TWO WAY RADIOS....and cruise ships

My wife and I have brought a pair of two way radio on board a ship before....it was suppose to have a range from up to 7 miles(thats without obustruction)....anyway......it didn't work quite as well as we thought...when either one of us got as far away as 2 floors up or down....the radios would cut out...I believe this were midland radios...I bought a pair of cobra 2 ways...which have range of 17-18 miles.....does any one know if this will be any better. Any recommedation on some good two way radio that can really work through out the lengh and height of a cruise ship?

The Cobra's work very well on the entire ship but you will also have to keep changing channels because you and several other 100 people will be on the channels as well. It is not a bad during off-peak season when the kids are back in school. Don't forget to take extra batteries.

Are you traveling with preteens that need to check in every so often? :confused: No offense, but otherwise I don't see why you would need them - it's just something else to carry and worry about. It seems that the more we cruise, the less extras we bring. Nancy

Are you traveling with preteens that need to check in every so often? :confused: No offense, but otherwise I don't see why you would need them - it's just something else to carry and worry about. It seems that the more we cruise, the less extras we bring. Nancy

We actually used them off the ship. There were four of us and my brother and I each carried one. If we got separated, then we turned them on to find each other. Used them twice, once in Rome and again in Florence to find each other after getting separated.

Why do you need to bring 2 way radios onto a ship..like ships internet and telephones..you go on a cruise to get away from all that rubbish.

Cheers.:p

We actually used them off the ship. There were four of us and my brother and I each carried one. If we got separated, then we turned them on to find each other. Used them twice, once in Rome and again in Florence to find each other after getting separated.

Those radios should not have been be used on shore in Europe. They are not legal for use there. You could get fined and or the radios confiscated. Even arrested.

Those radios should not have been be used on shore in Europe. They are not legal for use there. You could get fined and or the radios confiscated. Even arrested.

Correct. If I am not mistaken, the frequencies these family radios use are the same frequency some European countries use for their emergency services. In addition, those radios here in the US require a license that runs about 80.00 for five years.

Originally posted by dforeigner

"Correct. If I am not mistaken, the frequencies these family radios use are the same frequency some European countries use for their emergency services. In addition, those radios here in the US require a license that runs about 80.00 for five years."

I'm afraid you may be confusing these radios with units that work on another band. These pesonal walkie talkies operate on the FRS frequencies and do not require a license in the U.S. according to the FCC:

"FRS radios do not require a license to use:

If you operate a radio that has been approved exclusively under the rules that apply to FRS, you are not required to have a license. FRS radios have a maximum power of 1/2 watt (500 milliwatt) effective radiated power and integral (non-detachable) antennas."

However, in many countries it is illegal to use any sort of 2-way radios, so I would hesitate to use them off the ship.

Correct. If I am not mistaken, the frequencies these family radios use are the same frequency some European countries use for their emergency services. In addition, those radios here in the US require a license that runs about 80.00 for five years.

Yeah, I'm not exactly sure how it works, but the fancy radios that go over 1 mile in range are supposed to require a license to use that costs money. Read it on the back of a package. That's why I never bought one. Maybe some of these new radios go beyond the FRS rules?

Maybe the license lets you expand the frequency of the radio to one that will give you much better range? That's why the OP didn't get very good range?

Ahhh, the power of the Internet and Wikipedia.

I went to Cobra Electronic's website to see what walkie talkies they have now. I noticed the term FRS and GMRS. Looked them up on Wiki.

Yes, FRS radios don't need licenses. However, that's the low powered stuff that doesn't get as good range. To get those crazy distances advertised by the electronic companies, you have to use the GMRS range/mode and that requires a license.

Are you traveling with preteens that need to check in every so often? :confused: No offense, but otherwise I don't see why you would need them - it's just something else to carry and worry about. It seems that the more we cruise, the less extras we bring. Nancy

another couple..... its really frustating getting all the way to the top of the ship to go to the pool when you forgot something.....and your wife or husband is has just left the room and they can turn right around to get it before going too far.....

Ahhh, the power of the Internet and Wikipedia.

