7 Best MURS Radios For Short Range Radio Communications in 2022

For the best MURS radio, look no further as I’ve got lined the 7-best ones right here.

Ok, why do you need a MURS radio anyway?

You’ve got your walkie-talkie and all those stuffs, then why go for MURS. No doubt, you are not a fan of those old systems for the heavy user base. Even with all the frequencies out there, there is often no open channel for you to use.

MURS radio, even with its 5-frequencies, solves that problem big time. And the quality of communication really is what gets people like you interested in this new radio system.

And for that, I’ve got this list with the top MURS radio in the business for you to choose from.

What are the Best MURS Radios

A MURS radio is an old-school device that has more to offer than just an ordinary walkie-talkie. Choosing the best one depends on several factors and boils down to individual preference. Here is a summary of our top picks from Amazon.

Best Overall: BTECH MURS-V1 MURS Two-Way Radio
It has a Part-95 certification enabling you to use without a license, a channel lock button, privacy tones, and a multicolored LCD display that is super readable even at night.

Most Durable: Motorola RMM2050 MURS Radio
It is strongly built with a solid grip and drop-proof to survive a few falls and bumps.

Best Value for Money: Retevis RT27V MURS Radios
It comes in a set of two, with features like audio quality, durability, squelch level, and less traffic compared to other radios.

Best Privacy Radio: Dakota Alert M538-HT Wireless MURS
It has 38 privacy sub-channels and an earphone port where you can maintain communication privacy by barring others from listening to your convos.

Editor’s Choice: TERA TR-505 Dual-Band MURS Radio
It is super compact and comes with a dual-band operating system with a rechargeable battery that can work for 30 hours straight.

Easiest to Use: Retevis RT47V MURS Radio
It has a less sophisticated control panel with several buttons, including a PTT for easy scanning and changing channels.

All-inclusive: Dakota Alert M538-BS MURS Base Station
It has 38 privacy codes, can send signals as far as 2 miles, and has a crisp audio transmission, all in a relatively affordable gadget.

Best MURS Radio Buying Guide: Features to Consider

MURS radio is a simple device unlike some of the other radio systems. Yet, there are a couple of things that you need to focus on it more than the others. Knowing them would help you big time while picking up the best MURS radio base station.

Let’s take a look at some of those features right here.

Sound quality:

No matter what type of MURS radio you choose, whether you’ve got yourself a base station or a handheld one, the end goal is to transmit and receive audio. And so you’ve got to think about the sound quality of the device.

While receiving, the most important thing is the speaker. You should have a radio with a good quality speaker that will get the sound loud and crisp for your ears to hear it right. On the other hand, while transmitting, you need to consider having a mic that would avoid the background noise and only pick up what is coming out of your mouth to make sure the guy from the other end hears you loud and clear.

Range:

Ok, the next thing you should eye for is the range. No matter how good the radio sounds, it might not come to no use if the range it offers is pathetic.

Now, the MURS radio doesn’t offer a lot of range like a Ham radio or any other radio system, but it still should be able to get 3 miles in a clear line of sight. Based on where you are, that can vary as in hilly areas with a lot of obstacles around the range will be shorter.

You don’t expect much from it as the 2 watts output power can’t manage more than that. However, with some of the radio, you might be able to get more miles than others.

Battery Life:

From a radio, you expect to get long hours of use. But not all MURS radios are the same. Some like the Retevis might be able to offer more hours as they’ve got no display to drain the charge. Then there are others with much larger capacity batteries to offer more hours of use.

While buying the radio, at least get a battery that offers a 1000+ mAh battery. That way, you can easily get 5-8 hours of use out of them.

And don’t just consider the battery life, also consider how fast they charge. That is also an important aspect. Plus, look for units that have alternative power sources if you can.

Durability:

What good to have with a MURS radio if it can’t last for long. That’s why having a durable unit is as important as anything else. Now, while looking for a radio unit, make sure it got a solid body to withstand drops. And not just only drops, it should also resist dust and water. That way, for outdoor use, you can rely on them like any other radio system in the market.

User-friendly:

The last aspect that you should keep in mind is that the device should be easy to muse. All of the devices here have a very simple control panel for the users to get used to them.

However, that can’t be said for all MURS radio out there. So, while picking a unit, make sure it has a simple interface. And more importantly, the buttons make sense to use as you shouldn’t get confused one with the other.

Best MURS Radio Reviews

MURS radio is fairly new to the market. And yet already there is a lot of flooding the market. It is hard for a buyer to know what they should get and which one they should avoid.

To help you out on that, I’ve got this list ready. Just check the MURS radio here and pick one from the lot.

1. BTECH MURS-V1 MURS Two-Way Radio

V1 has a 3-color large LCD display that is one of the best in the market. In dark conditions, it is super readable. Even it has a flashlight that comes in handy at night time.

