BEWARE! My Emergency Radio Exposed - Is This Legit?

[@undasea]

I'm one of the suckers that bought this radio thinking it would be easy to listen to local EMS, Fire, Police, etc. I paid the extra to have the radio programmed for me. When I got the radio, I followed the instructions to set the radio up only to find there are NO local channels programmed. Also In the instruction card that came with the radio, they let you know they do NOT offer phone support, only email responses. I emailed them and they did reply, but only to basically tell me, "Here are all the local repeater frequencies. Program it yourself". Now if I was knowledgable about Ham radio set up, this wouldn't be so bad, but I'm not. That's why I ordered this radio, because they advertise it as being all set up for you, idiot friendly. It isn't.

[@HamRadio2]

Sorry this happened to you but thanks for sharing your real experience with this product.

[@jpvoodoo5522]

I am glad this gentleman is exposing this company. Quite frankly, he is being generous with the company regarding how bad they are lying to people. When you enter a new hobby and you get screwed by a company like this, it makes you so mad that you will never let it happen again. Thank you for sharing your story. Try to gain some solace in the fact that by sharing it, you've denied that company thousands of dollars that they would have otherwise made of the unsuspecting public.

[@davidblake7888]

Same here. Sending mine back

[@Mvon8380]

I did the same thing. I purchased mine 2 weeks ago thinking this would be great in an emergency situation. There are no return policies on these either. Im basically stuck with this and am currently trying to learn how to program it myself, but am getting nowhere. If anybody can read this and are interested in these, please do not purchase. Save your money and possibly buy a baofeng $30 radio and maybe find a ham operator who can help you with programming and learning it.

[@Mvon8380]

@@davidblake7888 good luck. They have a no return policy once it is shipped. I fell for it too.

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

WOW! That Website/Company is SHAMELESS!

[@HamRadio2]

Yes indeed

[@ve3cwq47]

Good on you Jason. Deceptive and dangerous snake oil sales tactics.

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

Bottom line... The ads are a scam, preying on people's fears without radio knowledge... Plain and simple.

[@kidbach]

Truth, Jeff. And if a person did buy this radio, how would they know the correct way to actually use it to call for help? 73. KC3UEE

[@KamauNwabudike]

More bottom line. We in Michigan are not co-signing this radio.

[@jpbok49]

Got suckered, looking to see if there is a refund window.

[@UpnorthHere]

@jpbok49. In MA you have four years in which to file a claim for breach of express warranty (i.e., they lied). State laws vary.

[@Levy3o8]

Nothing pisses me off more and makes me hate a company more than a "one day sale" that never ends. It's simply a blatant lie to the people kind enough to patronize their shop.

[@HamRadio2]

True

[@CyborgAlienBariaur]

My favorite is the "Going out of business" sales that never end...

[@3henry214]

Or how they bait and switch... where the cheapest single radio is "out of stock", but they have plenty to go around to bundle into more expensive "packages" with unneeded "fluff" that you can buy cheaper somewhere else.

[@n1rbd]

Or the constant pop-up that says "John from Dallas just bought....." Typical FOMO tactic. I've looked at the source code and everyone I've looked at are random message generators.

[@miket7184]

@@n1rbd That's like 'seeding' a tip jar with lot's of cash to make people think the self service counter order food vendor is getting lot's of tips, even though there's no actual service involved.

[@davidsradioroom9678]

Your review of the radio and the web site was fair and honest. Great job!

[@HamRadio2]

I appreciate that!

[@Haz44Mat]

Thanks for exposing scammers

[@KM7ZWPSemperFi]

I just got a text from my son-in-law, excited about this radio advertisement. I was in the process of writing a book in response to everything wrong with their claims, when I found your review. Thank you thank you. So much easier to send him your video. He’ll probably take your word over mine anyways😂 73’s

[@oneteamonefight4113]

Thanks for what you do. A crook is a crook is a crook.

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks

[@JasonBlaylock]

The other night we had a skywarn net in operation and a person keyed up and asked if they had any tornadoes near his location. The net controller told him to not transmit without a license. He keyd back up and apologized and stated that he thought he could since it was an emergency. It makes me wonder if he had purchased one of these.

