Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have been trying to find some way to communicate with family 20 miles away for over a year. I have learned so much from your channel and website over the past year! This video was great info!
Thank you for doing this review! One of the concerns I had was if something happened I would be home alone unable to communicate with my husband who works 35 miles away in the city of Boston! I didn't think CB radios would be strong enough and I miss radio shack for guidance LOL! I've heard of the name Midland and I knew it was a good product we will be looking into one for the house and one in the vehicle. And we would need to look into the larger antennas. Thank you again for doing this review my electrician was looking into some way to help us. We're older and don't understand the technology
@@TheProvidentPrepper lol!!! Ok. Did the elders get their video to you? I think it needs serious editing. They did SOME, but got busy and couldn't finish. I'm kinda thinking it sounded like a TV awards show speech at the end...lol
Barbara, ask around I’ll bet a bunch of family members already have walkie-talkies (FRS), so think of a GMRS radio as being able to talk to them, AND call farther out if they aren’t near by. It starts by asking your other family members if they know about it.
@@TheProvidentPrepper the video was sent to your Gmail account that we have corresponded on in the past. My daughter keeps getting the video when they try sending it to you. Not sure what's going on. Heavy sigh.
The MicroMobiles always were narrowband and worked well with the handhelds. It was wideband that they added so they were more compatible with other brands of GMRS radios.
I love Midland that's for sure they Rock I cannot say that enough I had them when I was a little kid and they Rock great job Midland great job I hope these comments get passed on to Midland God bless and by the way for you guys for making this video God bless you guys cuz it's actually brings back good and wonderful memories thank you
As you mentioned, "privacy codes" are not private. What it does is prevent you from hearing them, but if you both transmit at the same time, then you will "double" and neither station may be heard although on FM the stronger station generally overrides the weaker station. There are two types: CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) and DCS (Digitally Coded Squelch). CTCSS was invented by Motorola back in the 1950's which they called PL (Private Line). DCS is a more recent, but similar type of squelch system. FRS and GMRS radios can usually use either one. Something to be aware of is that many Midland transceivers do not have the ability to use different tones whether on receive or transmit on many of their radios. If you use a given tone, it has to be the same on TX and RX. The MXT500 is one of the first that thankfully does have the split tone feature. I have a number of Midland transceivers and they are often useless on repeaters. GMRS repeater owners tend to not be as open as amateur (ham) radio repeaters which normally use the same tones on both RX and TX. With GMRS, you may even need to use a CTCSS tone on transmit and a DCS tone on RX or vice versa.
When using privacy codes (which should be called "do not disturb codes") one should use the "Monitor" feature before transmitting to make sure no one else is already on the channel before transmitting. Most people I know don't do this, but they should.
I’m trying to set up a GMRS system for my family and friends. My base station radio is only 20 watts . I live in southeast Ohio . Lots of hills and trees. Summer time it’s hard to get very far . So in the middle of a base station upgrade. I’m going to totally redo the base station. 1 , I’m going to get a better power supply. 2 ) I’m changing my Coax from RG-8x to LMR 400. 3)a new 50 watt radio. To reach my brother Im going have to put up a simplex repeater. I have also a 20 watt mini mobile GMRS radio that im going to make a portable radio. That way it can be used in the field and on the move. In conjunction with hand held radios and the base radio at longer distances. I’m hoping that I can cover a 10-15 mile radius from my base radio.
we have the same setup. the house in the middle can get a $450 Repeater and double or quad the strength. and a higher antenna works great too.. we love ours. keep up the great info
Another BIG benefit to GMRS is you can conduct business on it legally. You are a maintenance man, you can talk to others on your work site about maintenance issues. You are a security guard, you can talk to other guards at work about work. Plenty more examples. Not so with HAM. Strictly a hobby, no personal work issues allowed. Classic CB radio is great BUT with GMRS you get more power and the use of repeaters legally....just like business band and HAM radio. The UHF gives a solid FM signal.
Hey Brad...great point on the business stuff...totally forbidden with amateur radio. I still plan to use HAM, but I have fallen in love with GMRS, especially since some of my family don't have an interest in getting a HAM license. Thanks for being part of the solution!
