An Idiot’s Guide to EDC & MOLLE: Small Radio Pouch
June 13, 2015 2 Comments
Depending on what you’re doing and where you’re going, you may need to carry a small two-way radio. I know I do. About 16 months ago, I bought my first BaoFeng (now “Pofung”) UV-5R radio. I’ve bought two more since then. And another model as well. Why? They’re UHF and VHF. They’re ridiculously cheap. And they work as well–or better–than some radios I use that cost nearly $2000. Since I started messing with these radios and showing them off to people, my co-workers have bought at least a dozen of these for their own use. In the field, or elsewhere, I want quick access to it–for everything from weather radio to listening to ham radio storm spotters, to communicating on local, state, or federal public safety radio systems.
MOLLE solution: The Condor HHR pouch. The pouch only has a single strap in the back, but for a small radio, it really doesn’t need any more. It’s perfectly suited to holding the BaoFeng UV-5R, with the belt clip still attached. So I can quickly remove it from the pouch and clip it to a pocket or wherever else I need to, in order to send/receive easily.
The HHR pouch is somewhat similar to the frag grenade pouches, but the flap is tapered, to allow the antenna and volume knob to stick through. And it’s a Velcro closure, versus an actual clasp. It also features elastic cord and an adjustable stopper(?) to allow you to tighten the pouch, if needed.
This pouch would also be suitable for GPS units or most FRS radios. It attaches securely and stays attached. Really, there’s nothing else to be said. If you need a small radio pouch, this is the best way to go. I have one of these pouches (and a radio) on each of my packs.
Zero: Dumber Than Fiction 
First of all, thank you for writing all of these entries, they are really helpful.
This is probably a stupid question but I’m fairly uninformed on this topic…I thought that in order to even listen on a ham radio, you had to be licensed? Is that not true? I can see owning one of these radios as a really useful gadget!
In terms of radio, anybody can listen to any open frequency. Thus, the proliferation of radio scanners. Now talking on these frequencies is a different matter. Most frequencies require license–or at least clearance–to use. Ham frequencies require a ham license, public safety frequencies require you to be doing something professionally associates with public safety, etc. the exceptions are Family Radio Service (FRS) frequencies and MURS frequencies. Oh, and “citizens band” (“CB”). Thus is a pretty deep rabbit hole, but the bottom line is that FRS radios are open to everybody. Just make sure you’re adhering to the radio requirements for those frequencies. Technically, the BaoFeng radios have too much transmit power for FRS.