GMRS radio question

(I know… I know… I said I was going to get my HAM. I haven’t had time. My son and daughter-in-law aren’t HAM’s anyway. I ran outta gas. I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from outta town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake, … a terrible flood, ……locusts. It wasn’t my fault!)


Anyway, here’s what I think I know; higher ‘power’ doesn’t increase the range, but might help the signal be clearer at the same range. GMRS isn’t great with obstructions- hills, trees… But, is there a frequency/channel within GMRS that might do better in hills and trees? Or is the range to narrow too make much difference from top to bottom?

I'm not sure what the question is.

I’m not sure what happened.

Here’s what I think I know; higher ‘power’ doesn’t increase the range, but might help the signal be clearer at the same range. GMRS isn’t great with obstructions- hills, trees… But, is there a frequency/channel within GMRS that might do better in hills and trees? Or is the range too narrow to make much difference from top to bottom?

Looking at the frequencies, from 462 to 467mhz, I wouldn't think there'd be much difference there. You'd never be able to shoot through a hill with any radio. Just like VHF, it's all line of sight, although the possibility of reflecting off a mountain exists. When you get a fair distance from a repeater more power helps.

More power does increase the range, but at the frequencies you're talking about the range will be limited by hills, trees, buildings, or any other physical obstruction. They say in real estate, it's Location, Location, Location... in radio, it's Elevation, Elevation, Elevation. If you can get on top of a hill, building or tower that puts you higher than other obstructions, you'll increase your range significantly, especially if the receiving station is also on a hilltop.

(heavy sigh) Yes, I know all this. A part of me is always hoping for a “magic bullet” that will allow us to communicate in the woods and hills.

The place we have normally hunted has cell signal. But as that place becomes less accessible for (reasons) we find that the new place a couple valleys over has zero cell signal. So, I’m looking for a solution that doesn’t exist to restore contact between hunters in the party.

That said, we still have to be careful. The law says two-way communicators cannot be used to “communicate the location or movement of game or to coordinate the movement of hunters.” So, if my son texts me (which he did on Monday) “big deer need help” And I went and helped him drag a 160 lb (field dressed) buck up a very steep hill, I think that’s legal. But at the new place that’s not possible- drag your deer yourself.

In that case, find a way to use a lower frequency. Lower frequency will increase penetration of trees to a degree, but maybe not enough to help. Lower like 145 - 150 mHz rather than 462. (Ham).

Oh, yeah. The deer I helped drag.