Help me understand this

[Tex68w]

I have no clue what I need in a mobile based radio, but we have some big trips planned next year and I'd like to get a nice setup that allows me to communicate with others in the group while on the go and as a backup to phones and the Garmin inReach. Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, GMRS, DMR, APRS, UHF/VHF, Digital, GPS, my head is spinning. I've been looking at Icom-5100's, Yaesu FTM-400's and Kenwood D-700's, but I have no idea which is best for my needs/area (if any of these are) and why.

I am aware that I need to get a license (also need guidance there, I'm local to Houston) and I am all for it, but help simplify this process for me as I want to buy once/cry once here and be done with it. I'm not looking to blow $1K+ but I also don't mind spending a little if it means quality and reliability with no need to upgrade a few years down the road. In other words, I'd like something I could grow into and not feel like I need more as I learn and grow with this.


Any guidance, suggestions, or a Reader's Digest breakdown here would be much appreciated.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Who do you plan on talking too? That's where you start, defining what you need the radio for in the first place. What are other people in your group using to communicate? You may not need a ham license at all if they're using GMRS or FRS or CB.

 

[verdesard0g]

I think least expensive and most every day users GMRS or FRS would be the way to go these days.
KD7YCL

 

[Tex68w]

None of us have anything at the moment so looking to outfit so we can stay in touch when out of cell range and for those quick comments when a phone call isn't necessary.

 

[DaveInDenver]

What range are you after? Just truck-to-truck sort of thing? You're probably after FRS or GMRS.

If you want something reliable with good range mobile GMRS is likely it. No need for ham license or to spend the scratch on the radios you list. But you'll still need to send the FCC money for a GMRS license.

FRS are those little toy radios you see in bubble packs at Cabela's. No license needed but pretty limited in range and quality.

 

[prerunner1982]

I have no clue what I need in a mobile based radio, but we have some big trips planned next year and I'd like to get a nice setup that allows me to communicate with others in the group while on the go and as a backup to phones and the Garmin inReach. Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu, GMRS, DMR, APRS, UHF/VHF, Digital, GPS, my head is spinning. I've been looking at Icom-5100's, Yaesu FTM-400's and Kenwood D-700's, but I have no idea which is best for my needs/area (if any of these are) and why.

I am aware that I need to get a license (also need guidance there, I'm local to Houston) and I am all for it, but help simplify this process for me as I want to buy once/cry once here and be done with it. I'm not looking to blow $1K+ but I also don't mind spending a little if it means quality and reliability with no need to upgrade a few years down the road. In other words, I'd like something I could grow into and not feel like I need more as I learn and grow with this.

For vehicle to vehicle I would agree that GMRS is probably the way to go. If you need a little more range mobile GMRS is good..... however if you compare the cost of the radio and the license you can get into ham radio for about the same or cheaper, depending on what radio you go with.
GMRS is more plug and play and frankly easier for the non-technical or non-radionerd.

The GMRS license is $70.... the 40 watt Midland mobile GMRS radio is $200, the 15watt Midland mobile is $150 and the 5 watt mobile is $100. So $170-$270. not including coax or antenna for the 40 watt radio.
Ham license $0-$15, 50-85 watt 2 meter mobile radio $125-$150.., so $125-$165 not including coax or antenna. However radios can get expensive quick depending on what you want from it or want it to do.

Are all of your friends willing to study and take the ham test?

IF you decide to go forward with getting your ham radio and license, for backwoods type stuff you don't need to worry about DMR or digital. GPS is generally associated with APRS. APRS stands for Automatic Packet Reporting System and is most commonly used to track yourself/vehicle but it offers more than that such as mapping other users on a map, direct messaging to other users, it can send SMS text to a cell phone or emails, among other things. I have sent a text message to my wife's cell phone from the ham radio in my Jeep through the APRS repeater on the International Space Station. If you just want voice comms a mono band 2m radio would get you by just fine in most cases however in some cases a dual band 2m/70cm (VHF/UHF) radio can be good to have. Some dual band radios can do Cross-band repeat, which can basically be used as your own repeater so you can use your handheld ham radio around camp or when on a hike and the radio in your vehicle will retransmit your signal either to someone else near by or to a local repeater. Most dual band radios also have remote heads, meaning the body of the radio can be stowed away with only the display/controls mounted to the dash so it increases the mounting options. Also some dual band radios such as the Yaesu FTM-400 and Kenwood D-710g can do APRS and voice at the same time.

Here is a good place to look for local repeater information: https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/index.php?state_id=48

Ham radio may sound complicated with the APRS and repeaters and such, but it doesn't have to be. It just depends on what you want/need from ham radio.
There are certainly other easier ways to go the tracking and messaging such as the inReach type devices.
If you want plug and play go with GMRS even if it's a little more money. If you want more options (more tools in your bag of tricks) and are ok with the technical side ham may be a good option.....but again what are your friends willing to do?

 

[Tex68w]

For vehicle to vehicle I would agree that GMRS is probably the way to go. If you need a little more range mobile GMRS is good..... however if you compare the cost of the radio and the license you can get into ham radio for about the same or cheaper, depending on what radio you go with.
GMRS is more plug and play and frankly easier for the non-technical or non-radionerd.

