Handheld radio recommendation, please

Mahalo everyone for the input. Keep it coming while I do my homework.

The other issue is getting the monkeys to do it. Another test?!?

 

You will figure out a way...



... unless they turn on you.

 

Good one Paul, reminds us that while we may be talking radios, life continues and has a bad habit of sneaking up on us and it has a much bigger stick than that monkey. Very interested in the short range radio, we bought a pair of cheap ones, are they good for anything over 500 or so feet, no, but we find them invaluable around the place. At 80, just being able to ask wife to bring something or to answer her questions about something while in greenhouse or woods makes it worth while. Never let the search for the perfect prevent you from using the useful now.

 

Call the ARRL or go to the web site and ask for the closest HAM club. 1-800-326-3942. Or www.arrl.org/newham. Our club has a member licensed when she was 8 yo. She is now studying code.

 

The license requires a small amount of study and memorization. Not trivial, but not close to hard either. Getting the Monkeys to pass the exam isn't the hard part, it's ensuring that they follow proper protocols when using amateur radios that may be the challenge if you go that route.

I know you are looking for reasonable economy, but considering your environment and how wet and windy things can get you may want to look into water resistant radios. My first HAM radio was a Yaesu VX-6R since my get home plan at that time involved crossing major and one large river (possibly requiring a semi submerged float), not to mention we get a fair amount of rain at times and this line of handhelds is submersible. Obviously would still be using extra precautions for water protection.

There are now knockoffs of these radios that appear to have been made on the same assembly lines in China, but so far have stuck with the brands that put the R&D money to develop the systems. HAM companies are having a tough time as it is without having their IP stolen.

 

My next one will be a TYT MD-2017. It is a dual band plus DMR handheld. Getting licensed is something I preach constantly as being one of the necessary items to prepping. It just opens so many new lines of communication. Hawaii has repeaters that will extend the range all over the islands, and has DMR repeaters that will reach the entire world. You can also program simplex channels for personal use and have them digital to keep most people from eavesdropping.

 

The Baofeng UV-5R is the AK47 of radio land, we use them on our farm extensively and we can get 2-5 miles of range depending on terrain. There are much better options out there but the Baofeng is cheap, reliable and works well. I think the next step up are the TYT DMR radios, they support encrypted digital communications which are much more difficult to intercept/track. You can get a GMRS license from the FCC to operate them at higher power on the GMRS frequencies just by paying the FCC $50 but it is probably not necessary unless you are a natural rule follower.

 

The frustration I had with my family was that I was the only one wiling to listen to the radio while doing other things. I had friends that are hams as well and that pays a big part of it.
If the family has no other friends that are hams it is hard to get them interested in using the radio unless all they use it for is getting ahold of you . Chances are you won't be able to get ahold of them because they won't listen to others chatter.
One prerequisite to my purchases is having battery packs that will use AA batteries that way in the event it is an extended situation you can turn to conventional batteries in stead . And or have a battery pack you can plug into for the duration.

 

I used CTCSS tones so we don't hear anyone else on the GMRS frequency. I usually can't get them to carry one but I keep one on the kitchen counter so if they are inside they will hear it and I keep one in my truck and my phone has one built into it. That keeps us covered 90% of the time, I would like to mount one in my wife's car but she isn't having it.