[@HamRadio2]

That is actually a common misconception. People don't understand what "emergency" means, at least not how the FCC defines it. Now if the tornado were in his backyard... sure.

[@kathytheesfeld5849]

Thank you for this review!! I was interested in purchasing but glad I took the time to find honest reviews!! What would you suggest for a newbie who wants to be able to communicate with family throughout my state? Thank you in advance!!

[@rhythmaniax]

I came across their ad on Facebook about a week ago and was shocked to see the markup they were putting on that radio. Thanks for the great video!

[@victoriousbride]

I’ve seen this ad. I started searching if it was a scam. Obviously it’s a yes. Thank you. I’m new to the ham radio but interested in this.

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks for commenting

[@hikingfish3]

I understand your frustration at businesses trying to pray on people that do not have the knowledge to understand what they are buying. But a lot of the hams that listen to you, should know most of this stuff by now I would thnk. Great information for new hams though. Great job thanks for sharing.

[@HamRadio2]

Yes and this channel is for seasoned Hams AND for new folks - you never know who is watching.

[@eileenmhughes]

I'm grateful for this review since I ALMOST ordered it but googled "reviews of" this & fortunately found this. Phew‼️

[@kr3lc99]

Oh, and the only two way handheld radios that can last for days when using are used on The Walking Dead. Not anywhere in real life.

[@HamRadio2]

What they are saying is that it will last for days with the solar charger that they will sell you separately - but they don't explain that very well.

[@royrobinson4636]

Great review 😎 Marketing and Reality are sometimes two different things. 😵‍💫

[@richardkrueger5909]

So, glad I watched your review.... I was about to order. My son said: Why aren't you looking up reviews like you, usually, do?

[@HamRadio2]

Haha, thanks for watching!

[@bettersaferadio]

Great exposé Jason! I wondered when someone was going to call these guys out - they’ve been doing this for a while now. Also, note that these are just typical “feng” grade direct-conversion radios, not actually high-quality superhet designs. Thanks for the mention also! :)

[@HamRadio2]

No doubt!

[@Lee-mmg]

Good to have someone who keeps everyone up to date! I am going to start figuring what it will take to do one for me - and a couple for my daughter's family. (and yes, do the training!

[@FarmRanchHomestead]

When I saw the radio, I immediately knew it was either a TYT UV-88 ham radio or a Radioddity GM-30 (or clone) GMRS radio, rebranded for them. I wasn't sure which until you mentioned that it was a ham radio. Just as stated in the video, it's basically a $30 radio. The UV-88 and other ham variants of the radio can easily be programmed with Chirp, which is free software. The cost for two radios and a decent programming cable should be in the ballpark of $75.

[@johnm7249]

My town's PD and FD use P25 which makes one of their claims specious, at least where I live. It'd be interesting to see what the rating plate under the battery says. Good work.

[@jeffwb5waj451]

I love it!! Great job Jason. How miss leading. How many people are being scammed by this?

[@josephcioffi6958]

The wonderful government allows this crap to happen. Good for you....glad you are around to bring this to light!

[@HamRadio2]

Well... I don't think the government should have any say in it at all. They should be keeping their grubby fingers out of private enterprise. It is up to you and I, the public, to shed light on things like this

[@Theaskegroup]

Oh boy, this should be good!

[@poorman-trending]

How about we all start calling them complaining that we can’t reach our family in Bulgaria…

[@craigcarnahan7210]

Unless they just recently added it, there is no phone number listed for the company in Michigan. Buyer beware.

[@dwightweidman1702]

These guys, Rapid Consulting, pop up on Facebook all the time, and you're correct, they prey on the ignorant.

[@deadhamwalking]

Thanks for clarifying this. I highly suspected it wasn’t as advertised

[@suecbrn]

I saw this ad on FB. As I have just been learning HAM radio I was intrigued as well. But as I read the information I thought that this had to be a scam. And then they made many statements in the comments about how they would continue to program the radio (never mentioning the costs) if you were to move. I believe I left some pointed comments in the comments. I am just so glad that I had the foresight to start studying for the HAM radio license before I saw this! I think anyone who sees this should report it to the FCC as they blatantly mislead people with their ad. And who knows, maybe they are part of the bad actors against the country and these people are inadvertently contributing to their funds out of fear.

