QjXqA

But I still don't believe these have a reliable '30 mile range' unless *maybe* it's uninterrupted line of sight.

I don't know about buying the cheapest Made in China radios you can find, to me it's kinda like buying a pot metal Jennings/Jimenez Saturday Nite Special as your primary sidearm - when you really need it it won't work.

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

16 mile range absolute line of sight - 1.6 mile range, at best, with even one object in the way.

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

Certainly correct. I don't suppose that these radios would withstand the same kind of treatment say that a motorola or an icom could withstand. The price variation reflects this. The two I mention are however very robust compared to the midland or uniden blister pack radios. I'd put them firmly in the middle between those cheapies and the icom/motorola level of radio.

I'm pretty hard on radios and so far the wouxun has taken a beating that a uniden would not cope with. I bought them for bugout comms for family and I think they will do for them if we ever have to make a move. The range is just enough in the city without access to repeaters. If any repeaters are still operational then all the better. There are a couple solar powered repeaters on the city outskirts here but the need different frequencies.

If I had the money I would buy icom then motorola. No hesitation.

Re: Pair of GMRS radios w/ rech. batteries AND charger-$25 - 16 MILE RANGE!!!
 

Don't forget Kenwood for MURS and GMRS use.