Good WALKIE TALKIES?????

[Ogopogo]

Just wondering what are the best type of walkie talkie radios out there. I'm contemplating going with a handheld CB radio, but I do like the smaller walkie talkie style but I find they arent' very good. If you guys have any advice on what you find works for you and your hunting buddies let me know. Thanks, Randy:wink:

[Drillbit]

CB's are old technology. Good handhelds are VHF. They max out around 5 watts of power, so that is the range limit, Usually a watt a mile, but sometimes (like on a lake) you can get better range.
I use a ICOM F14, it is also compatible with a VHF truck radio that everybody up north has for road channels.
On the yearly big trip, I rent extra ones for the guys in the group that don't have them. Definately a good safety item.

[huntermike]

I use the RINO 520HCX which has the gps built in in shows you where your hunting partner is on the map,this is a great feature ,if you buy them in the us you can get the 5w model, but ithink in canada you are only supposed to use them on 2 watts . HUNTERMIKE

[wlbc]

One of my hunting partners has one of those Rhino GPS's with the 5 watt radio in it. Nice unit but a little pricey.

Last time I was down Cabelas in Lacey I picked up a pair of the Midland 1050's. They have the 5 watt power and seem to work pretty good. I can get 6-7 miles of range in rolling hills.

I'd buy another set.

[boxhitch]

My vote is VHF handhelds, after having some crap FRS types.


I can get 6-7 miles of range in rolling hills.

I'd buy another set.That is a yes vote ?
I looked at the cabelas site for reviews on the Motorola and the Midland
Both had mixed comments, some great some crap.

[Ogopogo]

I use the RINO 520HCX which has the gps built in in shows you where your hunting partner is on the map,this is a great feature ,if you buy them in the us you can get the 5w model, but ithink in canada you are only supposed to use them on 2 watts . HUNTERMIKE

So is the rino you have a vhf radio frequency????

[Ogopogo]

My vote is VHF handhelds, after having some crap FRS types.

That is a yes vote ?
I looked at the cabelas site for reviews on the Motorola and the Midland
Both had mixed comments, some great some crap.


So I think were all safe to say that a VHF frequency radio with 5 WATT power would be the best for mountainous terrain like in BC????

[boxhitch]

So I think were all safe to say that a VHF frequency radio with 5 WATT power would be the best for mountainous terrain like in BC????I think the quality of the equipment is better. If someone made a truly high quality reliable GMRS it would beat the VHF on price point alone.
The 5 watt GMRS are not allowed legally in Canada yet, we are stuck with the 2+ watt, shorter range.
You do need a license to legally operate a VHF, but that is easy.
VHF is also good for monitoring road frequencies, for safety sake.

[Drillbit]

I'd go with a real VHF, and not FRS vhf.

Had the 18 mile and 25 mile frs vhf from the US and they aren't anything like a real VHF.

[huntcoop]

We have these 5 watt Midland radios and they work great.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Two-Way-Radios%7C/pc/104791680/c/104785380/Midland-GXT-1050-VP4-Radio-Pack/731304.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2F_%2FN-1100169

[muledeercrazy]

We have these 5 watt Midland radios and they work great.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Two-Way-Radios%7C/pc/104791680/c/104785380/Midland-GXT-1050-VP4-Radio-Pack/731304.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2F_%2FN-1100169


x2, they seem to work well and are affordable. 5 watts is the ticket.

the vhf radios are more money and need liscensing. Also, you have to have someone preform "illegal modifications" to get the frequencies most logging companies run on..They seem to work a bit better, but not alot better than the 5 watt frs radios.

[huntermike]

So is the rino you have a vhf radio frequency????


No they are not vhf they are GMRS and the location signal is sent via GMRS ,But they work pretty good when used on the 5 watt setting.
HUNTERMIKE

[Drillbit]

Where I live, every truck has a VHF radio mounted in it, that is why it's nice to have a real radio. If you every need help, somebody is always listening and can help you out, or they may have cell service to call for help for you. Not a lot of cell coverage ouside city limits.
If you don't care about being compatible with the truckers and loggers, and just want to keep in contact with a budddy, then the FRS radios will do. I wouldn't go any less than 5 watts, and buy the one with the biggest powered battery. A 5 watt rated radio that takes 2 AA's is nothing like a real radio.

[huntcoop]

Where I live, every truck has a VHF radio mounted in it, that is why it's nice to have a real radio. If you every need help, somebody is always listening and can help you out...If you don't care about being compatible with the truckers and loggers...

But how does one know what frequency to be using? Your buddies, the locals, the loggers and the truckers wouldn't they all be on a variety of different channels?

[muledeercrazy]

he didn't mention that the frequencies used by loggers are liscensed and not available on a store bought radio. Using liscensed stations lets the company employees use the radios without all obstacles you or i would face. You technicaly require a liscense, and someone to widen the frequency range of the radio to allow you to use the freq's used by logging companies. This is fairly easy to do, but is illegal..

