Am looking into buying some good long range 2-way radios this year... I know there are alot of compact ones made now that will reach in the 7, 8 and even 10 mile range.....anyone reccomend a good brand or model?
thanks

I have a set of the frs motorolas that have a max range of two miles. i have been thinking of buying set of the longer range ones . my son is 14 and is my hunting partner and he is getting to where he likes to hunt our 2100 acre ponderosa all over.
i need a set that will reach out much better than the ones i have.

i like the motorola quality but you pay for it. i also noticed that wal mart had audiovox and several other manufacters for sell. the prices aren't cheap but in a way they are worth it if you hunt with someone you would like to be able to keep in touch with.

i know on the gmrs models you are supposed to get a fcc license i believe it costs around $70 dollars. now how many folks do i couldnt tell you. but where mine would be used and the range of the gmrs the fcc would never know.

if you get them from walmart try them if they dont work take them back
all you tell walmart they dont reach very far

I got some Motorola GMRS (T6400) from ebay for about $38 after rebate and like them. Look into the 7 mile ones if needed. But they are so new, you might not find someone who owns them to give you feedback...

You can get a number of radios with a range of about 5 miles. Motorola makes a few models as well as other companies. Two (Motorola) radios with charger is the package we bought. We have about 7 radios now and also most of us subscribe to NEXTEL so we use our phones (direct connect) instead.

Note in the ad the words "depending on terrain." I've tried several brands, mostly 5-milers and none of them came close. If you hunt in hills-and-hollers areas like I do you'll get nowhere near 5 miles. On flat, maybe, but not in rolling areas.

rwilson makes a good point
Does anybody have some positive experience with radios that will reach 2-3 miles in rugged, hilly, ridges and valleys and wooded thrown in. Is there such a beast?

There really is no such beast. The handheld radios are line-of-sight devices, meaning if you can't see the other radio with binos or stronger. The signal will not get to the other radio even a mile away with a radio with a 5 mile range.