I just bought a uniden 5w handheld. You can get a magnetic aerial for roof of car that will increase range. Good for the casual user if you don’t want the inside of your car looking messy 😀 That is drilling holes etc in console. Great videos Ronny much appreciated.
you can also hook up the 5w uniden handheld (i have the 850s) to a proper aerial with an adapter from Jaycar. Then you. have essentially the same as a vehicle mounted system, with the added benefit of being able to take the radio out and about with you as well. E.g. in remote areas, youve got a 5w radio to communicate with your travelling partner(s) from quite a distance if you go for a hike or something.
Also, fixed installations have vertically polarised reception/transmission. Hold both handhelds at the same angle (ideally vertical) when transmitting and receiving.
What a great video. I use a 5 watt GME handheld hardwired into my car and to the aerial out on the bullbar. I do this as when I walk around on site at work, I disconnect out side aerial cable, pull radio out of cradle, put the mobile antenna on and use that way. When I'm finished and back in the car, I unscrew mobile antenna, place the radio back in the charger and screw in the outside antenna connection. The radio is fitted with a plug in handset. Works a treat, no issues. Great video
This is a great way to use a 5W handheld. My in car UHF failed and I have a 5W GME handheld so I bought the adapter to connect the handheld to the external antenna cable and it works like a charm, now I have both options. And as your antenna is located outside the faraday cage, your vehicle acts as a ground plain and helps transmission.
i use the 5w GME hand held day in day out at work and if you are talking to a good base station the range can be up 12 ks even with trees and smallish type hills. good little unit
So, because of this video, I was able to get a convoy out of trouble and back in with the main group. We were out at Harvey Dam, WA, before it was closed to 4wding and I was spotter for a L Plate driver who was out for some learning. There were a few in our group who wanted to attack a pretty advanced track, so the group of those who didn't we went off on some other tracks, which in turn, got us separated from the main group. No phone reception to contact the group, so we eventually raised them on the 2-way. A combination of using the signal strength of 1-10 to let me know how far away I was from our group and wikicamps, which shows the tracks without internet got us back to our group. I was really glad I knew about 1-10 signal strength shown on this video. I've been meaning to post this comment for a while. This seems super simple, and something maybe not otherwise thought of.
Seasoned camper here but family first time coming up and bit of touring...this video convinced the mrs so we spend the $$$s (my word wasnt enough when it comes to buying gear :) thanks boys, saved my skin :) !!!
G'day Ronny & Torbs, My personal thought's on Hand Held units is that they are great for Spotting/Winching or Snatching etc, & they have a use when travelling in a tight convoy. We bought a twin set of Oricom UHF2180 2 watt Hand held units that came with separate mic's & belt clips etc, & they have worked flawlessly for there intended use. However in the cab for On-Road & Off Road use we would not use anything else but a dedicated fixed unit, both of ours are GME, one with a 6dbi antenna & the other with a 3dbi. It was really good to see your real world comparison & judging by the comments it has helped a few people already, keep up the great Fair-Dinkum & Honest reviews Mate. Steve.
Man, I feel like I could say this on any one of Ronny's hundreds of videos, but it is such a pleasure to watch these real, unbiased, non-theatrical reviews from someone who knows what the fu$% he is talking about. This channel has seriously helped me make decisions on 4x4s. Rock on.
Thanks very much for making this video. I just bought a 2W Uniden UH820S for the sole purpose of being able to talk to trucks or caravans directly in front or behind me for overtaking purposes. After spending 30 mins googling , I was getting worried that a handheld would not even work well enough to suit my needs but your video has put my mind at rest. Thanks a lot
Additionally, it's important to remember that aftermarket antennas like a half-wave can be useful in certain cases. However, a half-wave antenna is about the size of an adult's forearm and can be difficult to manage in a vehicle.
I went in the other direction. I'm in the US and I've had 4 vehicle-mounted radios fail on me over the years- CB and GMRS. For a few years now I've been using a 5-watt handheld GMRS radio with no issue at all. A clear signal for miles. Here in the US, it's also unpredictable what the other guys in the convoy have. A few CB holdouts, many GMRS, some FRS, and HAM. Handhelds make it simpler to coordinate between rigs. We also practice line-of-sight driving. If you lose sight of the guy behind you, you hold up and radio ahead to wait until you see them again. This keeps rigs within radio range. Thanks for always making your video entry entertaining!
Good review thanks Ronnie and Torbs - I have a vehicle mounted radio and just bought two uniden 0.5 W for $58.00 AUD - use for camp and spotting etc - rechargeable using a USB as well (batteries were $20). Thats a total cost of $78.00 Gives plenty of close range functionality at a very low cost.
Nice work Ronny. It also concretes why I have a 2.5W car mounted radio and that exact model 0.5W radio (in a 3 pack). I never need to talk to anyone more than 1km away. I give my kids the 0.5W radios for camping and I also use them as spares (which has occurred when my mates in car radio died). Since we travel within sight of each other then it's perfect for the lower wattage radios and proves I don't need anything bigger.
Vehicle mounted for me with a handheld for spotting. I was heading up Monkey Gum in a group of 6-7 and towards the back of the convoy, my in-car could talk to someone waiting at the top of the hill while the person at the front with a handheld couldn't hear them. Having both can be handy going across the Simpson Desert too, you can keep the vehicle radio on the track channel and use the handheld for convoy communication. Also, a good quality 5W handheld can cost as much as an in-car radio.
