Advice on Walkie Talkies

[Hoffer]

I was hoping to get some advice on walkie talkies. I went to Fleet Farm tonight - and they have a selection of 8, 10, 12 and 14 mile range walkie talkies. We are heading up to Canada next week - and none of us have a marine band radio - but we want to keep in touch. In past years, someone has brought up a set of walkie talkies - but I think they were somewhat older and on the cheaper side. We were always lucky to get maybe 2 miles of range - even on the open water. We are in many cases 5 to 10 miles apart sometimes. So, has anyone used the "newer" 10, 12 or 14 mile range ones - do they really work very well?? I would be happy to even get a range of 5 miles with the "14 mile" ones. Any advice or experience would be appreciated...Thanks!

[Neiko]

Careful because some of the longer bands are not allowed. I believe it is FMSR. They are commercial channels. Check the FCC HSOforum to find out more.

[Neiko]

After checking it looks like I was wrong. You can use them in Canada. It must have been an old site I was looking at before.

Here is the new one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service

[Northlander]

For what you will pay for the hand held I would just get a Marine Band Radio with a good 6' plus antena. Thats unless your going to use them for things other than in the boat then go with the best you can afford with the most battery life. Also check into a good charger for house and truck.

[Hoffer]

Thanks - I would like to go with the marine band radio - but the other guys I am fishing with probably wont get one. So, I was thinking of just buying the pair of walkie talkies for both boats to keep in touch - my main concern is the range - any more input on experience with these would be greatly appreciated...

[Surface Tension]

What radios were you looking at with a 14 mile range? I guessing hand help VHF 1 & 5 watt marine radios.

If I was relying on ranges past a few miles I'd go with the VHF 1 & 25 watt Marine Radio. At 25 watts and a good antennae your range is going to be a lot further. Both the hand held and full featured marine radios will work together, so you don't have to but the same radio.

[Hoffer]

I was looking at the handheld walkie talkies at Fleet. They have a bunch there - and they have different models - the top one sayd it is good for a 14 miles range. I just dont have faith though that it will work that well. They were not the marine ones. The marine ones are about 99.00 for a decent hand-held that has the 25 Watts. I would buy one - but I dont think the other guys will buy one. So, i need to lok at the walkie talkie style ones. Do the walkie talkie style ones work with the marine ones??? I think they have different frequencies. I thought maybe I woul buy a marine one - and then I could communicate with the others who had walkie talkie style ones (not marine) but I was told that they have different frequencies - sot that wouldnt work. Thanks. i may just purchase the 14 mile range ones and give them a try. i could post here afterwards to let everyone know what the range was. In the meantime, I am still looking for anyone that has tried these walkie talkies that are advertised with the 10, 12 or 14 mile range - we dont leave until Tuesday - so I will wait for a few days to see if anyone responds...thanks!

[IFallsRon]

I recently picked up a set of 8-mile radios on clearance for $20 at Office Depot. One mile through houses and trees is about the best we can do.

[Scupper]

I have a pair of the 10 mile radios.

Fully charged and set on high power, "2 watts" I believe, we struggle to get more than 2 miles on open water.

Good Luck...

[united jigsticker]

Wattage and antenna is the key in COMBINATION.

Water offers an excellent "ground plain" without interuption via hills, trees, etc.

But you still have distance and curvature of the earth to contend with.

25 watts will push better but with the hand held antenna that is only 2 or 3 inches long, you will not get out well.

External antennas will get you far better distance. Even a 2 watt radio with a 6 foot tuned antenna will grant better reception and transmission then a 25 watt radio with the stock antenna.

I used to run a CB radio off of an 18 foot antron antenna that was mounted to the top of 40 feet of conduit piping on my house.

I could talk to people in Big Lake and Rogers from Blaine at night when sun spots, skip, and traffic on the airwaves was low. However, in the truck with a 3 foot magnet mount and the same radio, I'd be lucky to talk to someone in Fridley at the same time of day.

The compatibility of the radios is all dependent on the frequency they use.

[Whoaru99]

I'll pretty much echo what others have said. My experience has been that a couple miles is about the tops with any handheld radio using the built-in antenna.

The watts and distance are not proportional in radio transmission.