Walkie Talkies on Ships (for advanced travelers))

Hello everyone,

(move my thread if I posted in the wrong forum, im new)

I am planning on going on my first cruise this year before grad school, maybe one more in summer 15 before all the hell breaks lose,

we plan to go as 2-3 couples or maybe a bigger company, its still in planning.

I found this forum by looking up walkie talkies on ships, and instead of necroposting I decided to make a new thread.

I have some scientific background, not anything to boast of, but people have said that walkie talkies are useless on ships, others said something about 20 channel limit, others said that there is too much distortion and terrible signal.

So I would like to contribute and educate some of you who is interested in using a handheld transceiver (walkie talkie) on the ship.

Firstly, picking up a pair of "walkie talkies" in Walmart or whatever is a gamble, it might be good, but most likely it won't be.

Picking a walkie talkie is like picking a cellphone, you don't just buy the cheapest one, if you care about reception and features.

Which leads me to discuss two types of handheld transceivers, one is

VHF - very high frequency, and UHF - ultra high frequency.

VHF - has larger waves, while UHF has tiny waves.

The smaller the radio waves, the better will be the penetration through concrete/steal. That's why if you would like to be able to use your walkie talkie inside a building, ship, basements, you have to use UHF trancievers.

Summary of VHF and UHF.

VHF - will have higher direct range (like when you are out in the field), but much worse reception inside.

UHF - worse long distance range, but best candidate for use in ships buildings. (I must note that by worse long distance I mean 2-3 miles instead of 5-6 of similar wattage, so simply buying a more powerful transceiver 0.5-1W should be more than sufficient to be able to communicate through the ship) anything above 1W is an overkill but of course the bigger the better ;)

Now that we know you are getting a UHF radio or as a lot of them come UHF/VHF these days, keep in mind, you would need to communicate with each other using the highest frequencies available on your radio, beauty about manual transceivers is that it has millions of channels which you can save and put in using keypad, and using higher frequencies you are increasing signal and voice quality, using low frequencies you are extending the reception range when outdoors.

Concern of annoyance

- super advanced.

Now that we know that you guys would need a UHF tranciever, you need to think about an important factor, of not annoying everyone around you.

DUAL BAND radios are like having two phone numbers on your cellphone, when signal is sent through the second band to your walkie talkie it will either vibrate, flash light, ring (depends on what the features and options are), the person will know that you are trying to reach them and will try to communicate with you.

-less advanced

a lot of radio transceivers will come with ring buttons, so keeping a moderate volume or using headsets will increase privacy as well as will prevent your buddy screaming over some embarrassing things.

These transceivers come in a range of features sizes and prices, i would watch YouTube tutorials for the one you are going to buy to be able to use them well, they aren't hard to use, they are slightly more advanced, remember some of them were made for military so they wouldn't make them super complicated so to use in emergency situations.

Caution - some of them might require HAM license if the radios have FM broadcast, so stay away from those, or when you get it don't use it because you might get a nasty ticket (jk but srsly don't abuse this,) but nobody will check you for it anyway and as long as you don't spam police/emergency channels nobody will try to triangulate you either, some of the high end radios have greater implication, you could even use them home when grocery shopping, definitely beats taking your cellphone and dialing etc.

Using headset will solve a lot of embarrassment problems in public if any of you care.

Many of them are water resistant or/and water proof.

I have decided to get this model,

but it's very expensive, you definitely don't need quad band, one would be sufficient, two if you really want to get into it, most important thing is UHF and I would recommend 1W in overall strength

if you need suggestions or opinions on models you pick, post and I will try to help you.

here are a few transceivers that look good and are a steal

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8-Dual-Band-136-174-Transceiver/dp/B00FMIYEKW/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1397002750&sr=1-9&keywords=transceiver

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Band-136-174-400-480/dp/B0097252UK/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1397003125&sr=1-13&keywords=transceiver

ETC

I must note that with these manual transceivers, anyone else using cheap walkies will not be able to listen in on your conversations or plans., only other people with manual radios could, but they would need to scan through thousands of channels so needn't worry. You however would be able to communicate with those people and/or listen in on their conversations, if you have nothing better to do.

