FRS vs GMRS Walkie Talkie Range Comparison - Rocky Talkie Range Testing

[@BOBFudge]

I just got into GMRS for my family to use during storm/tornado season here in Oklahoma. When asking GMRS/HAM people about range, they overcomplicated it and never gave a straight answer. This video is exactly what I needed.

[@georged822]

I spent hours reading reddit trying to understand. This video did a much better job at explaining the difference. Great vid A+

[@rockytalkie1682]

Stoked to hear it helped!

[@PyroRob69]

Good to see someone testing in the Colorado mountains where it matters :)

[@theoutdoorempire]

Super helpful and probably the best explanation of FRS vs GMRS I've seen, thanks! Looking forward to reviewing my new Rocky Talkie 5W radios here soon!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much for your support and we're glad it was helpful!

[@peterloudis]

Agreed! Great video and explanation.

[@ArndroidInc]

I’ve been an amateur radio operator for a long time and a GMRS operator for a short time. That is best video I have ever seen explaining possible and probable range capabilities for portable communications. Great job.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much! We're always stoked to chat about range as there isn't a one size fits all number. Glad you liked the video!

[@marctcholkayan]

Thank you for this clear demonstration. I would of like a example with the longer whip antenna

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's a great suggestion! We've found in our testing that the 17cm antenna improves range by about 10% give or take. Being a dual band antenna, you'll also see improved reception of NOAA weather stations. That said, a single band antenna specifically tuned for GMRS could improve your range even more! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@cheesefries7436]

This is the BEST video on GMRS range! All the nerds on youtube just say 'iT dEPeNds' in a 20min video and never actually test anything or give a range. Also, where can I get that window mount at 5:41 ?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thanks so much for the kind words, I'm glad the video was helpful! We're very close to releasing out dash mount so keep your eyes peeled!

[@kiransuresh17]

The best explanation with great visuals! Thank you!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad it was helpful!

[@imagingconcepts]

I live in Western Washington State and we are blessed with several high power GMRS repeaters located at higher elevations. They pretty much provide complete coverage for the entire region, including the Olympic Peninsula, even using 5 watt handheld radios. The fact that your radios are repeater capable will be a great benefit in this area. Ranges up to 80 miles is possible in some areas.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Repeaters open up so many opportunities, I totally agree! Stoked to hear you have several near you and we appreciate you sharing your experience!

[@JayTX.]

That's awesome

[@ignacioreyes2244]

Can we use repeater mode to talk to friends ?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Absolutely! It's a great way to chat with friends and meet new ones. You can check mygmrs.com for repeaters in your area. Then, listen in to get an idea of how folks use repeaters in your area! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@garzilla4624]

I am sick of using the big box walkie talkies, so I ordered two of the 5W radios. I cannot wait to use it! My wife and I are very outdoorsy people and the crappy midlands we have always die with one transmission…..I am glad to be supporting a smaller business! Thanks for what you do!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much for your support! I hope they treat you well out there! -Nate

[@ryanjo23]

Very helpful video! Rocky Talkie is clearly a step above the rest.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you for the kind words Ryan!

[@M.H357]

Thank you for keeping it straight and direct to the point.

[@EnrichedLifePhD]

Great video. Super clear explanation and helpful in understanding. I also appreciate the candor in that your radios do have limitations, but I’m more comfortable buying the 5w knowing the demonstrated capabilities and wavelength

[@chrisb7142]

Excellent and informative video (living in CA, I also appreciated the location examples!).

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad it was helpful! If you have any questions down the road, drop us a line at [e-mail]. We're always stoked to chat radios! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@Hazel66781]

Excellent review. Thank you!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad it was helpful!

[@seewaage]

Thanks for the informative video.

[@GamingCentral3000]

Excellent video!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad you liked it!