@@donalderickson-si8ww You get a MIdland 40 watt mobile hooked up at your house with a humble omni directional antenna on your roof. I'll bet you would be surprised at what range a good unit can do on just simplex. If not, because of building interference, just get a repeater. Retevis sells them for about $400. In my city, the GMRS repeaters here can knock out 30 miles on each side of the repeater.....and the only test I take is if I am smart enough to figure it out 😃
You talk a few times about a EMP...its important to understand that if you don't protect your equipment then the EMP will destroy your radios making them useless. A farad cage is good for the handheld units but as for the base station, your not going to want to have to tear it down and store it away then pull it out and set it back up every time you need to use it. I would suggest looking into EMP shield they make a number of products that have been tested and shown to work (do your research like I did). I have an off grid solar setup and EMP shield protects my inverters, batteries and house breaker panel. I'm in the process of building a GMRS repeater at home and EMP shield has a device to protect home base setups. There super easy to install and give you that piece of mind since you never know if and when and EMP or solar flair from the sun may happen. AS for the Midland radios up to this point I havent been a huge fan of there products but after watching your video some faith has been restored and Im going to research there radios and look into giving them a try. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Hey Rich...thanks for your comments. Yes, EMP protection is critical. For now, we are disconnecting he the antenna and putting the power supply and radio in a faraday cage...takes only about a minute. But we only talk to each other by radio every week or two. I have worked some with EMP Shield and will probably make the jump on that, and will likely make an educational video. I have the EMP Shield on my Inergy power station. Keep doing great things!
@@JonathanBJones Jonathan...thanks for the reply. I was just making an observation to your video. Sharing information in key so thank you for your time in doing what you do.
Hey Keith...we are using the MXT500 radios that push 50 watts. We upgraded to the 6 db omnidirectional antennas, and are getting some yagi beam antennas (10.2 db) that we can also use for talking to each other since we are in a straight line with each other ((35+ miles apart). We also use the GXT handhelds for local comms. Communication is so important in a crisis...let us know if we can help your progress.
In a grid-down emergency, you'll be busy for Months! Keep them all nice, original boxes, just in case... then keep using your current obviously-working setup. The kids will love the walkie talkies. In town, they sound out for about as far as a barking dog.
Guys, thank you for the video and information. But where is the cheat sheet? I don’t see it anywhere in the links. I don’t see anything. It says cheat sheet. Thank you.
You should be able to get out much farther than you think with 50 watts. Line of sight and elevation are key. I talk on repeaters over a 100 miles away on 5 watts. With that being said I'm also at 800 ft in elevation with a Diamond x300 antenna. Which is a vertical omnidirectional antenna.
Thanks for your comments. Good point...50 watts is a bunch of power. I have struggled to get very far using my 5 watt radios because of line of sight issues. I thought that even with 50 watts, it may be tough because of the ridge between me and my boys. I may look into setting up a repeater and being able to use lower power to still get the job done...so long as the repeater stays functional. I also want to get a 10 meter rig to visit with other family hams. Still learning. Thanks for being part of the solution! KB7ARK
@@JonathanBJones it's all trial and error. The higher the antenna the better off you'll be. 5 watts can get way out but it has to have a decent antenna in order to do so. There are many different affordable options. I use a Icom Id-5100 for my base station. Running LMR 400 coax to the antenna I mentioned before. Very rarely will I use full power (50 watts). Unless I'm transmitting on simplex. Good luck my friend 73.
They hear YOU at five watts. You hear THEM on 50 watts, probably more. Arguably, hit 'em with less than two watts and you're license free on GMRS. I bet you can do it, too. The receive capabilities of some repeaters can be very impressive. A really good repeater goes for about ten thousand dollars. The antenna site must be leased and maintained. Private Clubs and various benefactors support their operation. In a real emergency, don't count on them being available. And in a grid-down situation, a back yard repeater implies "Got Shit. Come and get it!" Kinda funny, when you think about the false sense of security these radios give some people. Can I stash my electronics in a chicken coop?. Chickens in a Faraday cage?
@HarryHamsterChannel we can talk all day on 5 watts because of the the elevation. The repeater that I am transmitting on is at 2,200 ft in elevation and I'm at 800 ft. So on VHF that's not a problem at all. If you have a good antenna at a good elevation I've seen people talk much farther away then that. It's amazing how far you can talk with a good antenna. Mind you these are also Ham repeaters as well. They also have 440 repeaters up there that have a very large foot print as well
The cost of the GMRS license is $35. Also for GMRS, you want to be in wide band, not narrow as narrow band cuts the volume in half. It's like talking far from the microphone and makes it harder to hear.
@@djsoundzentertainment42 The reason a narrow-band transmission sounds quieter on a wide-band receiver is because the modulation only takes place across a portion of the bandwidth. A narrow-band signal received on a narrow-band receiver takes up the full bandwidth. Picture it this way: it's like talking through a small doorway. If the small doorway leads into a big room, you'll sound quieter than if the small doorway leads into a small room.
@@seikibrian8641 I know all about wide band and narrow band. My public safety radios switched to narrow band back in 2013. I have been in communications since 1993 and am a communications specialist for my search and rescue organization, an amateur radio operator, and a GMRS operator and repeater owner. GMRS uses wide band and that is what we use.
