How To Optimize Range for Motorola Talkabout Two Way Radios

This video explains how range limitations affect radio signals and provides tips and tricks for optimizing range for Motorola Talkabout Two Way Radios.

Categories: Two Way Radios & Videos

Tags: how-to, Motorola, optimize, optimizing, range, Talkabout, tips & tricks

Posted On: October 5 2011

Posted By: rick

14 Comments

barb ahlers

May 26 2020 at 8:04 pm

I am in need of a long distance walkie talkie of up to 30 miles. To date I've triied 3 different brands with no luck. Any advice you can provide would be sincerely appreciated.

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1. Rick
  
  May 26 2020 at 8:26 pm
  
  Hi Barb, the simple truth is that no walkie talkie is automatically going to go thirty miles. Handheld radios are low power devices and are designed for short range communications. Now, depending on your location, elevation, the type of antenna and other factors, it is possible to get that far with a portable handheld in certain circumstances, but for most applications, it simply won't happen.
  This Two Way Radio Range Chart can provide you with more information.
  
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Suspicious Mind

April 7 2019 at 8:36 pm

Simple replies would help several here. Repeaters are normally not portable units you move around to magically extend range; they are fixed on-site and maintained by devotees of the craft or legal commercial providers, and the units operate on discrete wavelengths you must use. Cell towers are basically the same sort of thing, in that they link the actually short range of your phone into the vast networks of the providers, which use cables to carry the signals the bulk of the way; they do not propagate a stronger wireless signal, but only "bridge" the gap between you phone and the system itself. Cell towers are prevalent and except in remote areas overlap far more than radio repeaters for GMRS etc. so are ordinarily more practical nowadays than radios, unless the system goes down. I've used small units with bike groups, and greatly helped when members got separated or took the wrong trail; actual range was probably never more than two or three miles, but between 0.5 and 5 watts, I know which I would pick every time.

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Anonymous

December 16 2017 at 9:18 pm

Brandon, the power limit for amateur radio is 1500 watts but we are supposed to use the minimum necessary for communication most handheld Ham radios in the VHF range go through repeaters and use about 5 watts and most mobiles are anywhere from 50 200 Watts the range is considerably increased when you use a repeater I can talk to someone anywhere for him a hundred miles away or a couple of hundred miles away depending on if the repeater system is linked but amatuer radio is for personal non-commercial non business communication only

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Kate

November 4 2017 at 2:15 pm

Are there any options to use in Boston city that has 2-5 mile range?
PLEASE?? Thanks

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Rick

February 28 2017 at 9:21 am

The key difference between those two models is the T80 is designed for use on PMR446 frequencies in the UK while the T460 is designed for use FRS/GMRS frequencies in the US. M Series are the older Talkabout radios, which are currently being phased out for the T Series.

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Vegvisir

February 27 2017 at 10:17 pm

Hi guys, I'm looking for some help here. I need 2 way radio to use on bike tours, to communicate between 2 guides at both ends of group. Am trying to choose between Motorola licence free radios, but more I dig in, more I'm unsure which one to get. First I was sure about T80 extreme, then I found T460, which seems to be almost the same, but cheaper and now I discovered M range, which is promoted as "extreme as you are" etc. Which one of these is the best? Considering range, battery life, durability? Thank you in advance for advice.

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Rick

March 25 2016 at 8:29 am

Hi Steve, we have a lot of resources available here to answer your questions. Here are a few to get you started:
Articles (learn at your own pace)
30 Miles? The Truth About Range
Getting The Most Range From Your Radio
Repeater capable FRS/GMRS radios
Podcasts (explanations and discussions in layman's terms)
TWRS-05 - Radios in Range
TWRS-45 - The Truth About GMRS Radio Range
TWRS-68 - An Introduction to Repeaters
Videos (short, simple answers)
Radio 101 - The truth about FRS / GMRS two way radio range

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Steve Quate

March 25 2016 at 12:46 am

I know I'm gonna get hammered asking this but I'm an idiot about radios but I was looking for a waterproof hand held two way radio also with 30-50 mile accessibility so really when these companies on eBay say their radios will go 30 miles is really not true? These little radios for 59.00 for two?
Also what's a repeater? Are they expensive, big hard to carry with a pack on? Thanks for any education anyone out there will lend me and please you can email me thanks a bunch

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Emily Taylor

January 27 2016 at 2:37 pm

For anyone else reading about teh Gil. GMRS license and use GMRS repeater, nice quality commercial radio (even the old ones like GP300) and a good antenna on it. All over LA and OC Counties easy.

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James

September 19 2015 at 9:08 am

I'm not fully versed in radio theory and operation but I believe all three radios would need to be able to transmit 30 miles for this to work. You probably won't be able to achieve this range without a repeater or two. You would be better off getting cell phones on a family plan.

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Brandon

March 28 2014 at 11:26 pm

Gil, for these ranges you will need a Ham radio licence. A technician Ham level exam is very easy and will permit you up to 200 watts on the 2 meter Ham band which will allow you to use repeaters in the area that can give you ranges beyond 50 miles. However, these ranges are with higher power mobile units used in vehicles with larger antennas. You will receive a call sign once you pass the test, but everyone on the frequency must pass the same test. None of these handhelds you're thinking of will even BEGIN to come close to 4 miles, much less 30. As it is, a hand held Ham radio is only 5 watts, and without a larger antenna than the rubber ducky it comes with, could only hit a repeater out to maybe 10-15 miles on a great day depending on repeater height above the ground. So if you had two handytalkies on 2 meters on opposite sides of a repeater, you could theoretically talk 30 miles apart. But 20 would be more reasonable. I hope you do receive this reply and that it has helped you. If you'd like to learn more about receiving a Ham licence, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

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BT

April 3 2013 at 8:21 pm

Dear folks,
I have purchase my two way radios from you and are very happy with the results. I have looking for infromation about two way radios and have to say that yours web site is the best and complete in options (models) and also information on this subject. Thanks a lot for your excellent work!

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Gil Siegmund

January 15 2013 at 2:22 pm

I need a push to talk set of three two-way radios for use in Southern California; one range of about four miles is needed for two of the radios; the other radio should transmit and receive up to 30 miles in any area, including inside a moving automobile and a school building. The purpose of the radio is to provide my mother with a way of immediately contacting my sister or me and for us to immediately contact her. Please advise about the best brand, the least expensive, and what FCC license we would need; also would call letters be necessary? Thank you,

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