Two-Way Radios Reviews

I recently purchased a set of these little radios for a camping/hunting trip and they are great! I used them to communicate with my friends while out in the woods and there are very handy. They have a very good range 1.5-2 miles depending on the terrain and the signal is very clear with no interferance or static! they have many useful features such as 14 channels with the 38 sub codes a rodger beep tone that can be turned off if you wish and a privacy(voice scramble) mode. We used them while driving to and from the woods and campsite and basically anytime we weren't in ear shot of each other. I would highly reccomend these radios to anyone I now have several pairs

I used a pair of these on a hike in the mountains and it was great ! Also used it at a country fair. The privacy feature prevented me from hearing others and kept my conversations secure. The range was very impressive. As soon as there are more in stock, I will buy another one.

I purchased 2 FRS250s for a family vacation to the Adirondak area of NY state. The main purpose of having these with us was to permit car-to-car communications on the trip. The radios worked great. We were able to keep in touch through all the different environments we encountered on the trip including city, suburbs, and mountains.

The cabins we rented had no phones, so when we arrived, the FRS250s permitted cabin-to-cabin communications throughout the stay. My only regret is that we did not purchase the rechargable batteries. But even here, the radios performed better than I expected. Over a 10 day stay, we needed to replace the batteries ony twice even though we kept them on for up to 8 hours a day.

I was surprised to find that the published range of 2 miles was real. I was able to make contact from my boat on the lake to the cabin, a distance of about 2.6 miles. Of course the voice quality wasn't so good, but we were able to communicate.

In all, the FRS250 was a good value. It served us well and performed better than I expected.

I used this radio with HMC3 headset at a recent Adams Co. Irish Festival. (I was in charge of parking among other duties.) It worked perfectly. I chose Kenwood based on my experience with their Amateur ("Ham") Radio products over the past 30 years.

This is a good radio, as I have used it for the past year. Solid range, though it won't do two miles unless it is line of sight. I like the privacy settings. I was in Hawaii...and this radio is water resistant and was able to survive getting dunked a few times. Gaskets on the batter compartment, etc. Not too many frills, but works well.

I was looking for a versatile, durable, and dependable FRS radio for when I go camping or fishing and this is it. The sound is very clear and there are many built-it options that can be changed by the user. Most of these options are for if you have two or more of these units - which would be the ideal case. But if you want just one great FRS radio, make it this one. I bought mine through DealCat.com and was very satisfied.

The range over water is astounding! I have used this radio to talk to friends at a marina over 3 miles distant.

Our T289s arrived from Amazon the day before we were to use them at a weekend trade show at the Santa Clara Convention Center. It ony took me part of one afternoon to learn all of the basics, and the rest of the weekend was 'learn-by-doing', with the help of the incredibly simple instruction manual. We caravaned down in two vehicles with a radio in each, and were able to find parking near one another, which expedited our move-in. Once we got into the event center, we saw -dozens- of this make and model of radio being used by the other conventioneers. During sales lulls, I occasionally played with the scan feature and in fact, during one of those passes, happened to hear a couple of friends of mine that I'd been hoping were there!

(The one small drawback over the weekend was that it was the last weekend in March of 2001, and if you remember, there was a tremendous solar storm -- this made the range of the radio somewhat limited, but did not hamper the sound quality nor the ease of use. However, since then, we have had no problems with establishing a long range between radios or finding a quiet frequency, even with the tremendous subspace chatter that is always present in the SF Bay Area. )

The T289 has already become a very neccesary part of our shopping expiditions, as it has streamlined the process of being able to keep up with one another without having to adjust to each other's walking speed and / or shopping habits!

And yes, they are the COOLEST-looking gadgets around.

If you're going to invest in two-way FRS, go ahead and get the Talkabout 289. It's got all the features you will ever need, and it's a very reliable little contraption. Heartily recommended!

