📻Best walkie talkies and radios for 2020

The walkie-talkie is an excellent assistant that is essential for communication. In a certain situation, human life may depend on this device. Therefore, when buying a walkie-talkie, you need to be careful and look at all the characteristics. Since not all consultants are able to correctly suggest a model for the client's needs, it is better to study this issue on your own.

It seems to some people that in 2020 a walkie-talkie is an outdated piece of electronics that does not deserve human attention. But only one who constantly lives in the city and rarely leaves its limits can think so. If a traveler finds himself in a place where the phone does not pick up, then the radio is the only way to contact the outside world. It may seem that unforeseen situations rarely happen, but they are not. Better to play it safe and buy a device that you may not need than get stuck without one. When buying, it is important to choose the right model.

Kinds

Professional and amateur - these are two classes into which radios are conventionally divided. If the first requires a license, then for amateur devices it is not needed.

Professional ones are used by employees of traffic police, Ministry of Emergency Situations and other services. They need documents and permission to work.

In any of these cases, communication is free, which is one of the important advantages of radio communication.

Tips for choosing

1. The radio station works in a certain range. When buying, it is best to choose a device that simultaneously catches in several frequencies - from two or more. This will affect the scope of application. The cost of such a device is the same, but it will bring much more benefits.
2. Be sure to pay attention to manual configuration. It is necessary so that you can contact other users.
3. An informative display is optional, but it will greatly simplify device setup and use.
4. When buying, you should pay attention to the mount and the case included. The safety of the device depends on this.
5. The less the device weighs, the easier it will be to use. You should not stop choosing large walkie-talkies that weigh more than 300 grams.

How to choose a walkie-talkie for fishing and hunting

A large number of men like to go hunting or fishing to remote places. In order to take care of your safety, you need to purchase a device that will have the following properties:

• Good quality case. It is important that the appliance does not stop working due to slight impact or falling. This can happen in an emergency.
• Small size. In this case, the device can be taken with you, and it will not take up much space.
• Low weight. A hunter and a fisherman have many basic and additional accessories, if the device is heavy, it will cause unnecessary inconvenience.
• Eavesdropping protection. So other hunters will not be able to listen and find out which place is better to choose for this hobby.
• Protected against splashing water or immersion in water if necessary.
• A good battery inside that will last for a long time.
• Volume control.
• Easy battery change.It is best to have a spare battery with you at all times. This is true for models with a battery capacity of up to 1000 mAh.

The more additional functions the device has, the higher the cost will be. Not all of them are necessary, so some can be discarded. An example of a feature that has little or no benefit is voice encryption. If a person does not hunt in a secret or forbidden place, then you can choose a device without eavesdropping protection.

When buying a device for a region without water bodies, splash protection is completely optional. It is better to choose a more budgetary option, which will not have this feature.

Hunting and fishing are quite extreme sports, so it is imperative to pay attention to the non-shockproof housing. So the device will retain its appearance and performance longer.

Recommended rates are UHF 400-520 MHz and VHF 136-174 MHz. Power - 5-6 W. These parameters will be enough to avoid getting lost in the forest. But for reassurance, it is better to buy a device with a removable antenna, then it can be changed to a more powerful one. This is to improve the signal.

How to choose a walkie-talkie for a car

Most often, motorists use radio stations. They need a device to communicate between truckers as well as taxi drivers. This helps communicate basic information about the job. The main indicator is long SW waves of 27 MHz. Power - from 7 to 10 W. A prerequisite is the presence of an AM modulator, which provides good communication outside the city.

Another use case is communication with public catering located along the road. This is how they report free places and opening hours.

But for communication in the city it is better to choose an FM modulator, because the main communication problem is interference. The second criterion to pay attention to is the number of channels. There should be no less than 200 of them. It is better to choose the model with the largest number of channels. The recommended power is at least 10 W. This indicator is necessary in order to take the order on time. This will determine which of the drivers will be able to receive the order.

How to choose a walkie-talkie for communication in the mountains

What is a walkie-talkie for in the mountains? Many users ask this question. Skiers ride well-equipped pistes, but each has its own speed and pace. In order to be able to contact friends, you need a walkie-talkie. The phone is not always convenient, because it may not pick up the connection, and some models switch off from low temperatures. Another reason to give up your phone is the high cost and the potential for damage if dropped.

The radio for communication in the mountains should work at a short distance - 3-5 km. If a person cannot find his partners among a large number of people, then he can contact using such an electronic device. LPD / PMR devices that do not require paperwork are suitable for this purpose. For communication, just press one button. It is convenient to do this even with ski gloves on.

What parameters should be considered when choosing

• Light weight and small size. The smaller the radio, the more comfortable it will be to ride with it.
• Ease of use.
• Required power. If the distance between skiers is small, then 1-5 watts is enough. If you choose this indicator within 10 W, then the battery will drain very quickly. For communication in the mountains at a distance of 20-30 km, 40-50 W models should be chosen.
• Shockproof casing that will protect against impact.