 

I went to Cobra Electronic's website to see what walkie talkies they have now. I noticed the term FRS and GMRS. Looked them up on Wiki.

 

Yes, FRS radios don't need licenses. However, that's the low powered stuff that doesn't get as good range. To get those crazy distances advertised by the electronic companies, you have to use the GMRS range/mode and that requires a license.

Thanks for the clarification. We use the FRS band radios and haven't had too much trouble onboard ship. It could be that we typically have outside cabins and the signal doesn't have to penetrate so much steel. Inside cabins may have more problems with the FRS. I think ours are rated for 5-7 miles (over open water, with no obstructions, and then only if you hold your mouth right). I also know that if we use those same radios when we vacation in Cabo, we're breaking the law.

As far as the GMRS radio licenses, are they something that you just need to apply for, like the old (pre '70s) FCC licenses that used to be required to operate a CB radio (what a joke that was)? Or is it something you need to take a test for (like an amateur HAM radio license)? Also, if you only use them onboard a foreign flagged cruise ship in international waters, I don't think there is much the FCC or anybody else (other than the cruise line) can do about it.

Ok, so which are the best that do not cost a ton of money. We used Motorola talkabouts and they worked good but that was a few years ago. We will need them next cruise for shore trips. Thanks ahead, Jan :)

Just to carify the two services mentioned above.

Family Radio Service (FRS) is a low power (1/2 watt) 14 channel hand-held walkie-talkie radio service for personal/family use for which the FCC does not require a license. Some radios also have approx. 30 sub-audible tone codes available for each channel that allow you to filter out other users on the same channel, unless they happen to use the same tone code. (NOTE: Everyone in your group must be on the same channel and use the same tone code.) It DOES NOT however prevent anyone else from hearing YOU. Turn the tone codes off and everyone on that channel can be heard.

General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). Sixteen channels, 50 watt maximum, for personal use and DOES require a license from the FCC. Licensing application and fee to the FCC, but no test required.

Some GMRS radios are also equipped with the first 7 FRS channels and GMRS licensees are allowed to communicate with FRS radios on those FRS channels with up to 5 watts but must ID with their GMRS call sign. FRS radios are still limited to low power (1/2 watt) even when communicating with a GMRS radio user.

I hope this helps.

Clear as mud, huh? ;)

Bryan

Why do you need to bring 2 way radios onto a ship..like ships internet and telephones..you go on a cruise to get away from all that rubbish.

 

Cheers.:p

Why is it your business?

It becomes EVERYONE's business that is in earshot of those things....

I've been in my cabin napping, woken up with people talking on those things outside of my cabin door

or the time tranquility was lost at 5am in Tracy Arm when one of those was cranked up while many of us enjoyed the simple splendor and silence....

It becomes EVERYONE's business that is in earshot of those things....

 

I've been in my cabin napping, woken up with people talking on those things outside of my cabin door

 

or the time tranquility was lost at 5am in Tracy Arm when one of those was cranked up while many of us enjoyed the simple splendor and silence....

Well said. If you take those, be considerate of others!

That goes for cell phones too!

Bryan

Why is it your business?

I suspect the poster meant it as his opinion, an opinion I would imagine was shared by a thousand others.

Ralphie, Haven't I told you a million times never to exaggerate? :D

I suspect that many people get annoyed at cell phones and radios, etc than a normal conversation nearby at the same volume. Why? Two reasons I can think of:

1. Can only hear one side of the conversation.

2. It is fashionable to be annoyed at such things.:rolleyes:

I have rarely been annoyed at a cell phone user for their volume, rather I get mad at thier actions, like the "cell phone wanderer". This is the creature that gets in peoples way when he mills aimlessly about while taking a call, especially in a hallway. The other type is someone like the rather large woman (her size is relevant to the story) who stopped at the top of and blocked the stairs to my subway stop so she could complete her call. When someone said excuse me, she turned around and screamed at us, "Can't you see I am on the phone?" One of the less polite in the group made an unkind reference to a sizable portion of her anatomy and indicated that bad things would happen if she didn't move that portion. She did along with the rest of her.:eek: