Hopefully Scott chimes in too.
Here is my take on radios~
UHF radios can be expensive. However, I have seen radios for just over $100 to over $300. But you are only buying one. If you cannot afford $200.00 for a radio, maybe you should reconsider owning your NSX. If you purchase a radio, you will use it more than once year by going on sponsored and un-sponsored events. If you only plan on attending the CalCoastal Events or are still too "frugal" then continue to rent.
For drives UHF Two Way Radios are a
must have! The FRS/GMRS radios do not have enough power to be effective and cellular service is never consistent in the canyons - NEVER! Business class radios are not perfect either. They are significantly more proven and reliable than FRS/GMRS. That is why we use them. Until there is a better mobile technology we are sticking with UHF Two Way Radios.
Name brand versus off name. There are some good deals on the Internet on off-brand radios. And who is to say these are not as good as name brands. The only problem I have with off-brand radios is the availability of batteries and accessories. Example - I have a Radio Shack model that was discontinued after I bought it. The batteries are no longer available, this is why we went to a hard-wired solution. My Motorola has been discontinued too. However, the batteries are still available. The same battery model number is used on current models.
Power is the most important feature on a radio. DON'T buy a 1 watt radio. They do not have sufficient power to work in the environments we put them through. You need a minimum of 2 watts and sometimes that is not good enough. 4 watts is
preferred. As I said before I have found radios starting from $100.00 and these are 4 watts.
Bells and whistles - You also do not need a radio with a display. This makes the radio more expensive. You also don't need a programmable radio. We only use one UHF channel 464.55. So getting a 15 channel radio is overkill. Stick to the basics and you can keep your costs down. A multi-channel radio is good in case of emergencies (assuming you are not stuck in a dead zone). You can switch channels and attempt to find an active channel to call for help. Other than that, no benefit. Since we drive on public roads and are in groups it is highly unlikely you will ever be abandoned.
Doing a quick search I found this
radio on the Internet.
