Chase, an Upstate NY Trucker, emailed me one day asking for advice on what he was seeing on the road.
“I see now adults talking on walkie talkies all the time and non CB radio antennas on the roof. I stopped at a truck stop and saw a family with the walkie talkies and asked them what they where”.
This is where he first heard the letters GMRS.
After looking into it, He discovered some of his favorite Truck Stops are selling GMRS radios both walkie talkies and installed mobile units. After doing some poking around the web he decided to email me to pick my brain.
Being that he is a “Slip Seat” mostly daycab driver, He needed something he could take out of his truck every night and place in his bag along with his Midland CB.
Chase asked me:”What small compact GMRS radio would you recommend that I can just toss an antenna on the roof and go”?
I recommended the Midland MXT275. I also explained the scan button that will let him listen to the active GMRS frequencies in the radio while he is also listening to CB channel 19.
“Information is king when on the road so that scan button will come in handy”.
About a week later I got an email saying that he has to ask his boss before he purchases the MXT275.
One of the new “Fads” I recently discovered in the Trucking world is that some trucking companies have a “No CB Policy” in their trucks. Personally I think that is an insane idea as Chase said it correctly, Information while on the road is king when it comes to driving a Big Rig. I agree and it is smart to have a CB and I now say a GMRS radio in the cab of every truck for informational purposes about the road conditions ahead.
He asked his trucking company boss and he said no problems as long as you use it as a safety tool.
His real boss, His Wife said no problems and soon after he picked one up and applied for his GMRS license.
Chase said something very important I think. He said he heard that channel 19 on GMRS and no Midland Codes is the unofficial interstate channel like channel 19 is for the CB world.
He still enjoys the information he gets from putting his MXT275 on scan. The scan feature stops on active channels. With 4 wheelers driving past a tractor trailer pulling 70 thousand pounds, Knowing what is going around you is a must and the more information you have the safer the driver you are.
Chase also informed me he is looking at the MXT500 Midland GMRS radio now for his home and his wife’s car and if it’s small enough he will buy one for his rig!
GMRS radios are great for long distance 2 way communications. Ever have to contact your neighbors when your phone lines or cell service was down? How about during a snowstorm? GMRS radios get the job done. Join your local GMRS radio club and learn more about GMRS radio and your area. If you want easy to use GMRS radio equipment, We suggest looking at MidlandUSA.
LiGMRSradio.com 