All I have to say is Midland you rock and I have Midland walkie talkies back in the day when I was a little kid and they rocked let me tell you that much they Rock if you can if you can share these comments with Midland I know that I know that I love it because I had Midland Radio there's a little kid and let me say it again they Rock
One of the best things about GMRS, and what makes it well worth the license fee, is that you can operate through repeaters. You can even set up your own repeater at relatively low cost. If you put that repeater on the top of a hill, you'll be able to talk easily from one side of the hill to the other.
A really good repeater goes for about ten thousand dollars. The antenna site must be leased and maintained. Private Clubs and organizations support their operation. In a real emergency, don't count on them being available.
@@HarryHamsterChannel I set up my own repeater for less than $500. With a solar array for power, I can move it anywhere I want as needed. Although it doesn't have the range of big tower repeaters, it works well for getting over hills in my area.
@@HarryHamsterChannel For those who don't want to cobble together a repeater using two mobile radios as I did, you can buy a prebuilt, preprogrammed repeater like the Midland MXR10 GMRS Repeater with built-in duplexer, a power supply, and an antenna and coax cable all for less than $1,000.
There are repeaters, and there are REPEATERS. Two Baofengs and a rubber band are just that... Not really a repeater. You think they threw that thing up on your local mountain for 500 dollars? You just wanna argue. Like YOU would keep a real repeater operating in an emergency. Sure... sure. Having a Retevis in your basement doesn't help anybody.@@seikibrian8641
The Midland Mobile gmrs radio is fine but if you want good gmrs walkie talkies you need to get a baofeng or a wouxun and you will double the range of those Midland walkie talkies
We use FRS radios for the safety & emergency preparedness committee in our condo complex and neighboring streets around us here in the SF Bay Area to talk & report back to an incident command center set up during an emergency. This radio was chosen because people already had them, and after testing radios around the whole property including parking garages. Our neighborhood drills quarterly at 10:30am on the first Wednesday of the month during designated months so that everyone can practice talking & listening on their radio in an organized fashion using a “net control” structure so people learn to NOT talk over each other. Someone is available from S&EPC to help anyone who needs help figuring out their radio (privacy code set to some number besides zero or off is the most frequent problem). Everyone is invited to join the drill so they know in an emergency what channel to tune into. Once a year we do a fire evacuation with the fire department, and a couple years pre-pandemic we started sending out one radio with each pair of volunteers to help residents know which direction to exit, or wait for a fireman to take limited mobility folks down an elevator. Radios really helped our committee be much more efficient & safe due improved communications (FD has their own radio frequency). . S&EP contacts the CERT team for our broader neighborhood using GMRS to communicate with other teams in the West end of our huge county & EOC operated by the FD at city hall during an emergency. We also use 2m and 70cm Ham Radio bands. We use both Ham & GMRS in simplex (radio to radio) mode and via repeater, and we can use repeaters to on both kinds of radio to talk to the county. If city hall doesn’t hear us, the team across town & up a hill usually does & relays our messages. All the CERT groups in West County join together for a regular drill at 11am on the 1st Wednesday of each month after the county tests the “CWS shelter in place sirens in every neighborhood “. . I can’t emphasize how important it is to practice regularly on whatever kind of radios you have so everyone knows how to use it. Hey, thanks for the timely video. Looking forward to future updates as you use them more over your 40 mile area.
@@TheProvidentPrepper Ha ha! No, just a LOL (Little Old Lady) in training who quickly figured out the older I get the less likely I’ll be able to lift a wall that collapses on someone in an earthquake, so better stick to EmComms. 😵
I would be surprised if he could communicate 32 miles with a 600 foot hill in between on 50 watts without a tower.I have my ham licence and with my 50 watt vhf uhf radios ( Icom5100 can be modded to do gmrs if you are involved with the emergency communications groups for state/ federal emergency response) 32 miles may be possible contacting the clubs repeater which is located on the county water tower. Privacy codes are nothing new or special. If you don't want to study for your ham licence and get really involved with radio then this may be a reasonable choice. I still have my Cobra hand held radios from 18 years ago that do GMRS FMS. We used them to keep in touch during our cross country road trip moving from San Diego to NC.
Thanks,you gentlemen did a wonderful job on explaining all the details for a new england. I have my GMRS and my Amature license. My son just got his GMRS yesterday, I'll have him watch your video. Thanks Guy's
@@LovinPeaceVibe very easy, I used the Gordon West Technician book and went online for the question pool..I did it for a month and passed with 100% correct.not a difficult test at all.
to answer your last question, What is your families communication plan? I gave a presentation called, "GMRS Communications in the Ham World", which can be found on the "Salt Lake County ARES" TH-cam page. In this presentation I describe what GMRS is, how it compares to Ham radio, and how I implement it with my family. You might be interested as well. There's lots of good stuff in that presentation.