[@UpnorthHere]

False advertising is also handled by the FTC (dot gov) and your state attorney general.

[@JB56561]

I don’t know anything about radios, but I was actually researching the radio you’re talking about and come across your video. Thank you for explaining. What is the best radio to use for a bug out bag to keep in contact with your family that’s nearby

[@HamRadio2]

Check my "best radio" videos on this channel

[@happycamper69]

Im a Newby. Can you please let me know as a beginner which radio should i purchase in case of emergencies. Please advise. Thank you in advance. Randy

[@BamaChad-W4CHD]

You mentioned something I say frequently. Why do I need a ham radio license for shtf? No governments to care. The education it takes to get licensed will be absolutely invaluable! You just might be able to talk to people other than your buddy two houses down if you know how antennas work. If you know what kind of coax to use. If you know what impedance is. If you know how the atmosphere reacts to various conditions. If you know the difference between fm, am, lsb/usb and more. If you know the difference between vhf and uhf. It sure would be nice if there was some study guide or something for all that stuff......

[@tonytriplett21]

Exactly! It’s a complete waste of time and money. “Get a license “ just another way for the govt to get in your pockets. Everything you said was 🎯

[@UpnorthHere]

@tonytriplett21. Until recently, the FCC charged nothing for a han license or renewal.

[@robbiemorrow3473]

It offers a Faraday bag for an extra twenty bucks one time offer. My sweetheart tried to buy the frequencies for ten dollars and she's on the phone right now because they took it out seven times. I wouldn't make this 💩 up. Glad to see your video, making people aware.

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@robbiemorrow3473]

​@@HamRadio2 She just got it resolved with the bank, & again, TY4SHARING

[@PeterSciara]

Thanks for a great video, advice and recommendations! I ended up purchasing the TYT radio (from the link you provided), cable and will download CHIRP when it arrives. Next will be trying to get my Ham Radio license. Tks

[@HamRadio2]

Good luck

[@pim55]

Read the return policy it gets better. Per their policy "You agree that ALL sales are final. Orders can be cancelled BEFORE they ship but no orders can be cancelled after shipping. We do not offer returns and all sales are final. You acknowledge that orders will take can take up to 10 days to arrive."

[@HamRadio2]

I missed that part

[@Jeselena_8]

As soon as I read this comment I immediately cancelled. Luckily I had just placed the order. Should have done research before but they cancelled quickly.

[@UpnorthHere]

"All sales are final" doesn’t always apply to criminal fraud or breach of warranty claims. For free you can ask for their attorney's address to serve them with a fraud claim.

[@4666L]

I'm glad you are putting the word out on these people.

[@mellindataylor4846]

I am a Newby. Can you advise if we do not have any cell towers which system we could purchase to speak to speak to family up to 3 hour drive?

[@HamRadio2]

It really depends on what is between you and the station you are trying to talk to

[@kr3lc99]

Iv’e seen this on Facebook. It’s misleading the buyers.

[@TimBarajas]

I saw the add too on Instagram. Ran across this video while investigating to see if this "emergency radio" was legit. Glad I found this video.

[@StampsNLingers]

Thanks - I was (am) one of the uninformed. VERY glad I found your video. :)

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks

[@rudypeev]

Thank you for having this channel! Once I saw your video on the other scam brand that uses a sim card I knew I can come back and check on this 'deal'! Going to do a search of your videos - looking to see if you have used or tested the Beartooth devices. Thanks!

[@stevecooper2873]

IF I am seeing those ad pages correctly, they are sending you multiple radios and a SINGLE charger [possibly only a single battery ??]. Such a deal.

[@HamRadio2]

I got 1 radio and 1 charger. I know they're only selling dual sets now but I'd expect they come with 2 chargers. But if not...even worse of a deal

[@bigboy8526]

I actually just cancelled my order after watching your video. Saw this ad on Reed Timmers KZbin video live with the tornado outbreak today 5/6/24 in Oklahoma. Pretty disappointed in his pr team for not looking into this scam better. Thanks again for saving me after getting suckered in!

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks for watching

[@KtoddN]

I have a question, is there a radio that I can talk to my son in Florida, while I am in Oklahoma? In case of an EMP or any "SHTF" scenario? I'm glad I didn't buy this! Thank you for your video, I'm now Subscribed!

