Looking for good "walkie talkie"

[fogus]

Hey Guys,

I'm up in Canada, just got a few basic questions about getting a pair
of radios for my bro and I. I cant seem to find any really useful
guides on the web, except for "These are good radios, buy them from
ME", kind of thing.

I want something that will give me better range than what I am used
to. I have been using the "talkabout" radios from Motorola, and I
find I cannot get much more than .6 miles out of them in the city. I
suppose this is because of a low output power because of the FRS
restrictions to 500 mA. Is this so?

I would like to be able to talk over a 2 mile range, with a small
enough amount of static that we can still talk easily at 2 miles.

It would be nice to have a few different channels. Mostly, since we
are in the city, there is a lot of noise in the air already, and it
would be nice to switch if someone was also broadcasting on our
channel.

Another bonus I would look for is some kind of security. The
"talkabout" radios have 35 "sub-codes", which are nice to have, since
the main 14 channels are usually clogged. I realize this is simply
security by obscurity though. Perhaps there is something else?

I am willing to invest about $200 for my radio, and so is my bro. I
think there might be a licence involved? Something about a $75 fee
for 5 years for a more powerful radio? Are there any good pages on
the web that you could recommend to me?

I think I need a GMRS radio, that operates on the 462 MHZ frequency.
What is a good standard radio that will give me what I am looking for,
for a modest price?

I will be using these mostly outdoors, doing hunting/camping/fishing/
mountain climbing.

Thanks for any help,

fogus

[IR]

Sounds like you're right on track for camping and stuff,
but in a way you need 2 different radios. I'm not sure where
you camp, but if it's in the sticks, MURS 150 megahertz band
or CB at 27 mhz would give good range.

The problem with FRS is the 500mW, the limited antenna, and the
band, the power of gmrs would help but you're still in a difficult
band for getting through obstructions. Course all the bands I'm
mentioning are also technically line of sight, but they get out better.

MURS only has a few channels.

For city use they've got new digital units with insane good security
and millions of virtual channels. http://www.trisquare.us/tsx300.htm

Another option is Ham Radio, where you can pick from several
bands, all kinds of power options, they have a good band at
440mhz, similar to frs and gmrs.

Hi power eats batteries for lunch though.

IRv

Post by fogus
Hey Guys,
I'm up in Canada, just got a few basic questions about getting a pair
of radios for my bro and I. I cant seem to find any really useful
guides on the web, except for "These are good radios, buy them from
ME", kind of thing.
I want something that will give me better range than what I am used
to. I have been using the "talkabout" radios from Motorola, and I
find I cannot get much more than .6 miles out of them in the city. I
suppose this is because of a low output power because of the FRS
restrictions to 500 mA. Is this so?
I would like to be able to talk over a 2 mile range, with a small
enough amount of static that we can still talk easily at 2 miles.
It would be nice to have a few different channels. Mostly, since we
are in the city, there is a lot of noise in the air already, and it
would be nice to switch if someone was also broadcasting on our
channel.
Another bonus I would look for is some kind of security. The
"talkabout" radios have 35 "sub-codes", which are nice to have, since
the main 14 channels are usually clogged. I realize this is simply
security by obscurity though. Perhaps there is something else?
I am willing to invest about $200 for my radio, and so is my bro. I
think there might be a licence involved? Something about a $75 fee
for 5 years for a more powerful radio? Are there any good pages on
the web that you could recommend to me?
I think I need a GMRS radio, that operates on the 462 MHZ frequency.
What is a good standard radio that will give me what I am looking for,
for a modest price?
I will be using these mostly outdoors, doing hunting/camping/fishing/
mountain climbing.
Thanks for any help,
fogus

[fogus]

Hey, thanks!


I guess I should probably go to a store and look for some of the
different options you mentioned. BTW, you might have slash dotted
that link you posted (http://www.trisquare.us/tsx300.htm) :P.
"bandwidth exceeded" error.

What kinds of stores carry these radios you speak of? (Like CB radios
and Ham) Are there any good online suppliers you would recommend? Do
they make CB and Ham in a hand held form? Are there any frequencies
that do not require LoS that are used in a hand held, two way radio?
Is a lower frequency usually better (making CB the best)? How do I
figure out range based on power/frequency/wavelength?

This radio I am looking for definitely has to be hand held style. I
wont be carrying a radio operators room and generator around with me.
I always pictured Ham radios requiring very large amounts of
equipment. Is this not so?