Good review but The GMRS activity with locals here is Zero like many areas in the USA. There are no repeaters " had hoped to have city wide repeater group talk and such. But waited, waited no community repeaters were ever put up after last 2 years. It all depends if Gmrs worth it . But Midland CB radios are more reliable unlike dead on the air Gmrs or frs many talk $39-$89 a Mobil. Best Midland Gmrs is basically a locked up radio it should cost $119 or less. Get a TYY 9000d uhf which is flexible in PC programing with low legal & high power output RF . Also with Midland mobils you cannot build a Gmrs repeater out of two of the Midland radios cause they don't receive the 467.mhz input Midland needs work on MURS 5 watt output mobile nothing they make should be over $80 Max per Mobil. There is no privacy you only got on a few channels . You would be pummeling another station with others RF carriers that will block your incoming signal putting PL tones on recieve ain't helping block other people besides using Gmrs to conversate with everyone is the idea. You can apply for a freq out all these services range from fcc for your private use & program your Motorola's , Kenwood up on 461 mhz . Private even digital.
Owning a Midland is as much fun as shoving a blow fly up your nose had them all my life have never been disappointed I keep my hand held radios in ammo cans when not in use for protection with the batterys removed so there is no chance of damage from leaking
Your radios have computer chips in them and will be destroyed in an EMP as well. Not sure why you're telling everybody that they will work after an EMP.
@@TheProvidentPrepper One thing in the prepper community is a saying "two is one, and one is None". Maybe in your next videos is emphasizing this concept (if you have not already). It's great to have a radio, water filter, etc, but if that one item fails, then your up the creek. Thank you for responding to this comment. I must have missed the Faraday cage comment, otherwise I would have just suggested the 2 is 1 concept. 👍🏻
@@TheProvidentPrepper I would hope you put a small 12v battery, like those used for motorbikes, into that faraday cage storage. Otherwise, when you need that mobile style transceiver in a pinch, it will only be a silly paper weight.
Their walkie-talkies are NOT repeater capable and the rechargeable battery is a total joke. This puts them into the category of throw away kiddie-talkies. Midland has been told a thousand times to get more serious and make a decent walkie-talkie but thus far they have staunchly refused. I don't know why they are so hellbent on provoking their potential customers, but they are.
You guys make it sound the Midland was the company that invented the "Privacy Codes", and that only Midland radios have these. "Privacy Codes" are nothing more than "PL" codes, or Private Line codes (which is a Motorola trademarked thing). In the ham world, the Privacy Codes are called "PL" or CTCSS codes. THEY ARE SIMPLY SUB-AUDIBLE TONES OR DIGITAL CODES THAT PREVENT THE SQUELCH TO OPEN THE RADIO UP. THESE PRIVACY CODES ARE IMPLEMENTED ON EVERY TWO-WAY RADIO IN THE HAM WORLD, GMRS WORLD, FRS WORLD, MURS WORLD, AND OTHERS. They are not a Midland only type of technology!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do some research people.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have been trying to find some way to communicate with family 20 miles away for over a year. I have learned so much from your channel and website over the past year! This video was great info!
I have Midland handheld CB radio, my family grew up with this brand because we had a variety of CB radio models both home and auto versions
Thanks for all of your hard work on this Provident Prepper Guys!
For GMRS you need a license from the FCC which becomes your call sign.😊
Thank you I’m getting this for my son and me who’s about 5 miles away and on for my utv
Thank you for doing this review! One of the concerns I had was if something happened I would be home alone unable to communicate with my husband who works 35 miles away in the city of Boston! I didn't think CB radios would be strong enough and I miss radio shack for guidance LOL! I've heard of the name Midland and I knew it was a good product we will be looking into one for the house and one in the vehicle. And we would need to look into the larger antennas. Thank you again for doing this review my electrician was looking into some way to help us. We're older and don't understand the technology
This is so over my head, but I sure would like this set up to communicate with a portion of my family.
@@TheProvidentPrepper lol!!! Ok. Did the elders get their video to you? I think it needs serious editing. They did SOME, but got busy and couldn't finish. I'm kinda thinking it sounded like a TV awards show speech at the end...lol
Barbara, ask around I’ll bet a bunch of family members already have walkie-talkies (FRS), so think of a GMRS radio as being able to talk to them, AND call farther out if they aren’t near by. It starts by asking your other family members if they know about it.
@@TheProvidentPrepper we sent it to the kylene email address
@@TheProvidentPrepper wth? Why would anyone send not nice things to you? You're my hero.
@@TheProvidentPrepper the video was sent to your Gmail account that we have corresponded on in the past. My daughter keeps getting the video when they try sending it to you. Not sure what's going on. Heavy sigh.
You may have just provided the solution to my communication problems!
The MicroMobiles always were narrowband and worked well with the handhelds. It was wideband that they added so they were more compatible with other brands of GMRS radios.