[@TheJonnyJager]

I wish you would give more information on using them on skiing mountains. How do they work and range at a place like Breckenridge, bever creek, etc. I want to give my wife and kid a radio for our November trip, but I haven't found a great video or review on the radios in that application. Anyone use the 5w in a ski resort setting? How did it work? Looking at the BCA2.0 as my other option.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey Jonny, that's a great question! Folks have been using our radios to ski/snowboard for years! We have tons of great reviews and created the waterproof hand mics specifically with skiers in mind. We are also encouraging folks to adopt a backcountry community channel program and you can get more info on our website here: rockytalkie.com/pages/communitychannels I hope this helps and if you'd like to chat more about using the radios on the mountain, feel free to drop us a line at [e-mail]! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@bruceprichard2996]

Thank you for the excellent demonstration and explanation. I just received a set of GRMS 5w radios and am impressed with the build quality. I tested them in our neighborhood and only got about a mile of reception, of course this is with houses being the main obstruction. I am wondering if the longer “whip” antenna would help ?

[@rockytalkie1682]

We're so glad it was helpful! As you experienced, urban settings are tough for radio waves. While a longer antenna could improve range a little, your best bet will be either accessing a repeater (to get above obstructions) or physically raising your antenna. You could mount an antenna to your roof if you primarily operate at home. If you'd like to discuss further, drop us a note at [e-mail] and we can chat further! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@ndcendee]

Thanks for the vid, great info. Just recieved two pre-order 5 watt radios adding to the 2 mountain radios in our stash; love them all! What is that car mount y'all are using seen at 5:40?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad it helped and thank you for your support! The car mount is a prototype of our dash mount we hope to release in the new year!

[@AlmostIdahoOverland]

@@rockytalkie1682 Does that dash mount wire coming from the back of the mount lead to the outer GMRS antenna? I'm assuming.

[@rockytalkie1682]

That is correct! To get your signal outside of the vehicle, you'll remove the antenna from your 5 Watt Radio and attach a coax cable that runs to your vehicle mounted antenna. This helps your radio send and receive transmissions without passing through thick glass or being absorbed by the metal body. If you'd like to chat further, drop us a note at [e-mail] we're always stoked to chat radios! -Nate

[@timoteiradulea5719]

Hi, do you have any links or directions to any website to the GMRS. Thank you

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey Tim, we have a blog post walking folks through the steps to getting a GMRS license. There, you'll have access to lots of great info! If you have any unanswered questions, feel free to drop us a note at [e-mail] rockytalkie.com/blogs/rocky-talkie-blog/how-to-get-a-gmrs-license

[@JimEdds]

both of your radios are USB-C charging correct?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey Jim, that's correct! You can use just about any charger and cable including your phone charger, a usb power bank, car adapter, etc. I hope this helps and if you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to drop us a line! -Nate

[@baristeve1]

Do you make a marine version of your radio, for sea kayaking where a full size marine radio is unavailable?

[@rockytalkie1682]

We don't currently make a VHF marine band radio but if staying connected with someone on the coast or you partner out at sea, the 5 Watt Radio would totally work! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@il_Presepe]

Hi, thanks for the excellent video. I purchased 1 GMRS recently and had 1 FRS a few months ago. Could you explain the use of Narrow vs Wide band and which one should be used for both radio to communicate with each at their best? Or is that just something applicable to the GMRS repeater channels and should not be worried?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much for your support, that's a great question! Bandwidth determines the frequency range occupied by your signal. There isn't a major difference in audio quality between narrow and wide band, so the main difference is compatibility. You'll want to match bandwidth whenever possible for the best volume levels. Our FRS Mountain Radio and most handheld radios are programmed to narrow band by default, so we send out our 5 Watt Radio configured in narrow band as well. Typically GMRS repeaters, mobile (vehicle mounted) radios, and some handheld GMRS radios that have this ability to use narrow or wide. so you'll just want to match bandwidth accordingly. I hope that helps! - Nate

[@il_Presepe]

@@rockytalkie1682 Thank you for the detailed response and information. Greatly appreciated 👍

[@the_atomic_punk487]

Going to be used primarily for hunting, still undecided, great video though!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Either radio could be a great fit for hunting! We usually hear that our hunting community that they tend to be spread out and can be in dense forest. In those types of situations, the 5 Watt Radio would be a great choice. Feel free to reach out to [e-mail] if you'd like to chat more!

[@the_atomic_punk487]

@@rockytalkie1682 thanks for the reply, I am leaning towards the GMRS radio for the reasons you stated.