GMRS is uhf, i think. Its is a higher frequency range than vhf. FRS and GMRS just indicate the wavelengths available for use without a liscense.

often times the frequency is posted at the start of the main line. 156.000 or something like that..

[muledeercrazy]

Where I live, every truck has a VHF radio mounted in it, that is why it's nice to have a real radio. If you every need help, somebody is always listening and can help you out, or they may have cell service to call for help for you. Not a lot of cell coverage ouside city limits.
If you don't care about being compatible with the truckers and loggers, and just want to keep in contact with a budddy, then the FRS radios will do. I wouldn't go any less than 5 watts, and buy the one with the biggest powered battery. A 5 watt rated radio that takes 2 AA's is nothing like a real radio.

5 watts is all you get in a frs or a vhs handeld radio(maximum), or at least thats the way it was a few years ago. So the only difference is whether the frequency works better? I am not an expert and could be off base here, but some family members are very up to date on this info and i try to pay attention here and there.

Mobile stations were also limited to 25 watts, or at least that was common. Now the newer mobile station are going higher, up to 35 watts.

the benefit to having a liscense and being a member of a club is that often times a local club will have a repeater that can be used for autopatch ( i dont know how common this is in the mainland) and allows you to make phone calls where there is no cell reception.

[wetcoastwillie]

I use a YAESU VX-6 for a hand held... it's field programmable... and a lot of people have a solder connection on the inside that "somehow comes off" and opens up a wide range of channels.

If you do a search on here you will see that a few here use them.

They can be programed for just about anything you will come across... have good range... light weight... etc.

For my truck I have an ICOM 2820... which I LOVE!!!! it is an upgrade from the 2200 that I sold to Brambles.

Ohhh and yes I am Licensed!

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

id like to see a good product like the rhinos with gps , but you can text message to your parnter .. think that will ever happen ? . wouldnt that be the best .. ?

[wlbc]

My vote is VHF handhelds, after having some crap FRS types.

That is a yes vote ?
I looked at the cabelas site for reviews on the Motorola and the Midland
Both had mixed comments, some great some crap.

Not sure what a yes vote is, what I said was the 5 watt Midland 1050 radio works well. It has both GMRS and FRS.

I noticed that the ratings were all over the place too. Not sure what is up with that.

[huntermike]

id like to see a good product like the rhinos with gps , but you can text message to your parnter .. think that will ever happen ? . wouldnt that be the best .. ?


You can text message with the rino,it will even store messages so you can use them again.

[BimmerBob]

One thing to be sure to get no matter what radio you choose is a voice activated mike and ear piece. This will ensure that when your buddy calls you just as you get to 20 feet from the monster deer/elk/moose the squelch break doesn't cause them to flee before you can shoot.

[chinooker]

hand held marine VHF reasonably priced lots of range 5 watts works.:-D

[moosegoof]

we all (9) have the rhino 530's, if you get the american model they are 5 watt like the vhf. also you allwats know where your partner is.why not kill two birds at once carry a gps and a good radio (with a bonus knowing where everyone is)

[Ogopogo]

If I buy a vhf radio from the states thats 5 or 6 Watts what course or licensing do I have to go through to use them, or can I simply just turn the thing on and start using it?

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

oh really ? what ones do that ? do you have the model number and a price?

[huntermike]

oh really ? what ones do that ? do you have the model number and a price?

The ones that text message are RINO 520HCX not sure of the price but they are not cheap just google them!

[CanuckShooter]

I think we would all be better off with more cell phone coverage.....we had Motorola [40km] radios [bought in Canada] at best you could get about 10miles from hilltop to valley and maybe two or three across a wooded flat. AND you cannot trust the battery indicator as they will show full charge batteries even when your not broadcasting.

[krazy]

I know this is sort of off topic but I just got this iPhone and it comes with the ability to download a bunch of apps so I start searching for and find a free "walkie talkie" app. It works over the 3g sat network so range is not an issue. The other day I was talking to my bro about 10 miles away - clear as a bell!

So now I really start thinking and start looking for a gps tool and low and behold I come across a full functioning (and free) gps app with electronic compass and a feature to email your location (or any waypoint you want) to anybody. The screen shows your location and route transposed over google earth or any other online map source you want to use. It also has a "goto" feature to guide you to anywhere (existing waypoint, gps coordinates or you can just pick a point off google earth!) This thing has more features than my old garmin etrex!

Since then I've downloaded a nice weather app, a flashlight app (uses the built in flash), a battery saver app, and a moon phase app. Throw in the standard stuff that it already comes with, like the built in camera (with flash) and video, text, email, and, oh ya the regular cell phone, and this things an electronic Swiss army knife! The only thing I'm not sure of is the coverage of the 3g network.

Anyway ... like I said a bit off topic but thought it was interesting info to share.