Very late to the party here, but I have just installed a GME 5w handset in my second rig as a temporary measure (not sure if I am keeping this rig yet). Using the GME 12v charge cradle on a Quad Lock mount, the radio is positioned level with the top of the dash and the after-market "tuned" 2db gain antenna sees the signal punching out around the middle of the vehicle's window level (Antenna is a 477Mhz 30cm whip on handset replacing the original broadband stumpy). I also have the extension speaker/mic fitted and this makes the install very much like a fixed install to use. As for effectiveness... It does equally as well as my other rig with a 5w fixed Uniden running a 2db gain on the roof rack. So I would say.... Yes, a handheld can replace a vehicle mounted unit, provided that it is mounted in a similar way. Using a handheld "handheld" in a vehicle means that your antenna is rarely in the prime vertical position for max effectiveness. My setup is effectively a vehicle mounted radio, but with mobile ability in an instant when needed. To be honest, it works so well this temporary install may just be permanent in this rig (or the next).
Great vid Ronny n Torbs. Few months back two mates and I headed up to lancelin in a three vehicle convoy, front to back of convoy would have been less than 1.5 kms. Front vehicle 5 watt hardwired radio, two following vehicles both with 2watt handhelds and 99% of the trip all coms where heard by all. If the group was spread out further (on highway) the 5 watt in between the vehicles with handhelds would have probably increased the reach of the handhelds. Cheers for another info vid!
A 5 watt hand held with a 2.1db magnetic antenna on the roof works well if you don’t want to commit to a fixed install. And you can swap between cars with it.
I have a Baofeng VHF/UHF handheld and couldn't use it in highways due to line of sight. Am going to get the proper mounted version, Thanks for the video it was helpful.
Awesome video guys!👍 I love that u think to do these kinds of tests! Absolutely, every radio has it’s uses. One of cheapest & best mods anyone can do, communication is so important. Certainly for range & performance, you’ll never beat a permanent mount radio with a good external antenna, but always have my 5w icom handheld in the glove box ready to go as well. Keep up the great work!👍😁
Literally just bought one of those .5w ones for my spotter and to give to a mate when we're road tripping. I have a hard mounted one in the car, $170 for an 80 channel with 4.5db antenna, there's no real excuse not to have one
Thoroughly enjoyed this test & in my case I don’t need a radio too often & I also don’t have much leg room to fit one inside so I’ve bought the GME 6160 hand held which so far I’m impressed with. I do think I’ll buy the auxiliary speaker / microphone & possibly the external aerial to get better range when needed.
I started out with a 0.5 watt which I found to be great initially when spotting or recovering but couldn’t handle the mud. I now have a 2 watt as my sole radio and have found that to be pretty good for all round convoy, recovery and spotting. Although it suits my needs at the moment this review does have me doubting my choice. Thanks a bunch Ronny!!
Good video. The wavelength of the radio is small, therefore it is easily blocked by things. As sombody else has pointed out, the angle of the antenna factors reception as well. The base radio is using a vertical antenna, and all the other radios need to be positioned so that the antennas are vertical too, otherwise you loose a couple of dB in signal strength. Antenna postion is a key part of the radio setup, so if you can only afford a handheld to start with, match it with a good quality coax to a good antenna. Then when you upgrade to a fixed fadio, you have the key ingredients installed already. Signal strength loss in coax is another story in itself.
I have noticed when using my 5 watt uniden on traffic control work with the external mic connected it sure drops the power output so I ditched it.And have fitted an external aerial to the handheld it works as good a fixed unit.
Great video, guys! As I’m in Central America we can use HAM (amateur radio) or GMRS. HAM handheld is up to 5W, HAM hardwired is up to 50W. GMRS is the same. In my car I’m going for GMRS handheld with one mount for an external antenna on the roof rack. I will get two antennas, one 5/8 6dB and one 1/4 3dB. And I will get an external microphone as well. This setup will provide the maximum flexibility as well as performance.
A vehicle set with a external tuned antenna is always going to out perform a hand held with the same power. But when your vehicle is stuck and the fixed radio either has no power or isnt getting you a response a hand held is going to be so helpful to allow you to walk in search of better signal or higher ground to transmit from. I would say you need both fixed and hand held. Hand held are also useful for spotting etc and how often is your vehicle convoy spread over more than 1.5k realistically?
Vehicle hard mounted with a rooftop antenna, 5watt handheld for use when spotting, winching, etc. Thanks Ronny, great video with good solid info as always
I found the same thing with the Uniden 5w on the beach was very disappointed with the range. About the same as your test with line of sight down the beach. Good in close convoy only in IMO.
Awesome video, I started with a 1W Hand-held when I was kid, many years later and the need for a road trip I got a 5W Hand-held. I got a uniden uh750, and chucked a slightly higher gain antenna on it, it's been great, but if I was going proper outback I'd get an external antenna. 5W is ample power for most situations, but the tiny antennas and being below obstructions greatly hinders hand held, even the roof line of the car going up and down inclines will greatly reduce signal integrity, 5W helps deal with those problems but notjofn beats a proper external antenna.
Ronny you Legend! Good topic, i have a hand held and will surely go fixed as well! Thanks for the video. Also keeping the hand held because monitoring more than 1 channel is awesome.
