Are you trying to decide on which walkie talkie to buy to use in an emergency such as a major disaster? Those in the prepper community call these SHTF events, when everything that can go wrong does, including losing power and cellular networks. For under $100 a family can have a set of emergency use walkie talkies to break out if needed following a catastrophic event. In this post we’ll explore some options for the best kind of walkie talkie for emergency SHTF use without getting a ham license.
How We Use Our Own Handheld Two-Way Radio Setup
As frequent off-road travelers we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) the importance of being prepared for any situation, including having a reliable two-way radio communications setup that allows our family to keep in touch with each other while we’re out exploring. In most of the places that we love to visit and explore, such as Big Bend National Park, (1,251 sq. mi), there’s little or no cell phone reception in most areas.
For places like this we bring along a pair of GMRS handhelds, along with a mobile unit mounted in our truck to keep everyone connected with base-camp up to several miles across the rugged desert terrain. Radio is old-school technology, but it has one big advantage over other forms of communications, and that it’s completely independent from the grid and doesn’t require a service plan.
When we’re back home we have a GMRS base station that allows us to reach our handhelds up to 8 miles away from home in case of emergency. In our last post we described this system – which cost us less than $200 – as well as the importance of having a family two-way radio system for emergency use. If a disaster scenario such as a hurricane or earthquake were to strike your community, would you have a way of getting in touch with all your family members in the aftermath?
Having several good handheld two-way radios on hand for emergency is a key element of any “SHTF” communications system for when the “poop hits the ventilator”, so let’s look at some of the best options.
FRS and MURS – Best Emergency Use Walkie Talkies For Those Who Don’t Want to Get an FCC License
We recognize that not everyone wants to get a GMRS license, even though they’re just about as easy to get as buying a fishing license, but that’s OK. There are still some good options for easy to use emergency walkie-talkies which don’t need an FCC license.
Inexpensive FRS models, such as the Midland X-Talker series, can still provide excellent communications in your neighborhood and reach up to a couple of miles or more, depending on terrain. Just remember when using these that some models come preset with “privacy codes” enabled. Motorola FRS radios, like the new T800, capable of text messaging, are rugged and reliable and can also provide location tracking of everyone in your group.
If these codes, called CTCSS or DCS codes are enabled, you won’t be able to talk to your neighbor’s radio, even if it’s the same model. Be sure to read your owner’s manual and learn how to disable these privacy codes in case you need to communicate with neighborhood watch groups, etc.
License-Free MURS Walkie Talkies – A Step Up From Cheap FRS Radios
The Multi-Use Radio Service or MURS uses 5 VHF frequencies and two watts of power. Unlike cheap FRS walkie-talkies, the FCC allows MURS sets to have an external antenna attached. MURS walkie talkies like the Btech MURS-V1 can have a range up to ten miles – or even farther if outside antennas are connected. We do like MURS radios for emergency use, but really prefer the next type of walkie talkie on our list which is GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service.
Who Are FRS and MURS Walkie Talkies Best For?
These license free radios are perfect for families who only need to stay in touch over a mile or so away. They’re great for neighborhood watch groups and FRS and MURS can both be used for either personal or business communications. These are not the best radios for long-range communications in a widespread emergency.
GMRS – Our Choice For SHTF Walkie Talkies For Emergency Use
For a radio to keep on hand in case disaster strikes, we chose GMRS for a number of reasons, including its long range and versatility. GMRS walkie talkies are as affordable as FRS or MURS units, but can do so much more.
Which Brand of GMRS Walkie Talkie is Best?
There are several brands of GMRS handheld radios that you can choose from, including Midland, Wouxun, Motorola, Btech/Baofeng, Rugged Radios, Retevis, Samcom and Radioddity. Prices of GMRS walkie talkies range from $30 to $200, with features such as repeater capability and waterproofing being found on the more expensive models.
The best handheld radio for emergency family use is one that you can afford to buy several of so that every family member has one ready to go.
What About Baofeng and Btech Walkie Talkies?
As for which model of GMRS walkie talkie is best, we like the inexpensive Baofeng radios, even if these do have a few shortcomings. This brand of imported two-way walkie talkie was first marketed to ham radio operators and when they first came out had some quality issues, most of which have largely been resolved.
