Recommend me some walkie talkies!

[NiceCupOfTea]

Looking for something that I can use in the garage and be in touch with people in the house, plus I can use for convoying.

So I guess something with different channels for a bit of privacy but that can also be use on "standard" channels to communicate with people with other walkie talkies (if that is possible, I guess things have come on a bit since my el-cheapo 50 foot range walkie talkies I had as a kid in the early 80s!)

Also, pref. something that is rechargeable and with some kind of voice activation so I can use when driving?

No idea if any of this is possible, but any suggestions? Not looking to spend too much...

[TheEnd]

Motorola GP300'S are pretty good, i've got 3 with loads of batteries, but they don't have the voice activation. It might be possible to add that into them though.

[lazy_b]

Binatone Terrain 550's are possibly some of the best "consumer" walkie-talkies - before you get up to the quality (and price) of the professional kit.

If you can afford to wait, Aldi occasionally sell badge-engineered clones of the Binatones as the Tevion Terrain 550 at a considerable discount.

[leorest]

I think my Binetone terrain 550 does most of what you want.
Range is reasonably good considering their legal power output. They can be charged from mains or car. Car charging needs an additional charger.

Some walkie talkies only do "voice activation" when a headset is plugged in.

[wiffmaster]

Another vote for the Binatone 550s. We use them around the farm and they've got a range of a couple of miles, from Land Rover to house. Around £30 shipped on eBay.

[RizzoTheRat]

Assuming you're talking unlicenced band your on PMR 446 which is limited to half a watt. If you really want any decent range you might want to look at a licence.

[Blatter]

We've used Yaesu hand-held radios in the past in the offshore construction industry and they're really good. The bonus is that they're a fraction of the price of the Motorolas.

I've just had a look on their website http://www.yaesu.co.uk/index.php?cPath=179_217 and have to say that I'm not familiar with their new multi-channel UHF's.

[Tom_C76]

Yaesu are also the makers of the Vertex PMR446 units, you'll need a license to use the multi band stuff.

I use a Vertex 146 radio for convoying in the Caterham, it links to intercoms such as the Autocom if you are into noisy cars or bikes, and the battery lasts 3 days. Highly recommended. Much easier to choose channels and subchannels than on the motorola too.

Also, I understand the power output can be boosted above the legal 0.5W, up to 5W, using the Vertex PC software. Though clearly that would be illegal.

[NiceCupOfTea]

So these ones?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Binatone-Terrain-Range-Rad...

Just found this - looks like two of them in a travel pack with car chargers and headsets, but cheaper!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Binatone-Terrain-550-Trave...

[leorest]

NiceCupOfTea said:

So these ones?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Binatone-Terrain-Range-Rad...

Just found this - looks like two of them in a travel pack with car chargers and headsets, but cheaper!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Binatone-Terrain-550-Trave...

Yes.
Travel pack looks like the job.

[sadako]

RizzoTheRat said:

Assuming you're talking unlicenced band your on PMR 446 which is limited to half a watt. If you really want any decent range you might want to look at a licence.

If you want range forget the licence, get CBs. They are licence free and legal for 4 watts. However, for what the OP wants the binatones are perfect.

[leorest]

sadako said:

RizzoTheRat said:

Assuming you're talking unlicenced band your on PMR 446 which is limited to half a watt. If you really want any decent range you might want to look at a licence.

If you want range forget the licence, get CBs. They are licence free and legal for 4 watts. However, for what the OP wants the binatones are perfect.

I'd thought about CBs but read their future was limited due to radio frequency bands being re-allocated. Is that true?