Two Way Radios

WindyChuffer

WindyChuffer

Registered user
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
3,866
Reaction score
0
Location
Londinium
I want to buy a pair of 2 way radios that I can use on the bike and also for skiing. I want to use them in the UK as well as Europe, but the trouble is that the US uses a slightly different frequency to Europe.

Does anyone know of a 2 way radio that supports both - i.e. switchable between Europe PMR 446 MHz and USA FRS 462-467 Mhz frequencies?

Anyone got any tips?

Ta
 
Not sure its possible to get a leagal two way radio for all European countries.
 
If you are only going to use them in Europe including the UK why would you need US FRS frequencies? The PMR 446 standard is in use more or less throughout the EU with some very minor variations in one or two countries.
 
Perhaps I'm mis-understanding your question, but your radios will work anywhere. They are not like mobile phones which need to connect to masts, they transmit their own signal, hence the two mile range. if you have two radios, they will work in Europe and USA, I have no idea if they will be legal in USA tho'
 
If you are using the PMRs via a Starcom/Autocom amp - then I would recommend going for one of the better-known brands in UK - i.e. Cobra.
The Push To Talk connection varies from radio to radio, so you need to make sure that the PTT will work with the amp.

I doubt if European PMR frequencies are illegal in US, but at the price of US ones over there - why not just get a pair there? Or check out Ebay US for a pair? Can't be any more than $50 for a pair.

As long as you are only planning on talking between the two European PMRs- just take them with you to the USA.

Al :D
 
WindyChuffer said:
I want to buy a pair of 2 way radios that I can use on the bike and also for skiing. I want to use them in the UK as well as Europe, but the trouble is that the US uses a slightly different frequency to Europe.

Does anyone know of a 2 way radio that supports both - i.e. switchable between Europe PMR 446 MHz and USA FRS 462-467 Mhz frequencies?

Anyone got any tips?

Ta
Click to expand...

Sorry, a typo on my part. I am after a radio that will work in UK, Europe & USA. Europe has standardised on one set of frequencies, and the USA on another. The USA were first with their FRS system (Family Radio Service), Europe tried to adopt this but couldn't as parts of the FRS radio spectrum were already in use. hence the different frequencies. The European system is referred to as PMR (private mobile radio).

The only differences between FRS & PMR are the frequencies, and it seems that the products sold for both are the same. Its just that they are factory set for the market they are sold in and as far as I can make out, cant be changed. Its a bit like DVD players - they are set for their regions, but they can be re-programmed to make them multi-region...

Of course a radio will work anywhere, but it is not necessarily legal.... The yanks can be pretty punitive....don't want to get barred from their country...expecially with such a weak dollar !

Now to find a radio that has a switch for US Mode, and a switch for Europe Mode...
 
WindyChuffer said:
Sorry, a typo on my part. I am after a radio that will work in UK, Europe & USA. Europe has standardised on one set of frequencies, and the USA on another. The USA were first with their FRS system (Family Radio Service), Europe tried to adopt this but couldn't as parts of the FRS radio spectrum were already in use. hence the different frequencies. The European system is referred to as PMR (private mobile radio).

The only differences between FRS & PMR are the frequencies, and it seems that the products sold for both are the same. Its just that they are factory set for the market they are sold in and as far as I can make out, cant be changed. Its a bit like DVD players - they are set for their regions, but they can be re-programmed to make them multi-region...

Of course a radio will work anywhere, but it is not necessarily legal.... The yanks can be pretty punitive....don't want to get barred from their country...expecially with such a weak dollar !

Now to find a radio that has a switch for US Mode, and a switch for Europe Mode...
Click to expand...

I don't think there is such a thing. If you bought a more expensive professional radio eg ICOM you might be able to reprogramme the frequencies if you had the right software, cable and expertise. You would as another poster suggested probably find it much easier and cheaper just to buy some FRS radios in the USA.
 
To be legal, a PMR446 radio CANNOT be switched to frequencies other than the eight nominated. So no such device will be available.

For skiing, I use the Motorola 5412 on a lanyard.

Avoid using the old FRS radios. Every Johnnie has one and you'll end up with all sorts of cross-chatter.

If I was skiing in the States, I'd also take my 446s. I think that you'd have the airways to yourself.

