Radio Decision

[EvoTR]

Hi Everyone,

With Rhino around the corner and as a late joiner, I am on the hunt for a sensible radio. All previously suggested uhf radios are either not stock in the country or take too long to get here for the game. On the other hand, This will probably be the only airsoft game that I am gonna use a radio for at least another year. Therefore I am looking for something that I can order and get in before the game (or pickup off the shelf) and use it outside airsoft. (Snowboarding and rolling races are the first ones that come to mind)

hopefully I won't be flamed too much after this explanation. I found these 2 sets to be sensible:

http://www.canadacomputers.com/produ...item_id=048068
http://www.canadacomputers.com/produ...item_id=048067

The reason being, highest range, comes with headphones, takes AA or AAA as backup. Now, what I can't really decide is if the difference between two sets is worth the price. The main things I see are; the expensive one can do dual channel listening, waterproof, 8 more channels (although they are "extra" channels) and takes AA. (and Camo )

Apart from that question, are these type of radios channel compatible across other brands (ie can I use a midland to talk to a motorola, similar type).

And if you are still gonna hate me for thinking of these for Rhino, I can rent a full UHF radio set (ptt, extra batts etc) for a reasonable price if anyone is willing to do that. (I am on Russian side as you can tell by joining date)

[coach]

NO!

For that kind of money, get a better UHF handset from Techseller.

Don't fall in to the trap with the specs that the blister pack FRS/GMRS specific units claim. Their range suck and their power output is rarely close to accurate.

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=143017

I still stand by the Puxing 777 UHF or the Wouxun KH-UVD1P


All FRS/GMRS units like the Midland's, Uniden's, Moto's and Cobra's can communicate with each other since they are on government regulated/standardized frequencies.

[EvoTR]

Originally Posted by coach

NO!

For that kind of money, get a better UHF handset from Techseller.

Don't fall in to the specs that the blister pack FRS/GMRS specific units claim. Their range suck and their power output is rarely close to accurate.

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=143017

I still stand by the Puxing 777 UHF or the Wouxun KH-UVD1P


All FRS/GMRS units like the Midland's, Uniden's, Moto's and Cobra's can communicate with each other since they are on government regulated/standardized frequencies.

Thanks for the reply. I have read those threads already and checked techsellers website but they have nothing in stock. In another post of his, he said he is getting new stock mid July, which we are already past. I am actually gonna go to Toronto tomorrow and stay until Sunday so I can drop by his store but I doubt if he has any good ones. (blister packs he has are more expensive than most stores). As I have said, %99 chance I am not gonna have a use for a single UHF radio after this game.

[Huron]

If you special order a Puxing or Wouxun from Techseller now, you'll definitely receive it before Rhino.

[Ozone06]

Well I'm pretty sure that you're only going to need to listent to one channel but the other features are really nice to have. AA back up is huge it would really suck to have your radio go flat on you. They are FRS radios so the all use the same channels. Camo doesn't really matter in an urban setting like Rhino it's more for target recognition. The included headphones are nice too.

Always be aware of elietist leanings and trolls on any online forum.

With that being said either one would be fine especially with the time constraints involved.

Since you'll more than likely only need to communicate with your squad and leader who should be pretty close these would be more than fine.

[ShelledPants]

Note; and all new radio buyers read this:

TURN OFF ALL CALL BEEPS, FLASHING LIGHTS, BUTTON PRESS BEEPS etc.
Your team mates will attempt to kill you if you leave them on.

[EvoTR]

Thank you all for the answers. I guess the decision comes down to AAs over AAAs for 30$.

[Affliction]

I recently purchased a pair of FRS radios as loaners for the last game I was at:
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/.../10120533.aspx

They worked great. Range isn't an issue out in the open and the people using them reported no problems with communication. Conveniently the battery pack is essentially 3 AA batteries wrapped together so you can bring spare AAs if you're worried about battery life. Both radios lasted about 10 hours that day and showed no signs of dying.

