[DavyJones]

Ok, I'll chime in! I got these and I do like them. Even though it say's 36 mile range, you would have to be in a point to point range of sight to use them for that distance. I haven't tried this, but I'm sure they would work. The main feature that I like the best about them is that you have a weather alert function. You can turn it on and leave them on and it will only sound when there is an alert in your area. There is a base charger that comes with the set as well as a car charger. Also, the batteries that come with it are recharable or you can use standard AA batteries.

Here in NY I get a lot of chatter. There are private frequency codes that you can use with the other handset and I'm sure someone can easedrop, but very unlikely. Oh and also it comes with two headsets mics. Very nice for motorcycle riding.

[attachment=0:34a1t10z]midland.JPG[/attachment:34a1t10z]

 

[acidlittle]

what's the price on one of them badboys??

 

[DavyJones]

I got them for $55, which was marked down from $75. I think thats what they run anyway elsewhere.

 

[acidlittle]

Not a terrible price at all!

 

[mcgeorge]

For that price, its a bargin for what they do. Some units just have the weather band on there, this looks like it has multifeatures.

 

[Coyote]

So whats the actual effective range in the city,...with obstacles,..etc?

 

[DavyJones]

So whats the actual effective range in the city,...with obstacles,..etc?

If I'm up in a building the person on the ground is very hard to contact. They usually have to be right under me. If I'm on the street, then about 2-3 blocks, then static. Not terribly great, but I guess it will do for the price. I don't see how police use these things. I"m sure they are using something else. I'm just now getting into radios though.

 

[Coyote]

So whats the actual effective range in the city,...with obstacles,..etc?

If I'm up in a building the person on the ground is very hard to contact. They usually have to be right under me. If I'm on the street, then about 2-3 blocks, then static. Not terribly great, but I guess it will do for the price. I don't see how police use these things. I"m sure they are using something else. I'm just now getting into radios though.

dang thats a far cry from the 36 miles lol.

I've had something similar to those,.....some little 40 channel jobs,....like a cb pretty much,....and they were good for maybe a mile line of sight,.......far less with obstructions.

The options all suck. I think I'd have to spend mega money to get what I want. And then if TSHTF, the system still might not work.

 

[Tony]

Very misleading for the 36 mile range from Midland. Midland makes some good radios, but I'll research something from them before I just assume they are going to do 36 miles away. Besides, I hear that you can make a "walkie talkie" out of two old cell phones and it be private. I've read that somewhere before.

 

[brilton]

If I'm up in a building the person on the ground is very hard to contact. They usually have to be right under me. If I'm on the street, then about 2-3 blocks, then static. Not terribly great, but I guess it will do for the price. I don't see how police use these things. I"m sure they are using something else. I'm just now getting into radios though.

Cops generally use UHF.

 

[brilton]

check out this little baby. Pricey but worth it. Any prepper worth his meddle should have his ham licenses.
VX-8DR | HamCity / Ham Radio Equipment

 

[SSGT]

Cops also use REPEATERS....They are usually located pretty high up...on a tower or tall building...mountaintop. It takes an incoming signal and puts it out on a different frequency usually around 100 watts. Ham Radio operators do the same thing as do most fire departments. It makes talking 100 miles easy then!

The VX8DR above is worthless without a repeater....Max range is a couple of miles...With a repeater...50 to 75 miles is common!

Been a ham radio op for over 30 years here

 

[PrepperRecon.com]

Sounds good for the money.

 

[mwaters27]

We have a 2 sets of these and I can personally tell you it is very misleading. In the woods and mountains you will be lucky to get coverage within a few miles of each other. Works okay for open range areas but not optimal for the woods.

 

[Gallo Pazzesco]

So whats the actual effective range in the city,...with obstacles,..etc?

We own a set here at the farm.

I've not tried them in the city but we've clocked them at just under 3/4 of a mile out here in the country on flat ground with nothing but trees and pastures around us.

For the price they are fine, and on the highway between trailing cars they get better range.

But for pure long distance talkability if mobile towers are down ... we've gone-up to CB radios, mounted in our SUVs and Truck, along with a couple of handhelds that give us a lot more range and versatility.