Audiovox GMRS-70012 (14 Channels) Two Way Radio
- Maximum Range: 7 Miles
- Channels: 14
- LCD Display: With LCD Display
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Pretty good
Pros
2+-watt power, Weather Band & Weather Alert, good interface
Cons
Reception squelch feature too coarse & Tx button a little too high
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
I wouldn't pay more than a top-quality 2-watt radio
I recently purchased the AudioVox GMRS7001-2 2-way radios. I have had several 2-way radios in the past couple years. Motorolas, Cobras and a Garmin. I've found them very useful for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, etc. The Cobras only had ? watt of transmit power, the others had the 2-watt transmitters.
In transmission power, the Cobras are virtually tied with the 2-watt radios. This is a little disappointing, considering the 7001s are supposed to transmit at 3-watts. In a side-by-side comparison of my Garmin Rino 120 to the 7001s, they both transmitted the same distance through the same terrain.
In reception, I give an edge to the Rino. It's squelch feature was a bit more sophisticated than the 7001s. While on the very edge of reception range, the Rino would cut out less frequently than the 7001. Basically, 1-mile in a hilly, suburban area is the max of either radio. If you have a large hill between transmitter and receiver, you'll only get about 6/10ths of a mile in range. From hilltop to hilltop, about 1.2 miles.
Feature-wise, the 7001 is just fine. It's interface is very similar to the Motorolas: press the mode button to scroll through some configuration options. The 7001s have a few less buttons than the Motorolas, which I actually found more straightforward. I rate the user-interface as good. Seeing as I'm comparing the Rino, though, the Rino kicks butt! Though such a comparison is unfair due to the Rino's price ($250) and it's GPS screen and click-stick cursor device.
One nice feature about the 7001s are their ability to use the GMRS and shared channels in low power mode (1/2-watt) which more than doubles the battery life and is all the power you need if within a ?-mile of your receiver. I never found this feature on any of my other radios. I also thought that the ability to charge the batteries using a base station was a good feature, as well as the weather-band/weather alert. (I never liked the way the Motorolas worked). I wish the Rino had that feature.
The only complaint about the 7001 interface is it's transmit button. It sits a little too high up on the left side of the body, and a little too close to the Monitor/Backlight button. Kids with small hands tend to accidentally turn off the squelch by accident, and it's uncomfortable to use in my right hand.
In transmission power, the Cobras are virtually tied with the 2-watt radios. This is a little disappointing, considering the 7001s are supposed to transmit at 3-watts. In a side-by-side comparison of my Garmin Rino 120 to the 7001s, they both transmitted the same distance through the same terrain.
In reception, I give an edge to the Rino. It's squelch feature was a bit more sophisticated than the 7001s. While on the very edge of reception range, the Rino would cut out less frequently than the 7001. Basically, 1-mile in a hilly, suburban area is the max of either radio. If you have a large hill between transmitter and receiver, you'll only get about 6/10ths of a mile in range. From hilltop to hilltop, about 1.2 miles.
Feature-wise, the 7001 is just fine. It's interface is very similar to the Motorolas: press the mode button to scroll through some configuration options. The 7001s have a few less buttons than the Motorolas, which I actually found more straightforward. I rate the user-interface as good. Seeing as I'm comparing the Rino, though, the Rino kicks butt! Though such a comparison is unfair due to the Rino's price ($250) and it's GPS screen and click-stick cursor device.
One nice feature about the 7001s are their ability to use the GMRS and shared channels in low power mode (1/2-watt) which more than doubles the battery life and is all the power you need if within a ?-mile of your receiver. I never found this feature on any of my other radios. I also thought that the ability to charge the batteries using a base station was a good feature, as well as the weather-band/weather alert. (I never liked the way the Motorolas worked). I wish the Rino had that feature.
The only complaint about the 7001 interface is it's transmit button. It sits a little too high up on the left side of the body, and a little too close to the Monitor/Backlight button. Kids with small hands tend to accidentally turn off the squelch by accident, and it's uncomfortable to use in my right hand.