That aside, the MURS is unique for the Part-95 certification that makes it legal to use— no license required.

While communicating on the radio, you can make sure you don’t get interrupted by others. The full set of 50 CTCSS and 346 DCS privacy tones filter out other people on the channel. Though, you can’t stop them from listening to you.

The unit got an 1800 mAh battery that lasts around 10 hours. But you can get extended battery life thanks to features like the standby mode.

Most of the time, users accidentally change the channels while talking on the radio. Not going to happen with this one as it got a channel lock feature.

Plus, with the radio, you can listen to 2-channels at once to look for activity on those. How cool is that?

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2. Motorola RMM2050 On-Site Two-Way MURS Radio

Motorola got a MURS radio for the users in the form of RMM2050. This two-way business radio got exclusive frequencies for you to use.

Starting with the build quality of the radio, it is durable. The thing offers a solid grip, but the body of it also is ready to survive drops. No surprise as it got made for workplaces.

And talking about workplaces, with 5 MURS frequencies with private tones and customizable codes, the Motorola offers clear, crisp sound quality that is hard to match.

With features like channel announcements, you can keep your hands-free while using it. Even it has a VOX activation feature at its disposal for the users to send transmission without ever getting their hands on the radio.

The tri-color LED interface is one of its strong suits. It makes it easier for the user to identify different settings on the radio while using it. Plus, the radio offers programming functions to the users to eliminate noise too.

Coupled with the 2000 mW audio output, no doubt it gives fine quality audio for the users to enjoy.

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3. Retevis RT27V MURS Radios

The MURS radios for Retevis is one of the best MURS handheld radios for the value it brings.

And the value comes not only from the fact that you get two radios for a great budget. That’s just part of it. It is the quality it brings to the table. Take the build quality of the radio, for example. The radios got built to last a lifetime.

Audio quality is also something that you can’t overlook. MURS already has less traffic to deal with compared to ordinary radios. But Retevis goes one step forward with its privacy codes to block out other signals for a much clearer audio transmission.

Now, this unit is missing a screen. That might make it a bit harder to use, but it gives you a much more substantial battery life because of that lack of display. This rechargeable unit can last from sunrise to sunset with a single charge. When it is low on battery, you’ve got those charging cradles to get them recharged anywhere. Using a laptop, power bank, wall to the car, you can power it anywhere you like.

With adjusting squelch level, you get sound with less noise. Timeout timer is there to make sure you don’t wreck the radio while holding down the PTT for too long. And the typical VOX activation system is there to let you use the radio with your voice.

For a simple-looking radio, it got plenty of modern features you might want to have.

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4. Dakota Alert M538-HT MURS Wireless VHF Transceiver

Dakota Alert’s VHF MURS radio is another option that you might be interested in for sure. This one offers a 2-way conversation to the users as it works as a transceiver. That’s right, transmit and receive using the same device with the M538-HT.

Other than that, like all the other units, there is no need for an FCC license to use the MURS frequencies. But the advantage of using the VHF radio is that it might not offer a lot of range, but it allows talk without any noise or other interferences.

To be fair, the range on the Dakota alert is not bad either. You can get 2 miles in an open line of sight between other MURS devices. Even doing that, you can receive the alert messages that are unlikely in other devices of such.

With 5 channels and 38 privacy sub-channels, the privacy of communication is something that you get with Dakota. On top of that, with the earphone jack on the unit, you can make sure you don’t let others listen to your transmission. At the same time, don’t disturb others using the radio.

For real-time monitoring, this simple to use radio device is all you need.

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5. TERA TR-505 Dual-Band 16 Channel MURS Radio

One of the things that stand out about the Tera Tr-505 is that this best MURS radio base station is super compact. It fits right in your hand without any problem.

And the fact it is a dual-band radio system, it already becomes a top pick of many just for that reason alone.

Yes, this radio comes with 16 pre-programmed GMRS channels for use. Other than that, you’ve got UHF channels that use 4 watts of power output to give you a range that is quite impressive.

How far can you transmit?

At least, 10 miles on an open field. And as it uses UHF, even in indoor conditions, the range it provides is much superior to its counterpart VHF signals.

Like most other radio systems, this one comes with a USB programmable cable. With the MURS programming file that comes, you can download and find free VHF channels for the MURS radio of yours.

All in all, this simple to use radio system, with its exceptional range and the 30 hours long-lasting Li-ion rechargeable battery makes one of the best MURS handheld radio.

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6. Retevis RT47V MURS Radio

Retevis make one of the most durable radio gears. To prove that point comes the RT47V. This MURS radio is not only drop-proof and dustproof, but it also has an IP67 rating which makes it also waterproof to some extent.

Besides that, the Retevis got so many things similar to the earlier one. You’ve got 5 channels to select and talk with less traffic to interrupt your communication. Like the earlier one, this one also works right out of the box.

