In all honesty, we struggled to test them at this long distance, but when we tried them at a 3km range the reception was crystal clear. The first thing you notice about the Cobra AM1055 FLT‘s when you have them in your hand is how chunky and formidable they feel, despite their light weight. NiMH batteries are renowned for providing the radio with the enough power to transmit signal over the greatest distance. Unfortunately, a lot of them are not really worth the money you pay for them and you might find that they have very short range, pick up a lot of interference, and break very easily. Key functions include hands-free talking and an emergency alarm that can alert everyone at once, both of which are ideal features for a security-related application, a likely common scenario with this hardware.

They are usually much cheaper than licensed walkie talkies but don’t offer the same level of range, privacy and security.Vox is built in, and a MURS-V1 edition (see glossary below) is available which might better suit local regulations. With the supplied headset in place it makes using the VOX voice activation mode all that much easier, and the USB port means that charging can be done via the mains using a mobile phone charger, straight from your car, your computer or laptop, and a power bank. This system is really handy for when you’re on the job, and have your hands full or preoccupied, as you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to speak to someone. When looking for a walkie talkie to use on a construction site, you need it to have a few specific features, namely- to be hard wearing and have shock resistance, a good reception even in the presence of walls and other obstacles, and good battery life.

The height of the antennas on both transmitting and receiving radios can affect the range, as higher antennas allow for a clearer line of sight and improved signal propagation. Licence-free radios or PMR446 radios are the perfect option if you want to enjoy the multiple features offered by Walkie Talkies, while also saving money. Although reception was OK, we did experience some quiet background static when using these and struggled to get a decent signal at the suggested maximum of 200m. They are especially useful when going out into the wild with kids, you know, those little people who have the terrifying tendency to wander off when you’re not looking. The battery will last for 24 hours at a full charge, so you can keep in contact for an entire day of adventures, and wind and background noise reduction technology keeps the communication clear in all conditions.

The instructions recommend using these outdoors when in sight of each other, for the clearest reception, and although our testers were able to hear each other well, there was a faint, high-pitch whistle in the background when we tested these out. Product specifications Channels: 22 Sub-code: CTCSS 99 tones(Each channels with 99 privacy codes) Range: Up to 3 miles (Open field) Battery: each one 3 x 1. You can tuck the body of the device away in a pocket or pack and clip the radio to your pack’s straps, which makes chatting more appealing than reaching to the belt all the time. It’s a great way to give your older children a little sense of freedom as they explore the great outdoors at a safe distance from you, while still in contact. The European equivalent of FRS, PMR stands for Private Mobile Radio and covers 16 channels around 446MHz.