Do you need a walkie talkie that has a larger range than normal? Well, read on! We have the perfect one for you….it isn’t going to set you back that much in the way of cash either.
Who Could Benefit from A 20-Mile Radius Walkie Talkie?
Everybody. We seriously doubt that there is somebody out there who has turned around and said “you know what my two-way radio could do with? A lower range!”. Even if you do not use the extra range on the radio, it is nice to have it there. It pretty much guarantees that the audio signal will be of high quality, even at the shorter distance. This is because the radio requires a bit more power to pump out the radio signals that a long-distance signal needs.
Of course, the people who are going to be getting the most use out of these walkie talkies will be those who are working outdoors. We also see them having a little bit of value being connected up in a vehicle. Although, do bear in mind that there are better options than a handheld walkie talkie vs a two way radio if you are driving. It is a great temporary solution, however.
Reality Meets Marketing
Obviously, the range of the walkie talkie is going to be one of the first things that people are on the lookout for. Ideally, you would want that number to be as high as possible. For example; if a two-way radio or walkie talkie says that it has a 20-mile range, then you can bet your bottom dollar it won’t have that range in practice. The marketing team will have quoted a range at the absolute upper end of the spectrum. They will assume that you are in a flat area with no obstacles in the way. Obviously, this is not something that happens ever. If you need a 20-mile range, then you need a radio that advertises a lot more.
Build quality is also going to be an important consideration. For example; if you want a massive range like this, then there is a pretty good chance that you are going to be outdoors with your radio. This means it may rain a little, or you may bump the radio around a bit. Nothing too intense, but you don’t want to buy a radio that needs to live a sheltered lifestyle.
You may also want to think about the other features that are important for you. For example; how many channels do you need on your radio? Is it important that you have privacy settings? How easy do you need ti to be to add similar radios into your ‘collection’? That sort of thing. Just think about what you ideally want in a radio.
So, What Really Is The Best Long Range Option?
In our opinion, it is the Midland GXT1000. No doubt about it. While it isn’t the most very best two way radio on the market, it is one of the better performing. In the next section, we are going to take a little look at why we believe this radio is going to be ideal for you.
Background
Well, for starters, it is going to fulfill the criteria for range. The quoted range on the Midland GXT1000 is 36-miles. As we said before; you aren’t going to get anywhere close to this number in practice. However, you should be able to get a good 10-miles under this figure on average. This means that the Midland GXT1000 will give you a range of at least 22-25 miles, which is well over your 20-mile request.
The best part is that the audio quality, even at that sort of distance, is fantastic. We know that a lot of people are going to be put off by the price of the Midland GXT1000. They think that something at that sort of price is going to be terrible. However, it isn’t. While the company has cut corners in some areas (it isn’t as waterproof as some other radios), they have excelled in other areas. For example, this radio has some of the best audio equipment we have seen at this price range. If you were talking to somebody through these two-way radios, then they would say that the sound quality isn’t that much different from something many, many times the price.
There are 50 channels on this radio. However, do bear in mind that you need a license to access some of the frequencies on the Midland. This means that you will need to seek out a license, but they aren’t too expensive. Don’t forget to get one for all of your staff members too!
Features
You will actually be surprised at how many features they have managed to pack into this radio for such a low price. It includes private channels, individual calls as well as radio station scanning. It even has NOAA weather reports. All of these features are often found in radios that are many, many times the price of this one. Therefore, it is nice to have them here. These features are quick to browse through too, with the menu being very intuitive to navigate.
The build quality is decent too. While they will have a bit of a plastic feel to them, we think that they are going to last you a couple of years. Just make sure that you not banging them around too much. We think that the only real issues with the build quality are related to the batteries. However, since the radio also accepts AA batteries, you can just swap out what is inside and replace them. You could even get a few rechargeables if you really wanted.
Conclusion
If you need a radio that has at least a 20-mile radius, we fully recommend the Midland GXT1000. It is affordable and brimming with features. It even comes in a set, which means you can get started with a few radios right away.
