Motorola Talkabout T5950 (7 Channels) Two Way Radio
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- Battery Indicator: With Battery Indicator
- Power Output: 0.5 Watts
- Channels: 7
- LCD Display: With LCD Display
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A great product from a respected name
Pros
Highly capable radios with easily configurable options.
Cons
I'd like to have seen NiMh batteries instead of NiCads.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
For most of us you need not look any further than Motorola. They've been doing this long enough to get it right.
I purchased my Motorola T5950 "Talkabout" radios at my local Sam's Club (WalMart) a couple of months ago. The package included two radios, two rechargeable Ni-Cad battery packs, a desk charger (that will charge both systems at the same time), and two earphone/microphone sets that can be used as accessories with the radios. My only complaint is the use of Nicad batteries which are prone to reduced functionality if you don't fully discharge them before recharging them. They develop a "memory" based on the usage and can actually reduce their storage ability over time.
The radios however, are a delight. You will no doubt see some complaints from people who expect their low-power radios to punch through the electrical jungle that our cities have turned into. These are the same people who act surprised when their Geo Metro doesn't drive like their neighbors BMW. There are some things that can't be accomplished with one half of a watt (One watt on some of the GMRS channels). (Don't try to equate these to cell phones because your cell phone only has to transmit/receive to an elevated antenna in close proximity. It's signal is then rebroadcast.)
For the rest of the world, these radios have a lot to offer. Each of the 22 channels can be assigned a privacy code to allow your conversations to be somewhat private. Think about 1,000 people at Disneyland each using their radios. With only 22 channels, you'd have a lot of cross chatter amongst them. But, with the 99 codes, you now effectively have over 2100 different choices of channels so you don't have to listen to every conversation in the park.
The radios are also equipped with the ability to receive the current weather forecasts from NOAA radio, a real boon to the outdoorsy types.
Battery life is good, plan on a full day of use with a recharge cycle overnight. In a pinch, you can always pull out the rechargeable battery pack and slip in 3 AA batteries if you "mis-manage" your energy budget. It's always a good idea to have a spare set of batteries for any device you're carrying.
The radios are "feature-rich" allowing different ring tones, Voice-activated transmission (where you don't have to push the button on the side to transmit), a light on the screen so you can see your settings at night, and others which I won't try to list. The message here is that you can really tailor these to your preferences.
I've looked at other brands offering claims of higher power and greater transmission distance, but most of these ignore that fact that unless you're dealing with "line-of-sight" communications, your range is going to be fairly limited. Out on the lake, you're good for several miles, on land - a whole lot less. Motorola has a well-earned reputation for good sound quality and a well designed product. You really can't go wrong with these.
The radios however, are a delight. You will no doubt see some complaints from people who expect their low-power radios to punch through the electrical jungle that our cities have turned into. These are the same people who act surprised when their Geo Metro doesn't drive like their neighbors BMW. There are some things that can't be accomplished with one half of a watt (One watt on some of the GMRS channels). (Don't try to equate these to cell phones because your cell phone only has to transmit/receive to an elevated antenna in close proximity. It's signal is then rebroadcast.)
For the rest of the world, these radios have a lot to offer. Each of the 22 channels can be assigned a privacy code to allow your conversations to be somewhat private. Think about 1,000 people at Disneyland each using their radios. With only 22 channels, you'd have a lot of cross chatter amongst them. But, with the 99 codes, you now effectively have over 2100 different choices of channels so you don't have to listen to every conversation in the park.
The radios are also equipped with the ability to receive the current weather forecasts from NOAA radio, a real boon to the outdoorsy types.
Battery life is good, plan on a full day of use with a recharge cycle overnight. In a pinch, you can always pull out the rechargeable battery pack and slip in 3 AA batteries if you "mis-manage" your energy budget. It's always a good idea to have a spare set of batteries for any device you're carrying.
The radios are "feature-rich" allowing different ring tones, Voice-activated transmission (where you don't have to push the button on the side to transmit), a light on the screen so you can see your settings at night, and others which I won't try to list. The message here is that you can really tailor these to your preferences.
I've looked at other brands offering claims of higher power and greater transmission distance, but most of these ignore that fact that unless you're dealing with "line-of-sight" communications, your range is going to be fairly limited. Out on the lake, you're good for several miles, on land - a whole lot less. Motorola has a well-earned reputation for good sound quality and a well designed product. You really can't go wrong with these.