Greg
 
WindyChuffer said:
I want to buy a pair of 2 way radios that I can use on the bike and also for skiing. I want to use them in the UK as well as Europe, but the trouble is that the US uses a slightly different frequency to Europe.

Does anyone know of a 2 way radio that supports both - i.e. switchable between Europe PMR 446 MHz and USA FRS 462-467 Mhz frequencies?

Anyone got any tips?

Ta
Click to expand...
If you are buying a pair of raios surely they will work with each other no matter where you are as there are no other signals involved :nenau

I must be missing something here..

AndyT :cool:
 
AndyT said:
If you are buying a pair of raios surely they will work with each other no matter where you are as there are no other signals involved :nenau

I must be missing something here..

AndyT :cool:
Click to expand...

You are right and you are wrong. Of course, radios will work anywhere, and theres no technical reason why a UK radio cant be used in the States. Its a matter of whether its legal to use them (and responsible to do so - e.g. you dont want to be interfering with the emergency services).
 
Maplins are currently offering a pair of rechargable 446 radios for £24.99 complete with lanyards, batteries, recharger etc.

Perfect for skiing.

Link

Greg
 
I have 4 cobras that I use on the bike as an intercom and use them to ski with the family in New England past 2 years without any problems! If they are using a different frequency then thats great cos they dont interfere with me :D This was a big problem in France with all the froggy kids yapping all day :eek: We also used them to talk between cars on the drive through Boston - now how cool is that :p

Mermoto
 
If there is another 7/7 type thingy and the mobile frequencies get switched off, we've got these really cool radios that look like big Nokias so we can all keep in contact.
Don't know what type of signal they use but they're dead clear.
 
I use a pair of cobra PMR446 walkie talkie that I got from maplins - use them skiiing and for bike to bike. I also bought the headsets from maplins but they didnt work at all well - I have returned two pairs to them for being faulty already so not recommended.

The walkie talkies are pretty cheap - why not just buy two sets. One for the US and one for Europe.
 
"A friend of mine" bought 4 motorola T5500s in USA. THey are switchable between legal FRS frequencies and licence-only frequencies which are higher power. (1W vs 0.5W). THis means that if found on you in the usa, you could claim to be using the legal frequency only. In europe, you have the airwaves all to yourself altho it's illegal. I checked (for my friend!): in the UK, the frequencies it uses are empty, so you're not interfering with anyone. THey look like any old UK legal motorola, so the chances of getting caught are v small
 
Butler said:
If there is another 7/7 type thingy and the mobile frequencies get switched off, we've got these really cool radios that look like big Nokias so we can all keep in contact.
Don't know what type of signal they use but they're dead clear.
Click to expand...

I found out now. They are Satelite 'Airwave' radios.
 
Depends what you budget is but if you are looking for quality then drop Kenwood, Yaesu and Icom a line. They all have UK offices (contact details on the web) and I have found all to be very helpful with this sort of query in the past. They operate in the global market and thus can advise on the legal frequency ranges in each of the countries you're visiting and, of course, they can suggest which of their products may fit your needs.

Go on...give them a go...
 
Kenwood radios

I've learned a few things about the Kenwood Freetalk XL, also known as the TK-3101, radios.

They make a PMR version for Europe and a FRS/GMRS for the US. Both are programmable but, I found out, there are different limits for each version.

I picked up two US radios and two UK radios to outfit a group of riders and was planning to program them all to FRS/GMRS.

Turns out that that the US FRS/GMRS version can be programmed to PMR frequencies and inter-operate with PMR radios.

The PMR version CANNOT be programmed outside the PMR band and cannot be made to inter-operate with the FRS/GMRS radios.

I've tried, to no avail, to find a way to set up the PMR version radios for GMRS and will be selling them since they can't be made to function legally in the US.

So, the US version of the radios, along with the proper programming cable and software, could be made to do what want.

Let me know if you want more information.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

ymfb
Coast to coast
Replies
10
Views
1,701
ymfb
ymfb
spm0912
Bike to Bike radios +Bluetooth
Replies
8
Views
3,499
jimbo
jimbo
Big Derek
Changing to Blue Tooth Mmmm
Replies
10
Views
2,858
madmechanic
madmechanic
Spain and Morocco: a lot of miles, not a lot of time
Replies
5
Views
3,584
agfoxx
Noise suppression
Replies
5
Views
2,358
zerocool
zerocool


Back
Top Bottom