 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone know some decent 2 way radios to use in ski resorts (just for playing about / keep track of skiers in the group)?
I've seen some fairly reasonably priced ones but the range is only 3km and not sure how effective some of the others 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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All this talk you see on range is baloney, Basically the range varies, but if you are on a mountain top with nothing in the way the range becomes much more. But in a built up area it can be 500 yards.
We use Cobra UK spec ones and they are great for keeping in touch on the slopes.
Dont be fooled into buying American spec ones on e-bay, you will NOT get a better range, and if caught using them 
Google PMR446 and you will find loads on the topic and subject. PMR446 are European spec radio's
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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DennisPennis, er that includes the aerial,....... we use them all the time, with nothing in the way and on top of the mountain have had a range as far as over 4 km. They are cheaper than mobiles. The cross talk from others you get can be a bit of a pain at times, as lots of people use them.
with your user name....your not a troll are you??  if not welcome to snowheads!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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DennisPennis,
The American ones off ebay are as good if not better as you will not get any cross chatter, being the only ones using them.
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How long would you have to talk on your radio to save £70 of phone bill?
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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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aren't the American ones also illegal, potentially using frequencies used by emergency services, etc.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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DennisPennis, 200mins would cover me for about seven/eight years I think.
My phone works underwater too 
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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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I've had a pair about 5 years, don't think I've ever really used them.
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DennisPennis, Don't be fooled by that. The range is the exact same as the ones Timbobaggins, has recommended.
They each have 0.5 watt transmitting power.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Key thing to remember is that range is line-of-sight. If there is part of the planet between you (e.g. one at the top, one at the bottom, of a convex slope) you'll likely hear zilch.
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Poster: A snowHead
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i've had some motorolas and some chines copies for a number of years and they do work but as others have pointed out, range is limited to line of sight, but they have proved useful in les arcs/la plagne and espace killy when moving around in a group especially of mixed ability where some may take a nasty tumble, and necessitate a stop to get them to catch up .
i've found them most useful when everyone in the group has used the earpiece option so they hear if anyone says anything
i also have a couple of chinese copies off ebay that are good (were a bit more than 0.5w transmit power) but not so robust, the accesoriies such as mikes and earpieces are all motorola and kenwood clones from ebay but seem as good as the real ones
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| Colin B wrote: |
| I've had a pair about 5 years, don't think I've ever really used them. |
Used 'em for a couple of years, but after the novelty wears off, it's all a bit of a faff. Usage may also have dropped off because the kids got big enough to look after themselves in the event of most eventualities.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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DennisPennis, One thing to bear in mind is that the American Family Radio System (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios that you linked to use frequencies that are not approved for that use in Europe, strictly speaking it is illegal to use them in Europe and more importantly they can interfere with the approved users on those bands (eg in the UK that includes the Fire Service, see this).
As Timbobaggins said earlier, in Europe the approved 2 way radios use the pmr446 standard.
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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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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
DennisPennis, One thing to bear in mind is that the American Family Radio System (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios that you linked to use frequencies that are not approved for that use in Europe, strictly speaking it is illegal to use them in Europe and more importantly they can interfere with the approved users on those bands (eg in the UK that includes the Fire Service, see this).
As Timbobaggins said earlier, in Europe the approved 2 way radios use the pmr446 standard.
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Strange that Amazon would be selling them...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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DennisPennis, Not really, it's legal to sell certain items in the UK that are illegal to use here - after all you could be intending to use them in the US.
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It is legal to buy and own american spec radios in the UK. It is not however legal to use them, in UK or Europe.
FRS is the American version of our PMR446. Both work at 0.5 watts max power
GMRS is American and you can get them on e-bay up to 20 watts ( most will work on both frs and gmrs )
Now people think that the more watts the more range, Not necessarily true, a lot depends on the Frequency used. PMR446 happens to use a good frequency band.
If i stand on top of the mountain overlooking my ski resort with a clear line of sight with nothing in the way, i can call and recieve a friend in that resort even if it is 5-10 miles away depending on atmospheric conditions with both a UK spec and an American spec radio. If there is a huge mountain in the way or a large building, neither will work.
If you get caught using FRS/GMRS in UK or Europe be prepared for a large fine and a criminal record. Also you will naff up the emergency services.
If you are wondering that only 8 channels on UK spec is not enough, the better radios such as Cobra have 32 sub channels ( CTSS ) which is a coded squelch, which helps to reduce chatter. So i set my radio to 8/31 and you have yours at 8/29 we cannot talk to each other.
As said the best way to look at these walkie talkie is line of sight radio. There are European records where a PMR446 was used on top of Ben Nevis and was talking to a Dutch person in Holland, again atmospherics. If you really want the low down look at a web site called PMR446 User, you will find it on google
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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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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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Thanks - I can pick up the Cobra MT200 for about 30 euros, MT600 for a bout 35: they PMR446?
The MT800s are so can only assume the same - can't get the spec on the cobra site
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MT 200 do NOT have the sub channels MT600 do
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You know it makes sense.
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DennisPennis, I purchased that very same Amazon offer you linked to. A pair of T7s for £67.50. I've found them above complaint and used them several times in the snowy mountains and summer pastures. The size is slightly on the large size, but I've been let down in tricky situations by a smaller unit PMR-505TX are brilliant but one lost its squelch after 3 seasons and the other could only transmit 1 second after 4 seasons.
Probably having an edge over the T7, and certainly more compact, is theTTi TX-1446 reviewed here: http://www.transmission1.co.uk/2006/06/tti-tx-1446-pmr-handheld-radio-review/
Both the T7 and TX-1446 do DCS sub-channels (but code them differently - refer to manuals)
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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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altis, If I'd known about the Intek MT-5050 PMR I would have bought it for sure. Looks like just the ticket!
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