OT: Hand held two way radios.

[Chances R]

During our tractor show I put on a tractor driving competition and other events in the arena. I bought a fairly cheap set of radios and the problem is you cant hear them. Is there any recomendations on radios for me to purchase? Yes I am aware that they can be exspensive.
Thanks.

 

[Walt Davies]

Get one that has an ear plug that will help you hear what the other party is saying.
Walt

 

[Rich Va]

Headsets.

 

[buickanddeere]

The 0.5 watt FMRS is loaded with kids saying hello, hello, hello,la la la, shrieking, making rude sounds and walking over other radio traffic. Playing rap music on a channel is a popular dirty trick too.
I have put a few of the little pricks off their fun by just hitting the alert tone when every time they try another la la la session. Eventually they give up. For other fun they often dial 911 at a pay phone and run away laughing or cause some other trouble instead.
Going to the 5.0 watt GMRS radio system keeps some of the riff-raff off the air as the systems cost a few bucks more than the children's toys fmrs has become.
The GMRS power can be backed off to 0.5 or 1.0W to avoid high battery consumption and walking over other users miles away.
Odds are that ear with the ear-bud crammed into it and having the volume tuned up enough to be heard over tractors. Will be at the very least, ringing after a few hours and hearing damage possible.
A one ear headset & boom mike works well when used with a ear plug in the headset side with the volume cranked up.
Even GMRS is not expensive now. FMRS when 1st introduced were $249.99 per radio. Now they are a two radio package with charger for $49.99. Even my Rino 530 which does FMRS,GMRS & GPS with a colour screen costs little more than a early FMRS radio.
Try to find a radio that uses ordinary AAA or AA batteries. Those propriety ni-cad packs that only fit one manufactures radio & charger are an expensive and usually discharged mistake. At least with AA or AAA batteries any old common alkaline or ni-cad can be used in a pinch.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Check with dealers to see if they rent out units. Our club is able to do that, and we get good quality radios that work.

 

[keh]

See if your local ham radio club would help out. Hand held ham radios work through a local repeater. If you are in a small area, like within 10 miles, the ham radios will work without the repeater.

KEH

 

[old]

Even if you get a set of the high $$ one you will still have the problem of being of hereing them. You need a ear plug type set up and all will be fine. Remember tractors are loud and radios for the most part can't be turned up to be louder then the engine of a tractor
Hobby farm

 

[Krumholz]

The Walmart type are really not too good. You can buy some really dependable (handheld)marine radios that are rechargableamd are easily understood. If you are using them over a period of years they are not all that expensive. Although we nol longer boat I still have mine (at least 20 yrs) and it works fine and we use them while hunting. (

 

[buickanddeere]

The FCC frowns on marine radios being used inland.

 

[IA Roy]

We use Kenwood 15 channel radio's here in the factory for communication. The supervisors and team leaders carry them. If I carry mine on my belt, I can hear that someone is talking, but I have to hold it up near my ear to understand. The team leaders use one that has a mic/speaker on a retractible cord that can be clipped to the shirt and the receiver/power supply is clipped on the belt. Moving the speaker closer to the ear is very helpful. When you go into the office for a meeting, when on full volume, everyone can hear loud and clear. We are required to wear ear plugs because of the constant noise and that makes it harder to understand also.