Vintage Radio Shack MURS radios

[Farmer Brown]

Yes, this is something else that I overlooked through the years. I friend explained about it today and I was wondering about the New vs the Old. The new china handheld models are on sale for $28-$38 vs used RS mobile models for $99.
Anyone have advice/experience on this subject?

 

[w9cll]

The R/S stuff is over priced but legal on Murs. The Chinese rigs are not legal for Murs unless specified.

 

[Farmer Brown]

w9cll

Thank you for your information!!

 

[w9cll]

Here is a legal MURS Chinese radio - https://baofengtech.com/murs-v1

 

[Farmer Brown]

Here is a legal MURS Chinese radio - https://baofengtech.com/murs-v1

That's really neat

 

[w9cll]

The cool thing about MURS is the use of external antenna's. FRS you can't (legally) use a different antenna, with MURS you can put a base antenna 60' high if you want. You are still limited to 2 watts but an antenna with gain will help there. I use MURS when camping, everyone in the campground is on FRS, nobody is using MURS.

 

[Farmer Brown]

Very informative. So for instance, if one had a base antenna up 25' and a unit with a mobile antenna. Wonder would 30 - 40 miles be out of range?

 

[Woody-202]

Very informative. So for instance, if one had a base antenna up 25' and a unit with a mobile antenna. Wonder would 30 - 40 miles be out of range?

Given the 2 watt maximum output I wouldn't say it's impossible, but pretty darn close. Now if you happen to catch some tropospheric ducting you could have some fun.

 

[Jay Mojave]

Last year I helped out the local Jeep Club run a poker run jeeps stopping at certain locations to pick up a card, and the one who got the most was the winner and got some sort of prize. I kept an ear out for everyone should there be a problem like getting lost or stuck.

I had MURS, and FRS CH 1 ( I think) and a CB Ch 15, outside external antennas, and used a VHF and UHF radios. We made VHF MURS contacts with the mobiles at least 20 miles away and over some hills. A local 50 miles away slammed in pretty good on VHF MURs ok, that was a good contact. The mobiles using FRS were hard to hear as compared to the MURS contacts. But of course the outside FRS UHF base antenna was a help. I got a photo some were of the antennas....

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert

 

[w9cll]

Wonder would 30 - 40 miles be out of range?

Completely doable if using good antennas

 

[w9cll]

MURS is really underutilized and works quite well. I also use GMRS as well but the license fee is steep at $85

 

[ButtFuzz]

Legalities aside, The Ching-Chong branded dual-band (and tri-band) miniature radios such as the QYT KT-8900 mobile and the Baofeng UV 5RA HT come "factory equipped" with MURS, FRS and GMRS frequencies that can be easily programmed.

And they cover VHF/UHF public safety frequencies, VHF-Marine frequencies, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc..

 

[w9cll]

Legalities aside, The Ching-Chong branded dual-band (and tri-band) miniature radios such as the QYT KT-8900 mobile and the Baofeng UV 5RA HT come "factory equipped" with MURS, FRS and GMRS frequencies that can be easily programmed.

ah... yeah sort of

 

[sunbulls]

For additional voice clarity, I prefer the two Wide Band (20.00 Khz) frequencies, 154.570 Mhz or 154.600 Mhz. The other three frequencies are for Narrow Band use only. Nothing terribly wrong with Narrow band FM (11.25 Khz), but mixing Wide band with Narrow creates volume differences or distortion. My MURS compatible radios are programmed Narrow for the first three frequencies and Wide for the two highest. That way they stay married for whatever frequency I choose.

 

[sunbulls]

You know you can always toss a portable beam made for MURS in the mobile. Hams do that sort of thing on the VHF / UHF bands all the time. If you’re out camping, setup a tripod or bumper mast on high ground and point that beam towards the base. Such enjoyment sometimes leads a person to get a ham license for additional power or a repeater they can work through.