GRMS handheld sufficient for trails

[Art1]

Planning on attending some events this year for off roading (trail rating 3-4), I realize that GRMS radios are needed and plan on purchasing one. The question I have is, are the handheld radios sufficient?
Im willing to buy and install a base unit and I’ve landed with Midwest Brand as they seem to be the leaders in this industry.

Any thoughts or advice from your experiences?

Thanks,
Art

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[Rusty PW]

I use 2 handhelds. When one dies, I have the other one.

 

[CrazyCooter]

I suppose is depends what the distance requirement is?

Terrain type, group size, dust level all contribute to what radio/antenna setup you need.

A 3 vehicle group spaced tight in flat desert would be fine with a handheld. 30 vehicles in a dusty environment in twisty canyons not so much.

 

[Blade1668]

If your not going to be using it all the time why install one, a few H.H. will cost less and you can be out on foot with them.
FYI: I'm am just getting back into the radio games and got a top end installed and 3 H.H. radios.

 

[Undecided]

I'd say depends on use:
Just need to talk to the few others in your group? it's perfect.
Need to talk to the base station across the park for an emergency? No (but really only one person in your group needs this ability if it's even a thing for the park you're at)

Over the last three years...
We started with cheap-o handhelds, then went to nicer GMRS handheld cause our cheap-o couldn't run the GMRS channels everyone else had, and then finally ended up with a hardwired Midland 275.

Biggest pain/reason we swapped from handhelds was keeping batteries for them. Either replacements or the charger in the car. Hard to use when I have to unplug, talk, plug in. Those hills and trees seemed to make them die frustratingly quick.

Another reason was if we wanted to talk on the convoy down or to our second half group a bit ways away we didn't have the range.

However, we do still carry the rechargable handhelds with us to hand out to those without a radio in our group or if we need to step out and spot.

 

[Elff]

Where I live, a bunch of people use the Baofeng Radios and they work great.
Have access to all FRS and GMRS channels, NOAA and repeaters.

Battery life is multiple days, so I have never had an issue on that front and love the fact that I can just velcro it to my roll cage.

 

[hjdca]

Planning on attending some events this year for off roading (trail rating 3-4), I realize that GRMS radios are needed and plan on purchasing one. The question I have is, are the handheld radios sufficient?
Im willing to buy and install a base unit and I’ve landed with Midwest Brand as they seem to be the leaders in this industry.

Any thoughts or advice from your experiences?

Thanks,
Art

The Midland handheld GMRS radios at Walmart work great for a group doing a trail. I carry, 2 of those handhelds, and I have a Midland MXT275 installed in my truck. The handhelds are great to hand to spotters and for guys who do not have radios in their truck. Exercising mouth control, the handheld's battery will last the whole day.

 

[johnparjr]

I have a midlands in the Jeep and when out I have 4 handhelds from Motorola for either the kids or others who don’t have a GMRS in their car

I have this which is a super price


Motorola Talkabout T260TPG Radio, Green - 3 Pack
https://www.walmart.com/ip/249156325

and a Motorola T600 walkabaout as well just one of this one as I split it with a friend when I first got a GMRS before adding the Midlands MXT275 to the truck


Motorola Talkabout T600 H2O Waterproof FRS Radios
https://www.walmart.com/ip/50877955

 

[gouacats]

I suppose is depends what the distance requirement is?

Terrain type, group size, dust level all contribute to what radio/antenna setup you need.

A 3 vehicle group spaced tight in flat desert would be fine with a handheld. 30 vehicles in a dusty environment in twisty canyons not so much.

This - It depends on distance/terrain, but in general, I think the handhelds (at least the midland ones) work pretty well. I have a midland mtx275 and a couple handhelds that I let friends borrow as necessary.

 

[Fouts]

Anyone recommend a good handheld?

 

[Radio Guy]

GMRS or UHF handheld radios should work fine in a JT and not that much worse than using the same radio standing outside. The JT has a fiberglass top and not much metal to restrict the radio waves. Even inside a metal car they can work ok since the wavelength is small enough to make it out the windows with minimal attenuation.

A VHF handheld like 2m amateur or MURS does not work well inside a car due to the longer wavelength that is larger than the window openings.

 

[johnparjr]

Anyone recommend a good handheld?

See my post above

 

[Fouts]

See my post above

I was thinking of ones like the Radioditty or Baeofeng.

 

[Elff]

Anyone recommend a good handheld?

Here is the one I have.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MAULSOK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sadly it went up in price by $30 since I bought it.
It has excellent range and does not need a hard mount or external antennae.
I literally have mine velcro'd to my roll cage.
I also have config files to program them in a few minutes, with all of the FRS and GMRS channels, weather and local repeaters. It makes for very easy communications.

 

[LostWoods]

I was thinking of ones like the Radioditty or Baeofeng.

Baofeng isn't technically legal for GMRS frequencies but whether that matters to you is up to you. I personally love the Midland T71VP3 for a trail radio with an honorable mention to the Midland GXT1000VP4. T71s are rechargeable via USB and is easy to keep topped up in the truck. The GXT can be battery powered in a pinch but they don't transmit full strength in that setup.

Both have great range for a handheld but neither come close to a mobile base station.

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