What's the best 2 way for around 50-80$

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The Motorola Talk-about series is about all you can get for that price. Just remember you get what you pay for. They aren't bad they just aren't great.
 
For about $20 more, you can get handheld marine radios which have a HELL of a lot more range...

Ok, maybe even less....
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boat...dios/104671080.uts&WTz_l=Unknown;cat104671080

Ok. You Ham guys can pipe in here, but as a Navy Electronic Technician For 20 years and growing up around boats (father was a charter captain for my whole life, I was for 4 years.).

I figure I am more than qualified to make the clarification to the range of the above radio's claim of 50 miles. Marine radios are in the VHF band which is basically LOS(Line of Sight) in regards to the horizon. The horizon at eye level is 3 miles, assuming that you are trying to talk to another person with a handheld, double that distance, which equals 6 miles plus 10 percent for refraction, for a total of 6.6 miles. The rule of thumb for most boats antenna to antenna is approximately 25 miles depending on heights.

So honestly, a 35 mile radio pretty much has the same range as a 50 mile radio, unless you are talking to an aircraft.

Not saying not to have a Handheld marine radio, it allows more flexibility. I have both, plus my CB in my truck. But be aware that marine frequencies have more restrictions when operating, basically learn what channels you can use and what each channel is for.

FRS (Family Radio Service) on the other hand is non restricted and does not require a license. Marine band did at one time, currently it does not for the common person.

It all depends on what capabilities and limitations you are looking for.

Honestly, the throat mics are cool looking and all, but for the average person, really? The price of a decent throat mic is twice the amount of a average radio, the mediocre ones are the same price as the radio.

I would suggest however, to buy a decent FRS radio like the higher quality TalkAbouts that have a microphone Jack capability, for use with a headset, when funds allow. I bought a 4 pack of the cheap ones, quite a few years back and wish I had the ability to use while riding my ATV.
 
The throat mics are something my buddy wants to get he's found a pair for about 75$ and they have had some good reviews, he's a prepping partner, of sorts, so I said to get them if he can and we'd test them out when I get my radios
 
None of these radios will reach as far as they claim . Maybe from mountain top to mountain top they would. Its all about the terrain
 
My friends and I also do tactical paintball so the radio setup will be used for that too. As long as they can reach about 1 mile I'll be ok with them, I'm not looking for super long range. We all live within a 6 block radius of each other.(small town block,not city blocks)
 
I use the Motorolas with throat mics for paintball, they work ok, but need more range in the truck than those will provide.
 
I would have to agree wholeheartedly with Swen - but I will also add that we can't turn everyone into hams. That just would not be fair to the people that actually wants to do two way communications as a hobby or as a service in times of need.

The GMRS radio - which is no different then any other type of radio was taken away from the business service and given to the general public for just this purpose.
If you take the time to BUY the license - which covers the whole family - you can operate with what ever power you have available.

There is no many repeaters involved and most are privately owned and closed repeaters so you do not get the benefit of being able to use it as a hobby or talking more then just locally, but it is a good way to get on the air and involved in Emergency Communications.
It might invoke a response of finding more people that enjoys this type of communications that might want to become hams later, but the equipment used for GMRS is different then the equipment used for amateur radio - so you end up having to spend your money twice.

If you are just going to talk locally within a group, the Motorola GMRS bubble pack radios just can't be beat. Make sure to buy a quality radio - mine are the Yellow 350R's are a good unit with decent range - up to 3 miles if you are in the right situation, maybe more if you were out on a great lake.
 

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