Every thing you mention is spot on. You and I’ve had multiple discussions about hunter safety through ready communication and these radios just add a level of comfort and safety. Next thing to mention is this: Keep the dang thing turned on!
@@TheRealOutdoors Having a spare battery fully charged with you doesn't hurt either ,if the other battery goes low on charge too, to where it should be changed to the spare that is fully charged.
After years of hunting with "crap" little FRS radios and getting tired of not being able to hear the people in our group on ridges about 1/2 mile away when I can SEE them across the valley we wound up with several tri power versions of the UV-5R Plus 8w radios. _Then_ realized they required a ham license, so down the ham rabbit hole we plunged... There's a couple radio maxims or "rules" if you will: "A watt is a lot" and "Antenna is EVERYTHING!" That means having a _resonant_ antenna that's "full-size", so at minimum 1/4 wavelength long, will _always_ perform better than the short stubby "convenient sized" antennas. So FRS/GMRS antennas (~460MHz) need to be roughly 7-8 inches long to work well at farther ranges and MURS or 2 meter ham band antennas (~144MHz) need to be around 18-19 inches at minimum to work well, as you discovered. With those 8w UV-5R's and some "Super Elastic Signal Stick" antennas (long name, I know!) we've talked 8 miles apart on a river bottom, even with a couple good sized 1k' tall foothills in the way! I'd HIGHLY recommend those antennas! They're about 19" and have the highest dB gain (= range!) for that size antenna! At $21 each, they perform even _better_ than the famed Nagoya antennas and they're made from a Titanium alloy wire so they're practically unbreakable. They also have a lifetime warranty even if you _do_ find a clever way to break one... Having owned several of the Nagoya antennas, they can kink or break easy. One of yours possibly might be a fake too btw?! At 10:34 with the "old" blue logo and the older shape of the base is the kind that's typically a knockoff vs the new cone shaped base with silver print and the QR code. I'd test it for high SWR before it 'cooks' the radio! I think your best option besides using better antennas though is a portable/temp repeater system, if there's room on the GMRS band plan in your neck of the woods. One question though, where'd you find those green "knob guards"?
Thanks for the info! Definitely going to grab a couple of those antennas. To answer your other question, yes, a couple of the blinds are metal and that has been a consideration. Even outside the blinds in some areas, though, we still didn't have good reception. From your info, it sounds like I'm going in the right direction, though.
High db doesn't automatically mean high range. High db will output a signal in a narrow beam like path. Your power is still the same but the signal is being thrown in a very directional beam. So the signal will throw further as long as there isnt a tree in the way. High db is more susceptible to interference from objects. Low db antennas like 0-3db has more of a circle signal that can go around objects. So basically a high db antenna needs to be facing the person you are talking to with the radio straight up and down with minimal obstructions to be effective. If you are out with people in different areas or you dont know where the person you are talking to is relative to your position a low db antenna is going to likely perform better giving you a more 360 output but it will have less throw.
@@TheRealOutdoorsI have 2 gmrs pros for my wife and me to use if communications go down. I have not had a chance to test the texting Fars yet. We are in town though so it may not do great.
GMRS transmits UHF frequencies in the 462 Mhz range. Rule of thumb is that the higher the frequency the better the Penetration of signal through walls & leaves, but the lesser distance your able to transmit. Hence the the need for a repeater with the antenna mounted high on a pole. The antenna doesn't need to be any longer than the wavelength. You can set up your own repeater on your hunting property. I would like to know how you use the GPS feature to track other hunters.
Just a thought... What are the _walls_ made out of on your blinds, anything metal? Even something like aluminum foiled foam insulation sheets will block RF!
GEEZ. Spent a lot of time out there. Can't you just keep walking one direction and come to a road. No roads are more than 1 mile from anywhere on that property. Sorry that happened. That stinks.