[@jhutch1470]

Get the higher power radio. It has more possibilities for the future. You don't buy for today, you buy for tomorrow. Then you only spend once.

[@changounchained2648]

When are your radios going to support noaa and IP67 or higher water resistance with float option?

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's a great question! Our 5 Watt Radio is IP67 rated and supports NOAA weather channels! Paired with our corrosion resistant locking carabiner, it's a solid radio specifically designed with swift water environments in mind. Feel free to check out our radio comparison page to see which radio would be a good fit for your activities! rockytalkie.com/pages/radiocomparison

[@JakeF1st]

Whats the adaptor to use an external antenna? Is it a SO239 female to SMA male?

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's correct, good eye!

[@robertriva1313]

Do the 5 watt GMRS radios work on UHF or VHF? 🤗

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's a great question! The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) utilizes UHF frequencies. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@robertriva1313]

@@rockytalkie1682 Thanks for your reply. Just as a matter of interest are you familiar with the Uniden 820s and how does that compare with the Rocky talkie(mountain)? 🤗

[@rockytalkie1682]

Another great question! From what I was able to find, the Uniden 820S is set up for use in Australia and New Zealand. They use different radio frequencies than our radios do. If you're in that part of the world, I'm sure it's a great option!

[@JamesBraun-n1p]

I had a 3 watt Cobra mobile CB in my car . I was talking to a person I believed to be very close . I was shocked to learn he was in Long Beach Texas , I wae in Orlando Florida . Then my F meter pegged , A person in San Diego Calif. was lik next to me . I could recieve but not transmit , he had 20K watts .

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey James thanks for sharing, we love the magic of CB and other High Frequency radios! Under the right conditions, those longer wavelengths can travel upward, bounce off the ionosphere and return to earth! This can give you some impressive range with relatively low power radios. The reason we tend to not see many HF handhelds is because the antenna would have to be very long to accommodate the wavelength effectively. I hope you still have your CB and get on the air sometimes! If you'd like to chat more, feel free to drop us a note at [e-mail] -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@JamesBraun-n1p]

@@rockytalkie1682 My CB was many years ago . I now reside in the filippines so things here area really different . Got a lot to learn about the laws here .

[@RyanTJohnson]

This is the absolute best explanation of these two concepts.

[@rockytalkie1682]

So stoked to hear it was helpful! -Nate

[@reidtillery2856]

One idea for the GMRS radio would be to use a roll-up Slim Jim antenna (made of ladder line) (also available commercially for about $30. Google around) and attach it to the SMA connection via an adapter which has an SO-239 connection and can be connected to a PL-259 connection to some coaxial cable. Using paracord, throw a line over a tree limb for good height. I'm thinking this will be more effective than the antenna which comes with the radio. This could be a good rig for a base camp. The only other thing that would make this radio perfect for disaster communications and off-roading or overlanding is if it could work by plugging into a vehicle cigarette lighter.

[@hendrickh2916]

You can get usb chargers for the cigarette lighter, Anker is an example brand.

[@bc_usa]

​@@hendrickh2916The Jackery and Bluetti also have this.

[@ricdonato4328]

Amazing video and explanation. Thank you. Suggestion, eliminate the background music. Many folks have hearing difficulties, thus the background music will quickly become an impediment to their enjoyment of your video, and will quickly become annoying. Remember, we came to hear what you have to share, we are not here to fight the music to hear you. Thank you for your consideration.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thanks for the tip, I'm so sorry about that! I'll make sure we bump down the background music on our future videos. I really appreciate your feedback! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@RoamingWhispers]

NotARubicon is going to be thrilled with how many fars this thing has!!

[@PainterDans]

Better buy one before he does a review

[@uberade386]

Would you mind namedropping the setup you had going on the truck? Being able to have a handheld's portability with the truck being a repeater/amplifier is huge, but I'm having trouble following what equipment you'd need to do that (acronym overload, lol).

