A few questions about those TWO-WAY RADIOS... ???

i believe the 49 and 27 mhz bands are separated into recommended channels. it's just like an RC car, you just find 5 transceivers that tune to the same channel. you might ask on a radio newsgroup.

get them from Radio Shack with a good return policy if they don't work.

perhaps those newfangled ones are VHF, not 27 mhz.

Gravity

In message , Leesa snipped-for-privacy@softhome.net writes

They can work surprisingly well but you're right, the range can be much less than the claimed ranges. It can also be more if you have line of sight.

Family of four is simple, buy two two packs, family of five means you need three two packs but you get a spare in case someone loses or breaks one. The units, if FRS/GMRS or PMR446 (depends where in the world you are) should all play nicely together without any programming apart from setting privacy codes (which should be compatible across makes) if you decide to use them. BTW, they are UHF.

Sound to me like the OP is asking about FRS radios. In the US and Canada, these radios operate around 465 MHz (UHF). The channels are standardized, so you should be able to use sets from any maker together, provided you select the correct channel (and sub-audible squelch tone, if used).

Similar radios are available in Europe and the UK - there they are called "PMR446", and operate on 446 MHz. Don't use North American FRS radios elsewhere, and don't use PMR446 radios in the US or Canada!

most use the CB radia frequencies and so will talk to each other and to other brands of walkie talkie.

some of the really cheap "toy" ones are preset to a certain frequency can't be tuned to other CB channels, they can still talk to a regular CB but only on one of the channels.

if you buy from a good brand like Uniden or Motorola, or even a cheap one like "realistic" you'll be able to conmunicate with others.

it will work, and yes.

The batteries and chargers sold with some of these are really poor quality. Personally I prefer the type that take loose cells so you can buy the best cells available and carry spares.