Hate to burst your bubble, but "advanced travelers" know that walkie talkies are virtually worthless on a ship and don't even bother to think about bringing them. Not only do they not work well, the annoy everybody around you, and are illegal to use in some countries due to channel interference. You should read what actual experiences people have had with them.

There was a thread just a day or two ago that discussed the use of walkie talkies. The majority of the comments were not positive. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2021343

I can't imagine anyone really wants to carry those things all the time, anyway. It's not hard to find the rest of your party on the ship! There are only a few places you will be...pool, casino, spa, sportsdeck, cabin....tell others where you are likely to be...they will find you! Have a meeting time...meals, snacks, whatever...if you can't be found, you'll meet at the assigned time. Easy!

If you bring your warlike-talkie on your cruise you are certain to meet LOTS of new people,(but not in a good way).

Have to agree.....the others around you won't be too happy if you are using walkie talkies. We did try them once. We had good ones but they didn't work and we got many dirty looks. There are other ways to keep in touch. We travel with our teenagers and always find ways to keep in touch!

I took them on my first cruise (7 years ago) in which I traveled with my two teenagers and one of their teenage friends (18, 17 and 15 at the time). We did not use them much on board but they did come in handy in the ports. Have not used them since, on my past 10 cruises. :)

The OP recommends the purchase of UHF radios. Radios in the UHF bands are commonly called GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios. These require a license to use in the US, and only by citizens 18 and over. They are also illegal to use in some countries, especially in Europe.

Certainly not a good choice to keep in touch with your kids.

Under concerns of annoyance, the OP says the walkie talkie will vibrate, flash or ring. It's the talking that's annoying.:D Also talks about using them for grocery shopping since it beats taking a cellphone and dialing. One of those would definitely not slip in to my small handbag.;)

I'm almost wondering if the OP is just trying to sell walkie talkies.

I can't imagine anyone really wants to carry those things all the time, anyway. It's not hard to find the rest of your party on the ship! There are only a few places you will be...pool, casino, spa, sportsdeck, cabin....tell others where you are likely to be...they will find you! Have a meeting time...meals, snacks, whatever...if you can't be found, you'll meet at the assigned time. Easy!

true i guess but what if its a large ship like oasis/quantum/allure of the seas? wouldnt it be easier to pick up a walkie "guys youre coming out?" - "yes" instead of wondering. Plus you dont have conversations over it, just in case you got split up in a crowd etc.

The OP recommends the purchase of UHF radios. Radios in the UHF bands are commonly called GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios. These require a license to use in the US, and only by citizens 18 and over. They are also illegal to use in some countries, especially in Europe.

Certainly not a good choice to keep in touch with your kids.

1. you buy them off amazon nobody will ask you for a license

2. you will be in the international waters

3. nobody will bust your gonads for using a walkie talkie, nobody will come up to you in europe and ask you whether your walkie talkie is UHF or VHF, so don't be ridiculous, worst case scenario - you see police approaching and you dump the walkie casually walking away :rolleyes:

Under concerns of annoyance, the OP says the walkie talkie will vibrate, flash or ring. It's the talking that's annoying.:D Also talks about using them for grocery shopping since it beats taking a cellphone and dialing. One of those would definitely not slip in to my small handbag.;)

 

I'm almost wondering if the OP is just trying to sell walkie talkies.

lol the walkies i showed are the size of your iphone, so it would fit in your tiny purse, plus they have belt clip

if I was trying to sell them i wouldn't advertise 2 different walkies from 2 different sellers, that was an insult :mad:

I don't really think this info is for advanced travelers. They just arrange times/places to meet the rest of their party.