Hi I owned a Suzuki Grand 2006 Vitara in the owners manual it's states if I put a 5 Watt UHF or CB it will interfere with my electronics in the four-wheel drive so how do I get around it. And have you ever heard of that before.
Excellent & unbiased. I've just got a new handheld with a car adapter because there's nowhere to mount a fixed unit without damage. Will be buying an external antenna & mic/speaker. Thank you Ronny & Torbs. 👍🏻
If you are a lone traveller the Garmin InReach, SpotX, etc. have changed the game for communication with the outside world, just like the mobiles and pads did for navigation. We still carry a 5 Watt handheld radio to communicate with log trucks and other overlanders passing when out on the tracks but if you do not travel in convoy, a far reaching fixed antenna radio signal has become less of a necessity these days.
Great video. A 5 watt radio ia a 5 watt radio doesnt matter if its a hand held or a fixed mounted one. The antenna and the position of the antenna is what nakes the difference. You can get vechile mounting kits for handhelds. This is actually what the military uses
Bought a couple of 2 Watt handhelds recently for use on our property . It’s good safe practice to have one on you when you leave the vehicle for what ever reason. To be honest I’m quite impressed how far the things work . In our situation it doesn’t matter about the in vehicle performance every vehicle has a UHF , it’s just peace of mind that if something goes wrong everyone can communicate immediately.
All we hear is radio ga ga Radio goo goo Radio ga ga All we hear is radio ga ga Radio blah blah Radio, what's new? Great video R&T and just in time for the holidays for the laymen.Thank You and all the best for your upcoming adventures in 2021-Happy New Year.
Good video, spot on. But perhaps it's time to change up your game in the other direction. My buddy and I converged on thousand mile drives to Death Valley two weeks ago, and I picked him up at about 35 miles/56 km out on the VHF ham band. We are both running 50 watt ham transceivers, and getting clear 20-30 mile ranges routinely, with my max clear range so far at 70 miles/112 km. We use ICOM ID-5100a dual band ham radios and roof-mounted antennas. The combination is fantastic, and a complete game changer. No range anxiety at all. You need to get your ham radio license, which is a week of study and a (cheap) test, to be legal, but it is so worth it. We've abandoned CB/AM radios and the lower powered unlicensed radios for VHF FM ham radios. With your call sign comes much greater power and privilege. In addition, these ICOM radios are D-Star digital voice enabled. I routinely use D-Star to connect to repeaters and reflectors around the world. I've many times talked with Australian hams from my 4-Runner here near Seattle. (What a bunch of characters.) Ham is sort of like graduating from a Honda Civic to a beastly 4WD. Once you've tasted it, you'll never want to go back. Most of the USA west coast 4-wheelers and clubs use ham radios, while the eastern USA tends to prefer CB, but that's changing as the ham community grows. Erik - KI7WZQ
Great video fellas :) I've used my 5watt Handheld for the past 5 years with no issues at all (and we have a 2watt for spotting or Camper Trailer reversing/parking), BUT..... I will probably get a Vehicle Mounted UHF for my next car. Cheers, Don (Dons Shed and Xplor Overland)
Or course you can. I only use a 5W handheld. I don’t have a vehicle installed UHF unit. I also have 2x 2W units which people outside the vehicle can used if/when needed. You don’t need an inverter (even though I have one) to charge it. You can just plug into the 12V socket. Also - even if it’s your sole radio it’ll last a whole day you can charge it up again at night at camp. Also - what channel were you using? The lower channels (ch9, ch12) will travel further than the higher channels (ch79, ch80). For better range use the lowest possible channel.
I use a 5W handheld mainly because I don’t get out enough to justify a hard mounted radio plus I can take the handheld with me when I go hunting. Great test/comparison video! Thanks.
window tint affect things too i would expect. some have metal film sprayed between the layers. There is also the issue of the law, if you are using a radio that is hand held, without a separate mic, you are breaking the law it is considered a mobile phone like device. but not if you are using a hand held mic.
So I have a vehicle mounted antenna with a SMA connector. I use use a handheld 5w radio and simply screw in the antenna and use a charger as the holder with a switch if it needs charging And a mic / speaker out. In fact I have a duel radio set up one with a 6.6 and one with a 2.1 dbi antenna. In the Center console of my Ute. The 2.1 is set to local channels like 10 etc. And the 6.6 is on the convoys channel when were out. I have been doing this for a few years now. Hand held I’d always charged, I don’t need to recharge my battery while the vehicle is not running and I can simply swap antenna back to a handheld one and walk away with it.
This was a good review however few points to consider: 1. Which frequency was being used? UHF and VHF makes a big difference. 2. Aftermarket anttennas can also make a big difference, but there's extra cost. 3. You could also mount the handheld in vehicle and have an external mounted vehicle antenna. 4. Best solution is a fixed good station permanently in the vehicle and a handheld for out of vehicile activities.
Another great demo. I used to have an in-car about 20yrs ago but got 2 x 40ch UHF UH078SX with remoter mic's about 5yrs ago. I want to get a discrete in car unit now, I like that GME you got. :) Starting to drive some long road trips only and your info has been invaluable so far. Cheers.🍺👍🤓🇦🇺
I use a 5w handheld (ht) but run it to an outside antenna with a quick disconnect coax connector. Then I just pop a whip antenna on of I need to take my radio with me.
