Login
Start Free Trial Are you a business? Click Here

Rugged GMR45 High Power GMRS Mobile Radio Reviews

4.4 Rating 15 Reviews
Read Rugged Radios Reviews
Visit Product Page

Phone:

8885417223

Email:

media@ruggedradios.com

Location:

509 traffic way,
arroyo grande
California
93420

I chose this radio for it's ease of use. I've recommended / installed it on a couple friends machines as well. It works great in the northern WI forests, where lesser powered units are not able to transmit as far due to the hills and trees in the area around my cabin. Out on the trails we don't need expensive dual band, multi channel monitoring, or digital what-cha-mahoozits. This radio does everything we need to be able to yell at the guy behind us and ask if he needs a tow strap to help his (inferior UTV model) catch up. IYKYK
1 Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
While the radio is usable out the box which is nice it would be good to go on business band as alot of off roaders run them making it difficult to get on the same page. Also still haven't figured out all the settings and what they are for
1 Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
Thanks for your feedback! It sounds like you might be looking for a business band radio to better match the needs of your off-road crew. We do offer business band options, and it’s possible the radio you purchased isn’t the ideal fit. Give us a call at 888-541-7223, and our team would be happy to help you figure out the best solution for your setup. We’re here to help you stay connected and go further™!
Posted 1 year ago
I ordered this radio 3 weeks prior to a trip to the desert. I never received a confirmation email. After 1 week I call RR for an update and was told my radio was on backorder. A week later I received my radio. There was no user manual and when I tested the output it was only putting out 17 watts. Called RR to ask about the settings, thinking maybe the radio was in low power mode, was told that my radio was programmed at their shop and the settings are not user adjustable. RR emailed me a shipping label and I returned the radio and am still waiting for a replacement. I did not have the radio for my trip to the desert. So far I am not having a good experience with RR. They have not reached out to me with any updates. I have had to call them multiple times to find out what is going on. The radio itself seems high priced for being made in China and having no user settings. Hopefully the replacement radio will have the proper power output. Still waiting.
2 Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
David, Thank you for sharing your experience. We sincerely apologize for the delays and lack of communication that impacted your trip. We regret the initial backorder and challenges with the first radio and appreciate your patience while waiting for the replacement. We’re glad to see the replacement radio has been delivered and hope it meets your expectations. Please let us know if you’ve had a chance to test it or if you need further assistance. Your feedback is valuable, and we’re working to improve our communication and service. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make this right. 888-541-7223
Posted 1 year ago
Christopher I
Verified Reviewer
Was a demo , I wish I had never bought the 25 the 45 has so much more power for receiving and transmitting , I have the 25 in my yxz. I’m going to switch it out the 45, but another 45 for my New Tacoma, and use the 25 with amp as a base radio at our cabin. Candice is a amazing sales rep. Thanks so much
1 Helpful Report
Posted 1 year ago
Tested the power output of the radio after I received it. Bench tested the radio on a dummy load on channel 16 and the radio only output 30 watts of power. I had a another 50w GMRS radio and test it with the same meter and dummy load and it was right on the rated 50 watts on channel 16. That should rule out the equipment I used. For what its worth I have sent an inquiry to tech support and haven't heard back yet. The bottom line is this radio is missing 1/3 of its rated RF output. That alone is disappointing. The build quality seems nice, but don't expect much out of the box as the unit is preprogrammed pretty vanilla. If you want to tap into the features not on by default it will set you back the cost of the programming software and interface cable. I am sure no one would be the wiser if they don't actually check the RF power output. The radio paired with my antenna tuned to a swr 1.1:1 which was nice but was also expected. All in all, I am not sold on Rugged Radios doing GMRS mobile radios. For the cost, I think there are better options out there that offer more functionality and performance right out of the box.
2 Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
The half paragraph instruction in the “manual” on how to program repeaters is poor. The Chinese kid who assembled it could probably write a better manual. There are also zero videos on how to program repeaters
2 Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
I definitely enjoyed the feel of the product. I like how it's very simple and easy to understand and operate. I will definitely recommend this to my friends
1 Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago
ANDREW IN SALES IS TOP SHELF !! WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO HELP ME GET A CHARGER FOR MY HANDHELD WHICH IS SO OLD THEY DON'T MAKE THE CHARGER ANYMORE. DOES THAT SHOW YOU THE LONGETVITY OF RUGGEDS HAND HELDS ? YOU BET !! THANK YOU AGAIN ANDREW !!
1 Helpful Report
Posted 2 years ago