My actual Amazon Storefront is HERE! amzn.to/49uAefw As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases which helps me buy more toys to review for all of you! I'm constantly updating the page. Here are most of the radios and antennas we test for all of you, and as always, I take requests!
Absolutely! I really like doing them also because you can never learn too much! Monday I will be going out and recording about 5 more field tests videos, so subscribe to my channel if you haven't. I've got the Retevis Ailunce HA1G the test, new handheld extended range antennas, the upgraded Wouxun S88 Plus and also the upgraded Wouxun Q10G. To top it off, I have two different mic's to test, one bluetooth and one wired. I'm also going to be building that packout bag with this radio, which should absolutely blow everything away! May as well be able to transmit on 20w of power compared to just 5w! It would be more a camping or hiking setup attached to a backpack, but very very small and lightweight. There's going to be a lot of full packed videos coming out this month! I appreciate the kind words Jason, see you on the next one!
Thank you for checking these antennas out it will help me a lot as I ordered that little 20 W radio can’t wait to try them out. Thank you as always for everything you do.
@frankgeis6064 Thanks Frank! That Midland 32" 6.5db and that silver one that's 4.5db are both extremely good antennas. If you want a smaller, more indiscrete antenna, go with that small Tram 6" 200w antenna. Was it the 1106-b? I can't remember, but I do know it performs much better than the Ghost.
Great review. I just bought the DB20g and HYS base antenna; should be delivered Wednesday. Seen good reviews on the radio and will be main base radio for time. Will be needing a good mobile antenna and glad you broke it down.
Great antenna test. I've got that same radio set up in two vehicles, a Subaru Outback and a Jeep, and paired with the Midland MXTA26 antenna, and it works great. Both antennas came out of the box with near perfect swr. I have also taken that radio with me when renting a vehicle and paired it with the Midland MXTA13 mag mount antenna with great results. Both radios put out 19-21 watts, and they will fit in the center console.
It's all very interesting,... I put a 10 watt Baofeng Hand Held in my car & purchased a cheap Mag Mount Antenna which took HT style SMA Female Antennas. I installed a 90 degree right angle adapter to install the antenna horizontally lol. I am running the factory Baofeng Antenna from an AR-152 laying down 1 inch from the roof of the car in heavily wooded & hilly Pennsylvania to pick up HAM, GMRS & MURS all around town.
Thank you I think I’m going to go with the Midland 32 inch. I enjoy all of your content. How can I help support your channel whether it’s buying merch or going through your channel please let me know. Thank you.
@frankgeis6064 Wow, I appreciate that! For now it's just making purchases with the "affiliate links in description". I'm working on getting shirts and hats with logos and good sayings on them. I created an Amazon storefront which has different pages for equipment, and antennas is one of them. Look at the top of the comments to see the link to the store, and then go into GMRS antennas. That Luiton 32" is the generic Midland.
I use the AnyTone variant of this radio for the HAM bands in my Jeep, have for over a year now, it's pretty awesome for the price. Using some cheapo HYS VHF/UHF shorty antenna with a loading coil, off Amazon, I am easily able to hit repeaters over 100km away. Get great signal responses, though I did open up the mic casing and cleared out the path so it was more direct to the actual internal mic, before that people were saying it was a bit muted sounding.
I'm surprised you had bad luck with the UT-72G. I've had really good luck with both of mine. One day I was able to hit my local repeater about 60 miles away with it. I know its not the best but it has worked for me so far. I've been planning to upgrade to the Midland MXTA26 as I'm sure it's alot better. This test has convinced me that it would definitely be better. I love all your antenna testing videos. Thanks!
@Meater76 Yes! The MXTA26 will blow you away. I noticed a change immediately from my driveway when I first got it. It does perform better than the 72g for sure. I've heard others say they have good luck with theirs, and it is a Nagoya, so maybe mine is bad. But, that little Tram 6" also normally works better than what happened that day.... either of those 32" antennas will shock you though.
@FirstUnitedTactical I'm sure it will. I've only used the 72G so I have nothing to compare it to. It seems to be a good, inexpensive starter antenna for beginners to get their feet wet. When I first got into GMRS, I was having trouble hitting the repeater with just an HT. I hooked up that antenna, and I was hitting the repeater with no problem. I definitely need to upgrade and get a permanently mounted antenna though.
I love the little DB-20G radio. I've used this thing for months. I have an MXTA26 in my truck, a Nagoya UT-72G Mag mount for the ATVs, and a TRAM 1477 when using it as a base. It works perfectly with all of them. The only downside to this radio is when transmitting frequently. It can get hot. To address this, I added an old computer CPU heat-sink to the exterior of the unit. This siphons off some of the heat and allows it to cool faster. IMO, this is a great radio for the price.
