I know this has been discussed within certain threads but I thought I would start a seperate one. I am shopping for a 2-way radio before Sunday's run and want to make sure I purchase the correct one. What is the minimum features I should be looking for? I have seen them at Target but was not sure if they were correct. What brands do you all recommend?

Thanks you Miniacs

 

I have a pair of Panasonic FRS radios and a pair of Cobra GMRS radios. The Panasonics were much more expensive than the Cobras. The GMRS radios get better range (because they have the higher power channels), but also eat the batteries a lot faster. The Panasonics have much clearer signal. Generally, you gets what you pay for. But for a club drive with all the road noise going on, anything will do. Pretty well all of them will give you at least 1/2 mile range, enough for the last car in a line to keep in touch with the first car.

 

Do any of the two-way radios have a car charger included?

 

I forget what model Midlands I have, but they came with the headset, desktop charger and the car charger.

My radio lasted all day sunday without being plugged in, but that could be cuz I just listen and don't talk much.

 

Mine last all day too with lots of talking.

 

You want to make sure that any radio you purchase is a FRS/GMRS radio. These are higher power radios and have longer distance ranges. These are the radios that have 22 main channels, and 22 sub channels. it is the SUB channels you really want to make sure it has. I have seen them a lot of places. I would like to have one that pugs in to the lighter. I may have to go searching.

Our Motorola ones came with bases to charge..so we don't have to go through batteries. A suggestion to anyone who has radios with batteries...bring an extra set!

 

Watch for sales at places such as Big 5 Sporting Goods if you have one in your area.. We got our set of 2 Cobra receivers with the charging stand and built in batteries and are very happy with them. The original sticker was over $130 (ha ha) but I think we paid about $40 for the set since they were out of another model that they offered on sale.

Good Luck. These are getting more popular and inexpensive all the time.

Standard MINI channels are

Channel 7 Sub 21
Channel 21 Sub 7

So be sure that the set at least offers these.

If you have a very VOCAL club, these can make the runs a lot more fun!


Jim

 

Yes, the high-end Midland models do (GXT800VP4 and GXT850VP4). I just bought some from Amazon - here. Be aware though, it is exactly that - a car charger. Meaning that you can plug your radio charger in to the cigarette lighter. Not the radio itself. Yes, I was disappointed. Yep, the ones above.Yeah, listening doesn't consume anywhere near the battery that talking does!What model? Also, what transmission level? 0.5W, 2W? 5W? It makes a HUGE difference!More so the former than the latter. 7/21 is the "MINI standard", used most frequently and most often by MINI clubs (and at MINI events) nationwide. However, some clubs & events do their own thing (as always!).

DCMM uses 7/21 exclusively on runs, although we do have 22/22 set up as a "DCMM only" channel at MOTD. Most people end up just using 7/21 anyway.

 

Mine are the GXT600 set that radioshack.com was selling for $40 on clearance or something.

I've used em with the club and on roadtrips for about a year now. No problems thus far.

 

I just found this website and was looking at a few of their radios. The handful that i looked at didn't say anything about subchannels. Am i missing something?
http://www.buytwowayradios.com/Produ...x?SortBy=Price

Thanks.

 

I believe the sub channels are also called privacy channels. Please chime in if I am incorrect.

 

Hmm... i'll try to look for those but i dont remember seeing anything w/ "privacy channels" either...

Thanks!

 

I actually just checked that website and they are called privacy codes. You should see the total of 22 channels listed first and then something like privacy codes or interference eliminator (privacy) codes per channel. It looks like different manufactures call then by different names. Hopefully this helps.

 

One thing I used for the first time on the April 6th Spring Fling run was a ear piece/microphone that plugs into the headset jack on the radio.

It made monitoring the radio traffic A LOT easier without having the radio volume cranked up. That way I could also have my stereo playing in the background and even have my windows open and not miss what was going on.

The push-to-talk microphone clipped to my collar so I wasn't having to grab for the radio for the few times I had something to say.

I found mine at Radio Shack for a few bucks.

 

It does. Thanks!