Need input on radios

[m16a2223]

I am going to buy some radios for general use and want to get the most for my money. I want good range and the capability to communicate inside buildings. They do not have to be compact. Any suggestions?

Thanks, M16

[No4Mk1]

Depending on how tight your budget is, the Motorola TalkAbout radios are surprisingly good for the price (anywhere from $40-100 per pair), but they do chew through batteries pretty quick, and they are limited to 14 channels so the trafic can get thick if you are in a congested public place (like amusement parks, beaches, etc. where they are common.)

I bought a pair on the low-end of the price range and have had no trouble with reception through over 1 mile of wooded land. Never used them much indoors, but suspect they would do well. You can do much better with commerical grade radios, but for the money these are great.

[IamNOTaNUT]

Agreed. The talkabout radios are great. Especially in the deer woods when you need to break the monotony, or find help dragging your kill.

You can help cut down on the annoying traffic of others if you use the privacy codes. Just remember that the privacy code will limit the traffic you hear, but anyone else on the same channel can hear what you say. It is not really private.

If you are looking for longer ranger, try the GPMS series, also by motorola. They use more power, and are supposed to be good for 5 miles open space.

Other than that, you will need to get an FCC license and go with pro-grade equipment.

[garrettwc]

m16 I believe Motorola's "Spirit" line is exactly what you are looking for. They are intended for industrial use, such as construction. We use them in our warehouses. And best of all you can buy them at Home Depot as well as radio dealers.

Follow this link to Motorola's page. They are the Spirit Professional models near the bottom of the page.

Motorola Spirit Radio

[mdwest]

another vote for the spirit radios.. they are 1-2 watts (2-4 times more powerful than FRS radios) and are on GMRS freqs so you still dont have to reigster a private freq with the FCC.. they are perfect for large construction sites, talking though concrete and steel (large buildings, etc..) and are reasonably affordable (most models are around $200)...

if you need more power or need privacy (private freqs, encryption, scramble, etc..) you will have to step up to "professional" radios..

i have purchased several 4 and 5 watt radios through ebay... you can normally get good p200, p110, sp50, etc.. motorolas for the same price as the spirits (used, but in good condition).. these radios will have more power, better battery life, more privacy, etc.. and will cost about the same amount of money, but will require you to register a frequency with the FCC (i think its about $75 IIRC)

other decent brands include Kenwood, Yaesu, Errickson, and Maxon.. these brands can all be had for a little less than the motorolas usually.. the key is to make sure some radio shop in your area has the ability to program them for you (just about anyone can program a motorola, but not everyone will have the cradles and software for a yaesu)

HTH