Perks of Canadian radio law, I get to have a 50 watt output VHF/UHF. The handhelds are great for spotters or to lend out. Their biggest problem is the antenna and not the lack of power.
You should add a test with a full size external antenna that's how I am running mine. I am also running a mic for the handheld so it works just like an incar but also can be used as a handheld.
Would have been good to include handheld to external antenna also. Ie mag mount and a vehicle mounted antenna. Wonder if this would perform the same as a vehicle mounted unit. Just with the option of portability. Would only work with higher end units with removable antenna.
In your next video can you check the performance of an antenna mounted on the roof rack or on the back(spare wheel carrier). Wife complains about a bull bar mounted antenna always in her view.
Center of vehicle side to side back to front mounted as high as possible is the best location for radio signal strength but may not be ideal for low hanging limbs.
The Torbs and Ronny dynamic is always really good. l miss Wayne but im glad to see he is doing his own thing and he also makes really great content. The trips with just Ronny and Trobs are the best IMO not that having a big caravan isnt cool but the two vehicle approach with 2 guys is really what is needed to be safe at least so they have backup (2 drivers 2 cars) minimalistic. It goes along with ronnys light weight approach
Great video lads, still in two minds... i am thinking a 5watt hand held with an external magnetic aerial add on if you need extra range, would be interested to see how that goes against just the hand held itself
Very interesting video! This has nothing to do with handheld radios but we were on a Fraser trip and we had a pile of corrugated iron on the ute racks and the pile was on top of the radio aerial. Surprisingly, the radio was working perfectly and there was no static.
Would be interesting to install a “car kit” that plugs into a handheld. That’s how I have used a handheld as a solution for car and on foot. Seemed to work fine but I never tested it
@@officialWWM hmm… except when you don’t know for sure if it’s working or not… (IE: Receiver performance and reception all becomes more complex when you throw an antenna and a heap of coax into the circuit)
I just bought two 2 watt waterproof handled radios for kayaking and was wondering how they would go in a car . Thanks you answered my pondering Great video but you would reckon that bloke would know how to say aluminium lol
I made the mistake of buying a pair of these GME 5 Watters in yellow, and then completely forgot that I had no mates, now there’s no bastard on the other end for to talk to! 😢
In Australia.. As you would know its illegal to use a mobile phone in your vehicle Whats the go with UHF radios handheld or mounted? Obviously not an issue.. You think it would be though
The most accurate, unbiased and realistic testing videos going around, delivered in HD professional video... Cracking work Ronny.
This has changed my mind. I'll get s vehicle hard mounted one...but will also carry a 5watt handheld in case I have to walk away from vehicle.
I just bought a uniden 5w handheld.
You can get a magnetic aerial for roof of car that will increase range.
Good for the casual user if you don’t want the inside of your car looking messy 😀
That is drilling holes etc in console.
Great videos Ronny much appreciated.
Exactly the question I had. thanks
you can also hook up the 5w uniden handheld (i have the 850s) to a proper aerial with an adapter from Jaycar. Then you. have essentially the same as a vehicle mounted system, with the added benefit of being able to take the radio out and about with you as well. E.g. in remote areas, youve got a 5w radio to communicate with your travelling partner(s) from quite a distance if you go for a hike or something.
Also, fixed installations have vertically polarised reception/transmission.
Hold both handhelds at the same angle (ideally vertical) when transmitting and receiving.
What a great video. I use a 5 watt GME handheld hardwired into my car and to the aerial out on the bullbar. I do this as when I walk around on site at work, I disconnect out side aerial cable, pull radio out of cradle, put the mobile antenna on and use that way. When I'm finished and back in the car, I unscrew mobile antenna, place the radio back in the charger and screw in the outside antenna connection. The radio is fitted with a plug in handset. Works a treat, no issues. Great video
This is a great way to use a 5W handheld. My in car UHF failed and I have a 5W GME handheld so I bought the adapter to connect the handheld to the external antenna cable and it works like a charm, now I have both options. And as your antenna is located outside the faraday cage, your vehicle acts as a ground plain and helps transmission.
I've done this in a past vehicle as well and it's a decent option IMO with flexibility of being able to use it away from the vehicle.
Yep, this is the approach I’ve taken too. A cost effective way of having decent range, with the benefits of a handheld.
Yep. I do the same. You can also get unscrew handheld antenna and screw in a longer antenna to a gme 5w handheld.
WTF Torbs???
Aluminum. ALUMINUM seriously?
I thought you were in Australia. It's AluminIUM. Or are you catering for the Murican market?
🤔🤔🤔🤣🤣🤣
The seppos are getting to him
i use the 5w GME hand held day in day out at work and if you are talking to a good base station the range can be up 12 ks even with trees and smallish type hills. good little unit
What settings is it on
So, because of this video, I was able to get a convoy out of trouble and back in with the main group. We were out at Harvey Dam, WA, before it was closed to 4wding and I was spotter for a L Plate driver who was out for some learning. There were a few in our group who wanted to attack a pretty advanced track, so the group of those who didn't we went off on some other tracks, which in turn, got us separated from the main group. No phone reception to contact the group, so we eventually raised them on the 2-way. A combination of using the signal strength of 1-10 to let me know how far away I was from our group and wikicamps, which shows the tracks without internet got us back to our group. I was really glad I knew about 1-10 signal strength shown on this video. I've been meaning to post this comment for a while. This seems super simple, and something maybe not otherwise thought of.
