MURS Hand Held Two-Way Radio, M538-HT Description:

The M538-HT is a hand held MURS transceiver that will receive alert signals from the MURS AlertTM transmitter and also can be used for two way voice communications between other MURS transceivers. The HT has 5 channels and 38 sub channels to help you communicate with other users. The M538-HT is powered by a 6 rechargeable AA batteries (included) that will last for about 40 hours on a charge. The HT is capable of communicating over distances of several miles*. The FCC also allows you to use MURS without a license. Although other radio services require a license, MURS is license free. When an alert signal is received from the MURS AlertTM transmitter the HT will sound off with the voice of the alert signal and will also display an alert icon as a visual display that an alert signal has been received. This has many different applications for small businesses, farms, security guards, outdoorsmen. Anyone who needs to have real time monitoring and two way voice communications will benefit from MURS.*Actual range will vary depending on the local terrain.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12736 in Home Improvement
• Color: black
• Brand: Dakota Alert
• Model: M538-HT
• Dimensions: 2.75″ h x 6.25″ w x 7.75″ l, 1.50 pounds

Features

• Utilizes 5 channels and 38 sub-channels to help you communicate with other users.
• Amazing range: can transmit a signal to the the other hand-held radio up to four miles away.
• Does NOT require a direct line of sight between the radios.
• Hand-held radio powered by six rechargeable batteries (included) that will last for about 40 hours per charge; recharging plug included.

Customer Reviews:

Affordable communications, easy operation, outstanding vendor support.
We currently use three of these handheld units and plan to purchase a fourth. Here in rural southwestern Ohio, where there are lots of hills and woods, the 1 watt output of these radios provide a one mile range reliably. While traveling in convoy on long and unobstructed stretches of highway, the range is greater. They are used infrequently and have provided communications for five weekend long events over the past two months. For well under one hundred dollars, I did not expect much. These units exceeded my expectations.
While the manual that comes with the radio is not very detailed, vender support is outstanding. I had a question regarding charging the batteries and received a reply within one business day. They recommended charging for 24 hours when new or totally depleted and overnight for normal daily use. These radios use commonly available rechargeable AA batteries and not the expensive type found on many amateur and commercial handheld radios. In other words, no special order for replacement rechargeable batteries. Also, at need, regular alkaline batteries may be used. (Attempting to charge the alkaline type batteries will damage the unit) The rechargeable batteries supplied work surprisingly well. We keep our transmissions short and to the point and regularly operate for two days and more per charge, especially if we turn them off for the night. These radios are extremely easy on the batteries while receiving and only draw the batteries down appreciably while transmitting.
I hope to acquire the matching Dakota Alert MURS transmitters to provide wireless and portable security at remote locations. Allowing us to monitor the area around the vehicles or camp while in the woods etc.
These radios are not water resistant nor do they provide military grade shock resistance. These radios are not “industrial strength”, but neither is the price. They do provide all five of the unlicensed MURS frequencies while many others only provide one or two operating frequencies. They are affordably priced with great customer support from the vendor, Home Controls / Home Security 4 Less. In summary, good value for the money.

Arrived with (likely) OEM manufacturing defect
Trash.

Arrived with mode up-selection button inoperative – it is *possible* (but in my opinion *highly* unlikely based on the nature of the failure and the condition of other equipment received the same shipment) that this defect was created post manufacture, it seems to me to be much more likely the result of poor or nonexistent post-manufacture QC at the factory and/or the US distribution facility (it’s made in China).

And even if this portion of the unit (which is obviously going to be operated frequently, and for example by people wearing gloves) *was* damaged in shipping, what does that say about the overall design and build quality?

I realize that I’m not paying $500 for a commercial quality unit, on the other hand this is too much to pay for something that apparently isn’t even built or tested to standards I consider minimally acceptable for a consumer grade product.

And… this experience was especially frustrating as I had paid $26 ( never to be recovered, of course) for Saturday delivery and hoped to use this unit on a job Monday.

Other posters here talk about the excellent customer service of this company – to me *excellence* is building your product so I don’t *need* customer service, at least not because things are so poorly designed or built they can’t survive shipment to my doorstep.

Arrived in used condition
I just received the handset from the third party seller DollarRite. It arrived on time, but the handset box had been opened, the handset has scratches on it and the AC plug was sloppily re-wrapped. The handset was obviously used and re-packaged, which was very disapponting since I was purchasing a product listed as NEW. I have yet to hook it up and make sure it works properly since I am waiting for the base station from a different seller.