 Poster: A snowHead
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A question on behalf of another skier whom I work with.....
Has anyone any experience or recommendations of using two way radios when skiing?
You know the kinda thing - used to keep in contact with one another whilst skiing/in a resort, communicating important decisions - Where are we going for a beer? When's lunch? And generally checking up that everyone's still in one piece!
S&R have some Motorola two way radios, but I wondered if anyone has any recommendations, had encountered any pit falls, have any advice on general usage etc
Thanks folks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There was a thread on this very recently, which a search should unearth. IIRC, the type of W/Ts available in USA but illeagal in Europe are the way to go. I don't think that there was any consensus on what make is best. We have a couple of Motorolas, a couple of Binatone(?) rechargeables and 4 tiny little Tchibo cheapos'; they seem to be as good as each other, although the M'rolas are the easiest to use with gloves on and appear to be the best made (as they should be for the price).
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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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We have both binatones and Motorolas, and some of our group have the '4 tiny cheapos from Tchibo' ones too. Agree that they all seem to be equally as effective, but would say make sure you go for some rechargeable ones with a base charger unit. The first ones we had were ordinary batteries and cost us about £5 a trip just on juice for them. The new ones that are rechargeable are just as good and free!
D
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sleipnir, apocryphally, as every man-and-his-dog has the infernal things now everyone's on the same channel so you're likely to get some russian dude waffling away instead of your buddies - that may be good, may be bad...
If they really must use them, please discourage them from going for any of that 'Convoy' twaddle - nothing worse than having a lovely peaceful mountain moment shattered by some numpty hollering '10-4 Rubber Duck' into what looks like a baby-monitor..
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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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As per red 27, don't use channel 1!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lizzard, yes indeed - and there's always the trusty telephone if all else fails
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Well my walkie talkies save me money as we don't need to use our phones and pay for international calls all week.
Have to agree some people are tw@ttish with them, but those people would be annoying me if they didn't have radios too.
D
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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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Deliaskis, Shrewd of you to make that fiscal saving I guess, but couldn't you just ski, breathe, and take pleasure in this most extraordinary enviroment, enjoying the beauty and majesty of the mountains, pondering on how priveliged we are that nature deigns to grant us access into this, her most hallowed, and fearsome land, without feeling the need to bark chavvy bullsh*t to people you're gonna see in 2 minutes anyway?
....
'over'
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you have kids, it's good (or at least necessary) to be able to establish contact with them from time to time on the slopes. I don't think I'd bother to buy WTs now, since all the family have mobiles (because they're now cheaper) and calling each other is not as pricey as it was. WTs are really only useful if you need to speak a lot and so can save a decent amount on mobile charges; for 1 or 2 calls a day, 'phones make more sense.. Young kids love WTs for messing around purposes, which can be useful.
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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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We always have various different models between us and they all seem to be pretty good, as long as they have to codes as well as the channels, we just set them all to the same eg Channel 7 code 23 and usually have the frquency to ourselves, otherwise it's just a PITA and goes off all the time.
They're much better than phones as they're free to use and if you have people dotted over the mountain, it only takes one conversation to all meet up, rather than I'll phone this person and you phone this person etc.
Although you do feel a bit off a tw@t in large lifts where you're asking the other person to repeat a few times! But on the whole they're great.
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FAQ
Only use them when really nesecarry or when the other person nips to the bathroom you can make rude sounds down it 
