Which Radio Service?

This can be a very simple question to answer. If voice communications of 5 miles or less is your use case, then GMRS is the way to go. There are lots of inexpensive radios to chose from and the license cost is low, $35. If farther distances, sending text messages or even sending documents is in your use case then the answer may not be so easy.

When doing seminars about communications I’m often asked, “can I talk to my kids and which radio service do I need?”. To answer this question, we have to consider a few factors about YOUR use case.

The first factor to consider is, how far away are they? If your kids are only 5 miles away, FRS, GMRS, MURS or Ham Radio should accomplish this for you. To learn more about just how far these services can go, check out our article called, How Far Can I Talk? That article speaks to why certain frequencies are capable of being received farther away than others.

If sending text messages is part of your use case, then GMRS or Ham Radio are your only choices. With that said, your choices for texting with GMRS are limited to a few radios (which tend to be more expensive) with this capability AND you can’t mix radio brands. The BTECH GMRS-Pro is the GMRS radio which can send text messages and a GPS position but the receiving radio must be another BTECH GMRS-Pro. While these radios are good quality they tend to be a little more expensive than some are willing to pay.

If long distance voice communications or the ability to send emails, documents are one of your requirements, then Ham Radio is your only choice.