Two-way Radio Buying Guide

Frequent communication is important in every aspect of your life, and two-way radios make it easy to stay in contact when you're hiking or camping outdoors. Two-way radios have come a long way since the days of the massive walkie talkies used in the 1940s and '50s. Today's units are lightweight, efficient and inexpensive, making them perfect for a variety of uses. Whether you want a set of two-way radio systems to add to your camping equipment or to use while hiking or biking, these handy devices will get the job done. With this two-way radio systems buying guide, you will learn how to buy two-way radios that meet your needs and complement the rest of your outdoor gear.

Buying Two-way Radios:

1. Choose your band. There are two bands used most frequently for two-way radio communication. They are the Family Radio Service (FRS) band and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) band. To operate a radio on the GMRS band, which has a longer range and is more powerful than the FRS band, you will need a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Because of that, most two-way walkie talkies operate on the FRS band, which can be used by anyone, with no licensing involved.

2. Find a radio with enough range. When you buy two-way radios, make sure you check the description to see what the maximum operating range is for the units. The range of a radio transmitter is directly proportional to its power or wattage. Some handheld two-way radios can communicate with each other over much longer distances than others. If you will need to communicate over great distances -- more than five miles, for example -- you will want to choose long-range two-way radios that operate on the GMRS band, while distances of up to a few miles can be achieved by FRS band radios.

3. Think about location. Keep this in mind about the distances claimed in the description of portable two-way radios: Those distances are for "line of sight" usage, meaning how far the units can communicate with no barriers between the users. A set of walkie talkie radios that have a range of five miles will only reach that range in an open field. When you introduce obstacles such as trees, buildings and mountains, walkie talkies with a five-mile range will only be effective for a mile or two at most. Choose a range that will serve your purposes, and remember that the longer the range, the more you will pay for the radios, especially quality long-range two-way radios.

4. Consider channels. The technology used in two-way radio communication is very similar to that employed by AM and FM radios. A radio transmitter uses an alternating current that oscillates rapidly -- up to a million times per second -- for the creation of radio waves, and it is the rate of the oscillation that determines the frequency, or channel, on which the radio operates. While GMRS radios have up to 23 channels, FRS radios can have as many as 14 channels. Generally speaking, the higher the quality of the radio, the more channels it will be designed to broadcast and receive on. Inexpensive radios can have as few as two channels available. The reason multiple channels are important is that it allows communication between your parties without interference from others with handheld two-way radios in the area.

Optional Two-way Radio Features:

1. Sub-channels: Higher-end portable two-way radios are equipped with sub-channel tuners. These break each channel into 38 sub-channels, which enables you to fine tune the frequency on which you communicate. If your FRS radio has the maximum 14 channels available, you will have 532 potential frequencies on which to talk with sub-channels.

2. Privacy codes: Oddly enough, privacy codes do not guarantee the privacy of your conversation, but they do greatly reduce the chance that others will interrupt your conversation. Privacy codes involve picking a predetermined channel and code on which to communicate with other parties, and only those tuned into that channel and code can talk to each other. Parties not using the privacy code, however, can still hear your conversation, although they cannot join in unless they select the same privacy code as you. Even though your conversation is not secure with privacy codes, they do offer the opportunity to communicate on a chatter-free frequency.

3. Weather channels: Many higher end two-way walkie talkies also feature access to weather channels. These channels are broadcast by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and can alert you automatically if bad weather or other hazards are headed your way.

4. Battery types: Some walkie talkie radios are powered by regular alkaline batteries, while others feature rechargeable batteries that come with charging units. If you plan to be using your radios for more than a few days, units featuring regular batteries are your best bet, since you may not be near areas where you could recharge your unit's batteries. Most battery manufacturers will list predicted battery life, which is determined by assuming five percent transmission, five percent reception and 90 percent standby.

5. Optional features available: Many two-way radios also have a lock key that ensures your unit stays on the same channel during use and an auto squelch feature, which keeps the radio silent except when a signal is received. You can use the last-channel recall like a redial button on your phone, and a backlit LCD readout makes the display easy to read, even at night. Don't forget to look for an automatic channel-scan feature, which will scan all channels and sub-channels for signals. Jacks that provide for headsets, speakers and microphones are also useful.