Walkie Talkies

[mik]

(I still can't really believe that name stuck )

I feel there are times where a pair of these would be useful - where I want to have contact, but don't necessarily want my expensive and relatively fragile mobile phone on me.

Many of the lower cost ones appear to be pretty much toys - I am thinking of a pair of "proper" Motorola T92 which are around £90 (or more likely a used pair for half that).

Anyone use walkie talkies? Where do they beat a mobile?

Anyone bought some thinking "these would be useful" and then find they just sit unused in a box?

[240PP]

Used to use them when skiing but the last time was probably 15 years ago, and they were pretty useless when someone is the other side of the mountain. Phone in a case in a zipped pocket does a better job these days.

[Jobbo]

I have some - four Motorola T40s. Got them for green laning, and the specs Motorola provide don't really give you much indication as to the differences between different models. Anyway, they aren't great because the range is way lower than quoted - probably hampered by trying to use them from inside a car. I don't know how much better the T92 might be for range, but bear in mind that the T40 is quoted as up to 4km yet we often struggled for signal just round a corner, maybe 100-200m apart.

[mik]

T92 are "upto 10km" claimed. But of course that is in free-air with line of sight of course - add built up area or terrain and that will come down significantly. Have seen a test though with 1.8km distance - one person in a house, other outside. Wasn't as clear as at 180m, but still perfectly acceptable.

[scotta]

WE have just bought new radios for the race car.

Russian army spec BAOFENG jobbies.

https://www.baofengradio.co.uk/baofeng- ... 1-antenna/

Feel very solid @Nefarious used a similar model for his boating escapades. Yet to fit to the car and test performance but we used a lower model last year and they did the job.

[Gavster]

(I still can't really believe that name stuck )

It's great, like calling a bag for life a 'foldie holdie'

We would take walkie talkies on our group ski/boarding trips to keep in touch on the mountain, they were rubbish. Not sure how it works with more professional spec ones, because I've worked on large event sites where walkie talkies are the main way of communicating.

[Jimmy Choo]

I've used them in massive warehouses where the constant phone calls back and forth would be a pain and a cost. These were also less likely to go walkie-stolenie than a phone.