GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) Radio is becoming very popular with off-road enthusiasts thanks to a few "influencers" and Midland. GMRS is basically a throw back to the the days of licensed CB radio which was intended for the general pubic. However GMRS uses UHF frequencies (467MHz) rather than HF (27MHz) and FM (frequency modulation) rather than AM (amplitude modulation). What sounds better, your FM stations in the car or the AM? Clearly FM is the winner! GMRS is a LICENSED service and therefore you need to buy a license, but it does NOT require a test like ham radio does.
The other advantage to GMRS radio is the higher frequencies. The higher the frequency, the shorter the antenna. While a 1/4 wave antenna for CB is 9' (remember those long stainless steel whips?), a 1/4 wave antenna for GMRS is 6". You can mount a GMRS antenna almost anywhere and barely know its there!
GMRS also gives you the ability to use "repeaters" which simply stated are nothing more than a receiver and a transmitter tied together on a mountain top to increase your broadcast range. Just as standing on top of a mountain lets you see farther, a mountain top repeater also allows your radio signal to travel farther. The receiver picks up your transmission on frequency A and sends it to the transmitter that sends it out frequency B at that exact same time, as if you were actually standing on top of that mountain. When your radio is in repeater mode it LISTENS to frequency B, but when you push the button it automatically switches to frequency A, then switches back to B when you let go of the button. This is called DUPLEX. If you want to know more about repeaters, let me know.
If there is any disadvantage to GMRS its that its only "line-of-sight" transmission. In other words, if you can't SEE it, you can't talk to it. Wheeling in groups is rarely a problem but its important to point out that if the rest of the group is on another side of a hill, they may not be able to hear you until you get back in sight with them. VHF and HF frequencies are a little more forgiving in this respect. However, the good outweighs this one minor drawback.
You can increase your range by using a radio that puts out more power, like a mobile radio permanently installed in your Jeep. You can also increase your range by running a 1/2 wave or 5/8 wave antenna which gives you more "gain". Its like turning up the volume on your stereo. But a simple inexpensive handheld radio will work 90% of the time.
If you are committed to GMRS radio, do yourself a favor and buy a mobile radio and install an antenna on your Jeep! All you really need is a 1/4 wave antenna that's only 6" high. it will need a ground plane of sorts so mount it to the hood, cowling, or fender while trying to keep it away from any other metal. I've seen them mounted INSIDE the Jeep in the back on the rail the hardtop sits on and it works great. If you want the best of the best, you mount it on the roof or top of the roll bar if you don't run a top. if you want to install it on the fiberglass hard top, you can buy a 1/2 wave antenna (12" long or so) that requires no ground plane.
I just bought two UHF 1/2 Wave NGP antennas from Rugged Radios that are on clearance for $24.00 to experiment with. They will be mounted INSIDE my Jeep in the rear.
When I wheel, most everyone is on VHF and I like it better. But with the surge towards GMRS in the UHF band, its important that we get the right information out to people who want to make that move from CB. If you have questions, let me know.
The other advantage to GMRS radio is the higher frequencies. The higher the frequency, the shorter the antenna. While a 1/4 wave antenna for CB is 9' (remember those long stainless steel whips?), a 1/4 wave antenna for GMRS is 6". You can mount a GMRS antenna almost anywhere and barely know its there!
GMRS also gives you the ability to use "repeaters" which simply stated are nothing more than a receiver and a transmitter tied together on a mountain top to increase your broadcast range. Just as standing on top of a mountain lets you see farther, a mountain top repeater also allows your radio signal to travel farther. The receiver picks up your transmission on frequency A and sends it to the transmitter that sends it out frequency B at that exact same time, as if you were actually standing on top of that mountain. When your radio is in repeater mode it LISTENS to frequency B, but when you push the button it automatically switches to frequency A, then switches back to B when you let go of the button. This is called DUPLEX. If you want to know more about repeaters, let me know.
If there is any disadvantage to GMRS its that its only "line-of-sight" transmission. In other words, if you can't SEE it, you can't talk to it. Wheeling in groups is rarely a problem but its important to point out that if the rest of the group is on another side of a hill, they may not be able to hear you until you get back in sight with them. VHF and HF frequencies are a little more forgiving in this respect. However, the good outweighs this one minor drawback.
You can increase your range by using a radio that puts out more power, like a mobile radio permanently installed in your Jeep. You can also increase your range by running a 1/2 wave or 5/8 wave antenna which gives you more "gain". Its like turning up the volume on your stereo. But a simple inexpensive handheld radio will work 90% of the time.
If you are committed to GMRS radio, do yourself a favor and buy a mobile radio and install an antenna on your Jeep! All you really need is a 1/4 wave antenna that's only 6" high. it will need a ground plane of sorts so mount it to the hood, cowling, or fender while trying to keep it away from any other metal. I've seen them mounted INSIDE the Jeep in the back on the rail the hardtop sits on and it works great. If you want the best of the best, you mount it on the roof or top of the roll bar if you don't run a top. if you want to install it on the fiberglass hard top, you can buy a 1/2 wave antenna (12" long or so) that requires no ground plane.
I just bought two UHF 1/2 Wave NGP antennas from Rugged Radios that are on clearance for $24.00 to experiment with. They will be mounted INSIDE my Jeep in the rear.
When I wheel, most everyone is on VHF and I like it better. But with the surge towards GMRS in the UHF band, its important that we get the right information out to people who want to make that move from CB. If you have questions, let me know.