What kind of Radio/CB/Talkie is needed for Milsims?

[Jimmithesith]

I am one radio short of having all my milsim gear and i cant afford it right now.
I know some people who i could borrow one from but i need to know exactly what kind of radio/CB/walkie-talkie is needed/commonly used in Milsims so i dont end up with a purple toy talkie or something..

I'll be franck (actually, i'm Jim. Stop calling me sherley), i don't know a thing about radios...

Thanks in advance!
An enthusiastic first-time milsimmer

[Cheesepie]

Well me and a few guys i know run Baofeng UV-5r's with no problems. The Baofeng UV-B5 appears to be the newer version of the UV5R with a few updated features for the same price so if your under a tight budget those are good options.

Aside from that, use the search bar up top, there is a wealth of information about radios and comms here on the forums, just gotta look around for a bit.

[Cobrajr122]

Anything that is FRS/GMRS capable.

UV5R, Puxing 888, any variation of those that work on the proper frequencies are all good choices.

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=163816

[Ricochet]

What is said above.

Baofeng is the most common, cheap and easy to acquire. Linton, Puxing, etc, all work well. I recommend Wouxun if you can find them. I've found them to be a little tougher and water resistant. Grab a radio that can monitor two channels.

You can save a bit on the radio by buying one of these options, but purchase a quality headset. Doesn't have to be top of the line, but Airsoft or clone grade headsets/mics, etc, are usually a waste of time.

[Kozure]

Thanks for asking the question, OP, and thanks for the patient answers.

I've read Cobrajr122's thread on radios and it's an excellent read.

I did a quick sweep of eBay and a few other sites for prices and availability.

Going rate for various radios as of May 2017 (all prices CDN$):

Baofeng UV-5R: $35-45
Baofeng UV-5RE: $50-65
Baofeng UV-5X: $65+ https://baofengtech.com/uv-5x3 (appears to be newest version of UV-5R line)
Baofeng UV-82: $55-85 https://baofengtech.com/uv82
Wouxun KG-UVD1P: $110 http://www.wouxun.com/twr/UVD1P.htm
Puxing 888K: $95-105
Wouxun KG-UV9D+: $210+

@Ricochet - this and other threads mention getting a quality headset and to avoid Airsoft clones. MSA Sordins seem to start around $310 and go up from there. 3M Comtac III and similar head-sets go from $750 and up.

If I understand the tech correctly, if I get just the MSA Sordin, I also have to buy a PTT device AND a mic, is that correct?

Say, for the sake of argument, that I have budgeted $200 for a radio set up. Based on what I'm seeing and reading, that's low, but it sounds like radio tech is a rabbit hole just as deep as buying guns.

I drop ~$65 on the Baofeng UV-5X or alternatively, $100 for the Puxing 888K. What do I spend the remaining $135 or $100 on? It seems like that would only get me Airsoft-quality clones.

Say I get one of the Baofeng UV-5X or Puxing 888K and have a $400 budget. What should I get then?

BTW - I stumbled on this - a Baofeng UV-5R with a larger, 3800mAh battery. Don't know if it's of interest to anyone reading this thread.

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...9SIA91R3NY7033

As an aside, I generally try to buy North American or European products, even though most of them are also manufactured in China, because I know quality control and oversight is usually better (though not always). It seems from reading these threads, there's no advantage to buying Motorola or other similar "non-Chinese" (again, understanding completely that almost everyone manufactures in China now) radios. It seems, from a cursory inspection, that you actually get fewer features for the exact same price. Is this true?

[Ricochet]

So radios sort of range between $40 (Boafeng) and $110 (Wouxun).

Headsets, you can start with a Pryme surveillance two-wire system for about $100 - $120 and go up from there. I know these and other quality, but lower cost brands are available at Norquip in Burnaby, which is a store I recommend. Email them, ask for Andrew, tell him that Lindsay sent you. Also, add the mouldable earpiece for $10?, it's totally worth it. Saves your ear from getting raw. They are sized thought (small, medium, large), so you'll have to guess your size.

After that, it's up towards MSA, Honeywell, Tea, etc, for higher end comms.

http://www.pryme.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2395

I just picked up a Weather proof speaker mic by Stone Mountain and an clarity enhanced earpiece by Impact from Norquip.

[BloodSport]

One that works with quality batteries.

[Gato]

I've had no issues with Puxing, other lower end options are Wouxan and baofeng. DO NOT buy blister pack crap, or you'll find your teammates hate you.

[Danke]

Here's the deal; start out by checking what other players in your area are using.

You will find that will vary from no radio at all; to Costco blister pack FRS radios, to full on mil-spec handsets. There is no point in getting a full on mil spec setup if you can't talk to anyone with it. Also if your local group has a particular brand loyalty you want to sync up so software and programing cables the the other guys have will work for you; and in some cases they can even copy the channels over radio to radio saving time on the programing steps.