Handheld two way radios

[Scubaroo]

I'm looking at getting a pair of radios for use on the ski slopes this year. I'm guessing that a FRS model would be the easiest option (I don't want to have to deal with getting licences to use a GMRS radio), does anyone have suggestions for some decent radios? A quick look at REI's website shows the Cobra Microtalk FRS 235, and Motorola Talkabout T5420 handsets. I'm not doing backcountry skiing, so I can live with the 2 mile max range of FRS, has anyone used these particular radios, or have other suggestions? Budget is up to $150 for a pair. They would need to be weather resistant of course, for skiing.

 

[WillAbbott]

We use the Motorola Talkabout T6220's and they work pretty good. Depending on where you are 2miles can be an over or understatment. In open area they tend to work at least 2miles (I think the best we got was garbled but understandable at lest 2-3miles away) Its possible to get interference from others on other FRS's but I've found the way theese are set up (not sure if the cobra has the same thing) but they have for each of the 12 or whatever channels they have like 8 sub-channels, and then encryption for any channel. Through all this its very easy to keep from hearing others conversations, or keep them from hearing yours, nice to not hear everyone else using the things. They work really good, not sure how weather resistant, but I've had mine here in Oregon (rain and all) and still works great. Batteries last pretty well, and they have not only audible notification (of someone talking etc) but also a vibrator so if you can't hear it you can feel it. There of course nice and small, and light weight. Work really well. Motorola is pretty much the best radios on the planet. But from what I understand cobra is pretty good too (at least in the FRS)

bengiddins once bubbled...
I'm looking at getting a pair of radios for use on the ski slopes this year. I'm guessing that a FRS model would be the easiest option (I don't want to have to deal with getting licences to use a GMRS radio), does anyone have suggestions for some decent radios? A quick look at REI's website shows the Cobra Microtalk FRS 235, and Motorola Talkabout T5420 handsets. I'm not doing backcountry skiing, so I can live with the 2 mile max range of FRS, has anyone used these particular radios, or have other suggestions? Budget is up to $150 for a pair. They would need to be weather resistant of course, for skiing.

 

[herman]

I just did a little poking around looking for the specs on these radios. Don't count on more than 1/2 mile or so on these little radios. They appear to come in 1/2 to 2 watt versions, all in the 460mhz freq range. Obviously, the 2 watt versions will give you a little better range but not that much better. The 2 mile range they advertise is at optimal conditions, basically, line of site with a full battery and both units working at the top end of their specs. Don't be fooled by the sales hype on the number of useable channels either. You have only the number of channels on the radio (the T6220 has 21). The 38 "codes" are simple CTCSS tones. These are subaudible tones added to the radio signal that open the recievers squelch if the transmitters encoder and the decoder in the reciever are set to the same one. This works fine to keep you from hearing signals with the incorrect tone BUT it will do nothing to help the co-channel interference that WILL happen if others are on the same channel you are on.

These radios are fine for short range chatting but don't count on them for much more than 1/2 mile. If I were buying, I would look for the highest power I could get and the radio should have rechargable batteries. And always remember, NO 2 way radio transmission is private, don't say anything you don't want the world to hear. Anyone with a cheap scanner can listen to these radios.

 

[WillAbbott]

herman once bubbled...
I just did a little poking around looking for the specs on these radios. Don't count on more than 1/2 mile or so on these little radios. They appear to come in 1/2 to 2 watt versions, all in the 460mhz freq range. Obviously, the 2 watt versions will give you a little better range but not that much better. The 2 mile range they advertise is at optimal conditions, basically, line of site with a full battery and both units working at the top end of their specs. Don't be fooled by the sales hype on the number of useable channels either. You have only the number of channels on the radio (the T6220 has 21). The 38 "codes" are simple CTCSS tones. These are subaudible tones added to the radio signal that open the recievers squelch if the transmitters encoder and the decoder in the reciever are set to the same one. This works fine to keep you from hearing signals with the incorrect tone BUT it will do nothing to help the co-channel interference that WILL happen if others are on the same channel you are on.

These radios are fine for short range chatting but don't count on them for much more than 1/2 mile. If I were buying, I would look for the highest power I could get and the radio should have rechargable batteries. And always remember, NO 2 way radio transmission is private, don't say anything you don't want the world to hear. Anyone with a cheap scanner can listen to these radios.