The GMRS license is $70.... the 40 watt Midland mobile GMRS radio is $200, the 15watt Midland mobile is $150 and the 5 watt mobile is $100. So $170-$270. not including coax or antenna for the 40 watt radio.
Ham license $0-$15, 50-85 watt 2 meter mobile radio $125-$150.., so $125-$165 not including coax or antenna. However radios can get expensive quick depending on what you want from it or want it to do.

Are all of your friends willing to study and take the ham test?

IF you decide to go forward with getting your ham radio and license, for backwoods type stuff you don't need to worry about DMR or digital. GPS is generally associated with APRS. APRS stands for Automatic Packet Reporting System and is most commonly used to track yourself/vehicle but it offers more than that such as mapping other users on a map, direct messaging to other users, it can send SMS text to a cell phone or emails, among other things. I have sent a text message to my wife's cell phone from the ham radio in my Jeep through the APRS repeater on the International Space Station. If you just want voice comms a mono band 2m radio would get you by just fine in most cases however in some cases a dual band 2m/70cm (VHF/UHF) radio can be good to have. Some dual band radios can do Cross-band repeat, which can basically be used as your own repeater so you can use your handheld ham radio around camp or when on a hike and the radio in your vehicle will retransmit your signal either to someone else near by or to a local repeater. Most dual band radios also have remote heads, meaning the body of the radio can be stowed away with only the display/controls mounted to the dash so it increases the mounting options. Also some dual band radios such as the Yaesu FTM-400 and Kenwood D-710g can do APRS and voice at the same time.

Here is a good place to look for local repeater information: https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/index.php?state_id=48

Ham radio may sound complicated with the APRS and repeaters and such, but it doesn't have to be. It just depends on what you want/need from ham radio.
There are certainly other easier ways to go the tracking and messaging such as the inReach type devices.
If you want plug and play go with GMRS even if it's a little more money. If you want more options (more tools in your bag of tricks) and are ok with the technical side ham may be a good option.....but again what are your friends willing to do?

I already have a Garmin InReach for those "oh crap" moments but I want something for comms when there is no other option. I don't mind getting my HAM license, but I am not so sure about the others lol. I like having options so the dual band APRS sounds like the best of all worlds ?!

 

[DaveInDenver]

The dual band APRS radios would cover all analog uses 99% of us would ever need for mobile amateur radio.

If I was suggesting I'd go with the Kenwood TM-D710 unless Yaesu's digital mode Fusion interests you. If you don't know what digital radio is or aren't interested in the amateur radio hobby it's pretty unlikely you'll be interest in Fusion. I do digital radio and FWIW I run a DMR radio, not Fusion. Other digital modes are D-STAR, P25 and NXDN. All of them have users, some more than others.

Those radios do not transmit on GMRS or FRS if your group goes that way instead of amateur radio. You could monitor them but they won't transmit beyond our amateur radio authority.

 

[ClovisMan]

I have the Yaesu FTM-400DR and use APRS to track my movements on APRSIS32 running on the tablet. In fact, if I go missing, anyone can log on and see my track...

 

[crazysccrmd]

I have the Yaesu FTM-400DR and use APRS to track my movements on APRSIS32 running on the tablet. In fact, if I go missing, anyone can log on and see my track...

With the caveat that you must be within range of an i-gate for anyone off the radio based network to see your position reports.

 

[DaveInDenver]

With the caveat that you must be within range of an i-gate for anyone off the radio based network to see your position reports.

And vice versa everyone within RF range can track each other without worrying about repeater, satellite or Internet coverage. APRS has come to be thought of as just APRS-IS beaconing in the vein of a Spot or InReach tracker but it's way more than that.

But that said, I've gotten packets through Igates in some really remote places. This track went literally 50 miles from anywhere and was still hitting a digipeater that itself was even further remotely placed by a ham on his property.

 

[prerunner1982]

Followed a guy going from SE TX to AK using his APRS. Some spots of no coverage but overall not too bad, at least in the lower 48.

 

[crazysccrmd]

A portion of my trip south earlier this year shows pretty much the same gaps in i-gate coverage. I also have my truck setup to digipeat to potentially extend range for other users when I’m out.

 

[portabill]

Come on and go down the rabbit hole!

There is a good YouTube channel W4EEY that has posted classes they teach and provides PDFs to help you study. Here is a link to the Technician playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_9BZQ8gpzjSuF-nExJHAXhzrf_NnYfH

If you have a license, you have more options.

 

[camp4x4]

I'm a super strong believer that GMRS should be the next CB. The barrier to entry is low - pay $70 for 10 years - so pretty much everyone in a group should be willing to get a license. And even the $150 15W mobile from Midland should have ample range for strung out convoys.

While access to repeaters is incredibly limited (because there's so few actively maintained ones) I think GMRS + InReach or Spot devices is a terrific combo for inter-group comms and SHTF insurance comms.

That said, I'm a ham as well and I encourage anyone who, individually, wants to get the expanded frequencies and features of ham radios to go for it and encourage all your friends to get involved as well. It doesn't have to turn into a hobby unto itself; it just sometimes takes a little extra bit of tech-savvy or at least Googlefu to be able to do what you want. While, as was already said, GMRS is basically plug and play.

EDIT: this is the $150 GMRS mobile I'm talking about: https://midlandusa.com/product/mxt275-micromobile-two-way-radio/