 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking about a pair of these for the new season. Which ones do you recommend? Motorola Talkabout seem to be the best option, is that correct? Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They seem to be the default safe purchase. Mine work pretty well although I've never found the range to be anywhere near wot it says on the tin! At least they're robust and feel like quality. Some others I've played with feel flimsy... but cheap. The extent of most conversations is... "where are you?" so why not just send a text?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The performance of all those I've tried has been the same, so far as one can tell. As Bode Swiller says, don't believe the 5km range or whatever it says, but they perform better than I expected in the mountains. Our Motorolas have lasted well, but so have the other, much cheaper, pair, although I have lost one of the cheaper pair, so perhaps you get what you pay for.
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mjg, we have motorolas and they work ok but normally only get maybe 1 km on the slopes due to interference from mountains etc
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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mjg, the oregon scientific ones we have seem ok and they were much cheaper than the motorola, cost us about 30 quid from argos i think a couple of years ago and come complete with a base unit for charging 2 handsets
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i got a set of motorola t5622's last season and have nothing but praise for them. ok sometimes range maybe be less than stated due to mountains getting in the way - BUT im so glad i bought them and wish id got them a few seasons ago. i keep mine clipped to the shoulder strap on my rucksack so its always there - its a pain in the butt having to stop, dig it out of your pocket when some one buzzes you and you want to talk! this way you can talk on the move - which comes in handy if youre following someone down the hill and dont knwo which way theyve gone. also, they were a brillaint when going o little ways off piste to advise on best lines and avoiding obsticles, and asking if people are ok if theyve stacked it etc. plus theres the obvious benefit of arranging to meet for lunch etc if your group is spread out over the mountain.
mine cost me about £70 - which is less than my mobile bill usually goes up by each holiday through calling and textgin to arrange lunch and apres ski meets! and having them on your pack strap really brings them in to their own.
in short, get some. you wont regret it.
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I have motorolla as well and they are brill up to a good range provided that there is not a mountain in your way
They also have a bit of a "bounce" factor as are no worse for being fell on a few times of from being dropped on snow
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I have the motorolas. I have used them in Arc 1800 to talk to PG down in Bourg St Maurice.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Does anyone know the difference between the US ones and the UK ones. The range on the US radios seems a lot more. I assume you're not supposed to use them in the UK. Anyone know??
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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kiwi1, frequency
the US and Canada ones are on the same or nearly same frequency as the UK emergency services I think, which is why you can't use them over here and soem places in europe
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kiwi1, I know that the UK ones have a EU wide agreed frequency. I would suspect that US ones should not be used in Europe and vice versa.
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You know it makes sense.
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snap 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ahhh. Thanks for that rob and sharon, and Sage.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Mon 4-12-06 17:18; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Perhaps there should be a default Snowheads frequency. So you can see if there are people to avoid near where you are 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Good advice thanks guys, I will probably stick to the Mototrolas then. Usuall end up making calls to arrange lunch as texts can take a long time to get through over there, so always come home to a mobile bill that would buy the radios. Do you find that you end up on the same channel (or whatever they are) as lots of others?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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mjg, it's not usually a problem unless you have the radio on for example channel 1,1
From what i remember they have a main channel and sub channels within each main channel so go for something obscure like 3 - 17 and i usually find it's fairly traffic free.
Alternatively stick to one of the main channels and you can have lots of conversations with people you've never met!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Roger C, that's what I was hoping for!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Roger C wrote: |
| mjgso go for something obscure like 3 - 17 and i usually find it's fairly traffic free. |
Oi, that's my frequency
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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mjg, other people on the same channel isn't a major problem in my experience. Even if it happens, people tend to use w/ts for quick messages, not the mindless jabbering that goes into mobes, so you don't have to wait long.
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Surely somebody has an anecdote something along the lines of meeting their soulmate through an intercepted message on the radio whilst out skiing!
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| mjg wrote: |
| Surely somebody has an anecdote something along the lines of meeting their soulmate through an intercepted message on the radio whilst out skiing! |
I know someone who did through a wrong number on their mobile- they got talking and one thing led to another and they are now married.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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We have Motorolas and Binatones at work, the more recent motorolas (T5622 I think we have - cost a fair bit) don't sound as good as the older ones in terms of vocal clarity. THe older pair (can't remember the number, could be T2100 or something) were much better.
The Binatones, just like their telephones, are pants. They Distort and are muddy sounding. Not sure about range though.
I'd agree with the Motorola Build Quality though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
Is anyone ever concerned about talking over the mountain resuce?
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Good question. But would they use walkie-talkies (French word for them is talkie-walkie, by the way) rather than proper radios (the sort you need a licence for) or mobiles? We have cheapish ones - I think they are Oregon but they are in France and I can't remember. Problem with them is that the charging units don't cut off, which means you can fry them if you leave them too long. That's a pain - it would be much easier to leave them permanently sitting in their base unit. Something worth checking if you buy the cheaper ones.
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Yes, I left my cheap Telcoms too long on the charging unit and fried them! Also, please note that these walkie talkies are not allowed in Switzerland. I usually ski there and had a couple of rude remarks broadcast to me by some Swiss official to get off the line!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
please note that these walkie talkies are not allowed in Switzerland
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We were told that too, when we were in Switzerland at Easter. Something about an accident when a cable car engineer was killed while repairing the cable because a message (from someone on another walkie -talkie) had come through to the engineer who had stopped the cable cars. He restarted the cable cars and.......
Off to Switzerland again on the 28th - mobile phone bill will be high again!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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xenon, vanderstel, I find that a bit dubious - not only do we use our walkie talkies with impunity here, but they're for sale in any half way decent electricals shop
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ok, I have done a bit of research and have found that if the walkie talkie is PMR 446 compliant then it may be used in Switzerland. However, do ensure that you aren't using a frequency that doesn't bother the local officials! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mjg, There was another thread about these European PMR 446 sets and the difference compared to the American standard walkie-talkies here
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Ok, this thread has inspired me to replace my previously fried units. I have just bought the latest Motorola XTR446 with the longest range I have seen advertised for a 446 compliant unit of 8 kilometers. Haven't tested them fully yet to see if they meet that claimed distance, but they do feel like a quality unit. Let's hope this will enable our groups of skiers to keep in touch and meet up for lunch on the slopes!
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FAQ