[@HamRadio2]

HF radio

[@DePalma.]

This is the QRZ explorer…. A couple of months back I tested for tech and general. After passing, the VC’s that supervised the test encouraged me to get this radio because it was on a special promotion from QRZ. Cost $21 I think. I am familiar with cheap Chinese radios. I enjoy them. So I decided to buy one. And I can say with conviction, that this radio I don’t like. The speaker is loud & clear, but it’s hard to program & the antenna doesn’t work as good as my UV-5R. I would be better off having spent my money on a baofeng, at least those are well designed:)

[@HamRadio2]

Actually the TYT UV-88 existed prior to the QRZ-1, and since the QRZ-1 has custom firmware, it is unlikely that this company has access to it. Likely it is the same firmware and features that the TYT and Retevis versions of this radio have.

[@DePalma.]

@@HamRadio2 I’m sure you know more about radios than I do, and you’re probably right… But I don’t like this radio lol.

[@DePalma.]

@@HamRadio2 oh, you’re the guy from the channel… Thanks for your videos, I’ve enjoyed them for the year that I’ve been doing amateur radio. Have a Merry Christmas man😎

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks!

[@brianc.morrill3835]

I did see the advertisement and was intrigued. Fortunately, I did my research first and found your video!

[@HamRadio2]

Wonderful!

[@wowsly]

in the UK we get adds for PMR HTs for an emergency in a red case for about £150 to £250 and they say the same thing :D they are like the little 8 channel radios you can buy any were lol

[@waldogtv5486]

My mother sent me this same ad, that's how I found your video because I suspected this was bunk. So what are the actual real solutions to talking to someone say 40-50 miles away. Will these types of radios (like the TYT you suggested) do that if you setup the repeating? How hard is that to do for a novice? I figured sat phone might be an option, but I know they are spendy.

[@HamRadio2]

Talking 40-50 miles away reliably might be an issue. Yes you can do that with a repeater, assuming the repeater is powered-on. The ad this company has makes it seem like you don't need a repeater to talk that far, but that is wrong. Using an HF radio (an upgrade to this one) will allow you to talk much farther, but you need an upgraded license for that.

[@AlGritzmacher]

People think that these radios work like they do in the Walking Dead. They imagine themselves in that fantasy world. Every radio talks to every other radio. No knowledge of what channel to use, or the range it is capable of. Batteries never die and seem to always be recharged without power from the grid. People also seem to think that when SHTF, they can pick up a radio, talk to someone, and they will swoop down and solve all their problems.Face it, in such a serious emergency, your little, petty needs, aren't going to get anyone to drop everything and come to your beck and call. Unfortunately, a lot of preppers and even Hams seem to believe this. If you really want to be prepared for an emergency, don't buy a radio. Learn how to survive, how to find or get shelter, how to stockpile or hunt food and water, how to rescue yourself, not depend on others. In an emergency, nothing you have to say is so important to the world that it's going to drop everything and listen to you and your little radio!

[@fm71450]

Well Done! Thank You.

[@pwlyons759]

I came looking for you. Exactly what I wanted to know, because I'm interested in having the real thing.

[@Definitelynottheatf]

By using the tyt model, I was able to program this through chirp To enable vfo Power off radio Hold 1 and 7 key then power on Once it says 7 you are good to go

[@DavidInTheDesert]

A local pepper bought three of these things. He brought one to our club meeting asking help in figuring out how to use it. I took up the challenge. What I found was a minimal manual, no way to program it via a computer and no preprogrammed frequencies. He said he'd write of the experiment to "experience points" and that was the end of that.

[@HamRadio2]

I didn't find a way for an individual to program it either. No software or programming cable is available on their website. But I wonder if CHIRP would recognize it as a UV88

[@Definitelynottheatf]

I used a cable from a uv54 and was able to program it through the uv88 model, hope this helps​@@HamRadio2

[@MickeyRawson]

I just saw this - My Emergency Radio - and looked to 'see' if anyone else with knowledge saw this.....thank you for sharing! The little I know of emergency radios - I do not think so. I shared your opinion on their product and they took it off. I thought I would try....

