Best mobile radio of 2023
Best mobile radio of 2023
The best mobile ham radio is an essential communication tool even in today’s modern age of smartphones. Many of them pack a plethora of innovative features to ensure functionality and reliability even in remote locations.
With ham radio, you can enjoy user-friendly and convenient equipment that makes it easy to get in touch. Whether you are traveling in your car or camping in a mountain, you can reach other people when the radio is set at the right frequency.
Picking a ham radio is an intimidating task. With too many choices, you might end up overwhelmed. As you narrow down the possibilities, below are the most important considerations:
- Type of Ham Radio: You can choose from single, dual, tri, or all-band mobile transceivers. The more bands a radio can cover, the more frequencies you can reach. This means that you can expect better reliability even in the most challenging conditions.
- Ease of Use: From installing the unit to its daily operation, find a user-friendly product. It must come with the accessories that you need to complete the installation. The layout should also be intuitive. Plus, it should have a large backlit screen that is highly visible, whether it is day or night.
- Power: The performance of the ham radio depends on its power output. Most will have up to 50 watts, which is ideal for most applications. For versatility, you will benefit from picking one with multiple output power modes.
Read on as we walk you through some of the top picks for a ham mobile radio, including the features that make them a worthy choice.
1, BEST MOBILE RADIO OVERALL – Retevis RB86
For efficient, clear, and reliable communication, this mobile amateur radio is one of the best products to consider. Even in harsh environments, it is dependable.
Looking at its features, one thing that stands out is its wide coverage. RB86 comes with the high power 20w, offer the long range distance. Preprogrammed with GMRS band and GMRS repeater capable. Easy to connect to other GMRS radios and GMRS repeater even on the trail.
If you need a large display, the retevis RB86 is your go-to mobile ham radio.
This dual-band radio features a bright LCD screen that is clearly readable in any lighting condition.
Using lots of numbers and icons, the menu layout is intuitively designed so you can see all relevant information at a glance.
The front panel only features six programmable buttons for quick access to your most-used functions. The hand mic is a bit bulky, but it is easy to use and comfortable to hold. It houses the backlit keypad, A/B frequency toggle, and second speaker.
IP67 waterproof mobile radio, whicn can immerse 30mins in 1 meter, suitable for bad condition.
It produces crisp sound quality even at its highest sound setting. However, it can also be used with an external speaker via the 3.5mm jack if you need it to get louder.
BOTTOM LINE
Besides being affordable and compact, the retevis RB8625W delivers power, making it the perfect choice for road trips. However, although buttons and knobs are very functional, they are not designed for harsh conditions and excessive use.
Retevis RA86 GMRS Mobile Two Way Radio
If you want a mobile radio that is easy to operate, or a mobile radio that is easy to install and does not take up storage space, then retevis RB86 is your best choice
Fully integrated control microphone, you can finish all operations on itself. You can place the radio base anywhere in the car. It is convenient to stash the radio unit away and save dashboard space.
If you want to know the weather conditions, the retevis RB86 NOAA weather alerts bring you great convenience. It effectively helps you to know the latest weather information and emergencies. It is convenient for you to adjust the itinerary in time.
With dual speaker, the mobile radio can transmit and receive clearly. You also can choose to use single speaker or dual speaker as needed. Communicating with your friends for clear sound transmission in the noisy environment.
High/Low power is adjusted. You can select the proper power according to different occasion needs. *When radio is in the 01-07 channel, the high power menu setting can’t been seen.
In addition, it can be placed under the car seat - ideal for vehicles with limited space and reinstallation between different vehicles.
The microphone display is bright, which is especially useful while driving, as you can easily see the clear and clear text on the screen. You can perform functional operations directly on the microphone.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MOBILE HAM RADIO?
DURABILITY AND BUILD QUALITY
You don’t want your ham radio to die on you when you rely on it the most, which is why durability is one of the most important things to consider when you are picking out a radio.
Some mobile ham radios, similar to handheld ham radios are built and tested according to strict military standards for shock proofing, waterproofing, and even mold. These are the best ham radios for you if you like to drive your Jeep through rocky and muddy roads.
Even if you are buying a radio for your base station or home set up, you should still opt for something that is built well. These units might not be waterproofed or encased in steel, but the quality of the buttons and knobs should be good enough to withstand frequent use.
TRANSMISSION POWER OUTPUT
Many amateur radio users make the mistake of prioritizing high-power mobile ham radios. After all, the higher the transmission power, the further it transmits, right?
While this is technically true, it shouldn’t be the only thing you look for when you are in the market for mobile radio. The transmission power you need depends on the type of communication you want to engage in.
There is no sense in choosing a powerful 50 watts ham radio if you want to use your radio as an emergency unit – a normal two-way radio or VHF/UHF radio of up to 5W would suffice. But if you want to connect with other amateur radio operators all over the world, you would want a mobile radio that offers at least 25-50 watts of power.
At any rate, you should buy a radio that is compatible with an external antenna. This gives you the option to expand your coverage when you need it the most.
USER-FRIENDLY AND INTUITIVE MENU SETUP
Ease of use is a must when choosing the best mobile ham radio. You don’t want to be distracted by scrolling through menu options when you are driving.
Well-designed mobile ham radios utilize the hand mic for better one-handed control. These designs often include programmable buttons, frequency toggles, and a keypad. Moreover, some radios have a 180 degrees rotatable screen for easy monitoring.
When it comes to menu design, we would recommend choosing a radio that uses a streamlined menu system. Besides being more convenient, a bloated menu can also be frustrating and overwhelming.
WEIGHT AND SIZE
You can mount most mobile ham radios in your dash with a mounting bracket. However, as mobile ham radios tend to get very hot, you might have to consider an alternate spot for your radio if you drive all day. Besides that, getting a bulky and heavy radio can also hamper your efforts of moving it.
SCAN FUNCTION AND MEMORY STORAGE
Scan function and memory storage allow you to scan available frequencies and save any channels that you like.
It is much easier to have a one-click scanning feature since you would most likely be driving when you use a mobile ham radio. Typically, you get about 200 slots in your channel storage, which is more than enough for most people.
Newer models offer more robust and convenient saving features. For example, some save your scanning preference so that you don’t have to set it up again if your radio reboots. Some save your settings, like volume control and squelch, along with the frequency and channel names.
