Question regarding 2 way radios

[kajohn]

First I wanted to thank everyone for all the great information I have found on this board!! However I still have a few questions.

We will be on the Magic February 8th Eastern itinerary. This is our first Disney cruise, and first cruise with our kids.

We are looking into buying two way radios and need recommendations on what type of radios work best. I have found an ad for a set of 14 channel FRS radios with 38 subcodes the cost is $29.99. Will this set up work well on the cruise ship?

What are people's experience with the radios? Are they useful to have, or a waste of money. Also, do you hear a lot of interferance from other people?

Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

[Michelemouse]

We have the 2-way family radios and love them. As long as you buy the type with 38 sub-channels you shouldn't hear much, if any, noise from others.

Hope this helps.

 

[lUVTOGO]

We used the motorolo's T6220's and they worked fine. I few times on some parts of the ship we lost the signal, otherwise I would use them again.

 

[DOCTORRICK]

Your setup sounds fine.
I can't stress enough that if you get the radios without the subcodes they are basically unusable at disney or really even a garden variety amusement park.

So many people have these now, that with only the 14 channels there is a tremendous amount of interference.

That being said, if you get the ones with the subchannels, they are a great help.

 

[Carol RN]

Whatever you do, DO NOT buy the two-way radios sold onboard the ship. My brother in law did that on our September cruise and the radios were absolute junk. There were people all talking over one another....you could hear everyone elses' conversations except your own, even when you switched channels.

They were Motorola's, I believe, but I don't know what model. Probably their cheapest model, but leave it to Disney to price them at $80 on the ship!

 

[halloween1031]

You may want to consider spending a bit more and getting the new versions that have a 5 rather than 2-mile range. Where we once had problems with the signal, this solves many problems. (Every one I've seen has the sub-channels as well.)

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

These two-way radios actually work on the ship?

Do they work while you are sailing or just in port?

Thanks for the info. I am thinking about purchasing some for our next vacation.

Lisa

 

[halloween1031]

They are self-contained and work wherever they are in range of each other. Nextel and a few other digital- and cell-phone service providers use existing towers as two-way radios and can only work in service areas (unless the phones also have an internal communication system as well). Available at almost every electronics and big-box retailer they are great except that as they grew in popularity, more and more people use them at the parks making the earlier designs less beneficial as trying to talk to your party was often confused with everyone else using the same channel. (Then again, for those intent on making trouble, posing as an involved individual and redirecting parties to different locations can add a certain twisted pleasure to the process.)

Newer versions have sub-channels that help filter out other conversations, creating a semi-private line. If you go with a group, they are invaluable to keep people connected be it during bathroom breaks or to meet back up at a designated time, etc. While we’ve started to rely on cell phones more and more (no question as to being “in-range,” no question as to who is responding, and the ability to leave messages), having the radios is still a welcome addition to ending the “who’s lost” game and to minimize the waiting game.

On the ship, they are also great for the same reasons. Just remember, like a cell-phone, to turn them off during shows, movies, or other interruption-free times!

Good luck!

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

Halloween1031: Thanks for the info.

For many years now we always rent Nextel 2 way radios (they are actual cell/digital phones) and the cost is approximately $6 per day. We love them and they are invaluable in WDW.

On our past vacation we rented them for the duration and we did land/sea/land - they did not work while we were at sea (only the first day on the ship while it was in port). They had the range of Florida as one family member that was not going on the cruise and headed back to Tampa and we were able to communicate from Tampa to Port Canaveral.

I am looking into purchasing them for the cruise portion of our vacations - everyone really liked the cruise so much I think it may start becoming the norm - 7 night cruise followed by a stay at WDW.

Would they work if you were in Palo and trying to communicate with someone in their stateroom on deck 2 forward? They would be worth their weight in gold if they worked all over the ship. I don't want to make this investment if they are only going to work some of the time.

Thanks for your help!!

Lisa

 

[halloween1031]

With the newer models that have a 5-mile range (it’s prominently displayed on the package) you shouldn’t have a problem. The older 2-mile ones often had troubles going long distances onboard—through walls/decks—but hopefully that should be a problem of the past. We won’t know for sure until we depart on December 14.

Perhaps somebody else out there has experience with a new set?

 

[DisneyKids]

Keep in mind that a license is required to use the 5 mile types. These types will also have channels for 2 mile range (no license). We have these and only used the 2 mile on the cruise and had good luck. There were a few instances where we lost signal but not too bad. We avoided the 5 mile channels because the license is a US based license and had no idea what that would mean at non US ports.

We love them when we cruise.

 

[halloween1031]

Thanks DisneyKids for an excellent point on using the radios outside of FCC areas!

For more info you can check http://wireless.fcc.gov/prs/genmbl.html . It’s less complicated than it looks, but still required.

 

[NYCDisneyFan]

We (on the 10/26) used the 5-mile GMRS radios. They were awesome. Definitely recommend over teh 2-mile versions.


THe FCC paperwork is all online and takes less than 10 minutes.

NYC

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

RIDISNEYLOVERS -

NexTel phones will not work onboard once you get a few miles away from the coast. For them to work like they do while you're in Florida, you need to be within a few miles of a cell tower.

 

[carlamom]

Have you seen the new Disney radios? They're at Target and come in 3 styles. These are not just for kids!

 

[aprilgail2]

which ever kind you end up getting PLEASE remember to shut them off during the shows and movies! We were at one of the movies andthere must have been 5 of them going off throughout the show...VERY annoying!!!!

 

[DisneyKids]

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<b><i>PLEASE remember to shut them off during the shows and movies!</b></i>

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Good point...UNLESS...you have the vibrating alert and are kind enough to step out if you do get alerted.