[@StealthGTI]

You're like Penn & Teller: Revealing how the magic is done. HAHA! The last minute or so was gold!

[@heatherbohn4467]

Thanks~ what do you suggest for families instead? Reliable and affordable and truthful advertising.

[@HamRadio2]

Ham Radio and GMRS

[@ValerieCriddle-Thomas]

Thank you I got this radio and I concur with your information . Lesson learned

[@JoeHamelin]

My "emergency radio" is a Motorola APX4000 7/800MHz HT registered by my county. This is because I've worked with my local emergency management doing events, CERT classes, field days and whatnot for the last 25 years. If you want to be taken seriously in an emergency, then they will want to know you and what you're capable of doing to help. Nothing is better when the SHTF than knowing your local EM gang by first name.

[@maryconner71]

Thank you so much for this review. I was just thinking of buying one.

[@HamRadio2]

Glad I could help!

[@henrybarrick7205]

I just got two of these in the mail today. What should I do? Im trying to establish some reliable back-up communinations.

[@kelseyrolin5267]

My mom bought 3 of these, 1 for her, 1 for my stepdad because he’s a truck driver, and 1 for me. She thought we’d be able to communicate with each other like a long distance walkie talkie. Can they still be used as walkie talkies if we’re on the same property?

[@HamRadio2]

They're not walkie talkies since they don't transmit. But yes, as long as you're in cell coverage, they should work no matter where you are

[@wendyslone]

Ok. I’m a sucker and fell for this. I bought 2 radio’s with programming. Should I return them? I’m not licensed and thought they would be good to have in emergencies.

[@HamRadio2]

I doubt they will let you return them

[@ionhunter]

YES! I'm a HAM, Yes I have talked from Flint Michigan to Key West Florida using my GT-3TP MarkIII and just a 42" whip.

[@HamRadio2]

From an airplane?

[@ionhunter]

@@HamRadio2 no, we have ham satellite repeats flying over.

[@kirkgoins7214]

I don't have this radio in front of me(someone else has it). I want to remember many more Freqs listed on the back of the box beside the Ham 2m and 70cm bands. Were you ever able to hand program it via the keypad? Thanks and I enjoy your videos

[@wolfwalker-ud5up]

Thank you I was thinking about buying one but didn’t feel good about it. Now I know I don’t need one

[@HamRadio2]

Thanks

[@ihorskotar1823]

Thanks for informing us of vendors who overstate radios. We have 2 TYT-88s' and very happy with them. Looks just like the advertised you showed us. 73's. VE3GXV

[@teamnautifish5959]

What radios would you recommend for general need in a disaster type scenario to be able to listen to updates and possibly talk to other. I have family across the US and in MX. Thank you! I also have two huge old school HAM towers at one of my houses from the prior owners. How are is it to get my HAM license and is it worth doing?

[@HamRadio2]

I think it is well worth it, yes. I have some videos on this channel in a playlist called The New Ham Workshop and it details my recommended radios for multiple uses. That's awesome that you already have a tower.

[@Baphee_]

😮 I didn't trust it when I saw it but the research led me here. I Thank God that you are explaining it. I won't be making this purchase.

[@judester908]

Thank you for saving me from buying more junk!!!

[@americanhealthandlifegroup1456]

I bought them for my house and my daughter's. WE can't make them work. Like AT ALL. We can't even talk to each other. I feel pretty stupid.

[@kathypage2865]

I too got taken. Because I’m an OVERACHIEVER I bought 2 and gave one to my daughter and her family. I put mine away to be safe in case of an emergency and then when I was going to pull it out to really learn how to use it, I couldn’t remember where I put it. (UGH) anyhow, I decided to buy another one so that I could talk to my daughter in case of an emergency. So yes, I bought 3. I now know that there are kind of useless. I know NOTHING about ham radios, and I don’t even know how to find any channels to listen to. I’m wondering if these are kind of worthless, can we just use them as radios to talk to each other? What kind of trouble do you get in if you talk on it. I literally do not know anything about these.

[@richc8253]

Great video. I wish you would do a review on Rapid Radio. The manufacturer says it uses cell service but no monthly fee is required which seems like a crock. Thanks for posting!