I love Midland that's for sure they Rock I cannot say that enough I had them when I was a little kid and they Rock great job Midland great job I hope these comments get passed on to Midland God bless and by the way for you guys for making this video God bless you guys cuz it's actually brings back good and wonderful memories thank you
As you mentioned, "privacy codes" are not private. What it does is prevent you from hearing them, but if you both transmit at the same time, then you will "double" and neither station may be heard although on FM the stronger station generally overrides the weaker station.
There are two types: CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) and DCS (Digitally Coded Squelch). CTCSS was invented by Motorola back in the 1950's which they called PL (Private Line). DCS is a more recent, but similar type of squelch system. FRS and GMRS radios can usually use either one.
Something to be aware of is that many Midland transceivers do not have the ability to use different tones whether on receive or transmit on many of their radios. If you use a given tone, it has to be the same on TX and RX. The MXT500 is one of the first that thankfully does have the split tone feature. I have a number of Midland transceivers and they are often useless on repeaters. GMRS repeater owners tend to not be as open as amateur (ham) radio repeaters which normally use the same tones on both RX and TX. With GMRS, you may even need to use a CTCSS tone on transmit and a DCS tone on RX or vice versa.
When using privacy codes (which should be called "do not disturb codes") one should use the "Monitor" feature before transmitting to make sure no one else is already on the channel before transmitting. Most people I know don't do this, but they should.
it really means you are talking on channel with a code I do not have I can hear you but the
code does not let me in KNOW YOU KNOW ALL THE STORIE
I’m trying to set up a GMRS system for my family and friends. My base station radio is only 20 watts . I live in southeast Ohio . Lots of hills and trees. Summer time it’s hard to get very far . So in the middle of a base station upgrade. I’m going to totally redo the base station. 1 , I’m going to get a better power supply. 2 ) I’m changing my Coax from RG-8x to LMR 400. 3)a new 50 watt radio. To reach my brother Im going have to put up a simplex repeater.
I have also a 20 watt mini mobile GMRS radio that im going to make a portable radio. That way it can be used in the field and on the move. In conjunction with hand held radios and the base radio at longer distances. I’m hoping that I can cover a 10-15 mile radius from my base radio.
Well done...sounds like you are getting this fine-tuned (literally and figuratively). Communication is so important...keep making it happen!
during a crisis people go to use there smart phone don't always work. always have a back up communication radio plan
we have the same setup. the house in the middle can get a $450 Repeater and double or quad the strength. and a higher antenna works great too.. we love ours. keep up the great info
Awesome video guys !!
Very, very informative.
I’m buying the 50 Watt radio asap.
I have their walkie-talkies and they are great !
DON'T for get the license with no test becouse I have one
This video is so helpful. Radios are now going to be my next prep purchase. Thanks for the info!
A tip for mounting these radios in your house: The Alpha-Delta surge protector with Arc-Plug to protect your investment from lighting strikes.
🇺🇸 Faraway Prepper just made an amazing video. A MUST watch for all Americans
Twins. Thats a lot of work for a parent. Good job guys.
@@TheProvidentPrepper Wow, much respect. That does sound like an amazing family. God bless you all and keep up the great work on your vids.
Another BIG benefit to GMRS is you can conduct business on it legally. You are a maintenance man, you can talk to others on your work site about maintenance issues. You are a security guard, you can talk to other guards at work about work. Plenty more examples. Not so with HAM. Strictly a hobby, no personal work issues allowed.
Classic CB radio is great BUT with GMRS you get more power and the use of repeaters legally....just like business band and HAM radio. The UHF gives a solid FM signal.
Hey Brad...great point on the business stuff...totally forbidden with amateur radio. I still plan to use HAM, but I have fallen in love with GMRS, especially since some of my family don't have an interest in getting a HAM license. Thanks for being part of the solution!
in the ham world there is a test for thG M R S world there is not test psn are your work 20
miles apart becouse the tower has a 20 miles range.
@@donalderickson-si8ww You get a MIdland 40 watt mobile hooked up at your house with a humble omni directional antenna on your roof. I'll bet you would be surprised at what range a good unit can do on just simplex. If not,
because of building interference, just get a repeater. Retevis sells them for about $400. In my city, the GMRS repeaters here can knock out 30 miles on each side of the repeater.....and the only test I take is if I am smart enough to figure it out 😃
Midland must be paying you a lot of money to promote their stuff!
Love it. I'll never be able to look at a bluebird the same after this video, thanks, lol
This was fabulous, thank you!
You talk a few times about a EMP...its important to understand that if you don't protect your equipment then the EMP will destroy your radios making them useless. A farad cage is good for the handheld units but as for the base station, your not going to want to have to tear it down and store it away then pull it out and set it back up every time you need to use it. I would suggest looking into EMP shield they make a number of products that have been tested and shown to work (do your research like I did).
I have an off grid solar setup and EMP shield protects my inverters, batteries and house breaker panel. I'm in the process of building a GMRS repeater at home and EMP shield has a device to protect home base setups. There super easy to install and give you that piece of mind since you never know if and when and EMP or solar flair from the sun may happen.