@vvogt4252 I appreciate that Brother! It turns out it's a better radio than I thought. Been running it a couple weeks and everyone can tell a major difference in quality! It blows my mind it's only 20w
Very nice video keep up the good work it helps us all save money / I own this very Radio will stay tuned to see more about it / i'm hoping you nail it down with the antenna selection options good luck Thanks
Thanks Clay! After this test, I did a small transmission test with this db20g and my Btech 50v2 talking to a friend over the repeater. He said this db20g was 10x better than the sound of the 50v2. He says this little guy is a solid radio and not to ever get rid of it!
@Ratchet2 I can't say enough good things about the db20g. So many friends say my tranmission is 10x better than before, clarity and quieting. It's definitely worth the money. Look at these comments because a guy just said he uses this radio with a Midland mag mount on rental cars when he gets in them. Said that pair works great. He wrote it just before your comment. Check it out!
@Ratchet2 Here's the link directly to it: midlandusa.com/products/micromobile-mxta13-replacement-antenna-2-1db?variant=39972347347121&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw3P-2BhAEEiwA3yPhwHXlJQTnrnvPccVz3AQzieW0tVjlBc4m61iGlbqqAkLA-B3JSp4UABoCSbkQAvD_BwE
@photog1529 I have a friend that says his pushes 18-20w. I always thought it would do 25 or close. My 20g does 22w on a couple channels. I also just found out last night it can be unlocked for 2/70 too! It just gets better and better.....
@@FirstUnitedTactical Well that changes things. I noticed the 25 includes a GPS antenna, but how useful that would be is another. The price and ability to unlock makes the 20 that much more attractive. Thanks.
@FirstUnitedTactical just thinking about the ground plane effect of the cab. That can make a big difference. I have a trunk lid mount on one of my cars and it is definitely directional. I used to play with CB radio, and had co-phased, full wave whips mounted on the back bumper. That setup was so directional, that a quick lane change on the freeway would give me a direction for the signal I was looking to find.
@javabeanz8549 yeah, I know all about CB and those Radio Shack 102" steel whips! I've had a lot of different antennas, and that's how I know directional bounce is. I don't know why it won't transmit well. It's a retevis, and I also have a Retevis base station antenna that's the same height. They are both 462-467 and the base is fantastic. I was thinking the temporary zip ties holding the mount to the headache rack wasn't grounding enough (as bolts actually grabbing steel and not rubbing paint to paint.)
@@FirstUnitedTactical Oh yeah, a bad ground could be the problem. And I wasn't using 102" steel whips, those are quarter wave on the 11M band. I had Grizzly Full Wave, fiberglass with tunable tips. Way easier to dial in the SWR with those.
Comet makes a GREAT product, so that doesn't surprise me. I was trying to keep this strictly GMRS and that's why I didn't throw any Comet's in. A lot of folks are new and I don't want to confuse them anymore. The Midland MXTA26 does perform exceptional for my area though. I'm mainly way out, no where near big cities. The worst interference here are 20-30' mesquite trees and some rolling hills!
@alfonsoflores7548 Nope. I've done everything I can think of and asked everyone who would know how. Can't happen. I suggest getting the DB50 which actually comes unlocked for GMRS also, and pushes 40w on 462! (It's in my truck now!)
@@alfonsoflores7548 about 10 miles, but my 10 miles is different from your 10 miles. Mountain top to mountain top across a valley it will probably talk 100 miles, it just all depends on what's interfering. It's much stronger than a 5w handheld for sure.
I have that Nagoya magnet mount you tested you're right it doesn't work, I hear the Comet CA-2x4SRNMO - HAM GMRS MURS Antenna, Mobile, Black, NMO Mount, 2m, 70cm, 150 W, 40 in. Is a good one with comet magnet base.
@shawnmorris-e4g I've heard a lot of people in my area that say that Nagoya isn't good for them either. I love my 771g antennas, so I'm not sure what happened with this model... yep, Comet makes an awesome antenna!
I know Laird makes a solid antenna, but I would think the 17" is a couple inches too long for GMRS. I have thought about buying a Laird 4502NR 13", but at the same time, I think that would be a couple inches too short! If yours works well, let me know the model and I will gladly get one and compare it with some others!
Thanks for making this video. I am sure it took some time and a few bucks. I will say that I think you have discovered the difference a resonant antenna makes. Factory antennas should be "tuned" when they are installed (the little stubby ones cant be for obvious reasons). The workers at a factory don't necessarily do that as they should.