We were in the market for a pair of FRS radios and I had two slight reservations about the Motorolas:

1. I thought the price was a little bit high compared to some of the other brands.

2. I wasn't really sure how I would like the "Push To Talk" button being in the front center of the radio.

I'm really glad I decided to go for the 289's because they are VERY cool radios. The PTT button is not a problem at all. These things are so small you can reach the button easily with your thumb(or any other finger) with the radio in almost any position. As for the price, I think the Motorola 289's are built very well and are probably worth the extra(if any) you have to give for them.

I didn't think the radios worked all that great at first because they were not real clear. That was only because they were too close together. As soon as we got the radios separated they were just awesome. Loud and clear for almost two miles with me in the car and my wife in the house.

We've only had the radios for a short time but I don't know what I ever did without them. Used them last night to install a satellite dish on the roof.

The only thing I didn't have much luck using was the scan feature. I had them set to scan two channels and it would never see any transmissions on the second channel. I think it's probably only because I need to read the book and figure out exactly how to set them up. There are lots and lots of features on these babies. Some of the features I will probably use all the time, some I will try once and never use again.

Have to just say that I would highly reccomend these to anyone in the market for FRS radios. They work GREAT and they are the coolest looking(IMHO) radios on the market.

Purchased two t6320's. Both worked well. Used rechargable AA NiMH batteries without any problem...the battery meter will underread with these batteries because NiMH batteries are 1.2 volts and not 1.5 like the standard alkalines.

Tested the barometers at sea level and they were within 0.01" (on the sea in downeast Maine). These do not have an adjustment to bring you back to sea level if you are above the latter. You will have to interpolate for your altitude. In use, however, it is the relevent rise of and fall of the barometer that counts weatherwise, and not the absolute number. The altimeter also works off the barometer and good for 20 foot intervals. You should set it each time you go out...read the instructions....it is all there.

Compasses were very accurate assuming you know the magnetic declination in your area (-18 degrees in my case). These radios were also a good deal quieter than the t250's that my kids use.

Would definitely buy again.

FRS radios are greatly enhanced walkie talkies of ten or fifteen years ago. While walkie talkies were for the most part short range kids toys, most FRS radios have about a two mile range, and actual practical uses. There are presently 3 major distinctions (price ranges) in FRS radios.

1) The bottom of the barrel cost around 20-40 bucks. They have 14 different channels, and as long as there aren't more than 14 groups of people trying to communicate within a given two-mile radius they will serve your communication needs. If you are going camping where there aren't going to be a whole lot of people around, this category will work just fine without getting mixed up in other peoples' conversations.

2) The next step up offers 14 channels and 38 privacy codes, which in layman's term results in the equivalent of 532 different channels. They can be used in a more crowded area without much interference from other people's radios. They are good for keeping in touch on the ski slopes or the beach on a moderately crowded day.

3) The Motorola 6300 series is the top of the line. It's got 14 channels, 38 privacy codes, and three scramble settings. The scramble settings enable as close to a private conversation as can be achieved on a public radio band. Unless two (or more) radios are set to the exact same channel, privacy code, and scramble setting, clear communication is not possible. You and your group armed with Motorola T6300 series radios all set to the exact same channel, privacy, and scramble settings will have virtually uninterrupted communication, in even the most crowded of venues. The 6300 series is backward compatible with older less sophisticated radios. Simply turn off the scramble settings, and you will be able to communicate with older models.

This particular model, the T6320, comes with extra features including a compass, barometer, alarm clock, and other bells and whistles may be more than you need. Such extras may come in handy for the outdoor enthusiast. For those just looking for the best communication device possible, these features may simply add unneeded complexity to the user interface, in which case the basic (Motorola) 6300 model may be more desirable and a little bit cheaper.

I've used this radio during many jam-packed days on the (ski) slopes and it has never let me down. Though it is not waterproof, a little snow here and there has never hindered it's function.

Bottom line:

If you are a gadget freak, and do not need a radio that may get submersed in water, snap this one up without hesitation. Don't need the added features, but still want the best pure radio out there, go for the (Motorola) 6300. If you are just looking for something for the kids to play with around the house, one of the lower priced radios ought to do the trick just fine.

