https://www.wrbl.com/weather-radio-...s-homes-recalling-march-3rd-in-talbot-county/ Good morning all, Above is a combination communications radio and weather radio. It's both a "dock station" always recharging combined with light when utility power ends. Sounds good; article worth reading; cost not mentioned. Any volunteers here to provide real evaluation of this ?
Good morning Snyper, For a new family w/ 1 baby, just starting out in the prepper arena, would you say this combo 2 way, 2 pack ,is worth the cost and functionality ? Merci in advance.
It's not a bad deal if they need communication and "weather radio" too. I think the distance figures they gave are highly exaggerated and would only be possible over water or with very high antennas. Most folks can get by just as well without them though. I've had weather radios and I have some similar "walkie-talkies" but I've never felt they provided much advantage in any emergencies I've been in. I'd rather have a good scanner that can listen to police and fire, along with weather alerts. My wife and I have used ours a few times while out hunting, but have never felt a need for them during any emergencies.
No experience with this particular radio, but familiar with Midland GMRS/FRS models with similar features. Ebay has this radio for $30 each. The user guide and test reports submitted to the FCC for the Motorola T480 are here if you're interested: https://fccid.io/AZ489FT4925 My .02, if you need a NOAA weather alert radio there are much better choices in this same price range. If you need a handheld transceiver for two-way communications then there are also much better choices in this same price range. If you need a single radio that does a little bit of both, but neither very well, then the T480 should fit the bill. On the weather alert side, there's no SAME support but only the older 1050 hz tone alerting. Expect to receive a lot of weather alerts that don't affect your specific area, like an alert for a thunderstorm watch for a county that's 40 miles away. With no LCD display of the warning type, you'll have to listen to the full audio message to determine what the alert is for and whether it affects your area. At 2am, with a moving thunderstorm impacting different areas, expect to be woken up a lot. On the two-way radio side it's limited to only the 22 shared GMRS/FRS channels, and the combination of low power (1.4 watts or 0.4 watts, depending on channel) and an integrated non-removable 'rubber duck' antenna isn't likely to impress you with it's range either on receive nor transmit. Also no ability to use any GMRS repeaters that may be in your area with this radio. For $30 there's much more frequency agile, higher power, and removable/upgradable antenna radios available that will also receive the NOAA weather channels, but without the automatic weather alerting capability.
Good morning Snyper, Appreciate all info above. Had just jotted down these points on an index card. Will be recommended to them that they not get it because of (especially ) suspect distance figures and use the saved $ for field medical supplies because of new baby.
Good morning Gate Crasher, Just read above. Will pass on info to young couple for their newly established prepper notes in accordion file folder I gave them. Merci especially on behalf of new couple with baby joining the prepper community.
My preference is the Baofeng UV 5 r type commercial radios. I like them because they work on the 2 meter and 440 MHZ ham bands. https://www.amazon.com/Baofeng-UV-5...eywords=baofeng+uv+-+5r&qid=1573226321&sr=8-7 However....with information's from the web I can manually program them to work on the GMRS/FRS bands and have so programmed these frequencies into my Baofeng radios. This takes some doing to manually program them for the GMRS/FRS frequencies and it is not for the average person not knowing much about radios. Also the Baofeng radios put out twice the power and have a more efficient antenna than on these factory GMRS/FRS radios. The requirement for these GMRS/FRS radios is that you cannot remove the antennas ...meaning you cannot hook up a more efficient antenna to them. This is not the case with my Baofeng radios. I can hook up my home made base station antennas to them....as well as hook them up to a magnetic based vehicle antenna...for more transmit range as well as better receive. I have a Baofeng UV5r radio kept in a locker at work with spare batteries and also a spare more efficient antenna. And this radio has programmed into it the GMRS/FRS frequencies. https://www.amazon.com/42-5-Inch-AB...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B07STB8BD6 I have a couple of these spare 42 inch portable antennas stored here. And yes...you can talk on the walkie talkie with these antennas folded up as does often the military out in the field. Most walkie talkies have from the factory ...antennas which are marginal at best. Which is why I have built myself emergency portable roll up antennas....which can be tossed up over a tree limb to get the antenna up higher in the air...out in the field. However.....for people who know little to nothing about radios and how they work...these GMRS/FRS radios are going to have to suffice. I have a set of these types of GMRS/FRS radios but seldom use them..personally preferring the UV 5 R type Baofeng radios. I am, however, aware that I am not the ordinary radio operator. I am also well aware that the government is trying to regulate these Chinese radios out of existance….as they are way undercutting the price of ICOM, Kenwood , and YAESU as well as Alinco rigs. My non Ishmaelite .02, Watcherchrius
I have the Motorola 460 Talkabout. They are very good short to mid range communication. I mostly use them for hunting or family travel (vehicle to vehicle). I 've used them here in WV for hunting in these mountains and I've gotten at least 5 miles out of them and in Colorado I was able to get 11 miles (mountain to mountain) out of the reception and transmission. I'm planning on getting the Motorola CB unit for my side by side and use hands free mic for communications on backwoods areas with multiple people. Dale
If they can afford to invest in "prepping" I'd tell them to buy a good quality generator that will let them preserve their frozen and refrigerated food supply. Pawn shops often have good deals on lightly used models, especially this time of year since hurricane season is about over. With electricity, they can get their weather info over the TV. That and a back-up heating and cooking source that doesn't need electricity should take precedence over communication devices other than cell phones.
Good afternoon Snyper, Appreciate interest. This is a new couple with baby here. This area's topo features - tidal flood plain next to secondary flood plane, minimum roads that will be open - requires evacuation planning for top portion of prepper list. The couple's "fear" is separation when GOOD. I'm still reviewing in my mind if it's best for them to rely on one vehicle only. Baby + baby supplies get priority and the big impediment I've noticed is - stress -. Keeping together minimizes this danger. Again, they's a new couple - 3 + years together. It's a work in progress.
The talkabout's will work even when cell towers are down, especially in such flat terrain. I remember being young, a parent and financially strapped. It's tough and has enough stress in the best of times.
Most of these types of GMRS/FRS radios operate in a mode called "Simplex" ...meaning no repeater between walkie talkies. Transmitting to a repeater and then having the repeater repeat what the transmitter is doing ….is called "Duplexing." The signal is sent out twice...once by the transmitting radio or walkie talkie and then again by the repeater. And true most repeaters do not have generators or battery back ups if the power goes down. Thus even with VHF/UHF hams ...simplex is what will happen...radio to radio...in most places when the power goes down. Thanks, Watcherchris Not an Ishmaelite.
