Walkie talkies

[Andywinds]

I need some advice. I'm looking to purchase a set of these for talking to bike parks and general rides, where sometimes we get separated and don't have phone signals.
Are there any specific ones that suit this purpose? Don't need to have massive range, probably 2 miles, but do need to be durable. Are some now digital? or are they still analogue?

 

[classic33]

Signal is going to depend on terrain. 2 miles may be on the upper limit.

Avoid Argos/Currys when looking.

 

[Andywinds]

I've just found out my mate has got this set.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorola-E...keywords=Motorola+Extreme+two-way+radio+-+PMR

So I'm probably going to have to buy a set.

 

[Drago]

I'm a radio amateur, can give you some proper advice.

What exactly do you want to use them for, what are your computer skills (for programming the more complex versions) and what is your budget?

You can get a lot better than those Motorola for a lot less money. A helluva lot less.

 

[classic33]

I'm a radio amateur, can give you some proper advice.

What exactly do you want to use them for, what are your computer skills (for programming the more complex versions) and what is your budget?

You can get a lot better than those Motorola for a lot less money. A helluva lot less.

There's a few of you on here, it would appear.

 

[Drago]

So I gather. It's a bit geeky, so we usually keep a low profile.

 

[Andy_R]

There's a few of you on here, it would appear.

Yup....

Try something like the Baofeng UV5R - cheap as chips and very reliable. Can be used on the PMR channels without a license, or on the 70cm and 2m bands with a Foundation license

 

[Drago]

In was thinking along similar lines, although the Bumfeng 888 if he wanted solely to use it as a PMR utilising the KISS principle.

If he wants an easy out of the packet solution then the Binatone Terrain 1100 is a better performer and much better value than the Motorolas he linked to. The 1000 is also superb, but is now out of production, but if he finds someone with a pair on the shelf they're worth snapping up. Ditto the 950.

 

[ufkacbln]

Can be great fun as well.

We used to leave one in the panniers when stopped at a pub or cafe.

If someone takes to much interest then a "You have breached the security perimeter for this bicycle, please move back"

Works well

 

[ufkacbln]

We once had a brilliant conversation with a child (parents were in collusion)

The child heard the warning and then sat near the bike and started talking to it, a few replies and it was a full blown conversation

 

[mmmmartin]

You can get some used ones on eBay for a few quid. The range can be huge: in Greenland we had five miles with someone standing on a high rock and the signal bouncing off a calm sea. But in town it'll be about a kilometre maybe less. Your main worry will be the fact that these are enormously popular and lots of supermarkets and other businesses use them so you'll be interrupted by others on the same channel when riding through towns.
But they can be very useful: for instance if you lose contact it's because you're more than a kilometre apart so the front of the ride should slow down.
If it's for an experiment then I'd buy some used ones cheaply and see how you go.

 

[EltonFrog]

Can you not get a walkie talkie app for your mobile device?