Motorola SX600R 2-Way FRS/GMRS Radio Pair

So far these work pretty well but I haven't used them all that much yet. I really wish they would have come with more easy to use directions so I would give it a 4 because of that.

As a longtime Ham Radio, shortwave, and scanner enthusiast, i've owned many handheld transceiver radios over the years, including about 5 pairs of FRS/GMRS radios. This model is OK, but falls short in many areas. Most importantly, the radio is NOT intuitive, and very cheaply made. Reception is average, at best, and there is no easy way to change channels or keep the 'squelch open' for maximum receive sensitivity. The + and - controls on my radio simply do not work when trying to step up and down channel-wise! The channels should be able to change without going into any menu system. In addition, my cheapest 20 dollar per pair 'Uniden' handhelds work much better, and have a more sensitive receiver than this mediocre model. All in all, it is a very average radio for the money. You can do better for the price.

For my large dental office, these have been wonderful!! No static!! We use it with an ear piece. The clip on the back is a little loose, so sometimes falls off my pants, but no big deal. Would definately purchase these again. Fast shipping also.

I bought these (my first walkie-talkies)for my 8yr old daughter so she can let us know where she's playing in our neighborhood. For this purpose, these seem to work very well. Battery life is sufficient so far, and reception in an urban environment up to about a mile away is perfect. I have yet to try them at further range. The call tone and keypad lock are useful features. The charging station is convenient and small enough not to take up too much room in a house already full of ipods and cell phones! They will also charge via a mini USB port. This connection is becomming increasingly used (I have a couple of Motorola and HP products that use it) so chances are many people will have a car or mains adaptor to use this feature. the rechargeable battery pack is also replaceble with AAA bateries should that be necessary. Clever versatility.
The radios themselves are small enought to fit in a pocket, or securely on the included belt clip.

Only criticism so far is the combined on/off switch and volume control knob which is too easy to accidently turn down too far to hear.

Overall: Recommended.