Rather than shell out a lot of money for cell phones, some parents purchase a pair of inexpensive walkie-talkies to stay in contact with their kids instead. Midland even ships the radios with boom microphones for hands-free communication. An SOS siren alerts others when help is needed, and a built-in NOAA weather alert radio keeps users ahead of severe weather. These walkie-talkies are also rugged, waterproof, and come with rechargeable battery packs that can keep them operating for hours at a time.īeyond the basic functionality, Midland designed the GXT1000VP4 for use in emergencies. It sports a bright, backlit LCD screen, offers 10 customizable alerts for incoming messages, and includes a whisper mode for communicating in quiet situations. The GXT1000VP4 is a great example: it features 50 channels, 142 privacy codes, and an impressive 36-mile range. Midland has been making two-way radios for decades, but it’s always finding new ways to innovate. But we can’t say enough good things about this radio, as it is a surprisingly good radio for the price. With this particular radio, with no channels like most of the rest of our recommendations, you will need to ensure you have the proper licensing (if necessary) to transmit. Grab a great offseason deal on the best snowboards

Other features include dual-frequency monitoring and standby and a built-in emergency alert siren. It can both receive and transmit on any frequency between 136-174 MHz and 400-520 MHz at up to five watts of power, as well as receive between 65-108MHz. The UV-5R is one of the company’s discontinued models, but it has continued to sell on Amazon for rock- bottom prices and has become a favorite among amateur radio operators as a cheap handheld radio. However, today the company’s radios are some of the bestselling (and best-reviewed) radios on Amazon. Only a decade ago, nobody had ever heard of BaoFeng. After researching various sites and reading dozens of customer reviews, we’ve selected some of the best below. There are hundreds of models to choose from, most of which won’t break the bank. Good old-fashioned two-way radios (aka walkie-talkies) remain an efficient and affordable option for off-grid communications. Thankfully, there are much cheaper options out there. But these phones are expensive, as are the monthly service fees. One option is the satellite phone, which will work anywhere as long as you have a clear view of the sky.

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