I purchased a pair of these, from word of mouth reviews. They were our first FRS radios and the Motorola T6320 pleasingly surprised us. I highly recommend this radio for its clarity, durability, outdoor features and it also has a cool design. I've used this radio in Sea World and San Diego Zoo and the noise reduction is great. We frequently hike as a recreation. In the mountains we will use them to communicate with each other on the trails, as we both maintain a different stride and one always gets ahead of the other, the vox will be great. The altimeter and weather features will be the second best feature in the mountains. The only other feature I can think that would be useful is a sound signal that scares off bears and mountain lions:-) I think the belt clip could have been a little more secure, but we shall see, so far so good. We believe the T6320 is a true performer and it will meet most of our needs.

I use this where I work, and it's range is good. But if I use it for 3 days, the batteries are dead. Definitely worth it for occasional use, but not daily.

First, these radios don't have a great range (we get about 1/2 mile or so in our neighborhood). They use little AAA batteries. They don't have privacy codes, etc. But, I rarely have one away from my side.
Our old house has an intercom system which probably hasn't worked since the Bradys were happily married. Replacing it would have cost over a grand. FRS to the rescue.
We bought the pair, as well as 12 rechargeable batteries and a charger, and now we just put in the batteries and clip them to our belts or drop them in our pockets and go about our business. The next day, we swap out the old batteries, and they are good for another day.
The squelch works great, but rarely, we get mild interference, so we switch channels. (To be honest, I doubt we do that more than once a week.)
The bottom line is that they are small enough, that you forget you have it on until the other person needs to reach you.
Get a charger, you wouldn't want to have to feed these things batteries.

The unit uses AA batteries so they are cheaper and longer lasting than AAA. It has a battery strength indicator.

The unit is feature rich with NOAA weather channel, 22 chanels and subcodes, and even several ring tones. You can turn off the subcode feature to be compatible with older radios. It is compact. It has a keypad lock feature so you can put it in your coat pocket or purse and still receive transmission.

The only drawback is the belt clip should be tighter. It can drop if you bend down to pick up a child.

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I read the reviews on most of the low priced frs radios and selected Panasonic. I ordered 2 of the TR320's, and 1 of the TR325. Difference is the 325 has vibe ringer (havent used yet) and scramble mode (havent used that either). I think you probably need two of the 325's to use scramble mode. In any event, it seems the 320's are exactly the same except for these 2 features.

I used these 3 radios while skiiing in Beaver Creek. It is a dense ski village, so the range wasn't terrific with all those tall buildings and narrow pedestrian ways. Still, I think they did fine. Especially on the mountain. Sound quality is great. My little one had trouble keeping the button down during his talk time though, so he would be choppy. Some training helped that, but a biggger button would be nice.

Only problem I had was they have an auto shut off mode default set for 2 hours, and we didnt know this before hand. It is programable for 1,2 and 3 hours. Maybe it can be set not to go off? Havent looked that up yet.

I purchased a set of NiMhd batteries for these, and the charge level indicator acts strangely due to the lower voltage (1.3v vs 1.5 for akaline). Still, it is the only way to go, as you will use a lot of batteries if you use them much- even if you dont talk, but just monitor.

I dont trust the belt clip on the mountain (in snow!)- but the battery compartment latch is top notch! keeps it closed till you open it. Many other radios and battery devices have problems here, especially if you drop them.

Would prefer a stubby antenna, but this flip up probably helps with the range.

Overall though, the quality is there! You cant go wrong with the 320 or 325.

I have had a pair of these for a couple of years now and they have come in very handy. The Call Button is something that my neighbor's talk-about radio doesn't have and comes in very handy to get someone's attention before talking. The batteries seem to last forever as well.

After conducting a thorough evaluation of most two-way radios from Internet reviews, I purchased two Panasonic KXTR325S Radios. I will say that I am very pleased with the performance of this product. They look great and have a good quality feel about them, plus there are a number of exceptional features about this model that make them a good buy. I especially like the voice scramble and the private talk capability when used in crowed areas. I did find that the buttons are small which might be a problem when wearing heavy ski gloves, but otherwise there was no problem using them with bare hands. My wife and I have used them while hiking in the Rocky Mountains and experienced good range and sound quality. Range was especially good for almost two miles as long as both units were within the same canyon, however this was severely reduced between canyons.