How to choose a walkie-talkie for a hike

If a group of tourists get together on a bike trip, then they will need a connection. This is especially true for a long trip in several countries. Buying a new SIM card is expensive, and all the money can be spent on roaming. A budget option for such a case is to buy a walkie-talkie. Each of the participants will then be able to move at their own speed and not worry that they will get lost in an unfamiliar area. To communicate with your comrades, you can use a microphone, which must be pre-built into the helmet, and without stopping the movement, find out where they are. The radio itself can be in the backpack at this time.Making phone calls on the road is not always convenient. This could lead to an accident.

Also, radio communication can be used for hiking with backpacks in the forest or desert. This is a convenient option for any trip. You can choose the most budgetary option with LPD / PMR. The power of such a device is 0.5 V. For a short distance (3-5 km), this is quite enough. Models with higher power can be selected if required.

What to look for when choosing

• Compactness;
• Ease;
• High build quality.

The choice of radio stations is very large today, so when choosing it is better to study the most popular models that are recommended by users.

Top manufacturers

There are several brands to look out for when buying a radio communication device.

1. Motorola is in the first place in popularity. For a long time that they are on the market, they were able to gain the trust of a large number of users. Today they are the leader in the production of devices that are responsible for communication.
2. In second place is Megajet. The company has been present on the Russian market for a long time. You can see not only budget models, but also the luxury segment. It all depends on the characteristics of the device. Customers note reliability and functionality. Country of origin - Korea.
3. Midland is the best option for a taxi. The company is known for its amateur radios for any purpose.

Other tested options are Roger, Yaesu, Icom, and Vega.

You should not buy devices from little-known companies.

The best models of walkie-talkies and radios for 2020

Baofeng UV-5R

In the first place of our rating - a popular model that hunters and fishermen like - this is the Baofeng UV-5R. The number of radios in the kit is one. When ordering, you can specify the desired color - black, yellow, red, blue. This option is ideal for communication between two or more people in nature.

There is a display showing frequencies, a small keyboard and an earpiece. Conveniently, this model has a flashlight. It does not shine very brightly, but it can come in handy.

The kit contains instructions in English that will help you understand the settings. And also a charger, antenna, clothespin, earphone and loop for convenience. The size of the radium together with the antenna is 25 cm.

The device is charged using the base, which is very convenient.

The power is 5 V, so the device works at a distance of up to 5-10 km. In the forest, this figure drops to 3 km. Operating time without battery (1800 mAh) about 12 hours. Number of channels - 128. Weight - 250 grams.

Baofeng is a well-known company that is in demand. The radio can also be used for security or on vacation.

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TurboSky T3

In second place in the ranking is the portable radio station, which has been in demand since 2015. It has 16 channels, a frequency range of 400-470 MHz and a power of 5 W.

The set includes a user manual, battery, docking station, antenna and clip. The battery is distinguished by its capacity - 1800 MAh. Weight - only 220 grams.

There is a noise cancellation system that provides excellent interference-free performance.

The average price is 4500 rubles.

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Comrade r6

In third place in the rating is a professional walkie-talkie, which has a high power. As a result, it provides effective long-distance communication. Power - up to 7 watts, which is more than similar devices. Programmable channels - 16.

The Comrade R6 has a built-in scrambler. It is needed so that no one can listen to the conversation. The device works even in bad weather and cold, in contrast to the walkie-talkie of a cheaper segment.

The control of the device is very simple and setup does not take much time. Everything is intuitive.

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Motorola TLKR-T41

Portable amateur radio Motorola TLKR-T41 differs in budget cost and quality. The set includes 2 radios, 2 mounts, instructions and a warranty. The device is in demand among active tourists and extreme lovers who do not like to sit on the couch.

The sound signal is high quality thanks to the noise canceling function. 8 levels of adjustment. There is channel scanning and monitoring. All necessary information is displayed on the screen. The range is 3-4 km.

If desired, you can choose a melody from the five options offered by the manufacturer.

The average price is 1900 rubles.

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TEREK RK-401

A favorite accessory for many is the TEREK RK-401 radio. It is protected from rain, snow and dust. If necessary, it can be immersed in water for 30 minutes.

The battery capacity is 3270 mAh, which is much higher than that of analogs. Power - 10 W, which provides a range of 15 km. Number of channels - 16. Weight - 230 g. The radio station is specially designed for use in the most difficult extreme situations and rescue missions.

The average price is 8500 rubles. Service life - 5 years.

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MIDLAND GXT-1000

One of the best radio stations according to users is the MIDLAND GXT-1000. It should be noted that the device is reliable. Even in difficult weather conditions, the device picks up the signal well and does not distort the sound.

The peculiarity of the model is that you can set up group codes and communicate with users by ID. It can be either one person or a small group.

The set includes not only 2 radio stations, but also headphones with a microphone. The range is up to 15-16 km.

There is a voice activation that simplifies the work of this model. The range is extended because the antenna has been improved.

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The walkie-talkie in 2020 is an actual device that is used both in the city and beyond. Before buying, you need to determine the purpose that the radio station should fulfill and study the basic parameters. Since there are free frequencies, the purchase of this device is considered budgetary.