GM-30 GMRS Radio

My need was for a basic handheld GMRS radio set for comms between off-road vehicles. This set meets my needs at an attractive price point. The radios seem well made of quality materials. My range needs are limited and the radios meet my needs. I chose these radios as they are small and don’t have the color displays that are difficult to see in direct sun. The battery life is acceptable. I like having the NOAA weather radio capability. Summary - a functional handheld GMRS that offers good value.

Work well, battery holds charge all day and then some. I have used it all day on trails. Good range. Its easy to use.

This is a good walkie talkie or light duty repeater-capable GMRS radio. You have access to basic walkie talkie (simplex) channels 1-22 for talking radio to radio. For repeaters, there are 8 repeater channels 23-30 plus 24 "DIY" channels. Those channels are factory preset for repeater use with the 5mhz offset, all you need to do is pick a channel that matches the frequency of the repeater, and set the RX and TX tones. No adding and saving repeater channels. While that's good for the beginner, it limits the radio functionality. It's basically 4 banks of the 8 repeater frequencies, and the channel frequencies are hard set and can't be changed other than the PL tone. If you are in an area where multiple repeaters use one frequency, that may be an issue if say, all your .675 repeater channels are already used. The repeater and DIY channels are hard set with the +5mhz offset, so they can't be used for simplex talking. Channels above those are receive-only and can be programmed in VFO (scanner) mode. Ham, MURS, and several other bands of frequencies can be saved into receive-only channels. Get two for simple radio-to-radio talking (you can talk to people on the same channels as the very common consumer walkie talkies called FRS) or get one to learn the basics of GMRS and repeater setup. Learn how to navigate the menu as it seems most handheld GMRS radios are similar. Quick access to the NOAA weather bands, or program your local WX frequency into a receive channel for quicker access. Get the USB programming cable if you want to program names for your channels - if you have multiple repeater channels programmed in, you’ll definitely want the programming cable to name channels! I live around a few repeaters and seem to hit them with clarity. Battery life seems to be decent. Overall a good little radio for the very reasonable price tag. The FM receiver comes in handy. One other limitation - additional channels for talking can't be programmed. Say you want a channel set up specifically for simplex (non-repeater) group chat, using frequency 462.600 and tone 141.3 and have it be a seperate channel with a custom name - that can't be done on this radio where it can be done on others. You'd need to add the PL tone to a simplex channel. Not a major issue, just know that you can only transmit on 1-22 and whatever repeaters you have. Update - had mine for just shy of a year and it still works great. Only issue is there’s a slight hissing noise that seems to fade in after a few seconds when receiving traffic. Noticeable, but doesn’t really hurt functionality too much. Compared to other models, this is somewhat limited to how many repeaters can be programmed in but overall, a good choice for getting started in GMRS or an easy to use radio. Pro - most settings are factory preprogrammed. If you're new to GMRS and not up to speed on radio setup, programming and adding repeater channels with the offsets, this makes it easy because repeater channels are preset and all you need to do is scroll to the frequency and add the TX and RX tones. Radio is small but still has good range. The USB-C charging is convenient over having a charging base. Battery life is good, and the antenna can be changed out. Factory programming software and Chirp both work well. The FM radio mode has worked in picking up stations out in the boonies where I wouldn't expect it to. Cons -not too many. The lack of flexibility in custom programming. You can only have 4 channels programmed for each repeater frequency (462.550 to 725) and if you travel with the radio, you may need to edit channels to get other repeaters in. The display turns off in like two seconds and it gets to be frustrating. For what it is though, those cons aren't a dealbreaker.

Received everything as advertised. have only done a little bit of testing but they seem to work good for my intended use. I was able to get a somewhat clear signal up to 2 miles (clear day, through trees, and small hills) using the larger whip antennas. Using the short antennas, they were good up to about a mile. radio quality seems pretty solid, and they are sufficiently loud - i can hear over the engine in my SXS at 40mph if that's any consolation. There's definitely a lot of features that i'll admittedly likely never use, but the software was easy to load and connect to adjust settings instead of the shortcuts from the manual or clicking through them manually. The radioddity site has all the downloads and tutorials to get started. Overall, i'm happy with them.

I recently purchased the Radioddity GM-30 radios, and they've proven to be a solid investment, especially for outdoor activities like hunting. The range with the long-range antennas is impressive, even in densely wooded areas, making them an excellent choice for communication in the field. I opted for the pack that includes extra mics and accessories, and it turned out to be a great deal. The additional microphones, although not extensively tested yet, appear to be of good quality, boasting a long cord for added convenience. One standout feature is the incredible battery life when the radios are on but not actively transmitting. They can last for days, which is a huge plus, ensuring reliable communication during extended outdoor trips. However, it's worth noting that the battery life takes a hit when using the FM radio feature, especially in cold winter conditions. While the radios perform admirably for regular communication, continuous use of the FM radio may last only a couple of hours. It's a minor drawback, but something to keep in mind if you plan on using this feature extensively in colder temperatures. Overall, the Radioddity GM-30 radios are a reliable choice for outdoor enthusiasts, offering excellent range, additional accessories, and impressive battery life for most scenarios.