I identified one major problem with the belt clip, which should not be trusted. On one hike, my wife sat down to rest and the radio came off her belt; we didn't discover this until much later so by the time we returned to the site it was gone. I did reorder a replacement Panasonic radio and but will not use the belt clip provided with the units. We both now use a small pouch to secure the radios to our belts so this problem will not happen again. I highly recommend these radios to anyone who is interested in purchasing such units. Even without the rebate, these radios are well worth the price.

a while ago, i saw a pair of walkie talkies in my friend's room and we decided to play with them. We stuck a pair of headpones in each, and we went into the woods behind his house and started spying on his neighbors. This was a whole new thing for me, and it was unbelievably fun. Soon after, I got myself an upgraded pair of his, which are the walkie talkies you're looking at. The range hasn't failed me yet, and I've gotten pretty far from the other walkie talkie. Also, it has a great lock feature, which lets u put it in your pocket or quickly grab it withouth worrying that u changed the channel or volume or something. This has saved me a great deal of time while spying. The function of going into those subchannels didn't have and effect on blocking out my friend's early model of these, but whatever. All in all, you should definately buy these walkie talkie over any others.

We took our 220s to Disney World and it made the trip much more relaxed. When my husband and I took the kids to separate areas of the park, we could instantly communicate if there were long lines or a change in plans. Even though lots of people were using them, we had no trouble finding a clear channel without others on "our" line. Now I use them to monitor the kids while they're out playing in the neighborhood. Just one beep and they know it's time to come home, and it gives me peace of mind to know they can call if they need help.

Just bought these radios. So far they are everything they were advertised to be. Wife and I tested the range from vehicle to house in suburban setting, consistently over 1 mile range. The radios are very easy to operate and work well with the other radios I have tested them with(Motorola and Radio Shack). I found these to have better clarity than the Motorola's as well. Battery life is about as advertised and with the NiCad battery charging time is about 3 hours. There are radios out there with more features but my five star rating is based on getting what you pay for.

The Uniden PRO538W works great! As long as you have a good quality antenna set up, and take the time to tune everything with an SWR meter this CB is amazing. I use it for off-roading, so the range wasn't a big concern to me, but rest assured, when properly set up, this thing can get some killer range on the highway. The ability to access weather channels is a nice feature too, I use it more than I thought I would. Having the PA function is a good novelty, when hooked to a speaker you can have a lot of fun talking to people on the street as you pass by. Great way to pick-up chicks. So overall, a great product, as long as you set it up and tune it properly. When matched with a good antenna, this CB won't be beat.

The Uniden Pro538W is a fantastic radio. The front-fire speaker is very clear compared to my other CB. This makes a huge difference because many CB'ers have an accent and lingo that I have trouble deciphering. The microphone is built for heavy use. It has a hefty coiled cable with a connector that screws on to the radio. You don't need to worry about the mic coming unplugged. The display has an LED meter that indicates the strength of signals that you are receiving and transmitting. I think the meter is too small to look at while I'm driving down the highway. You can also pick up NOAA weather broadcasts. The squelch and RF gain adjustments work great.
I purchased this radio with the Wilson Lil-Wil magnetic mount antenna. The combination work great in my mini-van. I've taken this radio on a couple of road trips and have never had a problem reaching other drivers.

The previous review that mentions antennas are key to a good CB setup is correct. For a normal CB user I would recommend either the Wilson lil' Wil or the Wilson 500 antenna. Both are magnetic mount antennas. The lil' Wil antenna is a relatively small antenna and it's only around $39.00. Actually any Wilson CB antenna will be fine. Also, to do a good job at setting up your antenna you should purchase an SWR meter. They are not expensive. You only need the meter connected inline between the radio and antenna when you are adjusting the antenna. Once you are done adjusting the antenna you can take the meter out of the connection and connect the antenna directly to the radio. Don't be fooled by cheap ordinary CB antennas like you will find at radio shack. Do not settle for anything less then a Wilson antenna. Cobra and Uniden both make fabulous CB radios so either make will be fine.

