Since nearly finishing my mancave/tossden at the bottom of the garden the wife and kids keep yelling instructions at me from the french doors. Its getting a bit embarrassing, the neighbours know most of my secrets now and the mobile signal down here sucks.

So I wondered about getting radios. I could see lots of other uses, out riding with groups, motorbiking and walking and stuff.

Anyway I have seen these advertised. 74quid for 4. Each comes with an earpiece so could be used on the bike.

Reviews look good, but anyone here used stuff like this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283081422920

I use them on a regular basis, great bits of kit.

Ooh really same model or similar?

Same model, we have hundreds of the things across our organisation and have the programming cable and software to move them on to our own frequencies.

We’ve even had them setup with repeaters and all sorts to cover large areas.

Cool, what do you use them for? Whats the work?

Is it legal to use those frequencies in the UK? Do you need a licence?

You can use them in .446 frequencies (pmr) on the 0.5w power setting without a license. They are still not strictly legal as they have a detachable antenna.

Ti use at the higher power or on other frequencies legally you need a license.

We use them (licensed frequency range) for work and they are really good. Far better than the Motorola XTN 446 we used to use but not as good as the MBITR clones I have also used. The MBITR is huge though!

Would I be better getting a pmr ltd radio then?

Do you have Wi-fi? Echo devices send recorded messages.

YOU need a licence to use those radios in the UK.

For the use that you want, get a set of PMR446 radios. They are ready set up with the correct frequencies, tone codes, power level (0.5W) etc. You can still achieve a range of a mile or so. (Unless your garden is longer than this)

The PMR446 radios are made to an agreed euro specification, which means that you do not need to hold a separate Ofcom licence

Please don’t be another clown mucking about on frequencies that you should not be on.

I was going to buy some of those Baofen’s with the ebay 10 % psa discount but Drnosh has worried me.

Somewhere I have a 20 year old RYA vhf operators licence – does this qualify ? The ignorance would suggest probably not!

I was thinking of taking camping / sailing but don’t want to upset the authorities / Coastgaurd / RNLI

What is the performance difference between Pmr446 and the Baofen’s?

any links for further reading?

thanks

you can set the power to 0.5w max on the barofengs and programme in the pmr stations, so you don’t need a licence if you only operate them as PMR. The fact is they are a better deal than the pmr only sets of 4 for sale, they come with headsets, usb charger etc.

RYA vhf operators licence – Does not qualify. It is not an Ofcom PMR licence.

I was thinking of taking camping / sailing but don’t want to upset the authorities / Coastgaurd / RNLI. Now see there is the rub. How do you know that you are not operating on Coastguard/RNLI frequencies? You might be or you may be on a frequency that nobody else is listening to and if you called for help when sailing you won’t get a response.

Honestly, I hear too many people buying any old radio and using it without a thought or care about other users.

My suggestion.

1. PMR radios are using 8 approved frequencies in the UHF band 446.XXX mHz. In order to control that a little, there are a number (308 I think) tone codes that can be used so as long as your 2 or more radios are set to the same settings then you can talk to each other and not upset anybody else. These specification radios will be perfectly fine for your occasional short range use.

2. Go to the Ofcom website and buy yourself a UK Light licence. Then buy some professional PMR radios. This licence once again specifies the frequencies that you can use (Different from the PMR446 frequencies).

Or operate without a licence, get caught and Ofcom WILL prosecute.

you can set the power to 0.5w max on the barofengs and programme in the pmr stations, so you don’t need a licence if you only operate them as PMR

This radio still needs a licence to operate. It is not a PMR446 radio built to the PMR446 euro specification.

Following this with interest.

What sort of pmr446 would anyone recommend?

thanks Drnosh all signed up with Uk Light licence – its a shame i cannot have channel 16

thanks Drnosh all signed up with Uk Light licence – its a shame i cannot have channel 16

<div class=”singl-forum-replies-3″>If you want 16 then buy a marine VHF – it will most likely be waterproof (for under £100 new) or not much over 50 quid for splash proof.  A radio not designed for use in the sea will probably last till about 30 minutes before you want to make a mayday before the salt rots it.  You said you already have the SRC operators cert, so all you would need is the free marine vhf license from ofcom.  You can only use it when afloat though (with that license).</div>
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<div>i do remember seeing someone advertising a combined marine VHF and PMR a few years ago: giving you pmr for informal chat with no strict etiquette and vhf for maritime matters which should follow a more disciplined structure.</div>

We have a couple of sets of Motorola. 2 T60 and 2 T50. Reliable and simple to use.