Besides, everyone knows that advanced techies would simply get rooms distributed throughout the ship. Then they would set up a peer to peer WiFi network. Finally, they would use mesh networking on their mobile phones to allow text and voice messages within their party. Simple!

Just came back from breakaway sunday. I bought them with me and they were worthless. Cannot use them at all. will not work. someone told me because of the metal on ship. I was going to take them on next cruise but not going to. As soon as I shut cabin door I could not hear anything at all. Dont bother

Hello everyone,

(move my thread if I posted in the wrong forum, im new)

 

dn't make them super complicated so to use in emergency situations.

 

Caution - some of them might require HAM license if the radios have FM broadcast, so stay away from those, or when you get it don't use it because you might get a nasty ticket (jk but srsly don't abuse this,) but nobody will check you for it anyway and as long as you don't spam police/emergency channels nobody will try to triangulate you either, some of the high end radios have greater implication, you could even use them home when grocery shopping, definitely beats taking your cellphone and dialing etc.

Using headset will solve a lot of embarrassment problems in public if any of you care.

 

QUOTE]

 

In other words, you are suggesting that we all go out and buy amateur radio equipment and then break the law by using the equipment without getting the proper license for the equipment - just because the odds are that nobody will catch us. That is a great attitude. Back in the good old days when CB was big, people would buy a CB set and hook a linear amplifier to them to increase the range of the CB set. What do you think about that?

 

Then we wonder why some of our kids figure that laws do not apply to them but just to other people.

 

DON

In other words, you are suggesting that we all go out and buy amateur radio equipment and then break the law by using the equipment without getting the proper license for the equipment - just because the odds are that nobody will catch us. That is a great attitude. Back in the good old days when CB was big, people would buy a CB set and hook a linear amplifier to them to increase the range of the CB set. What do you think about that?

 

Then we wonder why some of our kids figure that laws do not apply to them but just to other people.

 

DON

Amazing, isn't it? A first time poster, first cruise coming up, and he's brags about "having some scientific background" and tells us to just go and break the laws of not only this country, but any country we may visit. What a guy! :rolleyes:

If he is indicative of the attitude of the new breed of cruisers, then perhaps it's time to try some other kind of vacation. Personally, I wouldn't want to spend my time on a ship with people who's morals are so lacking.

 

lol the walkies i showed are the size of your iphone, so it would fit in your tiny purse, plus they have belt clip

if I was trying to sell them i wouldn't advertise 2 different walkies from 2 different sellers, that was an insult :mad:

I said, ALMOST.;) I'm sorry if you took that as an insult because it wouldn't be the first time someone tried to sell something on this site. Like someone else said, advanced travellers already know the down side of walkie talkies.

Since you're new around here, there are a number of hot button topics and walkie talkies are one of them. From what you said, it seems that you have already read what people said about them. Even though you are trying to dispel some of the negativity of them working well, advanced travellers know how to keep in touch with others without walkie talkies.

god people, i am not talking about walmart toy section walkie talkies, i am talking about professional military grade handheld radio transceivers of UHF -ultra high frequency, that are specifically designed to be used indoors, the signals penetrate through steal, concrete, brick walls, these new radios have 5W of power and will deliver exactly what you are trying to get

god people, i am not talking about walmart toy section walkie talkies, i am talking about professional military grade handheld radio transceivers of UHF -ultra high frequency, that are specifically designed to be used indoors, the signals penetrate through steal, concrete, brick walls, these new radios have 5W of power and will deliver exactly what you are trying to get

I have no background in radio theory, but I have used UHF radios aboard ships for nearly 40 years. I can tell you that even the 5w radios that you suggest are marginal for penetrating more than a deck or two, when more than 100 yards distant. This is why ships will use a 40-50w base station radio in fixed places like the bridge and engine control, and the handhelds can hear fine, but transmitting back to the base station is not always the best. Larger ships also use repeater antenna throughout the ship, optimized for the frequencies used onboard, to facilitate the handheld radios transmission power.

