Looking for commercial UHF radios

[Brian McVickers]

Hi,
my wife Amy is looking for four commercial UHF radios to be used indoors and out. The application will be providing a communications solution for a high school program.

Does anyone have any recommendations for radios or where to source them. Working used radios are a perfectly good solution as the retail prices look to be cost prohibitive for this program.

Thanks for any input.

Brian

 

[SunTzuNephew]

First of all, you need to find someone to program them: It's not like a ham radio.

Then, buy whatever the local guy can program...you may be limited in that regard.

Finally, I've had good luck with Motorolas, and Ebay..

 

[AKRover]

Aren't you required to posses a commercial license as well?

 

[mikelite80]

I do concert production and we are TOUGH on radios! The main units we rent/own are the Motorola CP200 or the PR400. Both are tough radios. Check with your local radio rental places, they often will rotate out used gear and might be able to get you a deal. Depending how long they are need but might be cheaper to rent them.

Mike

 

[crawler#976]

GMRS might be a low cost radio alternative. On sale you can get 5 or 6 radios for less than $100.00.

FYI: Government entities are exempt from the $85.00 license fee.

 

[Brian McVickers]

I like this!

GMRS might be a low cost radio alternative. On sale you can get 5 or 6 radios for less than $100.00.

FYI: Government entities are exempt from the $85.00 license fee.

 

[Brian McVickers]

A question about the GMRS:

Are these essentially the same as FRS?

I have found the FRS to be somewhat annoying to use due to general interference and that most of the radios beep abnoxiosly every time you touch them!

 

[SunTzuNephew]

A question about the GMRS:

Are these essentially the same as FRS?

I have found the FRS to be somewhat annoying to use due to general interference and that most of the radios beep abnoxiosly every time you touch them!

Hmm. My FRS don't beep. But, GMRS is similar, but higher powered (and can be better radios). There are FRS/GMRS combos available, too.

The nice thing about them is they are inexpensive.

 

[gary in ohio]

Hi,
my wife Amy is looking for four commercial UHF radios to be used indoors and out. The application will be providing a communications solution for a high school program.

Does anyone have any recommendations for radios or where to source them. Working used radios are a perfectly good solution as the retail prices look to be cost prohibitive for this program.

Thanks for any input.

Brian

Before we can answer the question we need more info. I all the communications in and around the building or do you need to take these away from the building? Do you need base/mobile or portable units?

The big hurdle is a license, There is NO commercial UHF radio service that doesnt require a license of one type or another. GMRS is NOT an option as you cant license an institution on GMRS any longer. FRS is an option if your communication range is short under a mile. You also need to be careful what "frs" radio you get as some need a GMRS license on some channels. Depending on where your at and the radio services in use you may not be able to get a UHF license and may be forced into 800mhz.


In any case you should contact a local radio house to work with you and get your licensed properly. Do you have radios in any of your buses? FInd out who support them./ You might just be able to share the channel or use a simplex channel on the same license. If you have no other radio's in the school check with the local city folks I am sure they have someone managing there radio systems, local EMA, hospitial. police fire dept will have someone to manage there radio's. See what they can offer up.

With commercial radio's you get the license then you go looking for radio's.

 

[gary in ohio]

GMRS might be a low cost radio alternative. On sale you can get 5 or 6 radios for less than $100.00.

FYI: Government entities are exempt from the $85.00 license fee.

GMRS cant be licensed to non individuals. Each person at the school would need to be licensed and pay the $85 fee.

 

[gary in ohio]

A question about the GMRS:

Are these essentially the same as FRS?

I have found the FRS to be somewhat annoying to use due to general interference and that most of the radios beep abnoxiosly every time you touch them!

GMRS and FRS are two different radio services, They unfortunately share 7 channels. Depending on how the radio is built it might be FRS or it might be GMRS. You need a license for GMRS and you school cant get one. You dont need a licnese for FRS but you have to live with whatever interference is around you on FRS. The beeps are not from your radio but often from others playing on the channel. If you dont want transmit "beeps" then dont do it.

Depending on your range and what you want to do with the radio FRS might be an option but you need to know whatever you do EVERYONE can listen in to what your saying and can legally BUTT into the converstation

 

[PhulesAU]

have your wife group/school apply for an Itinerate license. I recommend Kenwoods, smaller, lighter and better audio than motorolas.

 

[Brian McVickers]

So, first off - I just love the wealth of knowledge here on ExPo! Thanks for all the input.

The radios will be used only on campus, well within a one mile radius but they will be used indoors and outdoors and most of the buildings are cinderblock.

FRS sounds like the simplest solution.

Thanks

Brian

 

[gary in ohio]

So, first off - I just love the wealth of knowledge here on ExPo! Thanks for all the input.

The radios will be used only on campus, well within a one mile radius but they will be used indoors and outdoors and most of the buildings are cinderblock.

FRS sounds like the simplest solution.

Thanks

Brian

FRS is the easiest and cheapest solution. If your just on campus then they should work. Unfortually you can buy FRS only radio anymore you have to buy the FRS/GMRS combo radio's. Just make sure you stay on the FRS channels ONLY. The radios are available everywhere and come in prices from $20 to $200 per radio. The $20 are not going to handle the use and the $200 are most likley overkill, Stay in the middle of the price range. There are lots of brands, but Motorola, Uniden, Midland in the $75-$125/radio models would be a good choice.

If your still unsure get a couple of the cheap radio and try them knowing they may be throw away in a year or so.