Now that you know the different types of walkie talkies, you need to be sure that you are choosing the best gadget. Here are the top factors to consider when making your selection.
VHF versus UHFWhen buying walkie talkies, you might want to pay attention to whether you are buying a Very High Frequency (VHR) radio or an Ultra High Frequency (UHR) radio. VHF radios operate at 126 to 174 MHz. They work well over long distances where there is very little interference from buildings and landscapes. They usually have longer antennas than UHF radios and are good for penetrating foliage and trees.
UHF radios operate at 400 to 512 MHz. They are more versatile than VHF radios as they can penetrate through building walls. UHFs have shorter waves and are ideal for carrying around due to their ability to get through interference. UHF and VHF radios are not compatible. Therefore, if you are buying more than one pair of walkie talkies, ensure they are all of the same kind.
DistanceIn most cases, walkie talkie manufacturers will specify the specific distance walkies can be able to communicate with each other if there are no barriers, such as buildings and landscapes between them. A walkie talkie with a range of 8miles may only have coverage of about 3 to 4 miles. Depending on what you need a walkie talkies, consider choosing a device with a bigger range. Most two-way radios will come with a range of anywhere between 20 to 50 miles.
FeaturesWhen buying your two-way, it is important to look for additional features, such as a hands-free gear, headset and other accompanying equipment. Some gadgets also come with privacy codes and noise cancelling features. If you are going hunting, then you should go for a radio that has a vibration feature. Additionally, you should make sure not to press the talk button by mistake, thus you should choose a radio with a keypad lock or a keystroke alert. Other important features include:
- Backlit LCD screen and keypad so you can see and use the gadget in the dark. An LCD screen allows you to see how much battery life you have left, display a compass, provide alarms and timers.
- Jack for microphone or speaker: Helps you to keep your device hands free
- Income alerts: so you can know when there’s an incoming transmission
- Talk confirmation: This signals the start and end of transmissions so that you know when its safe to reply the transmissions rather than being cut off.
- Channel saver: Allows you to save certain channels
- Weather radio:Allows you to choose weather reports
Batteries: Walkie talkies run on different types of batteries. Lower end gadgets tend to use AA or AAA batteries, but the most current radios use a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery or a Nickel-Cadmium battery. It is important to know the estimated time of usage on the radios you want to buy, so you can figure out if you need to carry some spare batteries. The life of the battery is usually estimated to be 90 percent standby time, 5 percent reception time and 5 percent transmission time.
Channels: Walkie talkies have different channels for various reasons. Knowing what these are will help you determine what kind of walkie talkie will match your needs. There are twenty channels in total. The more channels a radio offers, the higher the prices, thus it’s is essential to know how you will use your radio for before making your purchase. Having a radio with more channels makes it easier for you to communicate.