[@rockytalkie1682]

I couldn't agree more, the handheld rigged in the truck like a mobile radio is a really versatile solution! We have a handful of different mobile antenna setups we'd be happy to share. Depending if you like to go from mobile to handheld frequently and what types of activities you're doing outside of the vehicle, we've got something for you! If you wouldn't mind dropping a line to [e-mail] we can get you links and discuss further! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@MikeCee7]

Very well done video! I learned a lot from this video!

[@CanoeBoi]

Incredibly well made video, clear and to the point.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad it was helpful!

[@brianrichard1768]

5 watts in my opinion is not worth the trade off in battery consumption vs 2 watt.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey Brian, that's a great point! We actually see very similar battery life from our 5 Watt Radio despite the extra power. I typically get 5 days of use and our team of product testers tends to see similar results. I hope this helps and if you'd like to chat further, we'd love to hear from you at [e-mail]! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@PianoByJayden]

Any suggestions for which of the two for my son and I when we go biking? Mostly gravel sometimes road.

[@rockytalkie1682]

We have a handlebar mount for our 5 Watt Radio and I personally love having my 5 Watt with me while mountain biking. If you'd like to discuss more pros and cons, feel free to drop us a line at [e-mail] -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@LilRedDog]

Why in the world are you inconsistently holding the carbiner in front, to the side of or not at all obstructing the antennas?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey there, that's a great question! While metal near an antenna could in theory cause issues, our team has done extensive real world testing and found that even when pressing the carabiner up to the antenna, no noticeable signal loss or interference occurred!

[@yoniudkoff3577]

Awesome! I once missed being able to summit Mount Whitney because I had lost communication with some of the other guys. I was hiking with. I decided after that that I got to get a pair of walkie-talkies. Rockie talkies is what I’m getting! How long is the holiday sale lasting? Great informative video thank you!

[@billmart67]

So I would not be able to up the wattage out put on these radios?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Correct. FRS radios are capped at 2 watts maximum power and our 5 Watt Radio has been tuned to what we think is an optimal power setting. It maximizes range while ensuring you get plenty of battery life on your adventures! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@jojoalonso1455]

I'm completely new to this world. I go canyon seeing and hiking with my son and needed something to keep our communication line open. Got a BAOFENG like my friend has but I felt like I wanted a stronger signal. Just ordered, but this video really helped me click the order button! Thank you for this explanation!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much for your support, I'm glad the video helped you make a decision! If you have any additional questions, we're always stoked to chat at [e-mail]

[@mikezeigler7407]

Appreciate the quality of information I got from this video. Very simply put, and it very much helped my understanding of a subject I didn't know much about.

[@rockytalkie1682]

We're stoked to hear it helped! I can't wait to hear how your journey into the radio hobby goes and if you have any questions, we're always stoked to chat! -Nate

[@AlmostIdahoOverland]

Where can i get that windshield walkie mount thats in the video for your 5 watt version? Is that specifically for your Rockys or aftermarket mount??

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's a great question! We're hoping to have our dedicated dash mount available by summer 2024! Keep your eyes peeled! -Nate

[@yosaihbuonkrong5263]

love it I need something to communicate between two mountain properties and this video explained perfectly and now I know what I need. now just need yall to make it on Ham radio.

[@rockytalkie1682]

I'm so glad the video armed you with the knowledge to dial in your system! It would be very cool to have a ham radio one of these days. GPS/APRS would be on my shortlist, what kind of features would you want to see? -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@brendonborrego4911]

I would love to see this video with one more test of the 17cm antenna. Love all of your products!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much for your support! We've found our 17cm antenna improves range by about 10%. It's a bit more helpful when picking up weather channels!

[@Moqui10]

Is there frequency overlap between for 2 and 5 watt radios?

[@rockytalkie1682]

Absolutely! FRS and GMRS radios use all of the same simplex frequencies. Meaning all 22 channels will work between the radios! If you have any additional questions, feel free to give us a shout at [e-mail]

[@V9bct7]

Excellent video - just bought 2 5Ws

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you so much for your support!

[@caseymcclain7398]

Watched the video and I guess unless I actually test the radio I won't know. But I'm in the market for a walkie talkie for me and my kid(s) for resort skiing. If I'm on one side and they are on the other side, can we communicate? I'm not buying him an iPhone to break/lose/play with. The resort is in central PA so not very high "mountains". I have the FRS and they don't work front to back of the resort unfortunately. They are fabulous for hikes or if we are on the same side of the mountain though.

