Later this month I'm going to be going on a weeks holiday to Devon with some friends. Thee's enough of us that we'll be in 2 cars, so I thought it would be amusing if we could pick up some sort of 2-way radio to allow us to communicate between the vehicles.
Anyone know of anything available which would work?
Obviously not willing to spend an overly large amount, since it's just for a laugh.
Also, if I can find one, I'll be needing lessons on CB speak...
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Hi BB, don't you think the mobile reception will be any good? : )
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IanS
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I'm not sitting on the mobile for a 4 hour journey!
Besides, I'll never convince them to refer to me as Big-dog on a normal mobile.
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10-4 Rubber Duck, over.
What about those 30 quid two way walkie talkies you can buy from Argos...or pretty much anywhere really. I seem to remember them having a rang of a couple of K's so more than enough I would have though.
(They were 30 quid a few years ago - probably less now)
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I thought I'd seen some in Argos once, but I couldn't find them at all. Have to admit, I just couldn't think what to look under in the index.
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2 way radio with another car from our family would mean "Are we there yet?" in stereo.
_______
IanS
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www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/638.html
Fifteen quid, job done..........over.
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I've had the Oregon Scientific TP329s for about 2 years now. They work fine, but are affected by terrain, trees, buildings etc. In general, I'd say they were good for a kilometre and are great for communicating around the area of, say a race circuit or showground. I don't know what they would be like from inside one vehicle to inside another - I must test it sometime; nor do I have experiences of other makes for comparison.
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Stay in touch with that special person in your life.
Just the ticket.
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Check on ebay, you might learn more about them before you buy. If using ebay check they are being supplied from the UK, rather than Hong Kong!
--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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They are called PMR's. Personal Mobile Radios.
dixons will have some
used them in dog training (training dogs to find "hidden crims") - work very well.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Cheers for the tips guys. Currently have a bid on a set on eBay.
Now, about that lingo...
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That's a four. Watch out for the State Bears on the Super Slab. You'll be a stroller.
Over.
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That's not CB speak, that's Carcoat Damphands!
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I think now would be a good time to tell you I have absolutely no idea what the hell you're going on about.
Over.
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Carcoat is Sniffpetrols resident Cockney used car expert.
Here's an example of his advice (with one small naughty word removed):
Shifting is busy on well stacked Screamers. Fondle a brisket, scuff the thumpers, moist arms, smiling lazlo. Smacked up the nice pipe at four to seven grahams. Light and nice, surprisingly small hands. Don't tell him, Pike! Minty.
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You mean you've never submitted to sniffpetrol.com?
You don't know what you've been missing Adam - luckily there's a good archive
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Never once been on sniffpetrol.
Might give it a go now though!
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Sierra Papa Oscar India Lima, Sierra Papa Oscar Romeo Tango
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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A bit different..:-)
tinyurl.com/ezhxa
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Far too expansive Stuart, but I have to admit, had I not just won the eBay auction, I'd have been sorely tempted. How cool are they?!?
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Expensive even, they don't look particularly big :o
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Does anyone know if you can get 3-way versions of these things?
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The motorlas take as many people as are on the channel, there are 12 channels to use, a call button which makes it ring, seatbelt clips, decent volume and an LED display.
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Does anyone know if you can get 3-way versions of these things?
Just buy 2 sets and tune the tranceivers to the same channel/CTCSS codes - well, then you'll have four - or three and a spare! I think you can have as many folks as you like all tuned to the same channel/CTCSS - it just gets very difficult to organise the conversation.
I was told that the more expensive PMRs have more bells and whistles but they are all limited to the same power output (hence no licence needed) and therefore, paying more money will not buy you a greater transmission range.
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will not buy you a greater transmission range.
Actually in a way it will. More money buys you a higher quality, better designed reciever that can pick things up over a longer range,
Yes loads of you can be tuned to the same channels and codes, but only one person can transmit at a time.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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More money buys you a higher quality, better designed reciever that can pick things up over
a longer range,
TVM, do you have any good comparative test data because, when I replace mine, I'm prepared to pay more for a significant increase in range? It would be handy. Thanks.
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Cheers for the tips guys. Currently have a bid on a set on eBay. Now, about that lingo...
