MURS Radio Range
by David Harvey VK2DMH on Sunday, July 12th, 2009 | 2 Comments
Do MURS Radios get a longer range than FRS or GMRS type two-way radios?
What’s the difference between these classes of radio, and why?
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Generally speaking, yes.
With MURS type 2 way radios you can attach an external antenna, and with a proper GMRS radio you can as well. As long as the antenna gets mounted reasonably high – like the roof of your house or outside an upper-storey window, you will get a much farther distance with your radio.
Make sure you buy a MURS radio license, as per FCC regulations, or you risk a citation.
Nonetheless, with a handheld transceiver, you may get a decent range, and certainly you will get more range with a mobile radio transceiver than a handheld. But an outside antenna with decent height will really do the best for you.
Be warned that a GMRS radio needs an FCC license as well. Only CB and FRS radios are license-free in the US… plus some 49 MHz radios that are little more than wireless baby monitors!
If having an external antenna doesn’t give you enough range, you may need to get a radio system that lets you access a repeater.
A radio repeater is a high-powered radio that picks up your signal on one channel and re-broadcasts it immediately on a different frequency. This is transmitting and receiving in DUPLEX mode. The other station listens on the repeater’s output channel and so you can have your conversation over a much longer distance.
There are repeaters for GMRS radios, but you will have to see if there is one in your area. Otherwise you may have to get a business band radio, which also needs a paid license.