Reddit reviews BTECH GMRS-V1 GMRS Two-Way Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver (136-174.99mhz (VHF) 400-520.99mhz (UHF))

A few more ideas :

I would suggest having a battery-powered FM radio (and extra batteries if it's battery powered, or get one which charges via USB like the one I linked) to listen to the news and get vital information.

Also (if not too late), order a sawyer mini (best) or lifestraw (not as good). If you don't have access to clean water it can help you stay healthy (beware of chemical contamination which cannot be removed by these).

If you have the money, get a Garmin inReach satellite communicator (requires a (relatively cheap) subscription, down to $15ish a month). You can request SOS (much like 911), and send/receive SMS and e-mails, even without cell coverage. Excellent to keep in touch with relatives and in case of emergency. Can be used year-round when hiking, snow-mobile, skiing, ... Don't tell anyone you have this...

Download the offline map of your area on Google Maps on your phone beforehand. Can be priceless to navigate around and doesn't require internet access. Also get the Maps.Me app and download the map of your area too. Google Maps offline maps will expire and disappear from your phone after 30 days (I believe), Maps.Me maps will not.

If the cell service in your area is out of order, use your phone in airplane mode so that it doesn't continuously and desperately looks for a cell to connect to, which will drain the battery VERY quickly. Also use it on the lowest practical brightness setting to save battery power.

If not too late, get big USB power banks (>=10000mAh such as this one) and fully charge them beforehand. It's good as barter items and it can be nice to recharge your things when you have no access to a generator (on the go, or if you don't want to run the generator to avoid attracting attention). You can also get USB lights (this one for instance) and your powerbank doubles as a flashlight with a very long battery life.

Get a first aid kit, and not just one with bandaids... Get a CAT tourniquet, trauma dressing, Celox (preferred) or QuikClot bandage, triangular bandage, SAM splint, ... and know how to use them. Also get the basic medecines (stomach/diarrhea relief, basic painkillers, anti-allergy, and any prescription medecine if you require any). Remember 911 service may be unavailable for some time and you need to be able to take care of injuries. Tourniquets save lives, everyone should have one readily available.

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I am a radio amateur and in these situations I like to have one or two portable radio for two-way communication but I realize it is not for everybody. Still, a pair of FRS/GMRS radio can be helpful. Please note that GMRS requires a (cheap) license in the USA. I would recommend this model which also allows to be used as a scanner and to program the NOAA weather frequencies (do it beforehand) and some local police/EMS/fire frequencies (if allowed in your juridiction).

Please DO NOT use a radio made for amateur radio use, where you can transmit on any frequency, such as the UV-5R; you may interfere with emergency communications, even if you can't hear them, miles away. Please stick to the FRS/GMRS frequencies. The radio above guarantees safe operation and still allows to be used as a scanner.

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Take pictures of all your important documents (ID, properties, ...) and store them in a waterproof plastic bag. Try to keep at least your passport and driver license with you during the storm...

If you have a sump pump, try to arrange so that it can be battery powered and/or connected to your generator. If using battery power, get a battery charger and/or a generator connection, if the outage lasts and the battery runs down. Sometimes homes are not affected by the main storm but are flooded due to the lack of power around the storm and are still ruined, and that's totally preventable.

Also, beforehand, depending of the situation you might want to BLOCK your main sewage pipe. This way you might avoid sewage backflow into your home. There are normally valves already installed but in case of serious flooding (high backpressure) they sometimes are not up to the task.

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Download a few offline movies on the Netflix app (if you have Netflix). I never lived though a hurricane but I assume after a few days/weeks, you might want some entertainment. You can also download e-books. Bonus if it's survival-related e-books.

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Hope this helps... good luck to those affected


PS: oooo, thank you stranger for the gold, I think I never had one before ! Happy prepping :)

If I understand it correctly, in Canada GMRS does not require a license. You cannot use the F8HP because it is not type-accepted for
GMRS, but Baofeng does make a GMRS type-accepted radio that I believe is legal for use in Canada: the GMRS-V1. You'll need to double check Canadian regulations on GMRS, but that is probably the safer legal option. It's 2W to be compliant with limits on GMRS outputs, but that will still get you pretty good range.

Edit: fines for business caught doing illegal stuff are usually harsher, so I'd make sure you double and triple check Canadian law to make sure you are in the clear for anything you decide on, not just rely on what people tell you.

Baofeng (ok, wait, hear me out) GMRSV1 is part 95 certified and with the nagoya whip antenna, i have hit a repeater (while sitting on my roof) 7 miles away on the high power setting. it is programmable with CHIRP and supports tons of CTCSS tones. Plus its cheap.

In my experience 15 mile line of sight (LOS) communications in remote (low interference) locations is easy and consistent with a cheap chinese 8w radio with stock rubber ducky antenna on both VHF and UHF bands. LOS is the key.

If your trips have you staying in the same area for several days, you could easily setup a repeater (probably crossband) at a basecamp or nearby peak and greatly extend your range.

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Of course licensing is a big question with all these things. With HAM bands every user must be licensed. If that's going to be a barrier, GMRS license has no test and licenses families. The radio options for GMRS are more limited that HAM, but there are many options like Midland and this Baofeng.

