Need walkie talkie recommendation

Discussion in 'Knives, Gear, Guns And Other Tools' started by Clown, Aug 24, 2018.

  1. Clown

    Clown Member

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    Hey folks. I'm hoping to drag a few recommendations out of you all for a set of walkie talkies. I haven't used any since the 80's when I was a kid and really have no idea where to start.

    The idea is keep a set up at the Ranch to help my brother, my dad, me and the kids keep in touch while running around up there. So here's what I think I'm looking for:
    -good range. The Ranch is pretty much at the top of a small mountain in West Virginia and is only 11 acres so this may not be an issue but I feel like the more range, the more versatile.

    -good battery life. Thinking it might be nice to have something rechargeable that will also accept AA or AAA NiMh eneloops or alkalines in case of power outage

    -backlit display

    -durable and preferably water resistant. If the kids are going to get their hands on them they'll have take at least a little abuse.

    -weather channel might be nice

    -Id like to limit the price to $100 or less for a pair


    Any suggestions?
     
  2. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    Motorola talk about not bad on a budget
     
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  3. Clown

    Clown Member

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    Any particular model? There seem to several with pretty varied price ranges.
     
  4. junglebum

    junglebum Member

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    Just kinda depends on how fancy you wanna get
     
  5. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    You got to factor in terrain too.....these family/hunter/sport FRS/GMRS radios often advertise 35 mile range......but in reality in a setting of hills and trees......you might get a mile or less at best........or nothing at all depending on terrain and distance between users.

    One user in the barn talking to another in the field beside it will not be an issue, but if one user drops below grade (say down a hill) or into / behind the treeline, you might experience loss of transmission or reception. From a safety point of view this could be an issue.

    Id personally avoid the FRS/GMRS family type radios and get a set of commercial grade digital VHF radios. You pay more, but you get a better product than the blister pack frs/gmrs radios. You will also get scheduled service or immediate service if you need it, and a lot of professional comms companies have lease radios available....every year or sooner you can rotate out your radios for servicing and get new ones. They test the radios, check the batteries and chargers and mics and speakers etc......

    Some radios have location tracking of users........as well as emergency man down buttons or sensors.

    A repeater station or three might be required depending on your farm and land setup........again, id avoid the cheap radios and talk to a professional comms company. They can tailor a solution for your needs.

    tmp_ARarpM.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2018
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  6. timdgsr

    timdgsr Member

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    Headed out, so I don’t have time to double check my answer.

    Look into MURS radios, or using a Baofeng on MURS frequencies. They’re similar to CB bands, but in the VHF range and have a 2 watt cap. I forget the caps on frs/gmrs, but I seem to remember that MURS was more robust.
     
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  7. Clown

    Clown Member

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    Thanks for the replies! I don't anticipate these getting a ton of use so I am trying to find a good value. They don't need to be professional grade, just not crap. I found these and they get good reviews and are priced right.
    https://www.amazon.com/Arcshell-Rec...X236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=arcshell+ar-6

    If we end up finding them to be insufficient I can reevaluate our needs. I did get my Tech Plus HAM license in middle school but that has LONG since expired. I might look into getting it back. Was leaning toward something the whole family can use though.
     
  8. Shepherd

    Shepherd Member

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    I would consider the Wouxun KG-UV6D
    @ amazon about $95.
    The Wouxun KG-UV6D Dual-Band handheld commercial transceiver provides up to 5 Watts of RF power on VHF and 4 Watts on UHF, along with high audio output of 500MW. This Dual-Band radio has a frequency range of 136-174/400-480 MHz RX/TX. FM: 76-108 MHz (RX). This is not a lighter duty amateur version. This is the real deal. The KG-UV6D features a long operating time with the included 1700 mAh high capacity Li-ion battery pack. Features:. . Dual Band, Dual Frequency, Dual Display and Dual Standby. IP55 Waterproof Standard. Wider RX/TX Frequency: VHF: 136-174 MHz; UHF: 400-480 MHz; FM: 76-108 MHz (RX only). SMA Antenna Socket ( same as Yaesu ICOM Radio ). Free Upgrade 1700maH High Capacity Battery Pack. Multi Step Frequency 5, 6.25, 10, 12.5, 25, 50 or 100 kHz ( Without 2.5Khz ). DTMF Encoding Function. CTCSS / DCS Scan. Auto / Manual Keypad Lock. Band Cab Be Freely: VHF TX UHF RX or UHF TX VHF RX. VOX Transmission. Dual watch receive; continually checks VFO A and VFO B freqs.. FM broadcast band receive. ALL repeater offset modes!. Wire cloning function. Package List. . 1x KG-UV6D Dual-Band 136-174 MHz / 400-480MHz. 1x 7.4V 1700mAh Li-ion Battery Pack. 1x Antenna1x Desktop Charger ( 100V-240V ). 1x Belt Clip. 1x Car Charger Cable. 1x English ManualK
     
