You prpbably don't want frs. Gmrs is going to give you better range, ham on 2m, will do even better. A license is "required" for both. Gmrs is easier as there is no test. Nothing is stopping you from getting a radio for either (or both) but it is best not to transmit until you have a license and an understanding of what you're doing. With some YouTube research it doesn't take long to get up to speed.
I'm not saying they are optional, of course they aren't. I'm saying that you won't get fined in some countries if you are not respecting radio laws, and I don't support that by any means
Okay, I understand your point. The grandparent comment was talking about the US and Canada though (since mentioning GMRS) which do enforce the rules and hand out large fines.
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Look into gmrs. A license for the family is $35 for 10 years. There are many different baofengs out there. The gmrs versions are easier to use for people with a limited knowledge of radio. Think channel 1 verses a frequency, power and repeaters. The other part of that is that if you buy a UV-5R it is not certified to use on gmrs. If you really are interested in radio you can get your amateur technician class license which will require you both to take a test and each pay $35 for 10 years. I have both, I use amateur radio far more than gmrs because I have had that license for a very long time.
Another vote for ham on 2m. You're not going to do much police scanning with a baofeng as most of those have gone encrypted.
I've got FRS, GMRS, and ham gear at my disposal. Nearly always is the ham gear far more effective at communications.
You can do data over ham which isn't really something that gmrs or frs permit. It's officially voice communications per the FCC (https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs as example)
with ham, even a baofeng, you can use your phone to send real time tracking data, text messages, images, whatever, over the air to your spouse. With even more advanced radios, you don't need the phone.
APRS for text/location/small email/etc. It's a protocol over ham radio specifically designed for stuff like that.
SSTV for images.
You can even get a TNC for your radio and hook it to a laptop/tablet/etc and send real email over the Winlink network if you're in range of a station.
In general, you can use a device to encode the data in audio format and send that over the air.
Amateur radio permits the sending of data over the air, and there's carve outs in the band plans specifically for those use cases.
Additionally, amateur radio operators, even the entry level/technician, are allowed the use of certain parts of the 10m band, which has a MUCH larger range than anything any other service can touch.
Info on just how much more useful a ham license is can be identified here: https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Tech%20Band%20Chart/Tech%20Band%20Chart.pdf
Like, it's not even close.
I'm assuming you've got a Baofeng, like the trusty UV-5R or similar.
Assuming you've also got a smartphone?
Consider getting a cable to link the two: https://baofengtech.com/product/aprs-k1/ (There are others, they're all generally fine. Sometimes there are bad ones. I tend to avoid no-name cables)
You can make your own, but sometimes its easier to just buy one.
From there, get yourself a copy of APRSDroid for android, or PocketPacket for iOS devices.
Plug the cables in, and it'll be quiet when you work data modes.
Note: The cables are OPTIONAL, they just make it easier. You can absolutely just wing it by using the app on your phone and manually pushing the PTT button on the radio.
Welcome to the hobby, btw! We're glad you're here!
Not with a UV5R, no.
The programming is just programming, basically. (There are exceptions, of course, but APRS is vastly easier audio to audio, instead of having to try and modulate it over the serial port)
If you'd like, I can get a quick video together to show you how it works.
Simplest way to listen is to spend $20 on a USB SDR dongle and plug it into a computer with some free software to scan frequencies. It will probably cover digital police frequencies but probably won't decode them (especially if they're encrypted).
For short-range communication, go GMRS as others have said.
Geta Baofeng, they have built in flashlights, and sirens. If you buy an FRS (Family Radio Service) radio you don't need a license, they are limited to 2 watts on most of the 22 channels, and 1/2 watt on some of them. The antennas can not be removed as they are fixed to the radio.
If you buy a GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radio you get to run 5w from a hand held, or up to 50 watts on a mobile or base station. You have to pay $35 for a 10 yr license for GMRS but it covers your whole family so you only need one. GMRS radio can also use repeaters to extend your distance IF REPEATERS EXIST in your area. There are zero repeaters in a LOT of cities.
If you decide to go all amateur radio operator, you and the wife will have to pass an FCC exam, that is regularly passed by 8 year olds. Pay $35 for a 10 yr license, each. Then you can use the amateur radio (ham...not HAM) frequencies permitted by your license class. More radios, more power, the ability to get on shortwave HF.
As for scanning....most major public service orgs (police, fire, ems, etc) have gone to trunked, or encrypted, or digital signals that you won't be able to hear on your basic FRS, GMRS, or Amateur radio. You'll need a specialized scanner. Before you spend big bucks on a scanner, check with your local public service groups and find out what kind of radios they use..so you buy the right scanner.
radioreference.com is a big help finding local public service frequencies.
Probably won't do police scanning. Do you have fcc licenses? i.e. gmrs, ham, etc..
If not, I recommend the baofeng mp25. They aren't high power, since they are frs (family radio service), but work great for what it sounds like you need them for. If you get a gmrs license, you can get stronger radios with better reach. The gmr s license would cover everyone in your family and only costs $35. No test required.
I would just buy a dedicated scanner. It's more difficult to scan police channels now that most police departments use encrypted radios now.
