Handheld two-way radios have a wide range of uses, from communication on set or between security teams, to camping and play
You
might be surprised to learn that, in the age of the cellular phone, sales of
handheld transceivers are on the up, but that’s because they offer a very
different flexibility. The term ‘walkie-talkie’ has been around since Motorola
first supplied backpack-sized radios to American troops in WW2; now the
technology has not only shrunk considerably but moved on in several ways and found
plenty more uses.
The classic walkie-talkie setup requires every user to have a matching radio on the same channel, which only one person can occupy at a time by pressing the ‘talk’ button; the other radios play what they hear through their speakers. That’s not only why you should say ‘over’ and release the button when you finish talking, but why in many-user environments you’ll be given a list of spare channels to switch to for a longer conversation.
For
small-scale use, the US explicitly created the weaker FRS and GMRS channels
(the later requires a license which costs $70 for ten years). Walkies in each
band should all work together whatever the brand, but you can often save money
buying in packs of two or more can often save a good deal. The ‘walkie’ shape
is also used by some marine radios, though the frequencies are different. Check
the glossary below for all the terminology, acronyms and EU/UK equivalents. A
bit of science to remember when browsing specifications of all walkie talkies:
range depends on line-of-sight; if two radios are about the height of, well, a
human, then the range will be around 6 miles / 10km – any further and the
planet gets in the way. Hiking valleys and mountains can change that
dramatically, of course, as can a repeating station, but that is another story.
Chef
and founder Michael Sharp identified a requirement for two-way radios, so
turned to Radio Solutions. When speaking with Michael about the requirement for
radios, he explained ‘We require radios when working large events with limited
phone signal and our team leaders are spread over a large distance’. Michael
decided on the Motorola Walkie-Talkies. With high performance
rechargeable batteries, users can be confident they’ll operate over long shifts
without the need to recharge constantly. Speaking with Michael about the
radios, he is happy with the overall performance and they meet all of their
requirements.
With
a sleek and water-resistant design and ultra-cool reverse backlit LCD display,
the T800 is more than elegant enough to hold its own against other consumer
tech. The recessed raised buttons are easy to feel without looking, too. The
stand-out feature, though, is a Bluetooth connection to your cell-phone which
can create a mini messaging network even when you’re completely outside
coverage. Your phone – with a Motorola app – can send texts and GPS locations
using the walkie talkie’s radio. If you download in advance, you can track your
groups on maps outside coverage zones. Data transmission range is theoretically
20 miles (in practice about 5).
The
phone is generously equipped in terms of features; emergency weather channel
monitoring, auto-squelch, PTT power boost, dual-channel monitoring, emergency
alert button, call tones and more. Given all the choice, it’s great that you
can also use the app for readable access to the radio’s settings.
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