Motorola T5000 Talkabout 2-Way Radios with Rechargeable Pack

Design
Compact and easy to hold, the T5000's are also rugged and up to the task of any outdoor adventure. While they aren't completely waterproof, the ports and buttons have rubberized covers for keeping the elements out. The controls are relatively simple to figure out, and after a brief glance at the user's manual, you'll be up and running. The antennae on the radios are just small enough that slipping the radio into your front pants pocket is feasible.

The all-important transmit button is easy to depress and hold, and to save battery, an automatic shutoff function will turn the transmitter off if the button is accidentally depressed continuously for more than 60 seconds. The radios are powered by included NiMH battery packs, which are rechargeable (a charger comes with the radios, too). You can also opt to use old fashioned AA batteries (three of them per radio) if you're on an extended expedition without AC power.

Features
The T9500XLR supports up to 22 channels across the GMRS and FRS spectrum. GMRS channels offer high range and power for longer distance communication. There are also 38 analog interference elimination codes, also known as privacy codes, and they provide interference blocking when both radios are set to the same code. There's also an additional noise filter that filters out unwanted transmissions from other radios, something that's especially useful in places where there is a lot of radio traffic, such as a ski resort.

The radio can even scan its 22 channels for transmissions from other parties. Not only is this fun and often entertaining, it also also allows you to scan for members of your party who may have changed channels inadvertantly.

Real World Testing
Motorola claims a 8-mile range for the T5000, but they add that this is really only attainable under ideal conditions, such as when transmitting from the top of a mountain down into a wide open valley. Moto says a range of five miles is more feasible in day-to-day use, while one mile is the maximum range in dense urban areas. In downtown Seattle, that turned out to be pretty much true. Reception was good throughout the urban core, but when one tester ventured beyond that magical mile radius reception started to fade. The radios did a good job filtering out unwanted transmissions, thanks to the privacy codes, and the number of available channels. Finding an unused channel in a busy city is a challenge, though. When in range, transmissions were clear and distortion-free.

Pros

• Good range for an inexpensive radio
• Good interference elimination
• Rugged

• No digital privacy codes or hands-free voice activation