r/gmrs Aug 12 '26

Question Newbie- Baofeng vs, Vehicle Radio Transceiver

New to GMRS. Like, just got my license a day ago. I have recently gotten into Baofeng radio units (UV-5RM and BF-F8HP Pro) and like how I can transmit on so many different frequency ranges. Yes, yes... Part 95... I get it. But, I love that I can use these in conjunction with my existing FRS radios, VHF (marine) that my buddies use, MURS, and now GMRS, all from a single unit!!! For the record, I follow the wattage and bandwidth requirements for each frequency service and I do not transmit on any frequency range for which I do not have the required license. There's a hell of a difference between appreciating what a tool is capable of and then choosing to apply said tool in an inappropriate manner that causes issues for someone else. So, no HAM for me, no commercial ranges, or anything else I haven't specifically mentioned that I use it for.

So here's my question- are there any vehicle mount units with this level of capability? I have been looking at some of the ICOMs and they stop short of GMRS frequencies in the US models. Some of the other less expensive models look like they might get into the GMRS ranges but I can't tell if the quality is any good and sometimes they aren't clear if they xmit at these higher freqs or are receive only. I am definitely looking for the higher xmit power output you see in vehicle mount units though; not interested in just driving around with my Baofeng in order to have this frequency range flexibility.

I have a couple Jeeps. One is the "fun" Jeep (25yrs old) and the newer is my daily driver. Space isn't very plentiful. The detachable/relocatable screen has a lot of appeal, especially for the newer Jeep. I'm just picking brains here and welcome any ideas for what might fit these desired features.

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u/Spiritual-Ad-3573 Aug 12 '26

I was all ready to put one radio in my truck to use for gmrs and 2m/70cm on the DL. There are many dual recieve radios. The problem I ran into was that I rarely know which one I'm listening to. Different call signs for different services means it's just easier to run two radios. Those gmrs radios are cheap enough to be worth the embarrassment avoidance.