4 "walkie talkies" for less than the price of 1

[Showtime]

Normally these walkie talkies (Vtech VT-62-1311 Blue, theres also green/purple) are $59.99, Amazon has them on sale for $25.88. Order 4 and use their coupon for $15.00 off $100.00.The code: AMZN-ELEC-BUZZ. Final cc charge is $97.15 SHIPPED. There's a $10.00 off manufacturers mail in rebate. Mail in the manufactures coupons for $40.00 more in savings. The final cost is $57.15 or around $14.29 each. Read the reviews you can't go wrong at this price.

[2canoe]

Thanks for the post. These look better than the Motorola FR50s since they have 38 subcodes. Anyone have experience with these VTech units?

[Showtime]

From what i read the range is little less than 2 miles and batteries suck. Mine will be here this week and I highly doubt I'll be disappointed. I was planning to buy 4 a day earlier, waited and found the $15 off coupon.

[Carnivore]

Pretty much all of the brands have about the same range, give or take about a block, since almost all of them transmit the same amount of power, 500 milliwatts or 1/2 watt.

There are some cheezy, cheap off-brand imports and Radio Shack models (big surprise, right) that transmit less than 500mw or don't include all 14 channels - those are the ones to watch out for. I think CyberRebate was selling some one-channel piece of such junk.

None of them come anywhere close to two miles range in my experience. You get a clear signal for a block or two, and a staticy signal after that. If you're lucky you'll get reliable communication for up to maybe a half mile outdoors. They'll sometimes go farther than that if there are zero obstructions, ideal conditions and you keep pushing the "Monitor" button to hear distant signals through the static.

One of the best features to get is the 38 subcodes, sometimes called "Privacy Codes". These don't give you extra channels, they just block out other people's transmissions on the same channel you're using, so you only hear the radio that's tuned to the same code as you. Of course it would be pretty rude to enable the codes and then take over a channel that's already in use by someone else nearby, but they can really cut down on noise caused by distant conversations on the same channel, or if you're using the radios in a crowded mall or amusement park. Note that the codes only keep your RECEPTION private, they don't keep your TRANSMISSIONS private. Anyone nearby will be able to hear what you say if they're listening to the same channel without their privacy codes turned on.

Bottom line - make sure the radio has 14 channels and 500mw power output. After that, you're just paying for a brand name, looks, and extra features. The VTechs look good, and probably perform just as well as the expensive Motorolas etc.

[2canoe]

Thanks Carnivore. Now the subcodes make more sense. Your dissertation was quite informative.

[i6s1]

I got three of these just before they went on sale. (I emailed amazon for a price adjustment.) They're pretty good. Pretty much the same as my Audiovox 230s. You can get some pretty kicking range out of them given the right circumstances. I was on a ridge and my friend was in a valley, and we could still get a message across at more then 2 miles. Thats unobstucted. 400 yards further, not line of sight anymore, and nothing got through. You'll get at least a half mile out of them, obstructed. They only take 3 batteries, so they don't last quite as long as the 230s, and the antenna doesn't fold down. This isn't a big problem cause they're so small they'll fit in you pocket with the antenna up. I haven't tried the external mic and speaker. I've never had a problem with other people being on the same freq, mostly cause I live in Canada and there aren't too many up here. The privacy codes would be handy at Disneyland and that sort of thing. (Everyone and thier dog has one there...) The only real complaint is they feel a little cheap. The plastic is thinner then the 230s, so don't drop them.

[spigidygak]

Can these vtech's be used with the motorola's?

[Showtime]

just came in. They look a little toyish/fragile and are very compact/light. The purple look the best than blue and the very "toyish" looking green(looks like 1 of those cheap clear green water guns). When i get a chance to play with, will post a review. Still happy with the deal.

[i6s1]

Which Motorola are you talking about? If they're FRS, they're compatable.