Thread: Advice for walkie-talkies/radios for hunting

Have a trip later in the year in a party of 4 and thinking it would be beneficial to be able to split in two but still maintain contact. Likely one pair on each side of the valley. Anyone have recommendations for cheaper radios/walkie talkies that will do the job? Doesn't have to be the ducks nuts but something that is reasonably priced and will do the job.
Cheers,

Baofeng 5w - cheap as chips & work bloody well over huge distances!

Get ones that turn on by twisting a knob, avoid ones that turn on by pressing in a button, they always turn on in your pack.

...Ask @stug how he knows

Seems they're all reasonable, depending on how you look after them
Mine are Uniden, but get 5 watt, not 3

Definitely 5w, got pair out of the states a few years back, they work well but still almost need to be LOS depending where you are.
Also recommend sched times for communicating with the other party so you know if you can reach them or not.

Baofengs are good but technically illegal if you don't have a radio operator license.
Easy enough to order on Aliexpress though.

Aha...

Originally Posted by Chur Bay

Baofengs are good but technically illegal if you don't have a radio operator license.
Easy enough to order on Aliexpress though.

Thats true but only for over 5watt versions....
One of mine is 8watt which is technically illegal, as you say i ordered on amazon at the time and had no issues getting them in...... chances of a little man in a white lab coat jumping out of the bush and asking for a licence are pretty slim / none.

Just keep ff the relevant S&R frequencies in the SI

It was tourists using Baofangs that majorly jammed things a few years back down south wasn't it?

Garmin Rino is still an awesome bit of kit. 1.5 and 5W radio, and the tracking of your hunting mates on the map is great when you split, or need to find them.
Plus messaging is handy. But…. Hardly take the Rino now, mostly use watch and phone for GPS function, and I have a pair of cheap kids Motorola radios. Not sure of the wattage, but they work well enough as long as there is a rough line of sight. Any decent ridges between radio and they dot work. I think I got four for under $100

Originally Posted by zimmer

Just keep ff the relevant S&R frequencies in the SI

It was tourists using Baofangs that majorly jammed things a few years back down south wasn't it?

Two way radios purchased from China often come with a bunch of presets they seem to use over there in the 146-148 range...which sits smack in the middle of our Emergency Service simplex and duplex freqs.

Rule #1 when using them: know what frequencies are what, and don't be a dick.

They are bloody good when you shoot a deer at long range and your mate stays put while you walk over to it, they can tell you to go left, go fight or further or closer.

Shit I would of lost a few deer without them

Ive got a pair of 5W GME handhelds, bloody handy for exactly what your after but would have been more money than the aliexpress ones, Also 100% agree with the turn knob vs power button unless it has a lock function

Originally Posted by 7mm Rem Mag

They are bloody good when you shoot a deer at long range and your mate stays put while you walk over to it, they can tell you to go left, go fight or further or closer.

Shit I would of lost a few deer without them

sounds about right...go left,go fight your way through that pile of matagouri...oops no back the other way.....
we used then for awaile but the local quarry was on same radios and it was pain in arse..cellphone coverage is great where we normally hunt so radios are redundant.