Hunting Guide Service Relies on Midland's GMRS Repeater

Midland Radio's new GMRS repeater, the MXR10 is making life easier for a hunting guide service based out of Texas.

We spoke with them about how GMRS two-way radios and the GMRS repeater is making a difference as they navigate the elements.

ABOUT RIO Y ARROYO OUTFITTERS

Sean Casey has been running his hunting and fishing guide operation for 22 years. The 37,000 acres of land is located outside of Comstack, Texas. 

“We have 37,000 acres of some very, very rough terrain. We hunt aoudad sheep mostly. We’re ranchers as well. There is little to zero cell service.”

Casey said guide service provide an intrinsic value to customers/clients.

“These people probably aren’t out hunting or fishing everyday. With the guide service, we have the land where the sheep are. A lot of land in Texas is private, there isn’t a lot of public land. You have to go through a guide service if you want to hunt.”

The guide service is booked up 290 days a year. For the guides, it's all about customers building lasting memories.

“It’s the way we live, it’s what we love to do. We’re not the richest people in the world, but we have a passion for making people smile. Most of our customers are repeat customers. The enjoyment of seeing a kid conquer such terrain and share that moment with their parents is really what sets this apart from anything else. We’re making lifelong memories," Casey added. 

USING GMRS TWO-WAY RADIOS TO COMMUNICATE

With 37,000 acres of land fit for hunting and fishing, there is a lack of cellphone service. 

"There are some very deep valleys and it’s very rough terrain.”

Casey said being able to communicate is key while navigating the remote area, something GMRS two-way radios have improved.

“It is a huge safety and insurance thing for us, especially in hunting if somebody were to come off a rock or slip. If something happens, we can get ahold of somebody. Somebody is always on the other end. It’s peace of mind for us.”

The importance of GMRS two-way radio communication goes beyond safety. 

"Communicating has greatly improved our odds at success for our clients out here.”

GMRS TWO-WAY RADIO REPEATER PACKS A PUNCH

The operation has several Midland MXT575 MicroMobile® Two-Way Radios in their side-by-sides and Jeeps.

Because the property is so vast, the guides were looking for ways to take their GMRS two-way radio range even further, so several months ago they purchased Midland MXR10VP Repeater.

“We got the GMRS repeater because of safety and just pure communication between vehicles. It’s a vast piece of property and we had no way of communicating until we got something as simple as this repeater.”

Casey has the repeater set up on the highest part of the property.

“We put the repeater on a hill. We call it a mountain, but people from Colorado laugh at us. It’s at about 1,780 feet. It’s in a metal box, cut a hole in the bottom of it, got a solar kit, and we run it off of solar.”

He's seen drastic increases in GMRS two-way radio range with the implementation of the GMRS repeater.

“If you get into a pickle out there, you need some way to communicate. When we’re hunting sheep, they go over a mountain, and we have a client, we can communicate with one another through the repeater. We’re getting a total distance of 60 miles, about a 30 mile radius. There’s no interference.”

MIDLAND RADIO GMRS TWO-WAY RADIOS

Casey has known about Midland for a while and after research, found its GMRS two-way radios and GMRS repeater would be the right fit.

“Midland has been around for a while. We didn’t want something as intense as HAM radio and came across GMRS while looking for a solution. The GMRS and Midland repeater seemed to be the right solution for us where we could really talk.”

Since using Midland's products, Casey has noticed how Midland's GMRS two-way radios and GMRS repeater are durable, fit for the most extreme elements.

“We’ve tried other brands, but it hasn’t been anything that we’ve wanted to promote. Once we’ve discovered Midland, it has been a game changer. We really put the radios to the test out here. All of Midland’s products have also been durable. They’ve been through storms and dirt. We have dirt everywhere. They just keep plugging along.” 

Casey and his team also appreciate Midland's ease of use.

“Midland’s products are easy to operate, they’re so easy to program for people that really don’t know what they’re doing and that’s us. When it comes to radios and programming, we are beginners so these are perfect."