Rugged GMR2 PLUS GMRS and FRS Two Way Handheld Radio

Upgrading the Previous Review: Had a chance to do some additional testing of this radio. Expressed some concerns about 2W power. Spent a week in the desert and ran the unit daily and very aggressively. It held up very well with the larger battery pack and provided very good signal 4-5/5 over distances of 3-7 miles. Very good signal quality and clean! Expressed some concerns about power consumption but it held up very well and never ran down after 3-4 hours of continuous monitoring and intermittent message transmits. Again the USB charge option on the large battery is are real bonus from a power management perspective.

I am a GMRS repeater operator working to support CERT teams interact during an emergency. I often deploy novice or intermediate operators for field exercises using simplex or repeater operations depending on their licensing status. I have tested a range of products available here. This item has some definite strengths:

1. It is completely FCC GMRS compliant for those that are concerned about the the many other products that do not comply with regulations.
2. It has a very simple interface and screen which is really valuable for beginner or novice users that don't use the radio regularly.
3. The optional battery pack (available from Rugged) can be charged with a USB cable, so having 2 USB batteries makes for continuous use with simple recharging.
4. The overall build and feel is "Rugged" and can withstand damage / dust / moisture. It feels like a real radio.
5. The optional programming software works well and the programming interface is very user friendly.

Limitations:

1. 2W power appears to limit ability to hit local repeaters. My testing with other radios suggest about 4W is really useful, but I am dealing with terrain so it's probably fine for flat land use. The 5W Wouxun models available here are more robust at 5W.
2. Despite its low power, this radio seems to consume power at a higher rate than Wouxun models. I would definitely carry spare high capacity batteries for intensive field use.

Bottom line: This is a great build for novice or low frequency users because it is simple; uncluttered screen and limited number of buttons where the user can make errors. If you are looking for more robust operations, I suggest the Wouxun KG-UV3D or other models.