Suggestions for an affordable yet well working brand of 2 way radios?

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I'd like to look for a set of two ways that have at least a 2 mile range so that I can keep in contact with my kids when they are roaming the backwoods of our farm. My 8 year old son is getting to a phase where he wants to explore on his own without his mamma's (me)hand holding. I totally understand (been there) but I'd like to be able to be there if he gets into needing me. Anyway, would you suggest some brands and aspects I should start looking for when evaluating them? How well is reception in heavily forested areas? Wouldn't mind some sort of vibrating buzz alert option instead of just loud beeping if I use them with hubby when he's on the tractor on the otherside of the farm,too. Thanks!

-- Catfish (smallfry@hotsheet.com), October 11, 2001

Answers

Regular handheld citizens band (C.B.) radios should do this and can be found at any Radio Shack store and are not too expensive for the exchange for peace of mind. They come with belt clips and I would recomend some kind of lanyard for the ones the kids have with them. Also spend the bit extra to get rechargeable batteries, a savings in the long run....

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 11, 2001.

Motorola certainly has a great and well founded reputation for quality in two way radio communication. I know they make some small radios like that. For an 'outside the box' idea, why not look into cell phones. They can be had more cheaply than two way radios. You're not looking for something you'll be using a lot in terms of time. See what providers in your area might suggest for you. Here they even have a deal where you can have any number of phones on the same account using the same plan minutes. Another thing to consider might be Nextel. I understand they have phones which can double as two way radios, too. I don't have a specific recommendation so much as some avenues to investigate. I hope this helps.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 11, 2001.

This is an aside....Michelin is giving away the Motorola Talkabout 2- way radios (2 mile radius depending on terrain) when you buy 4 tires. If you need tires anyway, you might look into it. I had to buy 4 tires for my car and found a deal on Michelin and will get this free pair of Talkabouts soon, though I didn't even know about the promo. Thought you might want to know. I don't know how well they work.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), October 11, 2001.

As a backup safety factor (from another over-worried Mom) I have my son and friends carry a whistle - a good one with a loud noise - in case of an emergency search and rescue! In case the 2-way gets broken in a fall - the whistle would still be working and you could locate a lost child/person easier. Also - wear a bright color - like a red tee shirt when hiking (easier to spot) and use the buddy-system always when in the woods. My boys carry a waist pouch with some of those bright pink plastic strips that you see marking property when they hike and "tag" a tree or so on their way in case they get lost/hurt. Boys and woods go together - but safety first.

-- Dottie Shafer (Shaferd@msn.com), October 11, 2001.

A hand held CB for those away from the house and a CB base station in the house with the antenna mounted on a TV antenna pole for the extra height should more than fill your bill. An auto CB will serve for the base station if you get a power adapter. It's what I'm going to use at my place.

You should be able to pretty well get the entire deal for well under $100 off of Ebay.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), October 11, 2001.



What great suggestions all around! The cell phone idea can't be had here bec the nearest tower is too far away and we don't get hardly any reception out there. I forgot all about the handheld CBs my granddad used with us! I need new tires but dh is a little miffed with Michelin right now as we had 4 expensive ones put on 2-3 years ago and all four are separating from the belts or the belts are breaking and there is very little mileage on, but the company won't honor what guarrantee they had bec my father in law bought them. Its a silly mess. I really appreciate the safety ideas too. I don't think of those things all the time bec as kids we just took off and did things- I've got some great scars to prove it! Might be interesting to have a game with the tags, kind of hide and seek sort. His little sisters would love that and that would be a chance to be in the woods too, with Mom of course!

-- Catfish (smallfry@hotsheet.com), October 11, 2001.

I have Midland 14 channel FRS band 2 way radios for my kids. They're similar to the Motorola Talkabouts mentioned. I got mine on sale 1/2 price at Amazon.com for about $15 each. FRS radios have up to a 2mi range. Batteries last longer than my CB band handhelds. Reception is as good as a handheld cb with rubber duck antenna. FRS band radios sell for $15 and up. I see Walmart has them on sale at times. Midland and Motorola build the sturdiest models.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), October 11, 2001.

Here are some radio option and issues.

CB radio, 5 watts, reasonable cost, reasonable range. several mile range, portable to portable. Even further with an outside antenna at your home. Get rechargable batteries, portable CB tend to go through batteries pretty fast. No license required.

FRS, 500 miliwatts, low cost, Ads say upto 2 miles, Your lucky if you get 1/4 mile on a reliable basis. Your not going to make your 2 mile range unless your live in the desert with no trees, hills or out buildings.

GMRS, upto 50 watts bases, 5 watt portables, repeaters available to extend range. CHeap GMRS radio can be found under $100, most are more. Mobile/base radio's in the $200 and up catagory. Range out to 100 miles with repeaters, 20 miles base to portabl, 5 miles portable to portable. A LICENSE IS REQUIRED, You only pay an $85 fee for the license for 5 years. This is often refered to as "SELF LICENSEING"

NOTICE!!!! Contrary to what some radio's may say there is NO such thing as a combo FRS/GMRS radio on the market. Lots of cheap GMRS radio's will also say FRS on them. THere are 7 overlapping freq between FRS and GMRS, When using a radio capable of operating on GMRS freq, even if using the shared FRS freq your NEED A LICENSE.

MURS, A new, mostly unknown radio service. 5 channels, no license required. Portable or mobile operations. Radio's a little hard to find, but radio shack does sell a couple of radio's that are legal on the MURS channels. THese are VHF radio freq and have a 2-5 miles portable/portable range. Much longer base/portable, base/base/mobile. Radio's can be found under $150.

Ham/Amateur radio, Longest range, Worldwide communications possible. License required, test required for license. A no morse code version of the license is also available. Lots of freq choice, wide range of equipment cost.

Commercial radio, wide range of freq, reasonable high cost of equipment, large or small coverage area depending on freq and power used.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), October 12, 2001.


I have to agree with Gary about the FRS radios. Mine seem to cut out around 1/2 mile. Though they are great for when I'm working outside and the wife wants to ask me a quick question or tell me I need to come on in 'cause dinners ready.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), October 12, 2001.

I average a bit over a mile with mine, in the woods, driving, even in urban areas if you can find a clear channel. Same with the Motorola talkabouts, 1.5 mile range if batteries are fresh. Some frs radios are poor quality though. CB handhelds are better if you don't mind the batteries going quicker, even better if you use an extendable antenna rather than the rubber one. 2-meter is great if you want to spend the money and get a license.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), October 12, 2001.


Hi,

I saw your post and wanted some radios for the exact same reason as you. My kids want to go exploring, but without contact with them I have no way of knowing if they have been snake bit or fallen in the creek or whatever! Anyway, this came in my email mailbox and I signed up for it. I have no idea how good the Motorola radios are, but they are free for changing to Sprint right now. Here is the website with the details...

http://csg.sprint.com/offsite/paidmedia/7ca_traffix_2417.shtml? user_id=ac3020

Only thing is I don't think you get them for about 90 days, but that is OK with me cause the kids don't really go exploring during the colder weather and probably won't again until spring.

-- Somi (saje@netzero.net), October 15, 2001.


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