Walkie Talkies

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Walkie Talkies

JZM

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#226137 22-Dec-2017 07:20

I am looking at getting - https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/phones-and-gps/gps-navigation-satnav/walkie-talkies/c12704-c14153-cHandheldRadio-p1.html However I am concerned how they will work within a concrete building of around 10 levels

Regards,

Jess McKenzie

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#1923493 22-Dec-2017 07:59

I think you are just going to have to try it. You might get lucky and the signal will bounce off a neighbouring building and give a good result. The sub-$100 models are basically toys and the AAA batteries last only a day - I've had more than one set.

The Uniden 820 series might be your best bet, especially with the replaceable lithium batteries, but I've not tried anything other than the cheapies personally.

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Wheelbarrow01

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#1923496 22-Dec-2017 08:05

I'm no expert, but I'd imagine higher wattage equals better range and building penetration. Either way, I'd probably go for a pair of the more expensive 2 watt models (or the $699 5 watt jobbies of you have the cash)

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shk292

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#1923499 22-Dec-2017 08:10

I'd say you'd be extremely lucky to get any success with those cheap ones - and as said above, feeding them with AAAs will get old very quickly.

I have some of the UH515s, they have the advantage of being rechargeable but the maximum range is well down from that stated and is very dependent on obstructions - even trees have quite a marked effect. I'd go for the most powerful sets you can stretch your budget to, if you want to use in a building

kryptonjohn

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#1923502 22-Dec-2017 08:11

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

tdgeek

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#1923505 22-Dec-2017 08:18

kryptonjohn:

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

Dang. I thought I'd get the $75 twin pack as toys for two young kids in our extended family, for in and around the house playing. There were two reviews that were good. No good for that?

shk292

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#1923506 22-Dec-2017 08:22

tdgeek:

kryptonjohn:

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

Dang. I thought I'd get the $75 twin pack as toys for two young kids in our extended family, for in and around the house playing. There were two reviews that were good. No good for that?

That's what I bought the UH515 twin pack for. They're OK - work between our house and the boy's friends up the road, but reception gets dodgy more than 200m away in an urban environment. Just around your own house, the cheaper ones would probably be OK

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Jase2985

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#1923507 22-Dec-2017 08:25

kryptonjohn:

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

not quiet, we can normally get them to work from the upper deck to inside the ship and a few decks down. and within the ships on the same deck most of the way throughout the ship.

but we are using these:
https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_xp/products/two-way-radios/portable/discontinued-products/professional-conventional-series/gp328.html#tabproductinfo

@tdgeek They will work fine around your standard wooden and brick houses for kids and playing around, even colour steel buildings

tdgeek

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#1923509 22-Dec-2017 08:26

shk292:

tdgeek:

kryptonjohn:

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

Dang. I thought I'd get the $75 twin pack as toys for two young kids in our extended family, for in and around the house playing. There were two reviews that were good. No good for that?

That's what I bought the UH515 twin pack for. They're OK - work between our house and the boy's friends up the road, but reception gets dodgy more than 200m away in an urban environment. Just around your own house, the cheaper ones would probably be OK

Thanks. Made for rugged NZ and Australian conditions, so they MAY be suitable for these two boys!!

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#1923523 22-Dec-2017 08:57

Seriously, go talk to a proper radio supplier - my father worked at the Sheraton Auckland years ago, and they bought some decent (ie: money wise) units for the staff with extra chargers, batteries, headsets etc...... staff gave up on them, were lucky to work across one floor let alone between. I've got about a dozen of the units at home because they were being thrown out.

You'll be looking at decent money though for a good solution.

Cheaper option if possible, Wifi AP's, and use an app on mobile phones.

XPD / Gavin

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#1923560 22-Dec-2017 09:40

Jase2985:

kryptonjohn:

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

not quiet, we can normally get them to work from the upper deck to inside the ship and a few decks down. and within the ships on the same deck most of the way throughout the ship.

but we are using these:
https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_xp/products/two-way-radios/portable/discontinued-products/professional-conventional-series/gp328.html#tabproductinfo

@tdgeek They will work fine around your standard wooden and brick houses for kids and playing around, even colour steel buildings

Difference being they are 4W (the max) vs .2-.5 as the link has :) (and the commercials tend to use better more specific front end and crystal vs sw programmed chip)

My chip-based 4W can do ~10k with a bit of height/external antenna. But like anything that chances with penetration and wall structure

Wheelbarrow01

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Chorus

#1923593 22-Dec-2017 10:46

tdgeek:

kryptonjohn:

My experience is that UHF devices are line of sight.

Dang. I thought I'd get the $75 twin pack as toys for two young kids in our extended family, for in and around the house playing. There were two reviews that were good. No good for that?

The cheap ones will be fine for kids to use around the house. I have a set of Uniden cheapies which my mates and I use when we are driving down to our holiday home in convoy. We can talk to each other from quite a distance away on a straight road (even with a few trucks etc between us), but as soon as there is a decent sized hill in between us it drops off.

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ResponseMediaNZ

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#1923595 22-Dec-2017 10:48

JZM:

I am looking at getting - https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/phones-and-gps/gps-navigation-satnav/walkie-talkies/c12704-c14153-cHandheldRadio-p1.html However I am concerned how they will work within a concrete building of around 10 levels

Whats the solution you need them for? you might be better off going away from a Free channel and moving into the commercial space with LMR Radios

JZM

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#1923596 22-Dec-2017 10:52

Its for communication between cleaners within a couple of buildings that are solid

Regards,

Jess McKenzie

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ResponseMediaNZ

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#1923598 22-Dec-2017 10:54

I would be looking at commercial space.

you can pick up some good priced LMR Radios for just that purpose that will work between floors and you wont have to be annoyed by other people using the shared channels.

What area you in?