Walkie Talkies for an emergency??

[PamsPride]

I found these 27 mile range Walkie Talkies at Target. My mom lives 7 miles away and my MIL/BIL are 10 miles...3 miles passed my mom.
Would these work?
http://www.target.com/Cobra-2-pk-Mile-Range-Walkie-Talkie/dp/B001RHTTSO/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton

Can we leave them plugged in and on all the time and have it so that if my phone is out my mom can just pick up the walkie talkie or DH could call my mom or his mom and then they can give me a shout out on it?

 

[dacjohns]

That is 27 miles electronic line of sight. If you have obstacles like hills and trees between the two radios don't expect it.


I think K0XXX might be able to help you.

 

[k0xxx]

As Dacjohns said, it depends on the terrain between.

The 27 miles is a "best case, under perfect conditions" number. There are other things that can cause a loss of range, but the terrain (including foliage) is the main concern. Also the radios are a combination of FRS and GMRS frequencies (channels). The GMRS frequencies will be the ones that provide the greatest range. To use the GMRS frequencies legally requires purchasing a license from the FCC.

The GMRS License fee is $85, but covers the adult applicant, "and his or her immediate family members, including a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and in-laws".

I would recommend trying to locate some one that has a similar pair and try them. Or if you buy a pair, keep the receipt and try them, returning them if they don't cover the advertised range. If they do, then go ahead and purchase the license.

Here is a link to the FCC info on the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I wouldn't expect them to work that far. I bought a pair for my DH to take out in the woods with him when he is cutting firewood or to have while he is at his garage. They were supposed to have 20 or so mile range on them, but of course we live in the mountains so I knew they wouldn't go that far, but they do work for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile. That isn't too bad for our terrain.

 

[FarmerChick]

We bought a pair for when we were baling hay and such to contact the barn to bring another way way or pick one up etc. etc.

Heck no one remembered to keep their walkie near them...LOL...left them in the trucks etc.---of course at the end of the day Tony's FIL's was missing...probably got baled!

If you use them correctly---like keep them on you---I am sure they would be a fine piece of equip. to have


good info to read!

 

[hikerchick]

We bought a pair for when we were baling hay and such to contact the barn to bring another way way or pick one up etc. etc.

Heck no one remembered to keep their walkie near them...LOL...left them in the trucks etc.---of course at the end of the day Tony's FIL's was missing...probably got baled!



If you use them correctly---like keep them on you---I am sure they would be a fine piece of equip. to have


good info to read!

will horses eat walkie talkies?

 

[FarmerChick]

they try to call Mr. Ed?
What the ??

HA HA

not that I know of..lol

 

[sylvie]

We have a pair that are supposed to have a 20 mile range. There are so many trees on our property that they lose after 300'. We tested the distance. MIL lives 1 mile as the crow flies, no hills-just trees. It is long distance to call her( yeah, that makes sense) and we thought the walkie talkies would be great, but don't work here.

 

[k0xxx]

The radios are capable of very good distance working line of sight (straight line, with nothing between the two radios), as I have worked satellites using radios in the same frequency neighborhood (450 +/- MHz) and with about the same power out.

The problem comes with obstructions. Hills, houses, trees, etc., will quickly cause signal loss, and greatly reduce their range. Also the antennas on them are not that great.

Audiovox made (and may still make them) a GMRS base radio (GMRS-2000) that featured a removable antenna. Attaching an outside antenna to it would greatly increase the range. There are other ways to get more range, but involve greater expense.

You would probably be better off purchasing two used CB base station radios and putting a small outside antenna up. It wouldn't be portable, like the hand held radios you are looking at, but they would be more reliable at that distance and it wouldn't cost much more to do.

To make a long story even longer and to better answer your original question, you may get lucky and the radios work for what you want, but it is not very likely. That is why I suggest borrowing some to try, or carefully unpack them so that they can be returned after trying.

 

[Wildsky]

.---of course at the end of the day Tony's FIL's was missing...probably got baled!

Somewhere, some poor farmer had a heart attack when his bale of hay started talking to him!