True, you do need an FCC license for GMRS to use GMRS channels. Channels 1 to 14, you really don't need license to use. GMRS channels 15 to 22 requires a license, especially when you use repeaters.
@@donalderickson-si8ww Technically you do have a valid point there, but I really don't see an FCC agent chasing unlicensed individuals down simply for using channels 15 to 22 without a license. It has to be something awful serious before an FCC agent needs to get involved. However, regardless of licensed or unlicensed users, or whether simplex channel or repeater channel, the FCC will get involved if the users are using their radios in conjunction with illegal activity, not necessary a felony. That goes for basically radio services.
That’s great advice for hunters. Unfortunately for years the only serious radios were the Garmin Rino’s, but who can afford them at $650.00 each. They were great because the GPS map was on the front screen of the radio. I hope that in further development BTech will incorporate the map screen on the radio instead of Bluetoothing it to your cell phone. For now the BTech GMRS Pro is the top radio for hunting, hiking, and camping. Do yourself a favor, skip the “privacy” codes. They cause more confusion than they are worth. Just turn them off. When you are out in the woods away from civilization you don’t really need to worry about picking up other people.
You have challenges with effective audio sitting at home making this video. Hope it’s worth it because this is some shitty sound brother. 😂 Update: couldn’t make it man, this was driving me crazy 4 minutes in. Hope you fix it you may have had something I didn’t know and need to.
Every thing you mention is spot on. You and I’ve had multiple discussions about hunter safety through ready communication and these radios just add a level of comfort and safety. Next thing to mention is this: Keep the dang thing turned on!
🤣🤣🤣
@@TheRealOutdoors Having a spare battery fully charged with you doesn't hurt either ,if the other battery goes low on charge too, to where it should be changed to the spare that is fully charged.
After years of hunting with "crap" little FRS radios and getting tired of not being able to hear the people in our group on ridges about 1/2 mile away when I can SEE them across the valley we wound up with several tri power versions of the UV-5R Plus 8w radios. _Then_ realized they required a ham license, so down the ham rabbit hole we plunged...
There's a couple radio maxims or "rules" if you will: "A watt is a lot" and "Antenna is EVERYTHING!" That means having a _resonant_ antenna that's "full-size", so at minimum 1/4 wavelength long, will _always_ perform better than the short stubby "convenient sized" antennas. So FRS/GMRS antennas (~460MHz) need to be roughly 7-8 inches long to work well at farther ranges and MURS or 2 meter ham band antennas (~144MHz) need to be around 18-19 inches at minimum to work well, as you discovered.
With those 8w UV-5R's and some "Super Elastic Signal Stick" antennas (long name, I know!) we've talked 8 miles apart on a river bottom, even with a couple good sized 1k' tall foothills in the way! I'd HIGHLY recommend those antennas! They're about 19" and have the highest dB gain (= range!) for that size antenna! At $21 each, they perform even _better_ than the famed Nagoya antennas and they're made from a Titanium alloy wire so they're practically unbreakable. They also have a lifetime warranty even if you _do_ find a clever way to break one...
Having owned several of the Nagoya antennas, they can kink or break easy. One of yours possibly might be a fake too btw?! At 10:34 with the "old" blue logo and the older shape of the base is the kind that's typically a knockoff vs the new cone shaped base with silver print and the QR code. I'd test it for high SWR before it 'cooks' the radio!
I think your best option besides using better antennas though is a portable/temp repeater system, if there's room on the GMRS band plan in your neck of the woods.
One question though, where'd you find those green "knob guards"?
Thanks for the info! Definitely going to grab a couple of those antennas. To answer your other question, yes, a couple of the blinds are metal and that has been a consideration. Even outside the blinds in some areas, though, we still didn't have good reception. From your info, it sounds like I'm going in the right direction, though.
Just noticed your question about the green knob guards (sorry). I printed them.
Where do you find and buy those 19" antennas?
Have you found where to buy those 19" antennas?
