Comms advoce

[Bradders13754]

Hi me and my son are looking to keep in contact during games and just wondering what comms people use not got a big budget cheers ?

[concretesnail]

Boafeng radios and a fist mic, easy to use and lot can have an ear piece from the mic which cuts off the speaker when the ear piece is connected.

[Tommikka]

Many will suggest Baofengs, but for legal use they require a licence.

 

PMR handsets are on free to use frequencies.

Any PMR handset can talk to any PMR handset

 

[EDcase]

THESE say they use PMR frequency so should be OK.

 

Or Just look for any PMR446 walkie-talkies

 

Edited July 2, 2022 by EDcase

[Druid799]

If it’s just you and your son keeping in touch out on the field yea definitely go for the cheap’n’cheerful PMR option like the kind you can pick up from Argos for a couple of ? but do be prepared for a bit of bleedout from others users when on site with a lot of players all using a limited number of channels . There are many different more ‘professional’ radios available but I do think it’s fair to say for 90% of players the next step up is to go for a Boefeng handset that has a myriad of programmable channels BUT as Tommikka said you should have a licence To run them , I will also say in all the yrs of playing I’ve never actually spoken to anyone who has a licence to use them . Now I am not advocating breaking the law in any way shape or form BUT I’ve also never encountered or heard about anyone being prosecuted for using said handset for Airsofting either . So ultimately it’s up to you what you want out of going with Comm’s and how you want to go about it . ?

[Shamal]

1 hour ago, Druid799 said:

If it’s just you and your son keeping in touch out on the field yea definitely go for the cheap’n’cheerful PMR option like the kind you can pick up from Argos for a couple of ? but do be prepared for a bit of bleedout from others users when on site with a lot of players all using a limited number of channels . There are many different more ‘professional’ radios available but I do think it’s fair to say for 90% of players the next step up is to go for a Boefeng handset that has a myriad of programmable channels BUT as Tommikka said you should have a licence To run them , I will also say in all the yrs of playing I’ve never actually spoken to anyone who has a licence to use them . Now I am not advocating breaking the law in any way shape or form BUT I’ve also never encountered or heard about anyone being prosecuted for using said handset for Airsofting either . So ultimately it’s up to you what you want out of going with Comm’s and how you want to go about it . ?

Yes it's fairly easy with the connecting lead and software to program the bf 888 so that you can have a fairly clear team channel. I've got 10 of them and they are pretty good on battery longevity and very uncomplicated.the only real gripe with them is that the outer sleeve of the antenna can become detached revealing the coiled element when going through bushes and such.

There is a very short stubby antenna which gets over this. 

[Lozart]

1 hour ago, EDcase said:

THESE say they use PMR frequency so should be OK.

 

Or Just look for any PMR446 walkie-talkies

 

 

They use PMR frequency but they're 5W so not strictly legal.

[Tommikka]

1 hour ago, Lozart said:

 

They use PMR frequency but they're 5W so not strictly legal.

I think that the model may be PMR legal, but there’s a lot about that get sold in PMR frequencies but aren’t fully compliant 

 

If it’s set to PNT frequencies, and only programmable within those. Plus power limited and can’t have the aerial replaced for greater range etc then they are PMR compliant

 

Those that just get a smaller aerial and programmed aren’t truly PMR compliant 

 

 

But of course it’s not a problem if nobody is caught / prosecuted.

 

But there are great PMRs out there for a good price.

A licence is cheap enough if someone does want the extra range and different frequencies.

 

 

[Rogerborg]

4 hours ago, Lozart said:

They use PMR frequency but they're 5W so not strictly legal.

 

They can go up to 3W, but the last time we had this <ackchyually> handbag fight, I think we came to the conclusion that the 888S / 88E models come pre-set to low power 0.5W (and the PMR channels).

 

You can reprogram them to full power, but it's only the act of transmitting above PMR power levels that's the offence, so whether they're (strictly speaking) "PMR" or not is fairly academic.  And in any case, if you stick to PMR channels, you'll never interfere with, or come to the attention of, anyone who matters, even at a throbbing 3 or 5W.

 

I reckon the 888S / 88E makes a decent argument for itself as a cheap turn-on-and-talk solution.

[Badgerlicious]

On 02/07/2022 at 08:44, Tommikka said:

Many will suggest Baofengs, but for legal use they require a licence.

 

To transmit

Edited July 4, 2022 by Badgerlicious

[Jacob Wright]

So if one was to simply listen, they wouldn’t be committing any offence? ??

[Rogerborg]

5 minutes ago, Jacob Wright said:

So if one was to simply listen, they wouldn’t be committing any offence? ??

 

Sure, and sale, purchase and possession doesn't require a loicence either.  Practically speaking, the chances of you being caught, prosecuted and convicted beyond a reasonable doubt are somewhat less than getting a straight yes or no answer out of a politician.

[Jacob Wright]

Oh 100%, Ofcom have yet to catch up with a neighbour who hasn’t bought a tv licence for years, so I can’t see them staking out many safezones any time soon. 
 

However I appreciate that people should be made aware that by transmitting with one without a licence then they are committing an offence.