Walkie Talkies

alexthecheese · 14 Dec 2012 at 10:48

Anybody know anything about these? Me and mates took these to Glastonbury a few years ago (I was "Sonic Cheese", my mate was "Rubber Duck") and they were totally ****.

It was the year that it rained so heavily that the site was flooded and everything was a disaster. They were handy in that we could speak from tent to tent, but anything further was useless.

Is it possible to get decent ones that will communicate solidly over a few miles, for a reasonable amount of money? Not hundreds and hundreds, but say £150 a pop. Apart from the fact that they could be quite handy for, err... dog walking... they would be very useful at Glastonbury. :rolleyes:

Nightglow · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:45

Look for PMR Radios, they work on, 446 MHz & are licence free.
Performance,range is all depending on conditions, I had a pair of Motorola XTN446, (now superceded by Motorola XTNi) & I could get several miles range in the open, best I got was just over 3.5 miles from the hill to home.

As to what to buy, buy cheap with mediocre performance, or spend a bit more & the quality is better, & usually performance is superior.

In the new year, I'm hoping get a pair of Motorola XTNi, as they are IP55 rated, or something similar which is waterproof.

estebanrey · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:49

You can get ones that work all over the world now, I believe they are called mobile phones.

alexthecheese · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:50

I had a look and found some on naffBay that were 7 watts, within the 400-470mhz band. What would the range be like on that? Entirely dependent on the surroundings I presume, but is there any guide?

There are also dodgy-looking Chinese ones in the 2m and 4 metre range, which my Dad says would offer miles of range, but need licences and could 'radiate harmonics onto other bands causing interference' if they're crap. Probably best steer clear of those, then.

misterPK · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:52

The other option is CB radio, that's usually good for a few miles. If you dont mind chunky old-school handsets you can pick them up reasonably cheap on ebay.

apeksdiver · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:53

Motorola do some good ones, talkabout range I think, with a range of 1.5 miles. Is that far enough?

Jono · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:53

I have a pair of these:http://surviveall.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=37

Used them in the alps for snowboarding. They're very good except if you're other sides of the mountain, but that's to be expected.

They'd be fine for festivals.

jaybee · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:54

estebanrey said:
You can get ones that work all over the world now, I believe they are called mobile phones.

lol
True but...sometimes walkie talkies are quicker and easier when in constant stop start comms. Plus don't rely on mobile phone signals out in the sticks. There are some situations where they are more convenient. My kids have some and they were about £20 off amazon. Binatone ones. They work pretty good on our estate but once they get round the corner of some houses it fades a bit. To be fair, this is with my holding one inside our house why they wonder off to the park or a friends. For the money pretty good.

doofer · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:55

Is it Motorola that do a mobile phone that also acts like a Walkie-Talkie? Not really into phones but I'm sure I've seen it done with a Motorola Mobile Phone, it's called something weird though, Off-Network Motocomms or something not simply 'Walkie-talkie Mode'.

alexthecheese · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:57

That is true, but mobile phones are crap when you're at Glastonbury.

I'm trying to coincide the need for one at Glastonbury, with the need to find my brother a Christmas present.

I won't provide the link, but a search of 'Wouxun KG-UVD1P 4M/2M 5W 66-88/136-174 MHz Walkie-Talkie Ham Amateur 2-way Radio ' would reveal what I'm looking at.

Probably overkill and it is a dodgy Chinese one that my Dad is warning me against. £90 a pop.

Mat · 14 Dec 2012 at 11:57

jaybee said:
They work pretty good on our estate...

Whilst you're out hunting deer and shooting pheasants or have I got the wrong type of estate?

Theophany · 14 Dec 2012 at 12:08

Mat said:
Whilst you're out hunting deer and shooting pheasants or have I got the wrong type of estate?

Try burnt out XR3i and a howling pitbulls.

Nightglow · 14 Dec 2012 at 12:21

Have a look at Motorola TLKR T6.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003Z11QTA/?tag=hydra0b-21&hvadid=11066127245&ref=asc_df_B003Z11QTA

http://www.motorola.com/Business/XU...r+Two-Way+Radios/T6_Walkie_Talkie_Radio_XU-EN

Look around & might find them cheaper.

estebanrey · 14 Dec 2012 at 12:31

The 'walkie talkie' is one of the only pieces of tech that sounds like it was named by a 5 year old child.

Imagine if a desktop PC was called a "sitty typey" or if car stereo were called "drivey loudy".

Tom0 · 14 Dec 2012 at 12:32

alexthecheese said:
It was the year that it rained so heavily that the site was flooded and everything was a disaster.

You're going to have to be a little more specific.

DJMK4 · 14 Dec 2012 at 12:40

Cb radio handsets would work well but probably slightly more public than 2 way. Not sure how many people use CB radio these days. I had a basestation and a handheld, handheld was good for several miles on the standard antenna and decent power with the option of upgrading antenna and even attaching a small base antenna for the car.

Alternatively Motorola do some good 2 ways. Not sure on others. Midland were a good but cheap respectable brand on CB radios maybe they do 2 way also

RoyMi6 · 14 Dec 2012 at 12:55

I've got a pair of Motorola XTNID - come in at £130 for one new.

However, get yourself on ebay (like I did) and there's refurbished ones going all the time for ~£150 a pair!