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  9. Shepherd

    Shepherd Member

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    Added pic
     
  10. Clown

    Clown Member

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    Looks pretty capable but its twice my budget. I'll keep it in mind though if we decide we need an upgrade. Thanks!
     
  11. Wisdom

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    I would look at the Dakota Alert system which uses Murs frequency. You can get the base station along with Handhelds, and driveway alert monitors that work up to 2 miles. The driveway alerts suck batteries, but otherwise its a great system.
    I also would recommend getting at least a Technician license (Ham) which opens a lot more doors. At the range your talking, most bubblepack handhelds will work fine. FRS/GMRS frequencies seem to be under a microscope with the FCC. I rarely use FRS, but there are some new regulations coming into play next year. Also, for what you are wanting, CB may be even better. Several good HTs out there along with cheap truck units on craigslist.
     
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  12. Clown

    Clown Member

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    What would be the advantage of going with CB vs FRS? Forgive me but I'm new to all this.
     
  13. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Administrator of the Century Staff Member

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    I have six Baofeng UV-5r radios and some spare batteries, even the Ham Club types like them.
     
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  14. Wisdom

    Wisdom Member

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    Most FRS radios advertise something like "35 mile" range. FRS are low watt radios that work on line of sight, which makes this an almost impossible claim. Only under rare propagation conditions and in a perfect environment would this be possible. A coupe of miles might be average, but this depends on time of day and land terrain. CB's units are typically built better, and have much better antennas. This allows for a better range depending on what antenna you use. You can often find well built truck units on craigslist for $50, sometimes with a good whip antenna. If you want a HT CB, I have a Midland that works well. Esp. with an external antenna. I pretty good video that explains a lot of the differences on Comms is below. Its very basic, but overall does a good job explaining FRS, GMRS, MURS, and Ham bands. https://www.amp-3.net/shop-dvds/survival-communications
     
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  15. Wisdom

    Wisdom Member

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    I keep these things stashed everywhere! They are great radios for the money, and easy to program with free chirp software (without it you'll go crazy trying to program). Throw on an Ed Fong J-pole and you can cover 2m/70CM well. While these are great radios with a lot of cool accessories available, they are illegal based on FCC's Part 95 on GMRS-FRS frequencies.
     
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  16. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Administrator of the Century Staff Member

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    ...for the OP that may be an issue of course, I am unfamiliar, however the FCC can kiss my butt ;)
     
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  17. Wisdom

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    FYI for those who are following this.....
     
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  18. Ballenxj

    Ballenxj Member

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  19. McKROB

    McKROB Member

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    I’ve gone bushies’s route and have forgone the FRS for analog VHF radios, far superior in my opinion (I’d stay away from digital). I’ve tried various makes and models of FRS radios over the years and was always disappointed. I went with Kenwood TK-2302 (and the newer TK-2402). New they are definitely over your budget, but if you keep an eye on eBay you can grab a pair of TK-2302’s in the $100 range. Simple and super rugged. I’ve got eight of them now and haven’t had a single problem with any of them. I ordered a programming cable from China for $10 and found the programming software free online. Not sure about frequency licensing where you live, but you’d have to look into that if you went the VHF route.

    398B2048-63A0-4449-AF37-2BADE8257527.png
     
  20. Clown

    Clown Member

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    Last edited: Oct 8, 2018

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