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Thread ID: 86628 2008-01-23 02:51:00 UHF radios, RTs, walkie talkies ... help needed Oggy (5399) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
633043 2008-01-24 19:28:00 Thanks SJ. 16 miles is very good, even 5 miles in the city or through trees and hills would be fine with me. Here in NZ there are now many small cheap UHF hand helds available, such as $50 each or others on sale for $100 for four. These are rated at a maximum 3 km line of sight but in the city or forests 200 - 500 meters is typical.

Apparently your units transmit at 462 MHz. In NZ this is D Band R/T [461.800 -464.550] which is business radio (that is getting less use due to cellphones) and incorporates repeaters. Strictly speaking, using a USA 462 MHz unit in NZ would be illegal but in practice I doubt if anyone would notice unless it causes interference to business R/T.
Morpheus1 (186)
633044 2008-01-25 00:29:00 Apparently your units transmit at 462 MHz. In NZ this is D Band R/T [461.800 -464.550] which is business radio (that is getting less use due to cellphones) and incorporates repeaters. Strictly speaking, using a USA 462 MHz unit in NZ would be illegal but in practice I doubt if anyone would notice unless it causes interference to business R/T.

Just keep in motion...makes it harder to get an RDF fix on you.
SurferJoe46 (51)
633045 2008-01-25 04:07:00 Just keep in motion...makes it harder to get an RDF fix on you.

:D :lol:

Been thinking - hell, I'd be happy with ONE mile in the city or forested area. SJ, have you tried those units somewhere with buildings?
Morpheus1 (186)
633046 2008-01-25 04:47:00 I have used them as security communication in very large stadiums in Jack Murphy San Diego and the Civic Auditorium in Long Beach . . . no problem punching thru the walls with all the rebar and cement .

They seem to get all over the place very well . . . I don't believe the actual structure of the building has much interference value for the freqs involved .

I can even use them most places in the low power mode and still get thru OK .
High power is just a lot of overkill except in the woods and forests etc .

The Tone-Call feature seems to be the most powerful . . . must be the priority .

They run on 3 AAA-lithium rechargeable cells each .

I have an older set of RadioShack FRS radios that seem to have a little more power . . and cleaner sound . . . but they are 4 AAA cells . Never tried to see the range of them . . but they work just fine thru buildings too .
SurferJoe46 (51)
633047 2008-01-26 03:25:00 UHF handhelds work over a "reasonable" distance . More power gives more possible range, but it all depends . ;)

PRS sets should be OK for your few hundred metres . . . especially 5W models . Propagation inside buildings can be erratic . . . UHF does seem to go around corners better than VHF, but you'll just have to experiment . Going through a repeater might be helpful in non-emergency situations, but in an emergency repeaters tend to become busy .

Do not follow up Joe's suggestion . Those sets won't be approved for use under the PRS General User Licence in NZ . They probably aren't approved for use without a licence in the US either . I'm surprised at the contempt people show for the laws of the land here . Maybe it's macho bravado; perhaps they feel safe advising other people to commit offences .

You will be testing the sets periodically, and using them in test evacuations; not in life-threatening emergencies, which might allow use of any means of communication . The Infringement Fee for a "body corporate" for using a radio transmitter other than in accordance with a radio licence, a general user licence . . . is $1250 . Your management won't be impressed with "Joe told me to do it" as an excuse .
Graham L (2)
633048 2008-01-26 04:15:00 Joe says: This is a NZ site . . . if they are selling illegal radios . . . then it's their problems . . . I'm just the messenger here . . . but Cobra is an INTERNATIONAL company .

. cobra . com/index . cfm?fuseaction=support . countrysearch" target="_blank">www . cobra . com
SurferJoe46 (51)
633049 2008-01-26 07:42:00 I don't believe that is a NZ site. Just because it is accessible from Google NZ doesn't mean it is a NZ site.

According to their website the only Cobra products available in NZ is their marine range.

But still, Thats a bit harsh on Joe isn't it Graham?
noone (22)
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