Reliable Walkie Talkie?

RobWNY wrote:
Why not just buy a couple of hand held CB radios.

RANGE-Clarity

Last year I bought a couple of Retevis MURS walkie talkies from ebay. They have 5 channels, charger bases that plug into a usb port, and seem well built and simple to use. Range is very clear to about 1 mile. You can get them with other accessories like an earphone / microphone so you can leave the radio on your belt and use it. We have found them to be great for us for communicating between driver and spotter when parking or maneuvering the RV and between laundry facility, office runs, and other places in a campground. No lisence is required for these radios and work great in shorter distance communications.

ktmrfs wrote:
If what you want is something better than the typical box store walkie talkie programmed for GMRS or FRS channels there are a couple of options.

Pick up a pair of Baofeng UV 5R 5W programmable units and a programming cable (ebay, amazon) and go to the chirp website to customize the radio. Many ham radio operators use these radios on ham channels as portable units,

Then program the radios to use digital keying so you won't need squelch and program them for GMRS and FRS channels along with the 5 MURS channels.

For a few more bucks you can get the rugged radios version of the same units that are much more robust, but more expensive. Rugged radios periodically puts their units on sale. Again, you'll need a programming cable and chirp website to program them.

We've used baofeng and rugged radio units for year with good luck. Available as accessories for both are larger battery packs, along with a plug in car charger unit and longer whip antennas.

Another licensed ham operator here. What you are recommending is not legal.
some info on what you can do legally
Or if you want to use the Baofeng UV5R, go get your ham operator license and be legal about it. It's not that hard, a couple weeks of studying and than you have to take a test. I took my test online over zoom over the summer during covid for $4, and I'm licensed for 10 years now to transmit legally.

get ham operator license

My wife and I are both licensed ham operators, and if she can pass the test, anyone can. I don't mean that in a negative way, but she has absolutely zero interest in the tech stuff, she just wanted to be able to talk to me on something better than the FRS radios. She took her test before it was as easy as it is now.

The Baofeng radios are actually very good radios. I have used a UV-82C (the commercial version) for a few years at work, and am very happy with it.

If you choose to get a ham license, remember it is a once in a lifetime thing as long as you keep your license renewed.

I would not recommend Baofeng I had one.

The problem is really the batteries in your case.

But there are some very good FRS/GMRS radios out there. The Baofeng is kind of strange as the one I had (UV5R) was not limited to frequency. Oh the software would say "out of band" if I put in say a GMRS Frequency (OR FRS) but the radio had no issues if I did it from the front panel.

And selling radios that can do both Ham and GMRS.. can be an issue.

I would recommend the radios you have with rechargable batteries (At lest 2 sets per radio) and enough charger to charge them. also go to someplace like Batteries Plus and get the highest capacity batteires that will fit.

Option 2 is go to arrl.org then get the technician license study Guide. then you have a long list of ham Radio handhelds that can easily run 8 hours at medium or low power off a single charge. the batteries also charge in place

Yesau, Icom. and more are all good. starting price for the better ones is around 100 used up to about 500 NEW...

Now a bit about those 500 dollar jobs (or is it 600) The one I have was 400.
The more expensive ones are capable of both Digital and Analog operation.
So Here I was last week, in hospital, private room. but did I have people to talk to.. Well yes. you see I had my ICOM ID-51A+2 in Terminal mode (Radios off and on a cardiac ward you want all radios OFF. wi-fi is ok as is a modern cell phone but NO RADIOS) and when I woke up Wed Am I was chatting with a fellow ham in Australia (From Port Huron, Michigan USA).

Summer 2019 I "Worked" a race. 7am to 2pm on a single charge and still had charge left.. Full power analog mode (5 watts) did not talk much though.

I had back up batteries (AAA's) just in cuss. have yet to use 'em

I have 4 Cobra microtalk CXT395. I have upgraded the rechargeable batteries but mine last a LONG time. None of them have the range they advertise but work fine for my use.

By the way, regarding batteries for walkie talkies ... we no longer use alkaline or rechargeable batteries in our RV's FRS units. I exclusively use lithium AA batteries in our walkie talkies on RV trips and in everything else that uses AA batteries.

We also only use lithium AAA and lithium 9V batteries in everything that requires those size batteries. Lithium batteries last longer and never corrode battery compartments.

Radios that accept regular AA or AAA cells should solve your battery problem. Just have some extras on hand. The lithium ones (Energizer Advanced or Ultimate) may perform better in high drain devices.

nomad2013 wrote:
Anybody have recommendations for reliable walkie talkies. I have tried Midland, and now I have Cobra from last year. Not real happy with either. I put new, out of the package, rechargeable batteries and charged them overnight. The next day the battery indicator was dropping with very limited use. Any suggestions?

So far this thread really went away from the actual problem.
I have both Midland and Cobra handhelds that are years old. Batteries seem to last quite a while in mine. Get away from the rechargeable batteries unless you do a good bit of research and buy premium ones.
Quality batteries will make a big difference in the radio's you already have.

schlep1967 wrote:

nomad2013 wrote:
Anybody have recommendations for reliable walkie talkies. I have tried Midland, and now I have Cobra from last year. Not real happy with either. I put new, out of the package, rechargeable batteries and charged them overnight. The next day the battery indicator was dropping with very limited use. Any suggestions?

So far this thread really went away from the actual problem.
I have both Midland and Cobra handhelds that are years old. Batteries seem to last quite a while in mine. Get away from the rechargeable batteries unless you do a good bit of research and buy premium ones.
Quality batteries will make a big difference in the radio's you already have.

X2!

Even if the radio was designed to use a replaceable rechargeable battery pack using Nicads or NIMH batteries there is a voltage difference between those batteries and standard dry cells.

Nicad and NIMH have nominal fully charged voltage of 1.25V-1.35V per cell, dry cells when new will be 1.5V-1.6V per cell..

The impact can be huge depending on voltage..

For instance a 9V dry cell will be 9V or a bit higher when new, a "9V" rechargable replacement Nicad/NIMH will start out at 7.2V! which is barely above dead for a dry cell version.

If your radios accept dry cells, use them, they will work longer..

I have a couple of cobra family radio units along with my Ham radios (we used the family radios when traveling with family that does not have a Ham license), The Cobras had a replaceable rechargeable pack, when removed dry cells can be fitted in.. The dry cells lasted much longer than the rechargeable pack.

And for Drycells, I used to use the "copper top" ones, I cannot recommend them any more, they have become expensive junk, the old basica "Rayovacs" lasted longer and never burst like these new "copper tops".. lately have had a lot of cleaning to do with remote controls that had "copper tops" burst in them :M

Right now, I have been having better results with Energizers..

As far as transiting distance with Family radios, not much you can do legally to increase distance. They are in the UHF frequencies which is a "line of sight" transmission (doesn't bend much with terrain) and they are intentionally power limited and antenna limited.

For more distance, you need more transmitting power and better antennas, something that is not allowed on those frequencies and in that case, a Ham license definitely will be the way to go.. Ham license opens up the world to you to not only UHF but VHF and higher power and antenna gain with the Ham frequencies. VHF will get you more distance with less power but will use a longer antenna. UHF gives you compact radios and antennas with a reduction in power and distance.

Yes, name brand Ham stuff can get pricey, but there is a lot of low cost import radios now days that are pretty affordable (Baofeng ect).

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