Comms and Signal · Rocky Talkie
Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio (5 W GMRS)
My GMRS pick: 5 watts, repeater capable, 4 to 6 days on a charge
Options at rockytalkie.com
- Hi-Vis Orange$195
- Sage Green$195
Worth the upgrade
Why it's on my list
My GMRS pick. The full 5 watts, repeater capable, a removable antenna, and 4 to 6 days on a charge in normal use. The carabiner and leash mean it stays on the person, and the controls are channel up, channel down and push to talk: a ten year old runs it in a minute. GMRS needs the FCC license: no test, ten years, covers the whole family.
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What it is
5 watt GMRS handheld, the most power a handheld GMRS is allowed. IP67: a meter under water and still working. 1800 mAh battery, 4 to 6 days on a charge in the cold. Rubber armor and a shatterproof screen. Over 35 miles line of sight, 2 to 8 miles typical in broken country. Talks to the FRS Mountain Radio. Built and tested in the Colorado Rockies. GMRS needs the $35 FCC license, no test.
Where it earns its place
- How to Communicate with No Cell Service or Internet: GMRS Radios, the Plan, and What They Really ReachThe simplest way for a family to talk when the phones are down: GMRS handheld radios. What they reach in real terrain, the ten-minute licens…
- GMRS vs FRS: Same Channels, Different Power, and Which Radio to BuyFRS and GMRS share the same 22 channels, so the radios talk to each other. The difference is what the rules let each one do: FRS is capped a…
- The Bug-Out Bag: What Goes in It, How to Build One, and the Packs I CarryOne bag per person, ready by the door, built to carry a family away from the house for three days. What is in a bug-out bag by the job each …
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