You can buy an adapter and connect your vehicle mounted antenna to your hand held and use your mic to talk as you would with a normal mounted unit
Seasoned camper here but family first time coming up and bit of touring...this video convinced the mrs so we spend the $$$s (my word wasnt enough when it comes to buying gear :) thanks boys, saved my skin :) !!!
I use string and can
Spot on i use a 2kg pineapple or a beetroot can and that give even extra bass so no need for sub woofers in your vehicle.hahahahaha
My carrier pigeons do quite well, but at night its morse code all the way with some fireworks
@@erhanuzdilli9788 and when they wear out you can use them as exhaust tips, just like on those lowered Honda Civics running 20 inch rims 😄
This was great. Just what I was after while looking at Boxing Day sales.
G'day Ronny & Torbs, My personal thought's on Hand Held units is that they are great for Spotting/Winching or Snatching etc, & they have a use
when travelling in a tight convoy. We bought a twin set of Oricom UHF2180 2 watt Hand held units that came with separate mic's & belt clips etc,
& they have worked flawlessly for there intended use.
However in the cab for On-Road & Off Road use we would not use anything else but a dedicated fixed unit, both of ours are GME, one with a 6dbi
antenna & the other with a 3dbi.
It was really good to see your real world comparison & judging by the comments it has helped a few people already, keep up the great Fair-Dinkum
& Honest reviews Mate. Steve.
Man, I feel like I could say this on any one of Ronny's hundreds of videos, but it is such a pleasure to watch these real, unbiased, non-theatrical reviews from someone who knows what the fu$% he is talking about. This channel has seriously helped me make decisions on 4x4s. Rock on.
Absolutely agree 100%.
Thanks very much for making this video. I just bought a 2W Uniden UH820S for the sole purpose of being able to talk to trucks or caravans directly in front or behind me for overtaking purposes. After spending 30 mins googling , I was getting worried that a handheld would not even work well enough to suit my needs but your video has put my mind at rest. Thanks a lot
Additionally, it's important to remember that aftermarket antennas like a half-wave can be useful in certain cases. However, a half-wave antenna is about the size of an adult's forearm and can be difficult to manage in a vehicle.
I went in the other direction. I'm in the US and I've had 4 vehicle-mounted radios fail on me over the years- CB and GMRS. For a few years now I've been using a 5-watt handheld GMRS radio with no issue at all. A clear signal for miles. Here in the US, it's also unpredictable what the other guys in the convoy have. A few CB holdouts, many GMRS, some FRS, and HAM. Handhelds make it simpler to coordinate between rigs. We also practice line-of-sight driving. If you lose sight of the guy behind you, you hold up and radio ahead to wait until you see them again. This keeps rigs within radio range. Thanks for always making your video entry entertaining!
GMRS is great, but Aussies cant have it yet
I have 0.5w for group trips and I was looking to upgrade to a 2w but now after watching this I’ll be getting a 5w vehicle mounted setup thanks Ronny👌
Good review thanks Ronnie and Torbs - I have a vehicle mounted radio and just bought two uniden 0.5 W for $58.00 AUD - use for camp and spotting etc - rechargeable using a USB as well (batteries were $20). Thats a total cost of $78.00 Gives plenty of close range functionality at a very low cost.
Nice work Ronny. It also concretes why I have a 2.5W car mounted radio and that exact model 0.5W radio (in a 3 pack). I never need to talk to anyone more than 1km away. I give my kids the 0.5W radios for camping and I also use them as spares (which has occurred when my mates in car radio died). Since we travel within sight of each other then it's perfect for the lower wattage radios and proves I don't need anything bigger.
Vehicle mounted for me with a handheld for spotting. I was heading up Monkey Gum in a group of 6-7 and towards the back of the convoy, my in-car could talk to someone waiting at the top of the hill while the person at the front with a handheld couldn't hear them.
Having both can be handy going across the Simpson Desert too, you can keep the vehicle radio on the track channel and use the handheld for convoy communication.
Also, a good quality 5W handheld can cost as much as an in-car radio.
Very late to the party here, but I have just installed a GME 5w handset in my second rig as a temporary measure (not sure if I am keeping this rig yet).
Using the GME 12v charge cradle on a Quad Lock mount, the radio is positioned level with the top of the dash and the after-market "tuned" 2db gain antenna sees the signal punching out around the middle of the vehicle's window level (Antenna is a 477Mhz 30cm whip on handset replacing the original broadband stumpy).
I also have the extension speaker/mic fitted and this makes the install very much like a fixed install to use.
As for effectiveness... It does equally as well as my other rig with a 5w fixed Uniden running a 2db gain on the roof rack.
So I would say.... Yes, a handheld can replace a vehicle mounted unit, provided that it is mounted in a similar way. Using a handheld "handheld" in a vehicle means that your antenna is rarely in the prime vertical position for max effectiveness. My setup is effectively a vehicle mounted radio, but with mobile ability in an instant when needed.
To be honest, it works so well this temporary install may just be permanent in this rig (or the next).
A block of what. Alumumum.