AS for the Midland radios up to this point I havent been a huge fan of there products but after watching your video some faith has been restored and Im going to research there radios and look into giving them a try. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Hey Rich...thanks for your comments. Yes, EMP protection is critical. For now, we are disconnecting he the antenna and putting the power supply and radio in a faraday cage...takes only about a minute. But we only talk to each other by radio every week or two. I have worked some with EMP Shield and will probably make the jump on that, and will likely make an educational video. I have the EMP Shield on my Inergy power station. Keep doing great things!
@@JonathanBJones Jonathan...thanks for the reply. I was just making an observation to your video.
Sharing information in key so thank you for your time in doing what you do.
This good information! Thank you and God Bless You!
Grat video as always. Great info too.
Could you please supply a list of all the items you talked about?
Hey Keith...we are using the MXT500 radios that push 50 watts. We upgraded to the 6 db omnidirectional antennas, and are getting some yagi beam antennas (10.2 db) that we can also use for talking to each other since we are in a straight line with each other ((35+ miles apart). We also use the GXT handhelds for local comms. Communication is so important in a crisis...let us know if we can help your progress.
@@JonathanBJones Thanks for the information, it helps...
@@JonathanBJones Thank you!
In a grid-down emergency, you'll be busy for Months! Keep them all nice, original boxes, just in case... then keep using your current obviously-working setup.
The kids will love the walkie talkies. In town, they sound out for about as far as a barking dog.
Wondering if the exam fee varies for every state and how difficult is the exam?
Guys, thank you for the video and information. But where is the cheat sheet? I don’t see it anywhere in the links. I don’t see anything. It says cheat sheet. Thank you.
Location is everything
As in real estate and radio...location...location...location. Great point!
You are doing 30 miles simplex, with a hill between you, without repeaters? I operate a Wouxun kg-1000g 50 watt GMRS radio.
You should be able to get out much farther than you think with 50 watts.
Line of sight and elevation are key.
I talk on repeaters over a 100 miles away on 5 watts.
With that being said I'm also at 800 ft in elevation with a Diamond x300 antenna. Which is a vertical omnidirectional antenna.
Thanks for your comments. Good point...50 watts is a bunch of power. I have struggled to get very far using my 5 watt radios because of line of sight issues. I thought that even with 50 watts, it may be tough because of the ridge between me and my boys. I may look into setting up a repeater and being able to use lower power to still get the job done...so long as the repeater stays functional. I also want to get a 10 meter rig to visit with other family hams. Still learning. Thanks for being part of the solution!
KB7ARK
@@JonathanBJones it's all trial and error. The higher the antenna the better off you'll be. 5 watts can get way out but it has to have a decent antenna in order to do so. There are many different affordable options. I use a Icom Id-5100 for my base station. Running LMR 400 coax to the antenna I mentioned before. Very rarely will I use full power (50 watts). Unless I'm transmitting on simplex. Good luck my friend 73.
They hear YOU at five watts. You hear THEM on 50 watts, probably more.
Arguably, hit 'em with less than two watts and you're license free on GMRS. I bet you can do it, too. The receive capabilities of some repeaters can be very impressive.
A really good repeater goes for about ten thousand dollars. The antenna site must be leased and maintained. Private Clubs and various benefactors support their operation.
In a real emergency, don't count on them being available.
And in a grid-down situation, a back yard repeater implies "Got Shit. Come and get it!"
Kinda funny, when you think about the false sense of security these radios give some people.
Can I stash my electronics in a chicken coop?. Chickens in a Faraday cage?
@HarryHamsterChannel we can talk all day on 5 watts because of the the elevation. The repeater that I am transmitting on is at 2,200 ft in elevation and I'm at 800 ft. So on VHF that's not a problem at all.
If you have a good antenna at a good elevation I've seen people talk much farther away then that. It's amazing how far you can talk with a good antenna. Mind you these are also Ham repeaters as well. They also have 440 repeaters up there that have a very large foot print as well
The cost of the GMRS license is $35. Also for GMRS, you want to be in wide band, not narrow as narrow band cuts the volume in half. It's like talking far from the microphone and makes it harder to hear.
Narrow band cuts the volume on wideband receivers. If all radios are narrow band, the volume is just fine.
@@seikibrian8641 Not in my experience.
@@djsoundzentertainment42 The reason a narrow-band transmission sounds quieter on a wide-band receiver is because the modulation only takes place across a portion of the bandwidth. A narrow-band signal received on a narrow-band receiver takes up the full bandwidth.
Picture it this way: it's like talking through a small doorway. If the small doorway leads into a big room, you'll sound quieter than if the small doorway leads into a small room.
