I didn't make it to TJ fest this year, but I did see in the requirements was to have some kind of communication system. Figured it's about time to get something, and wondering what type/brand I should be getting. I have absolutely zero knowledge when it comes to how different types of radios work and what most people are running. I'd also prefer to not spend a fortune in this department if possible.
What comms to get?
- Thread starter Calvin.8
- Start date
Get what the people you run with have. If you don't have a regular group, radios are so inexpensive now that you can get both a CB and a GMRS radio for a reasonable amount of money.
This guy (member at one time) has a lot of info on radios. Mostly GMRS but some CB as well. https://www.youtube.com/c/NotaRubiconProductions/videos
This guy (member at one time) has a lot of info on radios. Mostly GMRS but some CB as well. https://www.youtube.com/c/NotaRubiconProductions/videos
Yep, get what your peers have.
If you have nobody to Jeep with get GMRS and get some GMRS handhelds to share.
On the GMRS side if your worried out theft, do what I did I got a Midland MXT275 so you can disconnect the handset and you would never know a radio is installed.
https://midlandusa.com/collections/micromobile/products/mxt275-micromobile-two-way-radio
I also have one of these and would never off road w/o one, or something similar
The people I off-road with use ham so I have a ham and CB. I never use the CB so I removed the mic and antenna (the control body is under the dash). If you do the Mars mod on a ham you can access the gmrs frequencies, so my recommendation would be a ham and some stores will do the mod for <$50 when you purchase it.
It is something else, it is a satellite communication device. You can text or email and receive the same, it allows you to text anyone (wife) that your running late or broke down. It also has an SOS button that connects you directly to an Emergency Service that can track your location by gps and will send out help. They can send Police, Forrest Rangers, Mecial help all automatic if you push the SOS button. The do a lot more I have the Garmin unit but you can also look at spot. Again I never go w/o it.
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/search/?query=inreach
https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/
That's pretty sweet. Probably don't have the money to get that and a GMRS. Maybe I could do the Garmin and give the jeep in front of me a cup with a string attached to it.
This is totally effin' awesome. I was contemplating a similar set-up. Are you running an external speaker? That's the only issue I have with my Midland MXT 115. I had mine beside the transmission and I had a hard time hearing the damn thing.
Kind of already mentioned, but radios are only as useful as the people you can talk to. Eventually I will probably get a CB and GMRS. Right now I have mostly ham radios - and don't talk to anyone with them. Some have a MARS mod, but I rarely even hear much on them. Even within HAM, you have analog radios and multiple flavors of digital (that don't play well together).
I run both a GMRS (Midland MXT275) and CB. I kept the CB in case I wheel with someone who runs one.
I installed the GMRS a couple of years ago - and have not even turned the CB on once since then.
I also run an external speaker on the GMRS, mounted above the rear view. I think primarily due to the location, it works much, much better than both of the internal speakers
I installed the GMRS a couple of years ago - and have not even turned the CB on once since then.
I also run an external speaker on the GMRS, mounted above the rear view. I think primarily due to the location, it works much, much better than both of the internal speakers
I think Jerry is still on CB if anybody gets lonely and wants to chat with the other person still using one 
But seriously, use what other people around you use. If that isn't a factor, GMRS is far more capable than CB unless you plan on skipping 1000w SSB across the country when the weather is *just* right.
But seriously, use what other people around you use. If that isn't a factor, GMRS is far more capable than CB unless you plan on skipping 1000w SSB across the country when the weather is *just* right.