Two Way Radios Can't Walk the Talk
We’ve had these on our hands for a while now, and apologize- we wanted to test and retest these products because we didn’t want to believe our initial reports. But the bottom line is that the two way radio, perhaps better known as a walkie-talkie, is technology whose time has come and gone. Recent models feature better battery life, longer range, clearer communication, and nicer backlights. Unfortunately, it still adds up to a frustrating package that is useful only in rare conditions.
Any communication technology must be compared to the cellular phone, and it is here that the two-way radio falls far short of expectations. Cell phones rely on towers and pre-existing infrastructure, which allows them to conserve battery life while having a larger range and higher quality. Unlike these radios, you have to pay a monthly charge for your cell phone- two-way radios are far cheaper to use than cell phones of any kind, and they can be used in areas that don’t have existing cellular networks.
But those are the only advantages, and in an world where cellular service is becoming cheaper and more ubiquitous, it’s easy to see that the two-way radio is moving into a very small niche.
Motorola’s TalkAbout T7400 ($75) features rechargeable batteries (that unfortunately are prone to battery drain even when powered down; our batteries went from full to zero in two weeks of non-use, repeatedly). Cobra’s PR-4700 ($50) uses 2 AA batteries (easier to use, less environmentally friendly, but they do hold their charge). Beyond that, the differences are minimal. Both brag about their long ranges, multiple channels and privacy codes, weather radio abilities, noise filters, vibrating ringers, voice-activated (hands free) operation. We found both units to be pretty durable, surviving drops, shakes, and even splashes of water.But the main complaint about both is the range- despite claims of 12 or so miles we weren’t able to get more than about a mile before no communication could be made. And at the longer distances, audio was fairly difficult to make out, rendering them largely useless. Further, the battery life of either one makes a cell phone look fantastic by comparison, they typically died after a couple of hours of intermediate use. The other features all work fine- weather radios, backlights, vibrating alarms were great. But unless you are travelling in a pack and don’t have CBs, or you are going camping in an area without cell reception (rare, these days)- stick with your cell phone.