Aloomanum
Torbs suddenly lost the ability to speak English and started speaking 'Murrican
@@ablokecalledbeer as a proud Southern Merican we welcome him in with open arms
I was horrified when he said that. 💩💩
The Seppos are taking over
Great vid Ronny n Torbs. Few months back two mates and I headed up to lancelin in a three vehicle convoy, front to back of convoy would have been less than 1.5 kms. Front vehicle 5 watt hardwired radio, two following vehicles both with 2watt handhelds and 99% of the trip all coms where heard by all. If the group was spread out further (on highway) the 5 watt in between the vehicles with handhelds would have probably increased the reach of the handhelds. Cheers for another info vid!
A 5 watt hand held with a 2.1db magnetic antenna on the roof works well if you don’t want to commit to a fixed install.
And you can swap between cars with it.
Yeah, great idea, I was thinking the same but now also want a discreet in-car GME with that remote mic and all the bells and whistles on it. 👍🍺🇦🇺
I have been trying to decide which I should use a handheld or mobile. This video is brilliant and helped a novice like me decide. Thanks heaps!!
I have a Baofeng VHF/UHF handheld and couldn't use it in highways due to line of sight. Am going to get the proper mounted version, Thanks for the video it was helpful.
Some of the handheld uhfs can be connected to an external aerial. Best of both worlds?
Yeah, wonder how that would perform
Exactly my point. If you can unscrew the antena, you can probably screw in the external aereal.
You can with the correct adaptor any brand should work
@@joels2517 some of the handhelds have a fixed antena, and it can't be removed.
Hey mate two 2⃣ more test you need to do. 1⃣ is cloud cover/overcast and 2⃣ is a crystal clear night preferably around 21:00 hours.
I have been wanting to buy a radio but not sure what to get. Your video has helped a lot. Thanks Ron. Cheers from Cape Town.
Would be good to see you test the 5 watt hooked up to vehicle antenna. 👍
Agreed
Would have been good to see these handhelds tested against the car mounted unit. That would give us a idea in comparison how both performs.
Er, they did. The other guy was using a car mounted unit.
I'm going with the 5 watt hand-held because I'll swapping it with my car and motorcycle. Thank you for testing guys.
Awesome video guys!👍 I love that u think to do these kinds of tests! Absolutely, every radio has it’s uses. One of cheapest & best mods anyone can do, communication is so important. Certainly for range & performance, you’ll never beat a permanent mount radio with a good external antenna, but always have my 5w icom handheld in the glove box ready to go as well. Keep up the great work!👍😁
Excellent video, I know you guys aren't exactly lab scientists but the way you go about this is really professional and I have no doubts!
I use a handheld with a magnetic external antenna on the roof, works great.
I have my 5w GME handheld attached to a GME internal windscreen stick on antenna. Excellent and the aerial can’t be stolen.
Literally just bought one of those .5w ones for my spotter and to give to a mate when we're road tripping. I have a hard mounted one in the car, $170 for an 80 channel with 4.5db antenna, there's no real excuse not to have one
Thoroughly enjoyed this test & in my case I don’t need a radio too often & I also don’t have much leg room to fit one inside so I’ve bought the GME 6160 hand held which so far I’m impressed with. I do think I’ll buy the auxiliary speaker / microphone & possibly the external aerial to get better range when needed.
I started out with a 0.5 watt which I found to be great initially when spotting or recovering but couldn’t handle the mud. I now have a 2 watt as my sole radio and have found that to be pretty good for all round convoy, recovery and spotting. Although it suits my needs at the moment this review does have me doubting my choice. Thanks a bunch Ronny!!
Good video.
The wavelength of the radio is small, therefore it is easily blocked by things.
As sombody else has pointed out, the angle of the antenna factors reception as well. The base radio is using a vertical antenna, and all the other radios need to be positioned so that the antennas are vertical too, otherwise you loose a couple of dB in signal strength.
Antenna postion is a key part of the radio setup, so if you can only afford a handheld to start with, match it with a good quality coax to a good antenna. Then when you upgrade to a fixed fadio, you have the key ingredients installed already. Signal strength loss in coax is another story in itself.
Great content Ronnie 👌
All the best for 2021
That is very informative video. Unbiased, no bs. Thanks guys!
I am installing a Icom 450N in my Hilux this week
I have noticed when using my 5 watt uniden on traffic control work with the external mic connected it sure drops the power output so I ditched it.And have fitted an external aerial to the handheld it works as good a fixed unit.
Great video, guys!
As I’m in Central America we can use HAM (amateur radio) or GMRS.
HAM handheld is up to 5W, HAM hardwired is up to 50W. GMRS is the same.
In my car I’m going for GMRS handheld with one mount for an external antenna on the roof rack. I will get two antennas, one 5/8 6dB and one 1/4 3dB. And I will get an external microphone as well.
This setup will provide the maximum flexibility as well as performance.
A vehicle set with a external tuned antenna is always going to out perform a hand held with the same power. But when your vehicle is stuck and the fixed radio either has no power or isnt getting you a response a hand held is going to be so helpful to allow you to walk in search of better signal or higher ground to transmit from. I would say you need both fixed and hand held. Hand held are also useful for spotting etc and how often is your vehicle convoy spread over more than 1.5k realistically?
Vehicle hard mounted with a rooftop antenna, 5watt handheld for use when spotting, winching, etc. Thanks Ronny, great video with good solid info as always
I found the same thing with the Uniden 5w on the beach was very disappointed with the range. About the same as your test with line of sight down the beach.