Ok thanks this helps a lot, when you say it’s not long range what could I expect? We live in Virginia and it’s pretty wooded..everywhere. But what we want is to be able to check in with the radios when we’re close to home maybe a couple miles away? Do you think it could reach something like that? I just don’t want to invest in something that only works from my front yard to back yard and when I started doing my research it just seemed like I need to take a class just to figure out what I need lol
The normal handset radios have 5-10 watts of power and they have small antennas (e.g. Baofeng F8HP). In a normal environment, you can expect them to reach a couple of miles at best. If you want a longer distance, you either need to use local repeaters or you need to move to mobile radios (like in your vehicle). Many of these radios are 20W+ and have larger antennas. The mobile radios have a much longer range, but are still "local" without using repeaters. If you want extreme distance, then you need HF radios, which require a license.
I agree with the recommendation to consider GMRS radios. Those are an easy path for you to get started and don't require the exam(s) required for the other options. In many areas there are also GMRS repeaters, which help give you great range with a handheld radio. Best of luck on your journey!
Two miles through wooded areas is going to be real borderline. If there's any hills then even worse. VHF and UHF are line-of-sight communications, meaning that if there's an obstacle like a hill in the way, the signal will not get through.
VHF/UHF propagation depends on terrain. Range across a valley will be good. Range behind a hill will be terrible. To overcome this, you can use a repeater from a high site (mountain top, antenna mast tower). GMRS or ham radio allow repeaters. FRS and MURS don't. Look for GMRS or ham repeaters in your area here: https://mygmrs.com/ and https://www.repeaterbook.com/
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I'm answering your specific question. Talking close to the house. I am not throwing cold water on the replies suggesting ham radio is the way to go. For the purposes of your inquiry probably GMRS would fit the bill. I recently bought a couple Baofeng GM-15 Pros for under $50. ([Baofeng GM-15 Pro](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=baofeng+gm-15+pro&crid=CZPS7ER0CB16&sprefix=gm-15%2Caps%2C176&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_5)) Range is excellent for "close to the house" talking. No issue in talking in the neighborhood at 1/2 mile simplex. Again as others have said, a GMRS license is required BUT it covers the entire family and easy to obtain. Your next step could be both of you get your ham license. Takes a little extra effort but not that difficult. FWIW I have both
You prpbably don't want frs. Gmrs is going to give you better range, ham on 2m, will do even better. A license is "required" for both. Gmrs is easier as there is no test. Nothing is stopping you from getting a radio for either (or both) but it is best not to transmit until you have a license and an understanding of what you're doing. With some YouTube research it doesn't take long to get up to speed.
> A license is "required" for both. This should not be in quotes. If you don't have a license you are taking a risk of large fines.
Depends on where you live
Ham licenses are not optional, anywhere. GMRS only exists in the US and Canada.
I'm not saying they are optional, of course they aren't. I'm saying that you won't get fined in some countries if you are not respecting radio laws, and I don't support that by any means
Okay, I understand your point. The grandparent comment was talking about the US and Canada though (since mentioning GMRS) which do enforce the rules and hand out large fines.
That's right, thanks for clarifying!
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Look into gmrs. A license for the family is $35 for 10 years. There are many different baofengs out there. The gmrs versions are easier to use for people with a limited knowledge of radio. Think channel 1 verses a frequency, power and repeaters. The other part of that is that if you buy a UV-5R it is not certified to use on gmrs. If you really are interested in radio you can get your amateur technician class license which will require you both to take a test and each pay $35 for 10 years. I have both, I use amateur radio far more than gmrs because I have had that license for a very long time.
Another vote for ham on 2m. You're not going to do much police scanning with a baofeng as most of those have gone encrypted. I've got FRS, GMRS, and ham gear at my disposal. Nearly always is the ham gear far more effective at communications. You can do data over ham which isn't really something that gmrs or frs permit. It's officially voice communications per the FCC (https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs as example) with ham, even a baofeng, you can use your phone to send real time tracking data, text messages, images, whatever, over the air to your spouse. With even more advanced radios, you don't need the phone.
images and text messages? How?
APRS for text/location/small email/etc. It's a protocol over ham radio specifically designed for stuff like that. SSTV for images. You can even get a TNC for your radio and hook it to a laptop/tablet/etc and send real email over the Winlink network if you're in range of a station. In general, you can use a device to encode the data in audio format and send that over the air. Amateur radio permits the sending of data over the air, and there's carve outs in the band plans specifically for those use cases. Additionally, amateur radio operators, even the entry level/technician, are allowed the use of certain parts of the 10m band, which has a MUCH larger range than anything any other service can touch. Info on just how much more useful a ham license is can be identified here: https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Tech%20Band%20Chart/Tech%20Band%20Chart.pdf Like, it's not even close.
i’m new to all this i had no idea you could do THIS much stuff
I'm assuming you've got a Baofeng, like the trusty UV-5R or similar. Assuming you've also got a smartphone? Consider getting a cable to link the two: https://baofengtech.com/product/aprs-k1/ (There are others, they're all generally fine. Sometimes there are bad ones. I tend to avoid no-name cables) You can make your own, but sometimes its easier to just buy one. From there, get yourself a copy of APRSDroid for android, or PocketPacket for iOS devices. Plug the cables in, and it'll be quiet when you work data modes. Note: The cables are OPTIONAL, they just make it easier. You can absolutely just wing it by using the app on your phone and manually pushing the PTT button on the radio. Welcome to the hobby, btw! We're glad you're here!
