ok.....a lot of members of this board and other boards have and use 2-way radios when out on the ice or in boats ......just wondering if there are better ones than others or just what to look for ....i see there are more then one type as well ....is there one that most use .....i haven`t got a clue about them ......looking for some good input ....thanks guys ....

I've had a set of Cobra phones for several years. They work quite well at close range and you can ensure some privacy by going to the main channel then entering a sub-channel - say 5-25 or whatever. However, the manufacturers' range for effective communication is often grossly overstated. They also seem very sensitive to adverse weather conditions which can further limit the indicated range. None of our gang use them anymore - relying instead on Cell phone communication. This is due in large part to the large size of our favourite fishing locations. If I was playing on small bodies of water where line of sight wasn't a problem, I'd likely trust the "2-Ways" to maintain reliable communications.

I bought a pair of Cobras for a 12 hr road trip with some buddies in two cars for entertainment a few years back.


I was surprised how clear they actually worked and dependent on terrain, they could get as far at about 4 miles before we lost reception (while on a flat part of the drive). In the mountains and curves, it went down to about a mile.
 
Helped us avoid some speed traps and avoid high cell phone cost with the 'roaming' charges while in the US so they were well worth the cost for that trip alone.
 
Now I use them for fishing and to keep the kids occupied. Surprised at how long they last on one charge (over 6 years old) and how easy they are to use. Even my 5 year old can use it to call out to mom while fishing to let her know what we caught and where we are.
 
They were a good investment for the fun of it...think they were $40 at Bass Pro (in the US).


Cheers,

I use motorolla GMSR raidos when we are up hunting. Range differs with terrain but generally they work quite well. Seem quite far when using them on Simcoe I can be at the BBP and talk to someone at IBP. Thinbk once talked to someone in Cooks Bay.
 
 
RR

keep an eye our for a good sale, its still worth having one or two.