Hiking, camping, rock climbing, and kayaking are all great ways to enjoy nature with friends or family. Finding the right communication device is just as important as choosing the activity when it comes to outdoor adventures.
Mobile phones may be ubiquitous, but the great outdoors often comes with unreliable service coverage. Phones are also easy to lose and damage.
That brings us to two-way radios, often known as walkie talkies. A perfect solution for outdoor adventure, two-way radios aren’t a simple purchase. So let’s look at the features you should consider when choosing a radio to meet your needs.
How Will You Use Walkie-Talkies
The first step in choosing the right two-way radio is deciding how you will use them.
- Are they for personal or professional use?
- How many people will need one?
- Do you care if others overhear your conversation?
- Will you be using them in loud environments?
The answers to these questions will determine features you should prioritize and others you can ignore. You’ll need different if you want radios for your next hike, white water rafting trip, or a construction site.
Your Radio Frequency Needs
Radios come in two frequencies: very high frequency (VHF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF). VHF radios are great for long, open distances such as fields or golf courses. UHF radios cover shorter distances but with more power. So they work better for areas with denser obstacles. If you’ll need to communicate over dense terrain such as a forest, UHF radios are your solution.
Distance and Power Capabilities
How far your walkie-talkie can reach and its signal strength are two very important variables. Radio power is measured in watts, with one watt generally giving you one mile of range. Note that ranges listed by manufacturers are measured in ideal lab conditions. Range in the real world will be significantly lower due to obstructions, so you should consider distance and power.
How Long the Battery Lasts
Another important factor in choosing a radio for your outdoor adventure. Most retail radios use high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, ideal for day-to-day use. But for rugged terrain, you might want to consider nickel-metal hybrid batteries. NiMH batteries are more resistant to impact and charge faster than their Li-ion counterparts.
Weight and How You’ll Carry It
Don’t forget that you’ll be lugging these radios around on your hike, climb, or rafting trip. After a full day, weight will become a serious consideration. Think about how much weight you can carry, and how you’ll carry the radio. Will it be in your backpack, strapped to your waistband, or in a pocket? In a kayak’s dry bag?
Each situation will impact how much weight you can reasonably carry.
Do You Need a License?
The vast majority of two-way radios available from retailers don’t require any special license. However, some features are regulated by various government bodies, such as the FCC in the US, and require you to purchase a license to use the radio. These licenses add to the overall cost, but these radios are significantly stronger and offer more robust features than unlicensed models.
As you can see, choosing the right two-way radio for your outdoor trip isn’t as simple as stopping by the local electronics shop. You’ll need to read through the features of individual models to find the one that meets your specific needs. The good news is that now you have the knowledge to figure out exactly what you need, so you aren’t stuck with an underpowered radio or paying for features you don’t need.
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