[@HamRadio2]

I have those radios sitting here - review is in process

[@ryanmorgan5677]

Unlike many places, where I live in Montana the county dispatch uses unencrypted 2m. A few weeks ago there was a high speed chase and I was listening in and during all that a kid that sounded to be about 10 y/o or less starting transmitting "help me help me" 2 or 3 times. There was no panic in his voice and you could hear other kids talking normally in the background. Dispatch was obviously displeased and told him to clear the freq. I'm guessing he must have got hold of his parents baofeng or something.

[@Murderdogs]

Whoah, the dispatch uses the actual ham band? Or when you say 2m do you just mean a pretty close frequency? It kinda seems like using the actual ham band is just recklessly setting themselves for trouble...

[@ryanmorgan5677]

@@Murderdogs No, I should have been more specific, I just meant close to 2m band, which most cheap Chinese radios will transmit on. It's around 155.

[@jcost8112]

Just found your site. What would you recommend for me being "ignorant" on a communication device that my wife and I could get that would include longest distance and easy to use that does not require license? Thanks for your time

[@HamRadio2]

CB radio

[@undrhil]

That was an Abrupt cutoff...

[@kimdavis5194]

I have not laughed so hard and I don't know how long. So.... When do law enforcement talk on Ham radio? Maybe if the talk at home off duty. Around the world. How many watts is that radio and does it work like the old CB radios and catch a skip 😂

[@HamRadio2]

yes

[@melanieevertsen2373]

Thank you for this review. I just saw this ad today and glad I didn't waste my money.

[@HamRadio2]

Glad I could help

[@Apphus144]

What's recommended radio to have..? I'm a beginner 😐

[@HamRadio2]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn2sqYWMlMaSiJI&ab_channel=HamRadio2.0

[@steveferis4956]

Thanks for the review and the truth - I almost went for this but decided to research it a bit first. You saved me on this one!

[@HamRadio2]

Glad I could help!

[@conviction_art]

I bought one and everything he says is correct.

[@sleeve8651]

I remember seeing Businesses in California, back in the 70's running going out of business sales that ran for year's ! Lol !

[@Adamdaj]

Yep, Mr. Jason you're so right about that radio. The BTRCH GMRS PRO and other BTECH HAM or GMRS radios are more useful to non-hams, than that radio. If the FCC ever gave approval for BTECH to come out with a FRS/GMRS Plus MURS, it would still better than that radio you just reviewed. Of course, I doubt that the FCC would grant approval to any major radio manufacture to produce multi service radio with wide range receive.

[@homesteadinginthehollow8328]

They have been advertising on FB for the last couple weeks. I’ve left comments asking about frequencies, and requirements for use. Big shocker, my comments never show up!

[@ke8mattj]

Saw the similarities to the UV88/Radioddity GM-30 (the GMRS version) right away. It is one of three radios I stock many of (other being Baofeng UV-5R and Radioddity GM-30) in case of emergency to hand out. The way to unlock it is through the UV88 programming software. Btw, it uses the exact batteries as the GM-30, so you can buy the GM30 batteries if USB charging is important to you.

[@JohnGillespie-pr3tx]

I ordered two with programming also just to see what they would do. Local ham repeaters are programmed in. ALL of the memory channels for fire, police, etc are programmed for 144.00 or 420.00 if you turn off the name and let the frequency show. I found this out by accident when I was suspicious that the MURS 1 channel didn't trigger my scanner, so I started checking the radio. I will have to try my programming software I have for other tyt type radios and see if it will Rx or TX outside of ham band, but probably not.

[@bluebeamman]

I need to be able to talk with (2) friends that are 1.5 miles away. What do you recommend? Something that is emergency related and battery powered. Hand held.

[@HamRadio2]

Handheld may or may not work for 1.5 miles away, depending on what is between you and the other station

[@bluebeamman]

Copy. Darn.

[@bluebeamman]

I used a cheap radio and it got .5 miles.

[@nagaviper1169]

What??? A company skirting around the edge legally? No way.