The radios you are suggesting are also 5w VHF transceivers, which must be listed on the ship's radiotelegraphy license, regardless of local requirements, so these would be a violation of the ship's license, and could be confiscated during baggage scan or at any time that someone saw you using them. I believe that most cruise lines have language about prohibiting VHF transmitters, as this could interfere with ship's communication.

:D

I must note that with these manual transceivers, anyone else using cheap walkies will not be able to listen in on your conversations or plans., only other people with manual radios could, but they would need to scan through thousands of channels so needn't worry. You however would be able to communicate with those people and/or listen in on their conversations, if you have nothing better to do.

I'm a Ham Radio operator but, that is not part of my cruising experience. I do carry a "scanner" (receive only) with me quite often. Walkie-talkie users on cruises are typically Family Radio Service (FRS) (7 channels) or General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) (15 channels, seven shared with FRS), not "thousands of channels". Listening in on FRS/GMRS conversations is not at all difficult. Even if the user has "privacy" enabled on their device, it is still possible to listen in. Occasionally, I do it for "entertainment"! There should be no expectation of privacy. Setting "privacy" prevents you from hearing others; it does not prevent others from hearing you.

god people, i am not talking about walmart toy section walkie talkies, i am talking about professional military grade handheld radio transceivers of UHF -ultra high frequency, that are specifically designed to be used indoors, the signals penetrate through steal, concrete, brick walls, these new radios have 5W of power and will deliver exactly what you are trying to get

Doesn't matter.

Finding people on the ship isn't hard and your neighbors don't care to listen as you discover the radios don't work all that well.

IgorK - welcome to Cruise Critic...see you have already met some of the folks.

"Professional military grade" doesn't make it possible "penetrate" walls...a kot of other variables involved. Radios other than what you describe may be capable of 5 watts output. A lot of that may be determined (regulated) by what service the radio is type-accepted for by a country's communication authority (FCC in the U.S.)

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

The OP reminds me of the new hire who the day he starts on the job is making suggestions to everyone on how to do their jobs. Wait and see how things are done? Nope! He's the "expert", and it's too much trouble for him to observe and ask around to learn from the experienced people around him before making valid, useful suggestions. As my dad use to tell us: "You learn more by listening than by talking".

Now he's telling us these are military grade UHF radios. Really? He needs military grade equipment to enjoy his cruise?

And his suggestion to go ahead and use them in foreign countries and if the police approach just throw the thing away is incredibly bad advice. Never mind that these devices may interfere with that country's emergency channels and could delay a response to an emergency. What matters is that his convenience is much more important.

I'm thinking more and more that we have a troll among us.

What the OP has shown and suggested to buy are ham (amateur) radios that anyone can buy, but you must be licensed to use, both in the U.S. and most every foreign country in the world. Doesn't matter if you are in international waters or not. The frequencies these radios utilize are regulated and controlled world wide. To imply that no one cares is completely untrue. You not only can interfere with licensed operators, but also government/police/military users. Every country, including the U.S., take frequency violations very seriously. If you insist on using some sort of two way radio, buy the FRS/GMRS radio's that are readily available (still need a license) and go that way. Do not buy amateur radio's!!:mad:

Anyone that can't meet his cruise companions without a walkie talkie should have a caregiver that can see that he does.

:D

 

I'm a Ham Radio operator but, that is not part of my cruising experience. I do carry a "scanner" (receive only) with me quite often. Walkie-talkie users on cruises are typically Family Radio Service (FRS) (7 channels) or General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) (15 channels, seven shared with FRS), not "thousands of channels". Listening in on FRS/GMRS conversations is not at all difficult. Even if the user has "privacy" enabled on their device, it is still possible to listen in. Occasionally, I do it for "entertainment"! There should be no expectation of privacy. Setting "privacy" prevents you from hearing others; it does not prevent others from hearing you.

I feel like you are not even reading what I am saying, I am recommending professional ham radios, not family 7 channel walkie talkies, of course you can listen to those with a pro ham radio