Motorola MH230R 23-Mile Range 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair)

This product works well for the application I needed. I am using 6 of them for communication at a sawmill. The range seems good to 1/2 a mile even in and around large steel buildings. Great for a large group with the privacy channels.

I've never written a review before - but was motivated to write this one. This is a great product. My fly fishing buddy and i use these in the mountains - and they are great. Very clear. My friend even fell into the river, and after drying out, the radio came back to life.

I'll admit that when I came across these 2 way radios when just browsing electronics one day, I had no intention of buying any. Though my son and I hunt and fish where we occasionally get separated, we always have cell phones along for keeping in touch. Upon closer examination however I was intrigued by the fact that this pair of radios (as well as several other ones within this price range and higher) carry all 7 NOAA weather channels. They are essentially a two way communicator that is a full fledged weather radio as well. This may not sound all that significant unless you happen to own, or are interested in owning a small portable hand held weather radio like some available here on Amazon. The single portable walkie talkie size weather radios on Amazon that don't do anything else but receive weather, are far more expensive per unit than buying two of these two way radios. Simply put, these radios are literally two for the price of one when comparing them to other hand held weather receivers here. Not only do you get two walkie talki/weather radios, but you also get a holder/charging unit that keeps them fully charged and ready for action at all times. They also carry the same alert option that other NOAA weather radios have so you can be advised of dangerous weather in your home, or wherever you happen to take them. I don't really believe that I would recommend these radios solely for the purpose of weather radios if one could honestly say they would never have any use for a two way radio. However it just so happens that when you own a pair of these you would be surprised how often you do find a situation where they come in fun and handy. When my son and I go out in the wilderness now we take these along in addition to the cell phones. They are very loud and clear and never lose a signal like cell phones do. When I am not using them for communication, I keep one on the local NOAA weather station and are continuously informed of the latest weather and advisories 24 hours a day. They get excellent weather reception and besides, there's two of them. When for whatever reason one dies or has an accident, there is an instant replacement ready to take its place. Whether you are considering these radios for two way communication, or just for their weather feature, I highly recommend them. As two way radios go they are very reliable and have an excellent range. And as for the weather radio feature, they are one of the best bargains around... PS: If you are interested in an even cheaper pair of two way radios with the weather feature, check out the Cobra model at the link enclosed. These Cobra radios have a shorter range as walkie talkies but are the very cheapest pair of two way radios with weather that I could find on Amazon. Just $25 a pair as of this review. Check 'em out...Cobra Micro Talk CTX85 Gmrs/Frs 2-Way (Black)

IMPRESSION BASED ON EXPERIENCE:
This is my second pair of Motorola 2-Way radios. I have tried other bands like Midland and been very disappointed, but Motorola has never let me down. I needed two extra radios for a fishing trip to Colorado so that my father, my brother, my son and I could stay in touch. I was amazed at how good these radios did in the mountains. At one point I was over three miles away from my father on the other side of a mountain and we could still talk clearly. Now I know 3 miles in not as far as the 23 miles range that is claimed these radios can reach, but if you know anything about how these radios transmit, then you know that for it to transmit clearly through 3 miles of solid mountain is close to a miracle. I have a pair of Midland G-300 Two Way Radios that claim a 10 mild range that cannot even reach 1/2 a mile through forest on straight level ground. I was also impressed with the battery life. Even after a long day of heavy use these units had plenty of power left. One was left on over night after being used all day and it still had power the next day.

Since I want this review to be helpful to people people wanting to buy these, I want to make something clear. The range claim that any 2-way radio manufacturer makes, is base on optimum conditions with no structural or atmospheric interference. In real life you can never expect to get those kinds of ranges out of any unit. Due to the curvature of the earth I would not expect that any radio could reach farther then 10 miles under normal conditions unless each radio is located in an elevated position with a valley in between, such as on either side of the Grand Canyon. So when you buy a 2-way radio, don't pay much attention to the range claims that are made. Just make sure that they will do what you need them to and don't expect a miracle that deifies the laws of physics.

PROS:
Motorola quality, great range and battery life.

CONS:
None that I can find.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
If you are looking for a good pair of 2-way radios for hiking, camping, fishing or similar, look no farther. If you are looking for 2-way radios for some sort of specialized professional use or something else these may or may not be what you are looking for.