hymer1942 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Has anyone used these when travelling with another van, the things that spring to mind are what type, how far apart will they work etc. and what cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carioca Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 hi a couple of years ago we bought a set for travelling with friends they were ok but had a very limited range about 2-3 miles at best but they were usefull when deciding wether or not to stop or where to take a detour. they were also very usefull on site for the kids to keep tabs on them. as for price wern't very dear about £10 from aldi at time i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 You will get far superior range with a couple of installed CB sets. No license is required, just fit and use it. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 carioca - best way to keep the kids safe and not have to keep tabs on them is leave them at home (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Bought a set of 4 from Argos last year. Advertised range 6 miles/10Km but in practical terms about 2miles from van to van. Really usefull if in convoy going through towns where the correct turning is not obvious. Even if the lead van gets it wrong at least you all stay together. Also usefull if the last van needs to stop, they can tell the rest to pull over as soon as safe to do so.Will always take mine. Also used them on the Ski slopes to keep in touch as we were of different abilities using different runs. Also usefull if one of you is guarding the van and the other is in a supermarket and spotted a bargain. You may get a few funny looks but hey ho were brits on holiday. Agree that proper CB is better, but they are not so versatile. Mine cost £60 last year. Not at home at present so cannot quote the exact model. will post that tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-jack Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Quite agree, got a cheap set from Maplin to keep in touch with other 'van when in France - useful for stops, routing etc, also when lead van is doing the navigating and gets across junction and leaves you stranded! Range we found varied a lot depending on surroundings, but 1 - 2 miles seemed ok. Rember, driver shouldnt use them when driving, little jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Be careful, I think that Walkie Talkies are illegal to use on the road in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 We have used them in different ways over the past 2 years, it took 3 lots to get the best ones for us but they are handy. Used them from van to van when friends are following us through France. Daughter uses them when going off to the park etc and wants to keep touch with base when we are on sites and rallys We use them at home when 9 year old wants to go post letters etc and feel and look grown up without actually letting go of apron strings completely. The main thing we use them for is for the 2 of us to speak to each other in the day, we run a business from home and I was tired of shouting up and down stairs so now I can just press a button when the kettle needs to go on :-D Batteries do seem to drain quite fast if left on too long. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy T Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Walkie Talkies are limited to 500mW output therefore all have roughly the same range and are OK on the continent if they are PMR446. See www.amherst.co.uk/walkietalkie/walkie-talkie-international-issues.htm Quality of construction varies, we have had two sets of cheap ones that have died in a very short time. Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Hi here is the info I promised. I bought the set of four of the previous model Binatone Latitude 650 with a Battery life of 45 hours ( Just over 2 days) and the sound quality is very good. The Binatone Terrain 650 is a later model and replaces mine. There are several reviews on the Argos site. Binatone Terrain 650 Two Way Radio - Quad Plus. 553/0946 ...more detail £68.49.304 channel combinations. (there is also a 2-pack set 553/0939 @ £38.99p) Pod charger. 10km range. Voice control. Battery low warning. Belt clip. Scan function. Stopwatch. Backlit display. Headsets port. Choice of call tones. Rechargeable batteries (included). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 we have the Binatone Terrain 550 Two Way Radio's. Probably not as good as the 650, but still only £29 from john Lewis. They were highly recommended on here a few years ago and work very well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 It is amazing the bargains you can find on here - just went for a look as we have the binatone 500. http://tinyurl.com/cav38a I am guessing that these are the very ones. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coachman Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 We have had cb and hand held ones , the cb were ok but you got a lot of hgv talk at times, the ones we have had now for 6 years are best for us. To give you a idea how we use them is, at shows if get seperated or shopping and i have dropped off my wife as parking is nil so circle and she calls up.In convoy "did you see that?"or other comments, and once where the people who were with us had their mobile go on the blink and they took a wrong turning from us it was the receiver which made us find them again. Ours cost about £ 70 and called ALAN 256. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smifee Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 how about these. some very naughty people cut the wire that restricts the power and then get 4w and much increased range. http://www.rocketradio.co.uk/intek-mt-5050-77-channel-uhf-fm-multi-standard-pmr446--lpd433-handheld-transceiver-1503-p.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smifee Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 for those feeling very naughty here's how to do it http://www.transmission1.co.uk/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer1942 Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Thanks to all, I think I will go for a Binatone 650 the people who have them have given good reports and they can be had at reasonable money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffersonCampervan Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Andy T - 2009-03-16 5:48 AM See www.amherst.co.uk/walkietalkie/walkie-talkie-international-issues.htm Andy. Oh Oh - I'm using N.Am FRS radios - guess I'd better get some Euro PMR446 units or get busted. I have 120V inside the camper (with a whole-coach voltage converter), so charging may become the new problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 They are, of course, not mobile phones, but what is the legal position on using them while driving? They have all the same characteristics as mobile phones, that is to say hand held, and potentially distracting, so are they banned from use in the same way, unless capable of being used "hands free"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer1942 Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Your quite right Brian, but my plan is for the co pilots to keep in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docted Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Brian they are classified the same as mobile phones unless hands free, in the same way as taking a drink or eating while driving they are all distractions. docted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Thank you both. I asked, in case it may have been overlooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Not contradicting just enquiring, but I understood that two way radios were exempted from the 'mobile phone' laws and could only be cited as a cause against an accusation of driving without due care and attention in the same way as eating food or drinking a can of something? In which case they are not deemed the same as using a mobile. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketRadio Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hello Everyone, This forum topic came up in my site webstats, so I thought I would pop in and say hello! :-) I can see there is some confusion about whether 2 way radios are legal to use whilst you are driving and if they are covered under mobile phone legislation. The simple fact is, 2 way radios are exempt. The mobile phone laws are very specific to mobile phones. The Police National Legal Database is a good place to look for the law, the quote from them is specifically for CB as this is probably the most common 2 way radio used in a private vehicle, but the exemption is for all 2 way radios. https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q659.htm But, consider that a walkie talkie can look like a mobile phone so using it whilst driving is reason enough for the police to pull you over. Also if you have an accident whilst using one driving the car then you could be in big trouble. Also, walkie talkies do not work very well at all in a car unless you have an external antenna outside the vehicle (the metal body of the car acts like a Faraday cage and does a very good job of shielding the signal) I do hope you all find that useful, I get asked these questions all the time :-) My very best regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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