@@seikibrian8641 I know all about wide band and narrow band. My public safety radios switched to narrow band back in 2013. I have been in communications since 1993 and am a communications specialist for my search and rescue organization, an amateur radio operator, and a GMRS operator and repeater owner. GMRS uses wide band and that is what we use.
@@djsoundzentertainment42 "GMRS uses wide band..."
On most of my GMRS equipment, I can select wide band OR narrow band on most channels.
Great video and info, thanks so much. Looks like this could work for us.
Thank you guys...for making learning something new fun too. Take care, God bless
Great information, thanks!
All I have to say is Midland you rock and I have Midland walkie talkies back in the day when I was a little kid and they rocked let me tell you that much they Rock if you can if you can share these comments with Midland I know that I know that I love it because I had Midland Radio there's a little kid and let me say it again they Rock
73 to you all!
One of the best things about GMRS, and what makes it well worth the license fee, is that you can operate through repeaters. You can even set up your own repeater at relatively low cost. If you put that repeater on the top of a hill, you'll be able to talk easily from one side of the hill to the other.
A really good repeater goes for about ten thousand dollars. The antenna site must be leased and maintained. Private Clubs and organizations support their operation.
In a real emergency, don't count on them being available.
@@HarryHamsterChannel I set up my own repeater for less than $500. With a solar array for power, I can move it anywhere I want as needed. Although it doesn't have the range of big tower repeaters, it works well for getting over hills in my area.
@@HarryHamsterChannel For those who don't want to cobble together a repeater using two mobile radios as I did, you can buy a prebuilt, preprogrammed repeater like the Midland MXR10 GMRS Repeater with built-in duplexer, a power supply, and an antenna and coax cable all for less than $1,000.
There are repeaters, and there are REPEATERS. Two Baofengs and a rubber band are just that... Not really a repeater. You think they threw that thing up on your local mountain for 500 dollars?
You just wanna argue. Like YOU would keep a real repeater operating in an emergency. Sure... sure.
Having a Retevis in your basement doesn't help anybody.@@seikibrian8641
The Midland Mobile gmrs radio is fine but if you want good gmrs walkie talkies you need to get a baofeng or a wouxun and you will double the range of those Midland walkie talkies
Great information thank you
Super helpful, thanks!
will the MXT500 work in a suburban setting - houses roughly 15 miles apart?
Have you tried the repeaters for GMRS?
Make and use a repeater and use channels 15 to 22 (23 to 30).
Things like the jackery could be put in place to give an un enteruptable power supply
You guys could truly benefit from a gmrs repeter and some high gain antennas
We use FRS radios for the safety & emergency preparedness committee in our condo complex and neighboring streets around us here in the SF Bay Area to talk & report back to an incident command center set up during an emergency. This radio was chosen because people already had them, and after testing radios around the whole property including parking garages. Our neighborhood drills quarterly at 10:30am on the first Wednesday of the month during designated months so that everyone can practice talking & listening on their radio in an organized fashion using a “net control” structure so people learn to NOT talk over each other. Someone is available from S&EPC to help anyone who needs help figuring out their radio (privacy code set to some number besides zero or off is the most frequent problem). Everyone is invited to join the drill so they know in an emergency what channel to tune into. Once a year we do a fire evacuation with the fire department, and a couple years pre-pandemic we started sending out one radio with each pair of volunteers to help residents know which direction to exit, or wait for a fireman to take limited mobility folks down an elevator. Radios really helped our committee be much more efficient & safe due improved communications (FD has their own radio frequency).
. S&EP contacts the CERT team for our broader neighborhood using GMRS to communicate with other teams in the West end of our huge county & EOC operated by the FD at city hall during an emergency. We also use 2m and 70cm Ham Radio bands. We use both Ham & GMRS in simplex (radio to radio) mode and via repeater, and we can use repeaters to on both kinds of radio to talk to the county. If city hall doesn’t hear us, the team across town & up a hill usually does & relays our messages. All the CERT groups in West County join together for a regular drill at 11am on the 1st Wednesday of each month after the county tests the “CWS shelter in place sirens in every neighborhood “.
. I can’t emphasize how important it is to practice regularly on whatever kind of radios you have so everyone knows how to use it. Hey, thanks for the timely video. Looking forward to future updates as you use them more over your 40 mile area.
@@TheProvidentPrepper Ha ha! No, just a LOL (Little Old Lady) in training who quickly figured out the older I get the less likely I’ll be able to lift a wall that collapses on someone in an earthquake, so better stick to EmComms. 😵
I would be surprised if he could communicate 32 miles with a 600 foot hill in between on 50 watts without a tower.I have my ham licence and with my 50 watt vhf uhf radios ( Icom5100 can be modded to do gmrs if you are involved with the emergency communications groups for state/ federal emergency response) 32 miles may be possible contacting the clubs repeater which is located on the county water tower. Privacy codes are nothing new or special. If you don't want to study for your ham licence and get really involved with radio then this may be a reasonable choice. I still have my Cobra hand held radios from 18 years ago that do GMRS FMS. We used them to keep in touch during our cross country road trip moving from San Diego to NC.