And for a matter of fact, this one also has a simple control panel with a PTT button and a couple of others to change between channels and for scanning. With a stable clip system that comes with it, carrying it around becomes a joy.

Not to forget, the typical radio features that make modern radio devices so great are all here up for grabs. From voice prompt, to channel lock to VOX, squelch and privacy codes, everything you can name, it got it all.

Makes a lot of sense why it made to the list of MURS radio review.

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7. Dakota Alert M538-BS MURS Base Station

Last on the list is the M538 base station from Dakota alert. Now, this base station device can do transmission and receive signals. With a proper speaker on it, the system works quite well indeed.

For private conversations with fewer interruptions, this unit is just perfect. It got 5 MURS frequencies for use. But with those 38 privacy codes added to the equation, there is less chance of people getting on the same signal and hogging it than ever.

Only people with the code can contact your station.

When it comes to transmission, this one can send signals up to 2 miles. In open spaces, you can even extend this range a bit more.

For the money, it offers great value for the quality of audio transmission it gives you to enjoy. Give it a shot.

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What is MURS radio?

MURS is an acronym for multi-use radio service. Usually, a specific frequency spectrum is kept for use for short-distance communication in both ways. How, are they different from a walkie-talkie you might ask?

The difference is that the 5 channels for MURS were in the past for industrial/business use. These were used to make sure employees within an organization could talk together using the frequencies, and still Walmart and many other companies use it.

But now, you can use this private, short distance channel for communication for personal use too. Even it works with many sensors and other systems too. And that’s why the sudden popularity of this VHF band communication system.

Different Types of MURS Radios

MURS radio systems are still a relatively new technology and there is still a long way to go. But already, there are different types of radios available in the market that might meet your needs.

Handheld:

Looking at the device, there is no way to differentiate it from any other radio system in the market. They are quite similar in design and use. However, you can use only the MURS frequencies to communicate.

Base stations:

Having the base station is an upgrade over the handheld MURS radio for a couple of reasons. First of all, the desktop version of the device allows for longer antennas that improve the range and audio reception quality by quite a bit.

Plus, being compact and having its own handset, the unit is versatile too for mobile use.

What Are The MURS Frequencies?

For MURS, frequencies in the 151 – 154 MHz spectrum range get used for that short-distance, two-way communication. Only MURS radios can use this spectrum, therefore, there isn’t much traffic within these frequencies.

And even if there are too many users, with those privacy codes enabled devices above, you can avoid interference and have traffic-free communication.

MURS Radio Range:

It depends on the model you’re using. For instance, most of the MURS radio can provide a range of up to 2 miles in an open space with no obstacles without any problem. But there are devices, especially, the base station ones with their powerful antennas that can cross that boundary and even offer more range for the users to explore.

Benefits of using MURS radio

There are a lot of benefits of using the MURS radio. For small or big business owners, having the MURS makes a lot of sense as the frequencies are free. It helps the employees to coordinate better in the workplace for which it got introduced in the first place.

But now, being available for everyone to use, they make the perfect device for campers and families going outdoors for trips. That’s because the radio system works better in the open space, making it easier to use. Plus, having no real traffic on the frequencies, you will have a communication line always open for use.

Also, there is no need for a license to use them. It gives one more reason why you should opt for it.

Who Should Purchase Murs Radios?

Murs radio has a use for a lot of people. Anyone can get their hands on it, and start using the MURS to take advantage of it. However, here are some of the people who can go for it.

Preppers:

Those disaster preppers should take go and get the MURS radio as it will come in real handy in situations where there are no cell networks.

They can have a way to communicate with each other using the MURS in short distances no matter the situation.

Businesses:

It is the first thing for which the MURS radio came to being. So, business owners should adopt this system if they’ve got to communicate within the organization often. As for a wirehouse, having a MURS system in place makes a lot of sense as there is employee in different areas who need to coordinate with one another.

Security:

Same way, like the employee in an organization, security teams can rip the benefit of the MURS. That way, people in the team can have their communication going to make sure they get the real-time update to make sure they can secure the area or the person whatever they are assigned to do.

Watch Groups:

For your area watch group to keep the neighborhood safe, the MURS is an easy pick. Team members or volunteers within these groups can communicate with one another and identify suspects to alert one another before something goes wrong.

FAQs on MURS Radio 

What are the MURS frequencies?

The MURS frequencies are 151-154 MHz

Is a license required for MURS radio?

No, there is no need for a license from FCC to use MURS radio.

What’s the range of MURS?

With MURS radio, you can get at least 3 miles in an open field area or even more.

Which one is the best MURS radio?

All of them are great. However, if I’ve got to choose one, then the BTECH MURS V-1 will be my top pick.

Conclusion

Looking at the Best MURS radio, you can see, all of them are quite exceptional in their own way. And here, I’ve got tools for all budgets too. Just pick the right one that comes within your budget and meets your need to start using the traffic-free frequencies.

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