Radio Ordering and Setup

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Radio Communication Information:

Our goal is to have an enjoyable day driving our Miatas. Your fun will be enhanced by obtaining a two-way radio that has the communication specification listed below. During a run we pass along driving instructions and warnings of traffic conditions to enhance the fun and safety of the event. There is also chatter about all the great sights and what ever else may come to mind.

More Information:

  1. Accessories for the radios
  2. Tutorial of operating the radio

Radio Recommendation:

  • The club uses dual Band handheld FM radios that will deliver secure reliable communications. Radio technology has been moving on since SDMC selected business band radios for our runs, and this update describes new radio capabilities and some Miata installation guides.  In 2025, the number of Handi-Talkie (HT) radios suitable for SDMC runs has increased to six proven choices including  the Baofeng. These are sorted by price (cheapest first)

    • UV-5RM 10 watt
    • UV-K5Plus 10 watt         
    • NA-K6 5 watt
    • UV-5R 5 watt
    • BF-F8HP 8 watt
    • UV-82HP 5-8 watt (most expensive)

    All these radios have the two ESSENTIAL capabilities required for any radio you purchase for SDMC runs:  (1) They are all able to work on both the VHF (150–174 MHz) and UHF (421–470 MHz) bands.  (2) They are all compatible with the CHIRP programming software the club uses.  Other features vary by radio.  The following  Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs) will help you choose the best radio for you and make the best Miata radio installations.

    1. All these listed radios have similar performance and are well suited for SDMC runs. There are no bad choices.
    2. One notable and frequently discussed difference between the radios is the transmitted power levels which range from 5 watts up to 8 or 10 watts depending on model. Do you care about that difference? 
      1. Doubling your transmit power to 10 watts from 5 watts can increase your transmit range up to 40%. (NOTE that doubling the transmit power does NOT double your range.  It’s a radio thing.)
      2. While doubling your transmitted power can let people hear you a bit farther away, it does nothing to improve your receive range. You can talk farther, but you can’t listen farther.
      3. Increasing your transmitter power uses more battery power, decreasing battery life. This might be an issue on very long or multi-day runs.
    3. The newest K5 and K6 radios have two new useful features to consider.
      1. They can be charged using a built-in USB-C port. You don’t have to carry a charging stand.  This can be convenient at home but is particularly useful if you are packing for multi-day trips.
      2. These radios can quickly self-program a run frequency on the spot. With only a few button pushes (see your manual) they will copy all the settings from another nearby radio.
    4. The best tool you have to increase range regardless of the radio you use is antenna selection and location.
      1. The magic of a good antenna is that it increases BOTH your transmit AND receive range. You can talk farther and listen farther.
      2. The worst possible antenna is the short 6 inch “rubber duck” antenna that comes standard with most radios. They should be avoided.
      3. The best possible antenna is a longer 1/4 wavelength antenna (typically around 19”-20”) mounted on your metal trunk lid. This is easily done with a magnetic mount base, although there are other more permanent options.  
      4. This “best” antenna can almost double the range you can talk – and hear – over the worst antenna. It is a powerful tool.
    5. No matter what power level you select or what antenna you have installed, these radios are all line-of-sight radios, or very close. They can’t talk over mountains or around many twisties.  That’s why when a run is stretched out or in rough terrain, someone in the center of the run must  relay traffic.

    If you want to program your radio to the frequency almost always used by SDMC (SDM07P), select 158.400 MHz and Digital Code 411.  The 411 code conveniently keeps all the radios silent until someone transmits that code.

Safety First:

  • Be sure to use the radios in a safe manner and mount or tuck them in a way that does not hinder driving .
  • The use of a remote microphone while driving is advised per the hand held device law passed in 2017.

Do you need a radio license to operate these FM radios?:

  • Yes, a license is required to operate these radios and SDMC has an FCC group license.

Ordering your Baofeng UV-82HP Radio and getting it up and running:

    • The Baofeng UV-82HP radio has been tried and true since 2019 and is available via Amazon at . It is available in 5 colors and comes in a box which includes everything you need to communicate on a SDMC run.

    • The Baofeng UV-5R radio is available via Amazon at . It comes with an extra battery and programming cable. It is a little trickier to program but our Programmers have figured out how to do it.

    • Accessories:There are a number of add-ons that will enhance the use of the radio. The external microphone will be of interest to those who intend to drive while using the radios. 

    • Now that you have your radio in hand, what do I do with it? Well, take it out of the box, attached the antenna, install the clip if desired and charge it in the charging cradle. It has been suggested that it is better on the battery to not leave the radio in the charging cradle for days on end. Place it the cradle the night before runs. Just remember to take it with you for the run.

    • Turn the radio on and make sure it actually works, the lights will come on, the display will display something you may not understand and READ the manual. You are still going to be confused, because there are a lot of frequencies and capabilities of this radio.
  • This radio is a programmable unit and needs to be configured to SDMC parameters. Send an e-mail to our  group of volunteer Radio Programmers           to have your radio programmed. Please tell us the area of the county you live in or the next event or meeting you will be attending. We have members thoughout the county, so someone may very well be in your neighborhood. A programming member will respond and you can make arrangements to get the radio configured. You can also make arrangement to have them program your radio before a run. Just let them know and get there early.
  • Your radio will then be ready to use on the next event/run, have fun, use common sense, be courteous and obey the law.

Ordering other radios:

  • As stated above, you are welcome to purchase any radio that meets the capabilities of the Baofeng UV-82HP. The issue may be that our programmers know how to program the UV-82HP and may not be able to provide help.
  • One such radio that has been mentioned and purchased by members is the Baofeng UV-5R. Please note, the long antenna is a “copy” and the microphone does not include the 3.5mm auxiliary output to couple to your factory radio. However, it is less expensive.