Good in close convoy only in IMO.
Awesome video, I started with a 1W Hand-held when I was kid, many years later and the need for a road trip I got a 5W Hand-held.
I got a uniden uh750, and chucked a slightly higher gain antenna on it, it's been great, but if I was going proper outback I'd get an external antenna.
5W is ample power for most situations, but the tiny antennas and being below obstructions greatly hinders hand held, even the roof line of the car going up and down inclines will greatly reduce signal integrity, 5W helps deal with those problems but notjofn beats a proper external antenna.
Ronny you Legend!
Good topic, i have a hand held and will surely go fixed as well!
Thanks for the video.
Also keeping the hand held because monitoring more than 1 channel is awesome.
Hi I owned a Suzuki Grand 2006 Vitara in the owners manual it's states if I put a 5 Watt UHF or CB it will interfere with my electronics in the four-wheel drive so how do I get around it. And have you ever heard of that before.
i wanted the external aerial from day 1.Handheld still useful for spotting etc
Torben stated won't work with aluminium canopy but he didn’t test it ?
Cheers Ronny and crew, straight to the point and answered all my questions. Couldn't ask for more. Looking forward to the vehicle mounted radio video.
Excellent & unbiased. I've just got a new handheld with a car adapter because there's nowhere to mount a fixed unit without damage. Will be buying an external antenna & mic/speaker. Thank you Ronny & Torbs. 👍🏻
If you are a lone traveller the Garmin InReach, SpotX, etc. have changed the game for communication with the outside world, just like the mobiles and pads did for navigation. We still carry a 5 Watt handheld radio to communicate with log trucks and other overlanders passing when out on the tracks but if you do not travel in convoy, a far reaching fixed antenna radio signal has become less of a necessity these days.
Great video.
A 5 watt radio ia a 5 watt radio doesnt matter if its a hand held or a fixed mounted one.
The antenna and the position of the antenna is what nakes the difference.
You can get vechile mounting kits for handhelds. This is actually what the military uses
Bought a couple of 2 Watt handhelds recently for use on our property .
It’s good safe practice to have one on you when you leave the vehicle for what ever reason.
To be honest I’m quite impressed how far the things work . In our situation it doesn’t matter about the in vehicle performance every vehicle has a UHF , it’s just peace of mind that if something goes wrong everyone can communicate immediately.
It’s a big help mate. I was considering a hand held but I’ll go the car mounted one now
Thanks for the vid
I've always considered handhelds as back-up or spotter radios, so this doesn't change my perspective.
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio goo goo
Radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio blah blah
Radio, what's new?
Great video R&T and just in time for the holidays for the laymen.Thank You and all the best for your upcoming adventures in 2021-Happy New Year.
Good video, spot on. But perhaps it's time to change up your game in the other direction. My buddy and I converged on thousand mile drives to Death Valley two weeks ago, and I picked him up at about 35 miles/56 km out on the VHF ham band. We are both running 50 watt ham transceivers, and getting clear 20-30 mile ranges routinely, with my max clear range so far at 70 miles/112 km. We use ICOM ID-5100a dual band ham radios and roof-mounted antennas. The combination is fantastic, and a complete game changer. No range anxiety at all. You need to get your ham radio license, which is a week of study and a (cheap) test, to be legal, but it is so worth it. We've abandoned CB/AM radios and the lower powered unlicensed radios for VHF FM ham radios. With your call sign comes much greater power and privilege. In addition, these ICOM radios are D-Star digital voice enabled. I routinely use D-Star to connect to repeaters and reflectors around the world. I've many times talked with Australian hams from my 4-Runner here near Seattle. (What a bunch of characters.) Ham is sort of like graduating from a Honda Civic to a beastly 4WD. Once you've tasted it, you'll never want to go back. Most of the USA west coast 4-wheelers and clubs use ham radios, while the eastern USA tends to prefer CB, but that's changing as the ham community grows. Erik - KI7WZQ
Thanks very much for this clip, I actually used my handheld over the week and yes it fades in and out with the environment..
Great informative video 👍 thanks for the great testing ....makes one wonder 🤔
Can`t believe you have gone this far but did not include connecting the handheld to an external fixed antenna??
I have a 5 handheld and brother has a 5 mounted. Never more than a few hundred metres apart so works great for us and mates in convoy.
Great video fellas :) I've used my 5watt Handheld for the past 5 years with no issues at all (and we have a 2watt for spotting or Camper Trailer reversing/parking), BUT..... I will probably get a Vehicle Mounted UHF for my next car. Cheers, Don (Dons Shed and Xplor Overland)
I started off with a 5W handheld, and still have it. They come great when your mates don’t have a radio and your going out bush.
Or course you can. I only use a 5W handheld. I don’t have a vehicle installed UHF unit. I also have 2x 2W units which people outside the vehicle can used if/when needed.
You don’t need an inverter (even though I have one) to charge it. You can just plug into the 12V socket. Also - even if it’s your sole radio it’ll last a whole day you can charge it up again at night at camp.
Also - what channel were you using? The lower channels (ch9, ch12) will travel further than the higher channels (ch79, ch80). For better range use the lowest possible channel.
It has made me rethink my ideas about UHF.
