Customer Reviews

Uniden GMRS680 5-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio

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I bought this "5 mile" radio, thinking that I could talk to my wife while on the highway going to work or for calling home from 5 miles away on my way back, but the distance it covers is rather dissapointing. While driving away from home, this unit doesn't even cover a half a mile before it fades out. And when on the highway (on a straight line) the most it covers before you get a high-static-hard-to-hear-noise is no more than 1 mile.
The radio itself has a neat design and has good features like 38 CTCSS codes per channel which gives you a "little more privacy" than using any of the given open channels. I was surprised to learn that as soon as I started to use my new radios, I was hearing all kinds of communications from other people on almost every channel. Fortunately I immediately set up a CTCSS code on my channel to filter the noise out and only be able to talk/listen to my other radio. After I bought these, I read on some site that ALL 2 way radios no matter what the advertised range says, have a maximum reach of no more than 2 miles. This is because they all work with the same amount of power, so it's not just a matter of building or trees being in the way.

My final advise is, if you'd like a 2 way radio to use in a car caravan, go shopping in a mall, go for a nearby hike, monitor the kids while in the park, or to just give the kids as a higher power walkie-talkie, get these. But don't expect anything near a 5 mile range. Stay within less than 2 miles and you should be ok.