What makes Baofeng/Btech radios appealing is the value you get for the price you pay. Both the GMRS-only Baofeng walkie talkies and their full-featured siblings, the dual-band amateur radio models or HT’s (ham radio license required) can be purchased for around $35, including battery, charger and earphone/mic.
Unlike some “bubble pack” GMRS radios which can be purchased at sporting good stores, most Baofeng radios feature a removable antenna, with either an SMA male or SMA female connector, which allows you to connect these to a high-gain antenna outside your home or a magnetic mount on your vehicle’s roof, greatly extending walkie talkie range.
Baofeng has recently come out with a modified version these dual-band ham radios (UV-9G, GM-15 and GMRS 9-G) that meet FCC regulations for GMRS, making them one of the most affordable GMRS radios for family use. (These do require a $35 license – which doesn’t require a test and it covers a family for 10 years.)
Please Note: For a handheld radio that may cost less than your GMRS license, don’t expect Baofengs to last for decades or have batteries that will stay charged forever. Check your emergency radios at least once a month and charge them. Keep an means of recharging them available (solar “generator”, car chargers, etc.) so you can give them a boost if needed if power goes out.
Why GMRS For Emergency Walkie Talkies?
During a major disaster scenario, such as the one following hurricane Ian, which blew down multiple cell phone towers, local volunteer networks are able to use GMRS radios, along with ham radio to coordinate relief efforts in areas where there’s no cellular service. GMRS base stations and mobile units in vehicles are allowed to use up to 50 watts of power and with the right antenna setup they can cover an entire city.
In addition, GMRS repeater stations – often placed on the top of large buildings or mountains – can extend a repeater-capable GMRS handheld radio’s range up to hundreds of square miles, allowing you to relay important messages during a disaster scenario.
For their own personal use, licensed GMRS users are allowed to set up powerful 50 watt home base stations to create a reliable, always-on emergency communications system for keeping in touch with family and friends who also have these versatile radios.
Our Favorite GMRS Handheld (Walkie Talkie) For Emergency Use
The Baofeng UV-9G and almost identical GMRS-9R are our go-to radios for normal use on GMRS channels. These handhelds are repeater-capable and waterproof and rated at 5 watts output, although our tested output is usually in the 4 watt range, they’re still powerful enough for long-range use. We like them because they won’t get damaged if we get caught out in a thunderstorm, or leave them out in the rain by accident. Baofeng claims they are IP-67 rated (waterproof) however, we wouldn’t go swimming with them!
Baofengs are Value Packed Radios – But There Are Some Tradeoffs
Are these handheld two-way radios built as well as more expensive commercial models like Kenwood, Motorola, Icom or Yaesu. No, they’re not and they probably never will be. However, they still work pretty well. For the price of one of those more expensive radios we can buy ten of these and stash them in several places for any SHTF situations that might arise.
Are there some quality issues? Yes, occasionally. Do Baofeng or their re-sellers sometimes make ridiculous claims in advertising, such as “18 watts power” or “100 mile range” on some models, yes, but if you don’t believe all advertising claims, you should be OK with these affordable, versatile handheld two-way radios.
Pros and Cons Of The Baofeng UV-9G and GMRS-9R
Pros:
- Waterproof (IP-67 rating means they can stay submerged at 1 meter depth for up to 30 minutes with no damage). (Caveat emptor.)
- Repeater Capable with DIY Channels for custom programming.
- Can use as a VHF-UHF scanner and can receive NOAA weather channels.
- Handy Flashlight and SOS flasher accessible by orange button on top of radio.
- FM broadcast band radio accessible by left side button.
- Dual Watch allows you to listen to two different channels at once.
Cons:
- No charging port on radio due to waterproofing. Must charge in charging base.
- Larger and heavier than other Baofeng GMRS radios, such as the GM-15 Pro (Which we also use.)
- Occasional quality issues. We’ve found almost no two radios puts out the same RF output, some are way below advertised values.
- 2200 mAh battery vs. 2800 mAh found on some other Baofeng models.
