Two Way radios - where to get them?

[Karyn.Phil]

Hi guys

I keep reading about two way radios on the boards and Simon mentioned them in his book but the e.mail address bounced back. Where can we get these when we get to Orlando?

They seem a brilliant idea as we want to be able to let our daughters go off on their own when we are at the parks.

Any one got any experience with them?


Thanks

Karyn

 

[SpottyDog]

We got ours from Walmart - plenty of choice at around $60 the pair. You'll find cheaper but we'd recommend those with sub channels as they give you many more frequencies.
(There are 14 main channels but 32 sub channels gives you 14x32 frequencies)

 

[Karyn.Phil]

Thanks Spotty!

I've been reading your trip reports...you carry a whip and a stopwatch don't you??!

I am learning from your techniques and will organise June trip accordingly (fitting in a wedding as well as 10 days at parks)

Looking forward to your next report and thanks for the info

regards

Karyn

 

[kazzie]

Karyn,
Don't even try to match the stamina of the Spotty Dog (AKA Dave's) family

I tried and failed from day 1

 

[eyoreaud]

Hi Karen,
Yes Wal Mart seems to be THE place for two ways, but did you know that they usually only work in the same park as their range isn't very long?
We're thinking about buying Trak phones(US equivelant to pay as you go) They seem to work out quite cheaply and Wal Mart sells them too.
Just thought i'd give you something else to think about hehehe.

Luv Audrey
xxxxxxxxx
BTW there was a link to Trak phone on the old site, maybe someone would be able to help if you wanted to go that way.

 

[thefatman]

Trac Fones
Unfortunately they are not the bargain they used to be (were $19.99) like the Uk pay as you go market, they flooded the market with cheap phones, then switched to higher priced phones.
However if your planning on going back to Florida again and again, then it may be worth the investment.
(we got ours mainly because of the security aspect, driving in a strange country, being only a phone away from help, same as we use our PAYG phones in the UK).
They certainly work all over the USA and blow the radios away for quality and distance and you can reactivate them via the web before each trip.

 

[Baldrick]

Here is a link that might help with the two way radio thing.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/sear...ery=two+way+radios&CATEGORY_ID=3983&dept=3944

The Motorola T5 100 has been recommended by a friend as it's cheap and also works in this country, which means you can get your monies worth. It's probably the one we will get unless someone has info to the contrary.

Regards,

Reg

 

[thefatman]

Warning.
The radios will work in the UK but you will be using them illegally.
The frequencies in the Uk are different.
The US radio frequencies are used by emergency services and some frequency sensitve hospital equipment in the UK, so although the radios may sound like their working you will not know what damage you are causing.

 

[Baldrick]

Thanks Dave,

I didn't know that. Must tell my friends, although I don't think they have had any problems that they know of.

Reg

 

[thefatman]

Its not THEM that will have the problems its people/babies in hospitals strapped to heart monitors and other frequency sensitive equipmemnt etc

They can hear themselves and not know who their interfeering with.

 

[AlisonB]

we got ours from Walmart too and they suited our needs fine. We just wanted the ability to split up occasionally when queuing for rides and they were fine for that.

We did get the ones with sub channels tho and were pleased we did - some days we spent a few minutes finding a combination that there was noone else on!!

 

[snookhams]

When I drove past my local LINK store today they had a sign in the window 2 x two way radios £29.99 - but as I couldn't look properly I don't know if they had sub - channels or not.

going back to the point that we shouldn't use ones bought in the USA in the UK does this work the other way round as well - what if we bought them here and took them with us????

 

[Baldrick]

Dave,

I take your point, but I have been a member of the emergency services for over 30 years so I do know how radio frequencies can interfere. That is why I was going to let them know about your information and I did say any problems that they know of, which would tend to exclude their own transmissions to each other. They would have known about that.

 

[squitty]

Hi Snookhams,

The answer is yes. The Uk ones would would have the same effect if used over in the US.
DFM would be able to explain it better than me and give all the techy info.
HTH

 

[thefatman]

Originally posted by mac190
we used the exact same ones in the parks with no problems with inteferance.
yvonne

Yeh no wonder there was no intererence to YOU, NOBODY else would have been using those frequencies because they are illegal frequencies in the USA, so I bet it was lovely and clear.
Just beacuse you can't hear anyone else dosen't mean the channels clear.

However what YOU don't know is who YOU are interferring with, I just hope it wasn't sensitive medical or life saving equipment !.
I,ve seen the effect mobile phones (and they are legal) can have on baby heart monitors, god only knows what damage illegal transmissions can do. There are lots of Private hospitals in the Disney area.


Sorry soapbox time, but anyone in the emergency services will tell you the problems they suffer due to radio interference.