High db doesn't automatically mean high range. High db will output a signal in a narrow beam like path. Your power is still the same but the signal is being thrown in a very directional beam. So the signal will throw further as long as there isnt a tree in the way. High db is more susceptible to interference from objects. Low db antennas like 0-3db has more of a circle signal that can go around objects.
So basically a high db antenna needs to be facing the person you are talking to with the radio straight up and down with minimal obstructions to be effective.
If you are out with people in different areas or you dont know where the person you are talking to is relative to your position a low db antenna is going to likely perform better giving you a more 360 output but it will have less throw.
I heard you say "Fars" and I knew you had been listening to Notarubicon. Nice hat tip. Good video.
Indeed I have. 😉 Thanks. Got a follow up coming soon. Was not happy with actual field performance of the GMRS Pro
@@TheRealOutdoorsI have 2 gmrs pros for my wife and me to use if communications go down. I have not had a chance to test the texting Fars yet. We are in town though so it may not do great.
GMRS transmits UHF frequencies in the 462 Mhz range. Rule of thumb is that the higher the frequency the better the Penetration of signal through walls & leaves, but the lesser distance your able to transmit. Hence the the need for a repeater with the antenna mounted high on a pole. The antenna doesn't need to be any longer than the wavelength. You can set up your own repeater on your hunting property. I would like to know how you use the GPS feature to track other hunters.
Yeah, tell your buddies to get the btech pro. Definitely nice to have the gpa location of your team. But the price is definitely better on the uv 5g
Nice! Where did you get that other extended antenna on your BTech GMRS PRO? Whats the name of it and where did you buy it?
I got it from Amazon. It’s the Abree antenna. Just make sure to get the right connection (male/female)
Nice video thanks for the info
Outstanding Video. Do you have the Amazon link for the 18 inch Abbree antenna that’s on your BTECH Pro?
Thank you! Here ya go: amzn.to/3QbxlIB
Just a thought... What are the _walls_ made out of on your blinds, anything metal? Even something like aluminum foiled foam insulation sheets will block RF!
2 yrs ago me and my son was hunting in lbl. Aka land between the lakes. He was lost for 24 hrs. I hit the red button to find himself and it payed off
GEEZ. Spent a lot of time out there. Can't you just keep walking one direction and come to a road. No roads are more than 1 mile from anywhere on that property. Sorry that happened. That stinks.
True, you do need an FCC license for GMRS to use GMRS channels. Channels 1 to 14, you really don't need license to use. GMRS channels 15 to 22 requires a license, especially when you use repeaters.
and are off repeater channels are 15 through 22 are the off repeater channels
we chair with family service.
@@donalderickson-si8ww Technically you do have a valid point there, but I really don't see an FCC agent chasing unlicensed individuals down simply for using channels 15 to 22 without a license. It has to be something awful serious before an FCC agent needs to get involved.
However, regardless of licensed or unlicensed users, or whether simplex channel or repeater channel, the FCC will get involved if the users are using their radios in conjunction with illegal activity, not necessary a felony. That goes for basically radio services.
4x4 Truck is 4x4 ----16 Channel
That’s great advice for hunters. Unfortunately for years the only serious radios were the Garmin Rino’s, but who can afford them at $650.00 each. They were great because the GPS map was on the front screen of the radio. I hope that in further development BTech will incorporate the map screen on the radio instead of Bluetoothing it to your cell phone. For now the BTech GMRS Pro is the top radio for hunting, hiking, and camping. Do yourself a favor, skip the “privacy” codes. They cause more confusion than they are worth. Just turn them off. When you are out in the woods away from civilization you don’t really need to worry about picking up other people.
I agree. The privacy codes just complicate everything unnecessarily
I have one
You have challenges with effective audio sitting at home making this video. Hope it’s worth it because this is some shitty sound brother. 😂
Update: couldn’t make it man, this was driving me crazy 4 minutes in. Hope you fix it you may have had something I didn’t know and need to.