@daveengstrom9250 No they don't, especially on handheld. There are a few good mobile antennas out there tho. I really like doing all the tests, especially handheld because the differences are major between all of them.
@@biluso1 I don't know, but I tried it with 2 different radios for about 2 weeks before this video. My HT worked better in some areas. If you are talking to repeaters, there shouldn't be a problem.
@rudyweresch4984 Awesome Rudy! I live in McQueeney, but work in NB and SB almost everyday! We own Integrity Window Tinting and we are constantly tinting houses in SB and Bulv. WRKL886 Bryan and I were talking last night and he said that radio is top notch based on what he heard (from McQueeney to the Live Oak 550 repeater. Nice to meet ya! WRZU993 David
Well, the Tram 1126 and the Ghost both mount to my permanent mounted NMO on the headache rack. The Tram definately does a better job compared to the Ghost, but obviously not as good as the taller ones. I still keep the Tram in my truck in case I have to go into the city with parking garages and stuff.... But since I live so far out, the 32" guys are the best for me.
My actual Amazon Storefront is HERE! amzn.to/49uAefw
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases which helps me buy more toys to review for all of you! I'm constantly updating the page.
Here are most of the radios and antennas we test for all of you, and as always, I take requests!
Thank you for doing these real life tests. I greatly appreciate it.
Absolutely! I really like doing them also because you can never learn too much! Monday I will be going out and recording about 5 more field tests videos, so subscribe to my channel if you haven't. I've got the Retevis Ailunce HA1G the test, new handheld extended range antennas, the upgraded Wouxun S88 Plus and also the upgraded Wouxun Q10G. To top it off, I have two different mic's to test, one bluetooth and one wired. I'm also going to be building that packout bag with this radio, which should absolutely blow everything away! May as well be able to transmit on 20w of power compared to just 5w! It would be more a camping or hiking setup attached to a backpack, but very very small and lightweight. There's going to be a lot of full packed videos coming out this month! I appreciate the kind words Jason, see you on the next one!
@FirstUnitedTactical Yes sir, I subscribed a few months ago. I really enjoy the information you share.
Yes, sir I found the link I will be ordering my antenna through your link. God bless.
Thank you for checking these antennas out it will help me a lot as I ordered that little 20 W radio can’t wait to try them out. Thank you as always for everything you do.
@frankgeis6064 Thanks Frank! That Midland 32" 6.5db and that silver one that's 4.5db are both extremely good antennas. If you want a smaller, more indiscrete antenna, go with that small Tram 6" 200w antenna. Was it the 1106-b? I can't remember, but I do know it performs much better than the Ghost.
Great review. I just bought the DB20g and HYS base antenna; should be delivered Wednesday. Seen good reviews on the radio and will be main base radio for time. Will be needing a good mobile antenna and glad you broke it down.
YEP! You will have a good setup!
Great antenna test.
I've got that same radio set up in two vehicles, a Subaru Outback and a Jeep, and paired with the Midland MXTA26 antenna, and it works great. Both antennas came out of the box with near perfect swr.
I have also taken that radio with me when renting a vehicle and paired it with the Midland MXTA13 mag mount antenna with great results. Both radios put out 19-21 watts, and they will fit in the center console.
@charleshamilton635 You're absolutely right! I did forget to mention all SWRS were less than 1.2, out of the box. It's such a good radio!
It's all very interesting,... I put a 10 watt Baofeng Hand Held in my car & purchased a cheap Mag Mount Antenna which took HT style SMA Female Antennas. I installed a 90 degree right angle adapter to install the antenna horizontally lol.
I am running the factory Baofeng Antenna from an AR-152 laying down 1 inch from the roof of the car in heavily wooded & hilly Pennsylvania to pick up HAM, GMRS & MURS all around town.
@davidyummus6259 Horizontal??? Well, it works, but would be more directional than all around signal. But I get it, the woods can be rough!
Thank you I think I’m going to go with the Midland 32 inch. I enjoy all of your content. How can I help support your channel whether it’s buying merch or going through your channel please let me know. Thank you.
@frankgeis6064 Wow, I appreciate that! For now it's just making purchases with the "affiliate links in description". I'm working on getting shirts and hats with logos and good sayings on them. I created an Amazon storefront which has different pages for equipment, and antennas is one of them. Look at the top of the comments to see the link to the store, and then go into GMRS antennas. That Luiton 32" is the generic Midland.