Depends on what country you are in and so on.
I have worked professionally in radio for 20 years, I am an RF Engineer and I have government communications contracts in the US.

Assuming you are in the USA, technically the 888 are not legal to use on GMRS but they dd recently pass part 90 certification and new versions should have an FCC ID on them. GMRS is part 95 but may many people have and are using part 90 radios on GMRS because there is a massive shortage in real GMRS radios, The FCC has acknowledged this and seems to not really car much about it as long as the radios are not creating issues in other band like harmonics, etc.

Hams get triggered when people mention baofengs for other use outside of ham bands because they are cheap and originally part 97 ham radios, some hams feel they have been violated by the FCC because the FCC has started granting part 90 and 95 certification on some of these radios. So most of the banter is just hurt feefee's speaking and that typically results in fear porn stories about how the FCC will track you and your kids down and give you all a huge fine for using a non certified radio here and there unscheduled.
I have my ham license and I do not care what people use for a radio, I assume we are all adult enough to be responsible while using a radio, like not talking over someone else, or interfering with service comms like police and fire services. I;m not going to say "He just get your ham license" because I know what its like to have friends and family, some of them may not want a license or they cannot grasp the concept to pass a test, nothing wrong with that not everyone is tech savvy, so you need an easy way out.

GMRS is your best option but you need a license for it, no test, $80 USD and you and your whole family can use it. I reccomend this over a ham license unless you think EVERYONE that will be using a radio can study and pass a ham radio test and remember to follow the ham radio rules..

MURS is 2 watts and you have to use MURS radios but you run a HUGE risk of being on a channel like what Wal-mart uses and if they catch you they can trespass you from their property... They actually think the own MURS channels..

Ok so here is what I suggest, Get a GMRS license, you can goto your local 2-way radio shop (where the police go to have their stuff serviced, not radio shack XD) and ask them to help you apply for a license. they should have no problem with this. Also you can subscribe to the GMRS subreddit.

Now you will need to get some GMRS part 95 radios, Baofeng makes one - https://www.amazon.com/GMRS-V1-Repeater-Scanning-136-174-99mhz-400-520-99mhz/dp/B01LWOLZ8L

This is good because this one will do repeaters where your blister pack cobras and stuff will not. Also this radio will receive VHF and that means it will receive NOAA weather broadcasts.

There are some surplus part 90 radios that have part 95 certification out there but I cannot list them all off, you will have to do that homework on your own.

I would use CB radio for car to car on the road communications and use GMRS HT's for on the ground activity. CB has its perks on the road, you can get traffic reports, speed trap info or just chat with a trucker if you get bored driving XD. CB channel 19 is the main use road channel BTW

You can get your ham license but that is only as powerful as to the fact if you have anyone to contact and you know repeater info for areas you will be travelling in, as mentioned above Would everyone in your family and group be willing, have time and be able to study and pass a ham radio test?

Seriously guys think before you start spewing crap, the OP may have young kids or friends who may or may not be able to understand radio theory well, not everyone is tech savvy in the world, for $80 a GMRS license will allow everyone in your family and group to communicate wit some simple common sense rules..

That's what the FAQ already says, but it fails to acknowledge that there are baofeng radios certified for GMRS, which was my point.

Here's a baofeng on amazon that is Part 95a accepted.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWOLZ8L/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl

I was thinking maybe


BTECH GMRS-V1 GMRS Two-Way Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver (136-174.99mhz (VHF) 400-520.99mhz (UHF)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWOLZ8L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_nvyWDb9E8TN7H

Thoughts?

I havent browsed it much myself, but there is a sub (/r/gmrs) for GMRS stuff. The GMRS certified one is called the GMRS V-1 and is like 55 bucks on amazon with prime shipping. I just recently started getting into the GMRS stuff myself for camping/hunting stuff as I like the range and ease of getting a license vs ham radio. GMRS is just apply and pay the fee vs having to test for ham.

Most likely not - many of the Motorola Talkabout walkie talkie are not capable of operating on repeaters. A repeater works by transmitting on one frequency (usually also transmitting a sub-audible analog or digital tone), and receiving on a different frequency (also using a sub-audible analog or digital tone, and often different than the transmit tone). This is known as "duplex" mode (or really, half-duplex because you cannot listen and talk at the same time like a telephone). With the exception of one or two models, I believe the Motorola Talkabout radios are for simplex use only. This radio is an example of a radio that is capable of operating on GMRS repeaters, using split tones (different transmit and receive tones), including the AZ GMRS Repeater Club's White Tanks repeater.

https://www.amazon.com/GMRS-V1-Repeater-Scanning-136-174-99mhz-400-520-99mhz/dp/B01LWOLZ8L ?

Best bet on a GMRS portable right now is this, imho. Otherwise, "Walmart bubble-pack" radios work well too.

But ya GOTTA BUY THE LICENSE.

BTECH GMRS-V1 GMRS Two-Way Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver (136-174.99mhz (VHF) 400-520.99mhz (UHF)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWOLZ8L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_H7TpDb2GF0WRX