Page 1 2
Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
Lighten up and laugh |
Sorry for the new thread. I felt bad drifting the one that opened a few months ago. Could anyone suggest a good handheld? I own a few Baofeng radios but hoped to get something better, and some of the models suggested in the other thread are hard to find. It's been a while since I got my General, and I'd like to have something for emergencies to communicate with family members. | ||
|
| Member |
Yaesu FT5DR or the previous generation FT3DR. If you don’t have access to a repeater and need comms for the family you could consider a Wouxon GMRS handheld for a lot less. BetterSafeRadio has several new 5W handheld GMRS radios. Whether ham or GMRS your going to be line of sight comms anyway. | |||
|
Member |
I have a WOUXUN KG—UV9G that should be fine for your purpose. Got it from bettersaferadio.com. Like Jimimeer said, all you need is GMRS. ——————————————— The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1 | |||
|
| A teetotaling beer aficionado  |
second the Yaesu FT3 or the newer FT5. Get's you digital mode with all the goodies. Pricy but they do hold value. Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves. -D.H. Lawrence | |||
|
| drop and give me 20 pushups |
You stated the radio to be used for communications with family members possibly during some type of emergency situations. Well unless the family members are individually licesend ham operators then forget it because that could be opening a legal can of worms for all persons involved... Possibly the GMRS route would be better with one parent licesened then the entire immedate family members would be covered... That is if you have a local GMRS repeater that you have access to that could be possibility as long as the repeater survives the emergency... Also possible simplex(radio direct to radio but with drastic range coverage limitations. And the FRS radios that you can find in local retailers (such as Walmart/etc) with advertized exagerated talking distance range.. .... Just remember that when emergencies strike that usually any and all preperations go out the window because of systems failures that people think that they will be able to depend on. ................... KL7JIU / drill sgt. | |||
|
Better Than I Deserve! |
I would recommend against the FTD3 as it is known to have weak audio. The FTD5 is improved but I wouldn't spend that much money on the FTD5 again. I have a FTD5 and very rarely grab it when grabbing an HT. I much prefer my Wouxun KG-UV9PX for less than half the price. I use my FT-70R more than the FTD5. The FTD5 has way more than I need in a HT, I have all that stuff in my base and mobile radios I don't need it in my HT. I'd also say, if you get a KG-UV9PX from bettersaferadio.com you can unlock it so you have access to the Ham frequencies and also the GMRS frequencies (for emergency use only). In my opinion, don't spend $450 for a FTD5 as the battery doesn't last that long, doesn't seem robust with the touch screen, and isn't intuitive if you're not familiar with Yaesu radios. Wouxun KG-UV9PX ____________________________ NRA Benefactor Life Member GOA Life Member Arizona Citizens Defense League Life Member | |||
|
Member |
The Yaesu FT-60r is a very solid dual-band radio which is a bargain. It provides reliable communications on simplex and repeaters alike. | |||
|
| Member |
Ailunce HD 1. Does analog and digital. Motorola knock off. Easy to program. | |||
|
Member |
Icom makes high quality handhelds. So does Yaesu. The key for me is how easy it is to operate. Having sold my FT3DR, and purchasing two Icom HT here, I thought the simpler Icom would be just fine. They are not, for me. I miss the touchscreen and the menus of the FT3DR. I also miss the digital C4FM commmunication mode. So, I am in the market again, for a FT5DR. Pricey, and I kick myself for missing a big sale in the summer. For HT use, don’t forget the “system” expense. Extra battery. Charging cradle. Real antenna. Handheld microphone / speaker. Belt clip. Protective case. It all adds up. ------- Trying to simplify my life... | |||
|
W07VH5 |
I highly doubt the FCC is going to crack down on a family in an emergency situation. I'd also bet it's never happened. However, GMRS and a repeater would be just as good. Btech GMRS Pro is pretty cool. | |||
|
| Member |
Two KG-1000G radios can be connected to make a GMRS repeater. If there isn’t a repeater in your area, you could be the first. “Notarubicon” on YouTube seems to be the GMRS goto guy on YouTube. | |||
|
| Staring back from the abyss  |
I have an older Yaesu VX8DR (that I believe has been discontinued). While Yaesu make quality radio equipment, you mostly need a degree in EE and a manual to figure out how to use most of the functions. They are complicated little machines. ________________________________________________________ "Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil." Doug Patton. | |||
|
I Deal In Lead |
I've been an Icom fan forever. Never did particularly like Yaesu. | |||
|
His Royal Hiney |
If it's an actual emergency, then anyone can get on a ham frequency. Right? On the other hand, I, too, would be interested in a handheld that can do amateur radio and GMRS. I have the Amateur radio license, I just need to put in for the GMRS. "It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946. | |||
|
Member |
I already have a FT5DR, but I really like that Wouxun. I think I'll have to pick one of those up. "The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people." "Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy." "I did," said Ford, "it is." "So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?" "It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want." "You mean they actually vote for the lizards." "Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course." "But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?" "Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in." | |||
|
| Lighten up and laugh |
Thankfully, we all have a license. I'd be open to buying a GMRS in addition to one of the other suggestions. | |||
|
| I Deal In Lead |
Since you all are licensed I wouldn't even consider GMRS if I were you. | |||
|
| Member |
Icom | |||
|
| Member |
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...310073494#7310073494 ------- Trying to simplify my life... | |||
|
| Better Than I Deserve! |
The FT-60R is a great little radio, it's only downfall is its older battery technology which doesn't last long. This radio came out in 2004 so it's not the newest but it has stuck around since its such a good little radio. ____________________________ NRA Benefactor Life Member GOA Life Member Arizona Citizens Defense League Life Member | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata | Page 1 2 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
© SIGforum 2024