I use the AnyTone variant of this radio for the HAM bands in my Jeep, have for over a year now, it's pretty awesome for the price. Using some cheapo HYS VHF/UHF shorty antenna with a loading coil, off Amazon, I am easily able to hit repeaters over 100km away. Get great signal responses, though I did open up the mic casing and cleared out the path so it was more direct to the actual internal mic, before that people were saying it was a bit muted sounding.
@@meola69420 I have never thought of that, but it makes sense. Thanks for the input!
I'm surprised you had bad luck with the UT-72G. I've had really good luck with both of mine. One day I was able to hit my local repeater about 60 miles away with it. I know its not the best but it has worked for me so far.
I've been planning to upgrade to the Midland MXTA26 as I'm sure it's alot better. This test has convinced me that it would definitely be better. I love all your antenna testing videos. Thanks!
@Meater76 Yes! The MXTA26 will blow you away. I noticed a change immediately from my driveway when I first got it. It does perform better than the 72g for sure. I've heard others say they have good luck with theirs, and it is a Nagoya, so maybe mine is bad. But, that little Tram 6" also normally works better than what happened that day.... either of those 32" antennas will shock you though.
@FirstUnitedTactical I'm sure it will. I've only used the 72G so I have nothing to compare it to. It seems to be a good, inexpensive starter antenna for beginners to get their feet wet. When I first got into GMRS, I was having trouble hitting the repeater with just an HT. I hooked up that antenna, and I was hitting the repeater with no problem. I definitely need to upgrade and get a permanently mounted antenna though.
I love the little DB-20G radio. I've used this thing for months. I have an MXTA26 in my truck, a Nagoya UT-72G Mag mount for the ATVs, and a TRAM 1477 when using it as a base. It works perfectly with all of them. The only downside to this radio is when transmitting frequently. It can get hot. To address this, I added an old computer CPU heat-sink to the exterior of the unit. This siphons off some of the heat and allows it to cool faster. IMO, this is a great radio for the price.
@@twistedfingersproject That's a good idea. Yeah, even the guys I talk with (30 miles away) say that radio blows the 50v2 away!
Excellent Video Brother!! Great Reviews.
@vvogt4252 I appreciate that Brother! It turns out it's a better radio than I thought. Been running it a couple weeks and everyone can tell a major difference in quality! It blows my mind it's only 20w
Very nice video keep up the good work it helps us all save money / I own this very Radio will stay tuned to see more about it / i'm hoping you nail it down with the antenna selection options good luck Thanks
Thanks Clay! After this test, I did a small transmission test with this db20g and my Btech 50v2 talking to a friend over the repeater. He said this db20g was 10x better than the sound of the 50v2. He says this little guy is a solid radio and not to ever get rid of it!
My ut-72g works phenomenally well… something must be up with yours
I've heard the same thing from others. I was very shocked because Nagoya makes fantastic antennas for handhelds...
Nice information. Just picked up the DB20G. Looking for a decent mobile antenna. Thanks
@Ratchet2 I can't say enough good things about the db20g. So many friends say my tranmission is 10x better than before, clarity and quieting. It's definitely worth the money. Look at these comments because a guy just said he uses this radio with a Midland mag mount on rental cars when he gets in them. Said that pair works great. He wrote it just before your comment. Check it out!
@@Ratchet2 Midland MXTA13
@Ratchet2 Here's the link directly to it:
midlandusa.com/products/micromobile-mxta13-replacement-antenna-2-1db?variant=39972347347121&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw3P-2BhAEEiwA3yPhwHXlJQTnrnvPccVz3AQzieW0tVjlBc4m61iGlbqqAkLA-B3JSp4UABoCSbkQAvD_BwE
Other than size, how does the DB25 compare to the DB20 performance wise? Thinking of building a comms pack and considering one or the other.
@photog1529 I have a friend that says his pushes 18-20w. I always thought it would do 25 or close. My 20g does 22w on a couple channels. I also just found out last night it can be unlocked for 2/70 too! It just gets better and better.....
@@FirstUnitedTactical Well that changes things. I noticed the 25 includes a GPS antenna, but how useful that would be is another. The price and ability to unlock makes the 20 that much more attractive. Thanks.
Curious, if you had the rugged antenna on the headache rack which is behind the cab, were you facing the house, or away from it?
Facing the house. I know, it doesn't make any sense! It would have bounced off the cab in the direction of my base station.
@FirstUnitedTactical just thinking about the ground plane effect of the cab. That can make a big difference. I have a trunk lid mount on one of my cars and it is definitely directional. I used to play with CB radio, and had co-phased, full wave whips mounted on the back bumper. That setup was so directional, that a quick lane change on the freeway would give me a direction for the signal I was looking to find.