Yes and no. Yes they do run on 460ish Mhz band. Yes the sub-frequency doesn't do much really, but it does help some if theres lots of traffic on a frequency, but not really (a little help is better than none I guess). And yes you can listen on a scanner but at the same time sorta no. With the "encryption" or whatever they call it it does get very garbled and hard to understand... I tested again tonigh on my scanner, and some things you can make out easily, while others are difficult... There are ways to keep communications private on radio, but it costs a TON like Govt. type communications or high end police type comm. As for the range... I have tested outside and had at LEAST 1mile range, I would say it was actually closer to 1-2miles in hilly, open area (not flat line of sight) yes its about the best you will see... but they do perform better than you'd think. I expected the 1/2 limit to be a TOP end on a good day with the wind blowing the right way and great skip. But infact I got good comm at least 1mile away on day with no great skip, etc. There are if you more want the range 5Watt FRS radios out there which will get an increased range. (5watt is the max for any private radio without having a license, CB, FRS, etc.)

sorry to dissagree or argue, just my point of view and what I've expericned with them. They do perform better than expected, but don't expect the 2mile range except under excelent curcumstances. 1/2-1Mile is the normal opporating expectations.

 

[herman]

Based on 18 years in commercial 2 way and 23 yrs in amateur radio.

 

[WillAbbott]

:shrugs

Could be then, I'm no expert by any means. Just know that I wasn't expecting it to reach over 1/2 a mile being as what experince I had with CB and 2 Way, they don't work anywhere near as well as they advertise, but I was surprised how far we talked on theese. I dunno, maybe the skip was really good and I didn't know it... My bad, pardon my ignorance :bonk:

 

[Scubaroo]

Aren't the FRS radios limited to 1/2 watt? Anything more powerful needs a licence? The handhelds I was looking at were 1/2 watt Family Radio Service, and then anything up to 5 watts which were GMRS, but they require FCC licencing which I do not want to get involved with. I only want these for being able to talk to someone who's a chairlift away at a ski slope! Just after decent ones that are reliable and weatherproof.

 

[jonnythan]

Scubaroo once bubbled...
Aren't the FRS radios limited to 1/2 watt? Anything more powerful needs a licence? The handhelds I was looking at were 1/2 watt Family Radio Service, and then anything up to 5 watts which were GMRS, but they require FCC licencing which I do not want to get involved with. I only want these for being able to talk to someone who's a chairlift away at a ski slope! Just after decent ones that are reliable and weatherproof.

That's right. Anything more than 500 mW requires an FCC license. It's easy to stop by at Wal Mart and buy the GMRS 1 or 2 watt radios, but the FRS ones are more than adequate for skiing.

The FRS radios are obscenely cheap. Just stop by at Wal Mart or OfficeMax and see what they have... all the radios are really roughtly equivalent. Just get a nice pair with a backlit LCD, privacy codes, and a recharger. I got one (a surprisingly small Bellsouth model) with NiMH batteries and a charger included for $18.99. Works great, sounds great, covers the mountain just fine.

BTW, those privacy codes are fairly nifty. We can generally have two pair of radios on the same channel with different codes and no crosstalk...

 

[twoDivers]

I don't know anything about these radios, but there is a deal on them at office depot. Goto www.slickdeals.net and follow the link that was posted today for "Pair of Cobra 2-Way GMRS Radio for $25 after $20MIR". It "claims" they have a 5 mile range.

I have used several deals from this site in the past, and have been very satisfied. Now I go to this site at least 5 times a day to make sure I don't miss any updates. I bought a Dell computer, after seeing the deal on slick deals, for $489 with a 15 inch LCD monitor, 2.0ghz p4, and 40x cdrw. No, I don't work for slickdeals.

 

[chris_b]

twoDivers once bubbled...
I have used several deals from this site in the past, and have been very satisfied. Now I go to this site at least 5 times a day to make sure I don't miss any updates. I bought a Dell computer, after seeing the deal on slick deals, for $489 with a 15 inch LCD monitor, 2.0ghz p4, and 40x cdrw. No, I don't work for slickdeals.

And here I thought I was the only one addicted to that site. There are lots of great deals there, but I have to restrain myself often in order to have money left over for dive gear and groceries! I bought the same computer, BTW. And a router. And a USB2.0 HD. And an ethernet hub. And some computer speakers. And....hey, what is up with my credit card bill?