[@Cahfeenhigh]

I also bought one. With no knowledge of radios. Just fell for the advertising. I got the radio with the programmed freqs. But quite literally is silent through the channel scan. The only transmission i heard was local weather

[@craigcarnahan7210]

According to the FCC radio ID on the unit, the radio is from Abbree (not TYT), but as we all know, many of these radios are cross-marketed within China so it's possible that this radio is made by TYT and marketed by Abbree. As is true with Rugged Radio as well, many Chinese companies offer branding services to "make" unique radios for dealers and this appears to be the case as well. This same Michigan company also promotes an expensive cellular radio for SHTF scenarios (with no analog or digital backup included). I'd love to hear how their cellular radios will work and provide worldwide coverage when your local cell tower is down due to a SHTF situation in your local area. Another great question (that they have refused to answer so far on their POC radios) is exactly which cell service they are using (probably AT&T or T-Mobile but they don't state it)? Or how you (as the end-user) program your radio to talk to another POC radio across country. You are correct Jason that this Michigan based seller is simply taking advantage of people that know nothing (or next to nothing) about how two-way radios or cellular POC radios work. I'd advise any buyer that can't get their money back to contact their credit card company when actual radio specs/performance don't match the marketing hype of the company. For those that still think that the FCC allows anyone to use any radio or frequency in an emergency scenario, be advised that the FCC looks at those cases as a two part question. Part one, is their a real chance of physical harm or death? If yes, go to part two - does the end-user have any other method of communication available to him/her that does not violate FCC rules? In other words, you simply can't use a police frequency to contact your local LEO for help if your cell phone (or home phone) still works. You may feel that your emergency situation (and using the police frequency is justified), but clearly if you had the ability to use your cell phone (if in range) or your home phone, the FCC can send you a very large fine for the violation. Their friends down the street at the IRS will be able to tap into your bank account to ensure the fine gets paid.

[@Jaminn724]

What do you recommend for someone who knows nothing about radios and just wants to have something incase SHTF?

[@jessicameyer4135]

I recently bought these. I have three, all three came with chargers, I paid $20 for it to be pre programmed. Maybe it has gotten better. I’m just getting them plugged in.

[@wdsracer]

how do they work? how many people have you talked to?

[@troyroberts5450]

Yep. They burned me I guess. Smh. Well, it's my fault too. I should have done my research! Lessons learned.

[@Pyro1776]

You should review Rapid Radio… basically Nextel style service radio over cell… they say “no monthly fees”, but leave out the $50/fee for accessing the system. LOL. First year is included with purchase. $50/year ain’t bad though.

[@HamRadio2]

I'll look them up

[@JamesHannibalKH2SR]

Solid review Jason! 👍🏽

[@HamRadio2]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheRealEstateMadman]

So they got my wife who was just trying to be prepared so what can you do with these things and is there a way to at least program them for local stuff to listen for emergencies? Thank you for exposing them...I loathe crooked companies!

[@HamRadio2]

You can program them and use them for local communications, but likely not your police or fire department

[@kathypage2865]

@@HamRadio2 where would I go to get these programmed locally? I feel like such a loser spending all this money on these paperweights.

[@BamaChad-W4CHD]

Also you can't even listen to the NOAA weather channels out of the box. Yikes

[@Steven_VE9SY]

There was another company that was doing the same thing advertising them as free band radios. They were Baofung's in a new wrapper. Specs were identical. I sent them a nice email telling them these were not FREE BAND and that if the users were in an area and picked up by Hams that FCC actions could be taken. I also told them they could get a letter from them as well telling them the amount of there fines for selling these radios as advertised. That was about 2 or 3 months ago. I just looked, and now under off roading they are selling GMRS radios and that under the description in red is a blurb telling you that you need a licence to operate.

[@Revolverguy38]

I bought a pair coming pre programed. I'm curious to know if your radio ever picked up your local Police & Fire

[@HamRadio2]

No, but my police/fire departments are on 800mhz

[@JCisSAVIOR]

Thanks Very informative

[@troyroberts5450]

I bought and I paid extra for a pre programing. So far, it isn't doing anything. But to be fair, I don't know what I'm doing. I've never owned a emergency radio before. Am I screwed??

[@HamRadio2]

The radio itself is probably fine, you just paid too much for it. I don't know what programming frequencies they add to the radio, but likely they are commonly used frequencies in various parts of the country. There's no telling what frequencies will or won't be useful in your specific area.

[@gregcarnes80]

CB radio that receives and transmits AM and FM, Would be a better choice for an unlicensed user.