[@RKingis]

If there is a repeater, then you could get a few repeater capable GMRS radios.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey Casey, that's a great point. I would say that with any 2-way radio, you likely won't get signal from opposite sides of the mountain. The way radio waves travel, they need either a direct path or a bounce path around an obstacle. @RKingis is totally right though! If there's a GMRS repeater on top or nearby, you might be in luck! Websites like mygmrs.com show repeaters in your area. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to get in touch at [e-mail]

[@bulldogbrower6732]

Thank you for an excellent presentation. You went far beyond any other explanation on KZbin. You must have spent some money on your travel, it is very much appreciated. I hope that you do a comparison with MURS radios.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad it was helpful! That's a great idea, it would be really fun to do some side by side comparisons with VHF and UHF radios. Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@realwizer8909]

@@rockytalkie1682 I second this, would love to see if MURS does anything different than GMRS or FRS in these scenarios!

[@MichelBoudreau-l7m]

What about in urban settings?

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's a great question! Urban settings tend to be the toughest for radio waves and we typically see radios get up to a mile or range. Building materials, cars, and other RF interference can vary so I totally encourage you pushing the limits and seeing what you get in your neck of the woods! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@seantbr2019]

I was recon in the army and my favorite class that they sent me to was to set up a OE254 and it's pretty much a repeater we would go up on top of a mountain and set these things up so we could talk to other people on the other side of the mountain

[@rockytalkie1682]

Hey Sean, thank you for your service! I'm glad you got to experience the utility of repeaters first hand, it's pretty magical when you can communicate from miles away via radio isn't it? I hope the video still had some info for you and if you have any questions or would like to pick up a set of radios, please reach out as we have a discount for our vets and active duty service members! The link to our Pro Program is at the bottom of rockytalkie.com and you can get in touch via [e-mail]. We appreciate you! -Nate Rocky Talkie Team

[@seantbr2019]

Nice thank you yeah I'm thinking about getting some I am learning about radios even when I was in I didn't really know about them too much but we used them a lot to talk on I've been doing a lot of research ​@@rockytalkie1682

[@treehugger420]

Wow. This video was awesome!

[@rockytalkie1682]

Glad you liked it! -Nate

[@jhutch1470]

Excellent video.

[@rockytalkie1682]

Thank you very much!

[@Seb_Sacco]

Could you do a video on repeaters and the new Rocky Talkie would connect to them. Do you need to plug it into a laptop to do it?

[@rockytalkie1682]

That's a great idea, we were actually just thinking about that this week! You do not need to plug your laptop in and it's really straightforward to program. Simply locate a repeater on a website like mygmrs.com and match the frequency to the correct channel, then set your tone in, tone out, and bandwidth. It's as easy as that! Feel free to get in touch at [e-mail] if you have any additional questions.

[@RKingis]

​@@rockytalkie1682unfortunately,many repeaters use split tones, which your radio can't do without programming in CPS.

[@rockytalkie1682]

@@RKingis Our radios are totally compatible with split tone repeaters! You can set the transmitting and receiving tones independently without any programming software, thanks for pointing that out!

[@RKingis]

Alrighty, so after looking at the manual, it's actually really simple to setup split tones for repeater access. Please forgive my ignorance!

[@RKingis]

@@rockytalkie1682 I'm impressed with the setting up of split tones! The only issue I could see is, if the tones don't match the 121 presets. Maybe in a future firmware, you could add a few other commonly used codes after 121. I know my GMRS has some published codes, so maybe so research can be done. Please forgive my ignorance!

[@adambatchelder4121]

We run gmrs all over northern California dirt biking and clearing trail 7 watt radios with larger antennas really help . Repeaters are amazing whether they are available. In vehicles cbs with big amps really get out well.

[@rockytalkie1682]

That is awesome! Glad to hear you're getting out there and putting your radios to good use!

[@UrMom_says]

This was extremely helpful. I think for my Backcountry hunting Adventures the 5 watt is definitely the way to go