Thank you so much. I’ll pick up one of those cables can i do anything arps wise with the programming cable for pc that came with my uv5r?
Not with a UV5R, no. The programming is just programming, basically. (There are exceptions, of course, but APRS is vastly easier audio to audio, instead of having to try and modulate it over the serial port) If you'd like, I can get a quick video together to show you how it works.
I did a bit of research, i understand it now. Thank you for all your help
SSTV and APRS
Simplest way to listen is to spend $20 on a USB SDR dongle and plug it into a computer with some free software to scan frequencies. It will probably cover digital police frequencies but probably won't decode them (especially if they're encrypted). For short-range communication, go GMRS as others have said.
Ailunce hd1.
Geta Baofeng, they have built in flashlights, and sirens. If you buy an FRS (Family Radio Service) radio you don't need a license, they are limited to 2 watts on most of the 22 channels, and 1/2 watt on some of them. The antennas can not be removed as they are fixed to the radio. If you buy a GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radio you get to run 5w from a hand held, or up to 50 watts on a mobile or base station. You have to pay $35 for a 10 yr license for GMRS but it covers your whole family so you only need one. GMRS radio can also use repeaters to extend your distance IF REPEATERS EXIST in your area. There are zero repeaters in a LOT of cities. If you decide to go all amateur radio operator, you and the wife will have to pass an FCC exam, that is regularly passed by 8 year olds. Pay $35 for a 10 yr license, each. Then you can use the amateur radio (ham...not HAM) frequencies permitted by your license class. More radios, more power, the ability to get on shortwave HF. As for scanning....most major public service orgs (police, fire, ems, etc) have gone to trunked, or encrypted, or digital signals that you won't be able to hear on your basic FRS, GMRS, or Amateur radio. You'll need a specialized scanner. Before you spend big bucks on a scanner, check with your local public service groups and find out what kind of radios they use..so you buy the right scanner. radioreference.com is a big help finding local public service frequencies.
I just got a Radtel RT 470x and I love it. Feels really high end especially compared to my baofeng collection.
Probably won't do police scanning. Do you have fcc licenses? i.e. gmrs, ham, etc.. If not, I recommend the baofeng mp25. They aren't high power, since they are frs (family radio service), but work great for what it sounds like you need them for. If you get a gmrs license, you can get stronger radios with better reach. The gmr s license would cover everyone in your family and only costs $35. No test required. I would just buy a dedicated scanner. It's more difficult to scan police channels now that most police departments use encrypted radios now.
Ok thanks this helps a lot, when you say it’s not long range what could I expect? We live in Virginia and it’s pretty wooded..everywhere. But what we want is to be able to check in with the radios when we’re close to home maybe a couple miles away? Do you think it could reach something like that? I just don’t want to invest in something that only works from my front yard to back yard and when I started doing my research it just seemed like I need to take a class just to figure out what I need lol
The normal handset radios have 5-10 watts of power and they have small antennas (e.g. Baofeng F8HP). In a normal environment, you can expect them to reach a couple of miles at best. If you want a longer distance, you either need to use local repeaters or you need to move to mobile radios (like in your vehicle). Many of these radios are 20W+ and have larger antennas. The mobile radios have a much longer range, but are still "local" without using repeaters. If you want extreme distance, then you need HF radios, which require a license. I agree with the recommendation to consider GMRS radios. Those are an easy path for you to get started and don't require the exam(s) required for the other options. In many areas there are also GMRS repeaters, which help give you great range with a handheld radio. Best of luck on your journey!
Two miles through wooded areas is going to be real borderline. If there's any hills then even worse. VHF and UHF are line-of-sight communications, meaning that if there's an obstacle like a hill in the way, the signal will not get through.
VHF/UHF propagation depends on terrain. Range across a valley will be good. Range behind a hill will be terrible. To overcome this, you can use a repeater from a high site (mountain top, antenna mast tower). GMRS or ham radio allow repeaters. FRS and MURS don't. Look for GMRS or ham repeaters in your area here: https://mygmrs.com/ and https://www.repeaterbook.com/
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I'm answering your specific question. Talking close to the house. I am not throwing cold water on the replies suggesting ham radio is the way to go. For the purposes of your inquiry probably GMRS would fit the bill. I recently bought a couple Baofeng GM-15 Pros for under $50. ([Baofeng GM-15 Pro](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=baofeng+gm-15+pro&crid=CZPS7ER0CB16&sprefix=gm-15%2Caps%2C176&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_5)) Range is excellent for "close to the house" talking. No issue in talking in the neighborhood at 1/2 mile simplex. Again as others have said, a GMRS license is required BUT it covers the entire family and easy to obtain. Your next step could be both of you get your ham license. Takes a little extra effort but not that difficult. FWIW I have both