What licences apply to hand held MURS, CB, GMRS and Ham radios in
Canada? Could I use a 2 watt MURS in Canada without buying a
licence? What price range do each band fall into? Should I stick to
good old Motorola or should I go with another manufacturer?

Sorry, that's a big bundle of questions. I really appreciate the help
though.

fogus

[IR]

Hi,

Post by fogus
I guess I should probably go to a store and look for some of the
different options you mentioned. BTW, you might have slash dotted
that link you posted (http://www.trisquare.us/tsx300.htm) :P.
"bandwidth exceeded" error.

That website is back, although another poster says xfrs and murs
are not legal in Canada.

Post by fogus
What kinds of stores carry these radios you speak of? (Like CB radios
and Ham) Are there any good online suppliers you would recommend? Do
they make CB and Ham in a hand held form? Are there any frequencies
that do not require LoS that are used in a hand held, two way radio?
Is a lower frequency usually better (making CB the best)? How do I
figure out range based on power/frequency/wavelength?

I would look online, or if you could check your local directory
for some kind of Ham/Amateur or commercial radio store, they
likely also have GMRS. I don't know what LoS is. As far as
range vs wavelength, things become Line-of-Sight somewhere
between, like, 10 and 20 megahertz, I'm not sure although
I am a ham. 150Mhz is known to work better than 400Mhz in
woods and some other places. If there is no Canadian Murs,
then Ham 2-meter equipment might be good, there is much
variety and some very small handheld radios. As you
originally indicated GMRS on 400Mhz might be good to try,
You can certainly play with the FRS at 1/2 watt it's pretty
much the same, you might have already, and will find range
to be very limited unless you've got line of sight.

The radio for you is a tough call because you want a couple
miles of range. Handhelds of various power levels and frequencies
will all give you a couple miles-- on occasion but varying
with environmental and even atmospheric conditions (condx).

Repeaters are perfect for what you want, if you can research
your local GMRS and Ham repeaters. If there are Ham repeaters
with little traffic and an open philosophy you're all set,
the licence isn't hard and the equipment is in your range,
size, and if you're using repeaters you hopefully won't have
to carry a power station with you, as 1/2 watt may be fine.
Also of course, there's the cellphones with virtual
walkie talkie feature.

Post by fogus
This radio I am looking for definitely has to be hand held style. I
wont be carrying a radio operators room and generator around with me.
I always pictured Ham radios requiring very large amounts of
equipment. Is this not so?
What licences apply to hand held MURS, CB, GMRS and Ham radios in
Canada? Could I use a 2 watt MURS in Canada without buying a
licence? What price range do each band fall into? Should I stick to
good old Motorola or should I go with another manufacturer?

I live in the US and don't know about Canada. They must have
equivalent agencies and suppliers you could contact.

You could risk using licenced freqs without a licence but it would
be a risk. The less you transmit the less risk... If the frequencies
are truly empty, you might have leeway...

Motorolla is nothing special to me. I have a cheap pair of Motorolla
FRS radios, Talkabout T5300's, they're ok. Their best feature is that
they run on aa's rather than aaa's. Much more bang for the buck with aa's.

IRv

Post by fogus
Sorry, that's a big bundle of questions. I really appreciate the help
though.
fogus

[John]

Post by fogus
What licences apply to hand held MURS, CB, GMRS and Ham radios in
Canada? Could I use a 2 watt MURS in Canada without buying a
licence? What price range do each band fall into? Should I stick to
good old Motorola or should I go with another manufacturer?

MURS is not authorized in Canada. You would be interfering with commercial
and/or public safety communications.

Repeater operation is not permitted on the Canadian GMRS frequencies.

Ham radio requires a license. Under no circumstances transmit on the ham
bands without a license!

CB requires no license.

[John]

Post by IR
Sounds like you're right on track for camping and stuff,
but in a way you need 2 different radios. I'm not sure where
you camp, but if it's in the sticks, MURS 150 megahertz band
or CB at 27 mhz would give good range.

The guy lives in Canada. MURS is not approved there.

Post by IR
For city use they've got new digital units with insane good security
and millions of virtual channels. http://www.trisquare.us/tsx300.htm

XRS is not approved in Canada.

[Ellan]

Don't you have a 900 Mhz phone at home, or before you got the 2.4 or 5.8g
phone. Expect distance to be much shorter than with FRS, but secutity, much
better with the new digital phone

Post by IR
For city use they've got new digital units with insane good security
and millions of virtual channels. http://www.trisquare.us/tsx300.htm