Privacy codes do not stop other people from hearing you you just can't hear them
Think ya need to get antennas and a ground outside.
16:08 That is not true. People can still hear everything, you just can hear them. Its a filter, not a "privacy" channel.
Thanks,you gentlemen did a wonderful job on explaining all the details for a new england. I have my GMRS and my Amature license. My son just got his GMRS yesterday, I'll have him watch your video. Thanks Guy's
How hard is the test?
@@LovinPeaceVibe very easy, I used the Gordon West Technician book and went online for the question pool..I did it for a month and passed with 100% correct.not a difficult test at all.
@@flpirate4565 thank you. I'm going to give it a try.
Having twins to have a spare son is the ultimate in preparation
LOL!
If someone is in the middle put up a repeater tower and set up a family or local group repeater
Look for repeaters in your area there is a good chance you could talk all over your state and beyond
How do you find local repeaters?
Okay one more time, who is the twin?
Very helpful thx 💯
to answer your last question, What is your families communication plan? I gave a presentation called, "GMRS Communications in the Ham World", which can be found on the "Salt Lake County ARES" TH-cam page. In this presentation I describe what GMRS is, how it compares to Ham radio, and how I implement it with my family. You might be interested as well. There's lots of good stuff in that presentation.
in bad times just flip the switch to 200W.......yup
Good review but The GMRS activity with locals here is Zero like many areas in the USA.
There are no repeaters " had hoped to have city wide repeater
group talk and such.
But waited, waited no community repeaters were ever put up after last 2 years. It all depends if Gmrs worth it .
But Midland CB radios are more reliable unlike dead on the air Gmrs or frs many talk $39-$89 a Mobil.
Best Midland Gmrs is basically
a locked up radio it should cost $119
or less.
Get a TYY 9000d uhf which is flexible in PC programing with low legal
& high power output RF . Also with Midland mobils you cannot build a Gmrs repeater out of two of the Midland radios cause they don't receive the 467.mhz input Midland needs work on MURS 5 watt output mobile nothing they make should be over $80 Max per Mobil.
There is no privacy you only got
on a few channels .
You would be pummeling another station with others RF carriers that will block your incoming signal putting PL tones on recieve ain't helping block other people besides using Gmrs to conversate with everyone is the idea.
You can apply for a freq out all these services range from fcc for your private use & program your Motorola's , Kenwood up on 461 mhz .
Private even digital.
Owning a Midland is as much fun as shoving a blow fly up your nose had them all my life have never been disappointed I keep my hand held radios in ammo cans when not in use for protection with the batterys removed so there is no chance of damage from leaking
never showed it in use classic
❤
Equipment is better when free.
My left nostril is in pain.
Your radios have computer chips in them and will be destroyed in an EMP as well. Not sure why you're telling everybody that they will work after an EMP.
@@TheProvidentPrepper One thing in the prepper community is a saying "two is one, and one is None". Maybe in your next videos is emphasizing this concept (if you have not already). It's great to have a radio, water filter, etc, but if that one item fails, then your up the creek.
Thank you for responding to this comment. I must have missed the Faraday cage comment, otherwise I would have just suggested the 2 is 1 concept. 👍🏻
@@TheProvidentPrepper I would hope you put a small 12v battery, like those used for motorbikes, into that
faraday cage storage. Otherwise, when you need that mobile style transceiver in a pinch, it will only be a silly paper weight.
Their walkie-talkies are NOT repeater capable and the rechargeable battery is a total joke. This puts them into the category of throw away kiddie-talkies. Midland has been told a thousand times to get more serious and make a decent walkie-talkie but thus far they have staunchly refused. I don't know why they are so hellbent on provoking their potential customers, but they are.
You guys make it sound the Midland was the company that invented the "Privacy Codes", and that only Midland radios have these. "Privacy Codes" are nothing more than "PL" codes, or Private Line codes (which is a Motorola trademarked thing). In the ham world, the Privacy Codes are called "PL" or CTCSS codes. THEY ARE SIMPLY SUB-AUDIBLE TONES OR DIGITAL CODES THAT PREVENT THE SQUELCH TO OPEN THE RADIO UP. THESE PRIVACY CODES ARE IMPLEMENTED ON EVERY TWO-WAY RADIO IN THE HAM WORLD, GMRS WORLD, FRS WORLD, MURS WORLD, AND OTHERS. They are not a Midland only type of technology!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do some research people.
$35 fee...not $40
Guys don’t really have any real GMRS knowledge they sound new
Heah onda bayous ifn weez gunna holler at famlee or naybuhs we jus step out onda pier an hollers at em.
(Couldnt resist trollin, sorry)