Tips For Using The UV-9G and GMRS-9R
Be sure to use the keypad lock when carrying these radios, so you don’t miss a call because a setting got changed. Also, if you’re not going to use the dual channel watch feature, set the upper and lower channel displays to the same setting to avoid confusion.
When setting up these radios for repeater offsets and “privacy tones” it’s much easier to use a program called Chirp, which can be found online, along with a programming cable which is often included with some models. One more thing, please turn off your radio’s “roger beep”. Nobody really wants to hear that. 🙂
*An alternative to Baofeng GMRS radios is the Wouxun KG-805G, which has gotten great reviews. We just got ours and will post a review of that radio here soon. It was $70 more per radio, so we’re interested to see what that buys in terms of quality.
You’ll Need a Backup Power Source For Walkies Talkies and Other Devices
It may take weeks before power is restored to a disaster stricken area, which is why you’ll need some means of charging your emergency walkie talkies besides plugging them into a wall socket. Solar charging banks are one good option, as are efficient inverter generators like the Honda EU2200i. While these are good options they can be quite costly.
Our own home backup power is a simple setup using a couple $100 Renogy solar panels, a $30 charge controller and a $70 Walmart deep cycle battery. It’s capable of charging our handhelds, flashlights and even running our HF ham rig.
For Those Considering a Ham Radio License
Besides having a GMRS license, we’re also licensed to use amateur (ham) radio. Getting a ham “ticket” involves taking a short test and no Morse code as was previously required. The privileges a ham license gives us include being able to use more powerful radios during a real SHTF situation to talk thousands of miles and even send email when all other services may be down. Unfortunately those privileges don’t extend to the whole family like a GMRS license does, which is why we use that system for local communications.
HF radios, such as the one in the photo above, can reach around the world, while amateur radio HT’s or handhelds such as the Baofeng UV-9R and UV-5R can access hundreds of long-range repeaters around the US and even make phone calls through some of them in areas with no cell reception. If you really want to be prepared for any scenario, a technician or general class ham license if the way to go.
Can a Baofeng Dual Band Ham Radio Be Used On GMRS?
Baofeng makes several dual-band handheld radios, including the UV-5R and waterproof UV-9R which are technically capable of transmitting on GMRS frequencies since they cover 136.00-174.00 MHz and 400.00-520.00 MHz. It’s not legal to use these radios for GMRS however, even though the circuitry inside the radio is almost identical to GMRS models, because the FCC requires that all GMRS radios be “type accepted” for use only on those channels. This isn’t really so much of a bad thing though, since it helps prevent unauthorized use of important radio channels that are used by law enforcement and first responders.
Handhelds like the UV-9R and the non-waterproof UV-82 are favored by survivalists and preppers for their ability to transmit on GMRS, MURS, FRS, Marine VHF and business frequencies, even though doing so is against the law. As licensed hams ourselves, we don’t use our amateur sets for GMRS or MURS. Our Btech GMRS-50X1 GMRS mobile is mounted right next to our mobile ham rig, and although it’s capable, we don’t use the ham rig for GMRS.
One of these two radios can transmit across oceans and even send messages to the International Space Station if a few settings were changed. Even if our ham rig was legal to use for GMRS, letting the whole family use it would probably not be a good idea.
What About Using a Dual-Band Ham Radio To Call For Help in Life Or Death Situation?
The FCC gives amateur radio operators special privileges in life and death situations, as defined in the paragraph below, so if we have to use our ham rig for GMRS in a real emergency, this is what the rules say:
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radio-communication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
For non-hams the FCC’s guidance on using something like a dual-band amateur radio to call for help in a life of death situation aren’t so clear. As someone once said though, “it’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by six”.
Non Walkie Talkie Option For Emergency Communications
Although they require a subscription plan (starting at $12) satellite messengers like the Garmin InReach can offer worldwide text messaging and can be valuable tools during and after a disaster has occurred. These offer near-worldwide coverage and real time tracking. You can see our article about satellite messengers for more info.
Disclaimer: The information in this post is accurate to the best of our knowledge. Be sure to verify all FCC regulations before using any two-way radio.
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