Bargain Walkie Talkies

[Happy1]

I bought a spare pair of Walkie Talkies from Maplins today, they are on offer from £69 to £29 for a pair (excluding batteries 4 x AAA per unit) The units are Cobra MT 500's good for 3km. I also bought some rechargeable 750mAh AAA batteries which are £7.99 for 4 including a compact plug in direct charging unit (funny thing is 4 x 500mAh's are dearer without the free compact charger unit. The sound qualiy is very good and at that price good value for money IMHO. I have some Motorola's but these are lighter with earpiece and mic sockets covered by rubber flaps. of course you could use normal batteries but from experience the recharegables are better value in the long run.

They are shown on this site as £109 for a pair! :-

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.kcb.co.uk/microtalk/cobra/prod_mt500.htm>http://www.kcb.co.uk/microtalk/cobra/prod_mt500.htm</A>

Oh! and I got a fly killer light for £7.49 to keep the bugs at the river avon at bay /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Hope this is useful for someone.

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Guest]

Doubtless you'll know the answer to this, but what happens if you use a PMR without CTCSS with ones that do? Does the non CTCSS set 'hear' all the sub-channels, and how does a set with CTCSS receive from one without?

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BTW, Makro have a four pack of non CTCSS PMRs on special for £50 VAT, as well as a 2100W petrol frame genny for £200 VAT - is it worth fitting one of these, anyone?

 

[PGD]

Re Graham's point, are they the 8 channel ones or do they have private sub channels, if so I’d get some, else you’d get load of cross talk wouldn’t you ???

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance

 

[Happy1]

They are the 8 channel ones, what do you want for £29? /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif your own private channel? I haven't had a problem with cross talk, as nobody else seems to use them around here, plus you have 8 to choose from anyway, just remember anybody could be listening in! Just a cheap way of keeping in touch, only the cost of a few beers up this way or a few litrs less fuel, perhaps a drop from 42 to 30 knts for 30 mins should be enough to pay for them /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Guest]

I got mine from Maplin last time they had them on special, and for thirty quid I got 8 channels plus CTCSS. Never had any problem with crosstalk either, but interested to know if you can mix and match CTCSS and non-CTCSS, as the kids like to use them when meesing about between boats - i.e. our lot, Hagrid's, and now Nick2's. Chris_B4, can you see a pattern forming here? Maybe you should go to Maplin.

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[Happy1]

Are you for real, read my intial post properly!!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Nick2]

Thanks to you guys I have just bought a pair of half price Oregons for £29.99 which have got to be worth a go at that price . Seem similar spec to Happy's but a bit less "action man" and a bit more "barbie" which my girls will prefer and they were actually in stock.

I could spend hours in that shop if only time allowed.....

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2>http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2</A>

 

[Guest]

Re: Sir! Sir! Please Sir, Happy\'s having a go...

Steady, Tiger!

As far as I can tell, without getting into that whole existential thing, I am for real.

I also like to think of myself as at least functionally literate, so it would be a reasonable assumption that I could, and in fact did, read you initial post correctly. In fact, I was the first to reply to it.

All I want is a simple answer to the question about mixing CTCSS and non-CTCSS sets. Frankly, I couldn't care less what brand they are, or what they cost, or whether they have little rubber flaps or not. I just want to know if they will bloody well work.

If you feel your manhood is under threat because I managed to get a better deal on cheap PMRs than you did, then can I politely suggest you go and thrash your V6 petrol engine somewhat, and I will content myself by darning my carpet slippers in a non-threatening manner.

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[Nick2]

Mine are CTSS but what does it mean please?

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2>http://arweb.co.uk/argallery/Nick2</A>

 

[rickp]

Re: Sir! Sir! Please Sir, Happy\'s having a go...

Non CTCSS PMR radios are effectively always on subchannel 0 - without any filters - so they do hear all the communications on the channel, regardless of the sub-channel selected by the far end.

See <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.skywatcher.org/pmr446/en/>http://www.skywatcher.org/pmr446/en/</A>

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[Happy1]

Re: Sir! Sir! Please Sir, Happy\'s having a go...

I guess you missed the Saga offer on the magnifying software for PC's /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif So I will let you off this time, but in future please just answer after carefuly reading the post and reply accordingly with accuracy and brevity /forums/images/icons/wink.gif /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[PGD]

Alright /forums/images/icons/wink.gif, now then I run on diesel and 29 quid should do me about 4 months, can only do 4 ktns on the Thames Mr EA might get a bit miffed at me doing 30 /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Worht a look though.

Peter

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance

 

[Happy1]

Err, I would forget about reducing the speed, you may end up going backwards with a slight wind /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Don't know how you could get £29, Oh! what about getting DepSol to advertise his Star brite with a big flag on your boat for a day /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Guest]

It's a sub-channel thing - there are 38 CTCSS codes per channel. You pick one, and you only hear traffic on that subcode, a bit like being able to filter out everything on VHF Ch 16 that's not got your call sign in it. It doesn't mean you can have 38 people using the same channel at once, just that you don't have to listen to someone else's last minute shopping list

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[Guest]

Re: Thank you!

The key bit is this:

Non-CTCSS radios always operate on subchannel 0, aka. all filters off, and thus hearing all comunication on the main channel, regardless of the subchannel.

If you have a CTCSS enabled radio, you'll have to disable it (change into subchannel 0) in order to be able to communicate with non-CTCSS radios. Otherwise, you just wouldn't hear whatever they'd say to you.

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[kimhollamby]

Happy1, if I see an aggressive post like this again you are toast. Read before you hit submit please (and yes it is an unfair world and no I don't care right at this point).

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[Happy1]

I must make a public apology, for the way in which it came out, it was just that I had made it clear in my thread that I had got the radios in Maplin's, I thought someone was trying to wind me up, when it was suggetsted I went there /forums/images/icons/wink.gif I am still a bit nervous in my posts after being the bullied before. I humbly apologise to all on the forum for the misunderstanding, I will ensure that it never happens again.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Guest]

Re: Big Hug

Accepted. I meant to say that Chris_B4 should go to Maplin, though it can be read as somehwat ambiguous. On a good day, even I'm not so stupid as to suggest that Happy should go to Maplin, after he posts to the effect that he's just been there.

Do you have room for another 2 PMR's, BTW? <takes cover...>

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[Happy1]

Attn kimhollamby

I am being provoked via PM and this post, please have words.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: Attn kimhollamby

I see nothing in the last post to provoke you. If you feel a PM is unreasonable please send it to me.

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