I bought two. Both came with a problem where the barometer is offset low by .7"-.8" at all times. My advice, check before you put out your money for the T6320.

I received mine the other day. I've tried a few FRS, all or most have pretty much the same features. I read a few reviews & researched the T6320 & found that this model has all the bells & whistles, whether you need them or not!

I've had a chance to do a mini field test at Downtown Disney on Friday. It works great, great reception, able to send & receive from other FRS. All the extra features, Digi compass, thermometer, weather channels, etc are great to have available. I don't know if I will have a need to use them all, but the digi compass is one great feature, I think it's pretty accurate. Signal strength seems pretty good, I would like to field test to see if 2 miles is possible w/ the T6320. The volume is good, seems pretty clear & crisp. But the reception does get a bit garbled if the volume is set too high. Haven't tried the VOX feature yet.

Ergonomics, it's a bit bigger & bulkier than the T289 & T6220, but it is easy to hold. But it's thinner than the T250 or

FR 50/60 models. The "push to talk" button in the middle & not a problem, easily reachable. Actually it's a good idea, you will not accidentally press it like other models w/ the "push to talk" on the side of the FRS. The call, mode, & power button on top are also easy to get to. But I did on a couple occasions press the call & mode buttons accidentally. When you have it clipped on the belt clip, this can happen. A mere annoyance, I just have to get used to where the buttons are. But when it is clipped to my backpack, no problems of accidentally pressing these buttons. It also has a "lock" feature, only a few buttons can be pressed, the call & talk buttons.

The menu is easy to understand & work with. But the mode button, if you want to get to a particular item, say the weather channel, you have to scroll through a few screens. I wish it had a way to set what you would use most often, instead of scrolling to get to it.

The looks of the T6320 are rugged. It seems that it can take drops & work like a champ! The rubber coating makes it easy to hold on to, also the finger grooves on the sides give you a good hold. The screen is big to see what's going on, you can see all the icons that you have set for use also. A nice feature on the T6320 is you can have the clock showing the time when it is on standby mode. The battery cover fits snugly, no openings for moisture or dirt to get in. The T6220, the battery cover would push up just a bit. I've secured the battery cover w/ electrical tape. This is more of an insurance that the cover stays in place, also the tape covers the charging points, if you use Motorolas recharable kit. Doing this, those points will not corrod w/ time.

The manual claims that battery life is 30-35 hrs for alkaline batteries. What I don't understand is, if you use NIHM batteries, the battery life is only 12 hrs, why? Motorola's reputation would suggest that this is pretty accurate. I carry a second set of alkalines just in case it runs out of juice.

I suggest buying a Motorola arm/belt ( model 56323) carry case. I made a little hole on top of the carry case, so I can clip (using a mini link) it to my backpack. On the bottom part of the antenna, there is a hole that you can attach a lanyard through. I don't think that this is all that secure, it looks to me that eventually it will tear off, after hanging on the lanyard. The Motorola carry case hold the T6320 secure, it also adds a bit of protection if you happen to drop it. You then have the option to carry the T6320 on your arm, belt, around your neck or backpack. The belt clip that is included works great. It has a secure hold when the T6320 is clipped to it. I can use the belt clip for work use.

The T6320 is pricey, but IMHO worth the money. This FRS is defintely made for outdoor use. I suggest to buy a one T289 or T6220 or T250 or T6300, & one T6320, if you are in the market. This would make a great combo. The other person can communicate w/ you w/ the other FRS & you can carry the T6320 & know exactly your direction, weather, or temperature at all times. Whether this is necessary is up to you, but having these features will come in handy at some time. Now I'm my families mobile communications dude!

This seems like an excellent FRS. A lot of useful outdoorsman functions, excellent range and clearity, light weight and compact. The only bad things I can really say about it right now is that it doesn't have a retractable/folddown antenna (Kenwood has one), location of the push to talk button and the belt clip, which seems very "cheesy" and doesn't give the impression that it is very secure. There are however, 2 attachment points to add a lanyard for added security if you want.