BAOFENG, the company from China that has taken handheld radio by storm because of its low prices and to the chagrin of handheld enthusiasts who dislike how popular this brand has become and dislike it more as it became the entry hardware purchase for handheld radios (may it be GMRS to Ham Radios) for many. And because they are so cheap, people collect them like characters on “Pokemon Go” because of the colors, the style, the features and of course, that absolutely low price.
The thing is, not many people want to or can spend for the top Japanese brands ala Kenwood, Yaesu and ICOM or American brands such as Midland, Cobra, Motorola and others.
It’s important to know that you are not going to get $200 quality with a $17 handheld radio. But unless you are a hardcore enthusiast who owns a spectrum analyzer, for many people, this is their first foray into the hobby, these handheld radios definitely offer way more than why your parents or grandparents had when they were into handheld radios and it’s great to have as a survivalist and making sure you have a goto device, especially during emergencies.
So, with that established, let’s begin the review.
Today, I am reviewing the BAOFENG GM21 GMRS Handheld Radio. I got the double pack because it makes it easier to test and also share the love with family or friends. This comes with 2XRadio; 2X 1800 USB-C Rechargeable Battery; 2X21CM Antenna; 2X38CM Abbrey AR-771 GMRS Antenna; 2X Mini Abbrey AR-805S Antenna; 2XHeadset; 2XUSB-C Charging Cable; 2X Base Charger; 2XBelt; 2XLanyard; 2XManual.
With that said, let’s talk about GMRS. What is GMRS? GMRS stands for General Mobile Radio Service, a licensed radio service in the US that allows for short-distance, two-way voice communication. Many use this to communicate while hiking, camping, off-roading and more. All of the telephony emitters authorized for GMRS are limited to analog.
What is a GMRS handheld radio? Well, to make it simple, you know those walkie talks that you love using as a child. Those radios are known as FRS (Family Service Radios). Well, this is the next step up with more power and longer range. So much a step up that you need to have an FCC GMRS license. But have no fear, the license is $35 for ten years, covers your whole family household and there is no testing. Pay your $35 and within two business days, you’ll get your license.
So, GMRS radios operate on UHF frequencies around 462 MHz and 467 MHz. And unlike when you were a kid and you can talk and scream with your friends, if you go GMRS, you will want to state your call sign after each transmitted message and if it’s a lengthy conversation, at least every 15 minutes.
So, what does the BAOFENG GM21 GMRS Handheld offer? It’s important to note that this is not a ham radio, it’s a GMRS handheld radio.
- 999 Channels – You can store up to 999 channels and 22 are Modifiable GMRS Channels RX & TX) + 8 modifiable GMRS Repeater Channels RX & TX.
- Scannable Frequency Range – FM 88.1-108 MHz, VHF 136-260 MHz, UHF 400-520 MHz.
- Copy Frequency – You can copy settings from other radios, so you don’t have to waste your time entering things all over again.
- Dual Watch – You can monitor two channels at once.
- FM Radio – You have a broadcast FM radio receiver for 88.1-108 MHz.
- Flashlight – Top portion features an LED Flashlight
- NOAA Weather Channel Reception for United States and Canada (this allows you to know the weather in your area – Very useful!).
- Stopwatch Function
- Alarm Function
- Channel Scanning
- Has a big 1.77″ TFT color large screen, so you can flip from one to another (top and bottom).
- VOX (Voice Activated Transmit) – Hands free operations
- End of transmission tone (Roger Beep)
- 1800 MAh Rechargeable high-capacity Lithium-ion Battery which can be recharged by docking station or USB-C.
- Battery Save Function
- Two pins for Kenwood accessory port
And more!!!
Today’s modern handheld radios now use USB Type-C. Best this way! Docking station is still fine…but convenient to charge in your car via USB-C.
So, if you want to experiment, you can try GMRS channels 1-7, 15-22 if you have your license. Otherwise, if you are testing with another person who has a FRS which is low power, go to channels 8-14. Repeaters can be found on 23-30 but more than likely, you will want to check sites such as mygmrs[dot]com (you will need to log in via your FCC GMRS license), radioreference[dot]com and/or repeaterbook[dot]com.
Do know that if you are wanting a police scanner, because many scanners operate on P25 mode, you will need to invest in something a bit more expensive.
There are other BAOFENG radios to listen on different frequencies but GMRS handheld radios are primarily used for communication, especially on family trips and you are in site with no cellular coverage. These handheld radios are worth the investment for that because of what it offers for emergency situations.
Would I use this in a work setting? I know there are companies that utilize handheld radios for emergencies (ie. active shooter, bomb threat, etc.), but just remember, an FRS does not require a license but because it uses a low power output and frequency that other people can listen on the conversation. GMRS is higher power and FRS walkie talkies will not be able to utilize the frequencies to listen in but do note that your discussions are not private, as others can listen into the conversation if they have a GMRS device.
While there are GRMS radios that have CTSS or DCS privacy code functions (this radio does offer that) to help minimize the listening in, one should never expect wireless communications as 100% safe from listening in. So, stay professional when utilizing these channels.
Last but not least, GMRS handhelds can be a lot of fun but while the basics are simple, there is more to this radio, especially if you want to utilize GMRS repeaters and other functions that GMRS radio has to offer. As well as purchasing a data cable and connecting it to the CHIRP software (this makes it easier to program frequencies, considering you have 999 save channels to work with – Note: As of Oct. 2024, select UV-17).
Sure, BAOFENG offers a lot of inexpensive radios but remember, a lot of those other ones are ham radios, not GMRS radios (some radios you can add GMRS frequencies). But just remember, ham radios, you need to be licensed and these licenses require tests and knowledge. And most of all, hardcore ham radio enthusiasts have an honor code and watch their community frequencies like a hawk. So, if you have no intention of using Ham Radio or testing for a license, stay with a GMRS handheld radio (and getting a license is inexpensive, lasts ten years and covers your whole family household).
For a 2024 released GMRS radio, BAOFENG has no doubt released a solid update to their GMRS line of handheld radios with the GM21. I absolutely am enjoying the BAOFENG GM21 GMRS Handheld Radio for its features and the extras included.
Recommended!
