Walkie Talkies

[kimwim8]

Does anyone recommend a certain brand/type of walkie talkies?There will be 12 of us in the parks in October, and we are planning to all be in the same park, but most likely splitting up during the day.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Cruise04]

Any of them with the subcodes would probably be your best bet. We like our Motorola's.

 

[kimwim8]

thanks for responding, but what are subcodes?

 

[jpd3]

The radios only have about 28 or so channels to transmit on. Handhelds with subcodes allow you to transmit on those same channels. However, you will only receive transmissions that have the same frequency AND subcode. It basically increases the number of channels to talk on. Keep in mind though, that just because you can't hear someone talking because you are on channel 18 subcode 12, someone listening on channel 18 without the subcodes can hear you.

I used the radios in the park with great success. The subcodes greatly reduce the amount of excess chatter you hear.

Don't believe the range prediction on the radios when you buy them. It's always a lot less. Best I've done is calling from BTMRR to PoTC.

 

[akline]

We have those Disney two-way radios .. but I've heard they don't work in the parks because so many other people have them (interference). True?

 

[VA_mouseman]

We have Motorola Talkabouts, which use FRS, an open band for public use (or something like that ...). Range is around 2 miles, depending upon obstructions. Newer generation models have a range of up to 5 miles.

haven't used them at the parks in awhile, so i can't directly comment. Others have indicated it can be a challenge finding a channel to yourself.

 

[Star Wars Guy]

We too have the Motorola Talkabouts. We must have gotten lucky because the first Channel/subchannel combo that we picked must be obscure enough that we've never had anyone else on it when we've had it on.

As for the range, ours say good up to 2 miles, but I know at the parks it's less than that. The longest range that we've tried and had work successfully is from BTMRR/Splash Mountain area to the very end of Main Street USA by the park entrance. Could be because of less interference. We've tried from Space Mountain to Main Street USA before and the signal breaks up.

 

[Cruise04]

If you use the higher channels (some of them have up to 38 channels (ours does) with like 24 subchannels) then you run less of a risk of others hearing you. If you stay in the lower range - like around channel 10-18 - then you run a higher risk of those without subchannels hearing you.

The newer ones, as someone said already, have a 5 mile range but they are not necessarily any better than the 2 mile range ones. We did use them on our cruise and they worked pretty good. Of course between steel and concrete - there sometimes is only so much you can hear - just like being between lots of trees.

 

[kimwim8]

one more try

 

[VA_mouseman]

kimwim8:

We'll be there week after next. I have two Motorola talkabouts (t280 model -- about 4 years old), and two Motorola 'Disney' radios, which all share various channels. I'll try to get you a response when I get back about how they work out.

 

[kimwim8]

VA_mouseman

Thank you so much. Feel free to PM me if this thread is hard to find by then!

 

[packncanes]

Most on the FRS will be pretty jammed up. THose do not require an FCC license. Your best bet is to spend a little more money for the the GRMS radios. THey work with FRS radios, but they do require a license. Noone ever gets them though. Not like anyone is going to track you down. They will reach out 4-5 miles I believe, but the package says 7 miles.

Most of the phone companies have Walkie Talkie service now, so that may be an option too.