A good UHF radio will cost about the same as a blister pack of pairs -- After owning both a UHF (GP68) and FRS radio, I doubt I would buy another UHF radio. They take a lot of reading to program correctly and you have to mess around with things like squelch / CTCSS.

[EvoTR]

Originally Posted by Affliction

I recently purchased a pair of FRS radios as loaners for the last game I was at:
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/.../10120533.aspx

They worked great. Range isn't an issue out in the open and the people using them reported no problems with communication. Conveniently the battery pack is essentially 3 AA batteries wrapped together so you can bring spare AAs if you're worried about battery life. Both radios lasted about 10 hours that day and showed no signs of dying.

A good UHF radio will cost about the same as a blister pack of pairs -- After owning both a UHF (GP68) and FRS radio, I doubt I would buy another UHF radio. They take a lot of reading to program correctly and you have to mess around with things like squelch / CTCSS.

Thanks, those are actually on sale for 69 at futureshop for today and tomorrow. I was about to get them because of the AA batteries as well but then looked around for a headset and found none (or too expensive). As a friend pointed out, I need a headphone to keep silent, even if I shoulder-mount it to talk.

[Cobrajr122]

Blister pack radios never work well. I have a few sets, along with multiple Linton 6100's, Puxing 888 and an XTS2500. Testing them all, the blister pack radios never come close to touching even the Linton's.

Send techseller a message and see if he can get you a 777/888 in for rhino.

Originally Posted by Affliction

They take a lot of reading to program correctly and you have to mess around with things like squelch / CTCSS.

Once they are programmed though you will never have to touch it again :P

On another note, why even bother with CTCSS... its pretty useless.

[EvoTR]

I understand the hate against blister pack radios, but the problem is that I am only going to use it once. I cannot use UHF radios casually or probably sell them to anyone outside Airsoft. (I am not going to price a used item %5 down from brand new price and wait for it to be sold for months while bumping the thread non-stop). After this thread, I have decided that I will skip UHF radios for now. (Unless someone rents them as I have said above). I will ask techseller for a quote but with a headset and an extra battery, I wonder if it going to be on par anymore.

Edit: If I go ahead with blister pack radios I will let the community know with an after action report, so that there can be a detailed documentation as to how they performed in the biggest event of the year.

[Cobrajr122]

A barely used 4W radio with headset marked down ~10% would actually sell on here fairly fast.

[EvoTR]

Originally Posted by Cobrajr122

A barely used 4W radio with headset marked down ~10% would actually sell on here fairly fast.

Yeah, probably, I was just venting off about other items I guess

[coach]

UHF = FRS

Do you never plan to ever play Airsoft again after rhino?

[ShelledPants]

Originally Posted by EvoTR

I understand the hate against blister pack radios, but the problem is that I am only going to use it once. I cannot use UHF radios casually or probably sell them to anyone outside Airsoft. (I am not going to price a used item %5 down from brand new price and wait for it to be sold for months while bumping the thread non-stop). After this thread, I have decided that I will skip UHF radios for now. (Unless someone rents them as I have said above). I will ask techseller for a quote but with a headset and an extra battery, I wonder if it going to be on par anymore.

Edit: If I go ahead with blister pack radios I will let the community know with an after action report, so that there can be a detailed documentation as to how they performed in the biggest event of the year.

As game control for Rhino, let me tell you, the blister pack radios will get you through the event: But it will aggravate the hell out of you.

I know for a fact that a Motorola Talkabout (common blister pack radio, and the better of the ones you can by for $50 per radio) cannot reach from one end of the facility to the other. Inter-squad will be fine.

Heres some tips:

0 Read the manual.
1 Turn off Vox (voice activated talk)
2 Turn off call tones
3 Turn off roger beeps
4 Turn off button beeps
5 Put the radio somewhere on your body you CANNOT accidentally hold down the talk button (ie, not in a tight pocket). This is something even veteran airsofters (I'm also guilty of it from time to time) will do. Knowing it's an issue as a newbie is good to look out for.