I use a 5W handheld mainly because I don’t get out enough to justify a hard mounted radio plus I can take the handheld with me when I go hunting. Great test/comparison video! Thanks.
window tint affect things too i would expect. some have metal film sprayed between the layers.
There is also the issue of the law, if you are using a radio that is hand held, without a separate mic, you are breaking the law it is considered a mobile phone like device. but not if you are using a hand held mic.
So I have a vehicle mounted antenna with a SMA connector.
I use use a handheld 5w radio and simply screw in the antenna and use a charger as the holder with a switch if it needs charging And a mic / speaker out.
In fact I have a duel radio set up one with a 6.6 and one with a 2.1 dbi antenna. In the Center console of my Ute. The 2.1 is set to local channels like 10 etc. And the 6.6 is on the convoys channel when were out.
I have been doing this for a few years now. Hand held I’d always charged, I don’t need to recharge my battery while the vehicle is not running and I can simply swap antenna back to a handheld one and walk away with it.
Have hand held - was always going to upgrade, but you did change my mind in terms of the added value of the vehicle mounted radio.
this video was really informative, thanks and cheers
This was a good review however few points to consider:
1. Which frequency was being used? UHF and VHF makes a big difference.
2. Aftermarket anttennas can also make a big difference, but there's extra cost.
3. You could also mount the handheld in vehicle and have an external mounted vehicle antenna.
4. Best solution is a fixed good station permanently in the vehicle and a handheld for out of vehicile activities.
australian CB is 476-477MHz at 12.5khz intervals. (so UHF)
Good video. Thanks.
Another great demo. I used to have an in-car about 20yrs ago but got 2 x 40ch UHF UH078SX with remoter mic's about 5yrs ago. I want to get a discrete in car unit now, I like that GME you got. :) Starting to drive some long road trips only and your info has been invaluable so far. Cheers.🍺👍🤓🇦🇺
awesome guys, hope you had a great christmas and a happy new year.
I use a 5w handheld (ht) but run it to an outside antenna with a quick disconnect coax connector. Then I just pop a whip antenna on of I need to take my radio with me.
Perks of Canadian radio law, I get to have a 50 watt output VHF/UHF. The handhelds are great for spotters or to lend out. Their biggest problem is the antenna and not the lack of power.
You should add a test with a full size external antenna that's how I am running mine. I am also running a mic for the handheld so it works just like an incar but also can be used as a handheld.
Thanks for the time stamps. Useful.
Would have been good to include handheld to external antenna also. Ie mag mount and a vehicle mounted antenna. Wonder if this would perform the same as a vehicle mounted unit. Just with the option of portability. Would only work with higher end units with removable antenna.
In your next video can you check the performance of an antenna mounted on the roof rack or on the back(spare wheel carrier). Wife complains about a bull bar mounted antenna always in her view.
Center of vehicle side to side back to front mounted as high as possible is the best location for radio signal strength but may not be ideal for low hanging limbs.
The Torbs and Ronny dynamic is always really good. l miss Wayne but im glad to see he is doing his own thing and he also makes really great content. The trips with just Ronny and Trobs are the best IMO not that having a big caravan isnt cool but the two vehicle approach with 2 guys is really what is needed to be safe at least so they have backup (2 drivers 2 cars) minimalistic. It goes along with ronnys light weight approach
Great video lads, still in two minds... i am thinking a 5watt hand held with an external magnetic aerial add on if you need extra range, would be interested to see how that goes against just the hand held itself
Awesome review!
Ronny. you're the man
I only use the GME TX 6500s with a speaker mic and haven’t had any problems I know it’s GMEs top of the line handheld but definitely worth the $550
Yep, a good solid Aussie made radio.
Very interesting video! This has nothing to do with handheld radios but we were on a Fraser trip and we had a pile of corrugated iron on the ute racks and the pile was on top of the radio aerial. Surprisingly, the radio was working perfectly and there was no static.
Would be interesting to install a “car kit” that plugs into a handheld. That’s how I have used a handheld as a solution for car and on foot. Seemed to work fine but I never tested it
If it works, it works 🤷🏻♂️
@@officialWWM hmm… except when you don’t know for sure if it’s working or not…
(IE: Receiver performance and reception all becomes more complex when you throw an antenna and a heap of coax into the circuit)
🏆🏆🏆👍🙏
Thank you for sharing.
Happy New Year 🎇
Good video, I have a vehicle mounted radio and use the handhelds for spotting or when stopped and outside the vehicles for lunch and such.
What about a hand held connected to a veh mounted antenna? Or one of them magnetic rooftop ones.
I just bought two 2 watt waterproof handled radios for kayaking and was wondering how they would go in a car . Thanks you answered my pondering
Great video but you would reckon that bloke would know how to say aluminium lol
Thanks for doing this video Roy really Learnt a lot
A better test would have been with a full attached antenna with a mic, this way can be used on the road and also hiking instead of having 2 radios.
The advice given by these guys is just about right 👌
I made the mistake of buying a pair of these GME 5 Watters in yellow, and then completely forgot that I had no mates, now there’s no bastard on the other end for to talk to! 😢
In Australia.. As you would know its illegal to use a mobile phone in your vehicle
Whats the go with UHF radios handheld or mounted? Obviously not an issue.. You think it would be though
I was wondering that too, but when you consider that ‘trucko’s’ need and use them, then it obviously isn’t an issue???