You're htting me with 10 pounds of skip good buddy, or something like that.
home.att.net/~wizardoz/cbmw/10codes.html
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We do exactly this in America and in France when driving in "convoy" with relatives. Motorola do a good set of radios that are proffesionalish, i.e building site and they we'rnt expensive, I think 20 quid or summthing. Good quality and can be heard up to 5 miles with no hills or obstructions.
Btw, don't say "over and out" as that isn't what is said, only in films it is. Just say "over" when meaning, your turn and just "out" when ending conversation.
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And choose your wavelength carefully - a few years ago we were using similar things in Snowdonia in a rather childish way with very rude callsigns and a lot of swearing 'cos the weather was bad when we suddenly heard a voice say "very interesting conversation but please switch from the Mountain Rescue wavelength"
--
Phil
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´Broadsword calling Danny Boy - come in, over`
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Come in broadsword over
and as for the helicopter, well!
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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>>Broadsword calling Danny Boy - come in, over<<
Please put me out of my misery - I am going loopy trying to remember the reference
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Broadsword, think
www.whereeaglesdare.com/default.php?section=2&page...3
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Wartime yes, but I wasn't expecting that
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'PBR Street Gang, this is Almighty. Do your read me? Over.'
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Interesting that Mountain Rescue in Snowdon butted in. We were using a pair of radios in the Lakes at Xmas, and whena couple of us had to go and help a woman who'd fallena nd broken her leg, the rescue unit had to borrow the other radio from my girlfriend at the car so they could talk to us. They use the much higher power licensed bands up there, and have no way of using the consumer FM bands.
By the way, I have a pairo f Motorola radios that are excellent, and a pair of cobra cheapie radios. The Cobra are no use for hillwalking as they run on AAA batteries and turn on in your bag. If anyone wanted to give me £10 for the pair you'd be welcome. I've noticed no difference in range between the two pairs. although the Cobra units don't support the sidebands.
Gord.
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Is one allowed to use these in France?
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I believe the license free FM band applies across the EU, but I'm happy to be corrected.
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RS catalogue (also see rswww.com ) just fell through the front door.
Page 17
Part number 619-8490
Motorola twin pack 2 way "Talkabout" radios with up to 6km range.
8 channels and 38 codes
Voice activated
Channel lock
Backlit display
Rechargeable NiMH batteries
£49.99
I have used them previously, and found them both good and good value for money.
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Also page 30
Part number 624-2058
Motorola T4512 2 way radios with up to 5km range
8 channels and 38 codes
Push to talk button
"Roger" beep
£24.99
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netto...................£7.99 on saturday or was it £9.99
over and deffo not out.............
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PMRs are extremely useful but the 'up to 5km range' and 'up to 6km range' claims should be taken with as big a pinch of salt as the 'up to 8Mb' claims for broadband (IMHO).
Having said that, my mate bought some cheapies that were little more than toys; they just about had the range of the width of a football pitch.
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As long as you have a line of sight the range can be up to about 2km, but as soon as you drop behind trees or buildings they soon give up.
AFAIK the analogue version of PMR446 is now OK in France. They were late implementing it and for a while some channels were "interdit". We found them indispensible keeping two families in contact accross a large French campsite, or on the road. Also worked well last week in Scarborough, able to speak to Bromptonette shopping in town while I was in chalets beyond the Spa.
There is a digital version just coming on to the market which will presumably be clearer while in signal, but likely to have a "cliff edge" effect when dropping out - no fizzing etc to warn that you're on the edge of range. There is a test in one of the hobby radio mags (Radio User?) this month. The Froggies are reported to have negotiated a lengthy deferral on implementation of this supposed EU wide standard within their territory.
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I've used these, good range, even in built up areas, we had em on a engineering contract in a huge brewery complex, never had any difficulty, even if in a building, but not so good when you are inside a fermentation tank.
--
Drink Lager, Talk Piffle,
Drink Cider, Talk Sense (maybe?)
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I meant these
Motorola T4512 2 way radios with up to 5km range
8 channels and 38 codes
Push to talk button
"Roger" beep
£24.99
--
Drink Lager, Talk Piffle,
Drink Cider, Talk Sense (maybe?)
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