Need some advice, I am mobile radio ignorant.

[cddavis]

I am looking for some sort of mobile radio for my truck. My department issues us portables but I often respond to rural areas and dispatch has difficulty hearing me. I am hoping that a mobile mounted radio will help me with this but I don't know a thing about them. I am not looking to spend a lot, what would the forum recommend? I am guessing I can't go too old because I would need someone to program it. Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[stp354]

You probably need it programmed no matter what you buy. I've been a fan of maxtracs. They're older but nice.

 

[PC Comms]

Well, there are several questions that need answering before anyone can provide any advice. First of all, what frequency range are you in? Low band (30-50 Mhz.), VHF (146-174 Mhz.) or UHF (450-512 Mhz.)? Also, if you are going to be purchasing a radio, you are going to want to purchase a radio that will be compliant with the new narrow band requirements. There are going to be a whole ton of radios hitting the market very soon that are going to be going for next to nothing, but that is because they will not be narrow band compliant units. Let's start with the frequency split you are in first and go from there.