Review on Dakota Alert M538-HT MURS Wireless VHF Transceiver: License Free Handheld 2-Way Radio for Multi Use Radio Service (MURS) by Ray Richards

We currently use three of these portable devices and plan to purchase a fourth. Here in rural Southwest Ohio, where hills and forests abound, these radios' 1 watt output provides a reliable one-mile range. The range is greater when driving in convoys on long, unobstructed stretches of motorway. They are rarely used and have provided communications for five weekend events in the past two months. For less than a hundred dollars I wasn't expecting much. These devices have exceeded my expectations. While the manual that came with the radio isn't very detailed, the support from the vendor is excellent. I had a question about charging the battery and received an answer within one business day. They recommended charging for 24 hours when new or completely empty and overnight for normal daily use. These radios use commonly available rechargeable AA batteries instead of the expensive batteries used in many portable amateur and commercial radios. In other words, there is no special order for replacement batteries. If necessary, you can also use normal alkaline batteries. (Attempting to charge alkaline batteries will damage the device.) The included rechargeable batteries work surprisingly well. We keep our transfers short and to the point, regularly running two days or more on a single charge, especially if we turn it off overnight. These radios drain their batteries very easily when receiving and noticeably only when transmitting. I am looking for matching Dakota Alert MURS transmitters for wireless and portable security in remote locations. This allows us to monitor the area around vehicles or the camp, in the forest, etc. These radios are not waterproof and do not offer military grade shock resistance. These radios aren't an "industry strength," but they're not a prize either. They offer all five unlicensed MURS frequencies, while many others only offer one or two operating frequencies. They are affordable and have great Home Controls / Home Security 4 Less customer support. In summary, good value for money.