@javabeanz8549 yeah, I know all about CB and those Radio Shack 102" steel whips! I've had a lot of different antennas, and that's how I know directional bounce is. I don't know why it won't transmit well. It's a retevis, and I also have a Retevis base station antenna that's the same height. They are both 462-467 and the base is fantastic. I was thinking the temporary zip ties holding the mount to the headache rack wasn't grounding enough (as bolts actually grabbing steel and not rubbing paint to paint.)
@@FirstUnitedTactical Oh yeah, a bad ground could be the problem. And I wasn't using 102" steel whips, those are quarter wave on the 11M band. I had Grizzly Full Wave, fiberglass with tunable tips. Way easier to dial in the SWR with those.
@javabeanz8549 I remember if the SWR's weren't good, we just added that 6" spring, and near perfect!
I use the Comet SBB-2NMO as it out performed my Midland MXTA26 6dB antenna.
Comet makes a GREAT product, so that doesn't surprise me. I was trying to keep this strictly GMRS and that's why I didn't throw any Comet's in. A lot of folks are new and I don't want to confuse them anymore. The Midland MXTA26 does perform exceptional for my area though. I'm mainly way out, no where near big cities. The worst interference here are 20-30' mesquite trees and some rolling hills!
WILL YOU DO A VIDEO ON PROGRAMMING THE SURECOM SR112 DTMF REMOTE PLEASE????
Can you unlock this radio for HAM ?
@alfonsoflores7548 Nope. I've done everything I can think of and asked everyone who would know how. Can't happen. I suggest getting the DB50 which actually comes unlocked for GMRS also, and pushes 40w on 462! (It's in my truck now!)
How far was your field test ?
@@alfonsoflores7548 about 10 miles, but my 10 miles is different from your 10 miles. Mountain top to mountain top across a valley it will probably talk 100 miles, it just all depends on what's interfering. It's much stronger than a 5w handheld for sure.
@alfonsoflores7548 Did it a few months ago:
th-cam.com/video/7qdM3BJ2Wz0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Afe7jkeR1m0L3aov
Does this radio do NOAA Weather?
@@Boondocker99 Yes, all of the UHF/VHF frequencies can be added for scanning.
I have that Nagoya magnet mount you tested you're right it doesn't work, I hear the Comet CA-2x4SRNMO - HAM GMRS MURS Antenna, Mobile, Black, NMO Mount, 2m, 70cm, 150 W, 40 in. Is a good one with comet magnet base.
@shawnmorris-e4g I've heard a lot of people in my area that say that Nagoya isn't good for them either. I love my 771g antennas, so I'm not sure what happened with this model... yep, Comet makes an awesome antenna!
The Nagoya 771 is awesome!@@FirstUnitedTactical
Great test, thank you! I'm having decent luck with a Laird 1/2 wave 17 inch on GMRS.
I know Laird makes a solid antenna, but I would think the 17" is a couple inches too long for GMRS. I have thought about buying a Laird 4502NR 13", but at the same time, I think that would be a couple inches too short! If yours works well, let me know the model and I will gladly get one and compare it with some others!
Thanks for making this video. I am sure it took some time and a few bucks. I will say that I think you have discovered the difference a resonant antenna makes. Factory antennas should be "tuned" when they are installed (the little stubby ones cant be for obvious reasons). The workers at a factory don't necessarily do that as they should.
@daveengstrom9250 No they don't, especially on handheld. There are a few good mobile antennas out there tho. I really like doing all the tests, especially handheld because the differences are major between all of them.
Nagoya, got one, don’t understand at all why it doesn’t work for you….works fine for me!😊
@@biluso1 I don't know, but I tried it with 2 different radios for about 2 weeks before this video. My HT worked better in some areas. If you are talking to repeaters, there shouldn't be a problem.
Just what I’m looking for…Thx…WRZN767 Bulverde
@rudyweresch4984 Awesome Rudy! I live in McQueeney, but work in NB and SB almost everyday! We own Integrity Window Tinting and we are constantly tinting houses in SB and Bulv.
WRKL886 Bryan and I were talking last night and he said that radio is top notch based on what he heard (from McQueeney to the Live Oak 550 repeater.
Nice to meet ya!
WRZU993 David
Great review I own the tram 6" and the larid same as ghost. They only require a small amount of ground . CORNER. EDGE. TRY IT.
Well, the Tram 1126 and the Ghost both mount to my permanent mounted NMO on the headache rack. The Tram definately does a better job compared to the Ghost, but obviously not as good as the taller ones. I still keep the Tram in my truck in case I have to go into the city with parking garages and stuff.... But since I live so far out, the 32" guys are the best for me.