I have never used a Talkabout 250, but I am surprised to hear that you found it to outperform current high-end Motorola and Midland models. The specs for the Talkabout 250 show it is a 14 channel FRS-only radio with .5 watts output power. The Motorola T9500 and Midland GXT710 are two and three times as powerful and have longer antenna. Are you having range related problems when you say they wouldn’t transmit? Or are you only saying the voice clarity is poorer?
The range is fine. when they work they will transmit uop to 2.5 miles, howerer, the modulation is terrible. When the mike button is pressed sometimes neither the midland or motorola’s would always work. At close range (60’) the voice is very bad. It’s bad enough to where you can’t understand what the person is saying.
I purchased these radios for backing up are 40’ fifth-wheel trailer. I sit in the cab backing-up the fifth-wheel and the wife gets in the back and guides me. The last time we used them I was backing uo the trailer in our driveway. I kept asking her when I needed to turn. She kept replying “Now” but when she depresed the PTT nothing would happen. The little red light would come on but I couldn’t hear her.
I just purchased 2 used Motorola’s Talkabout 250’s on ebay. These litle radio’s are going for between $80 to $115, depending on condition. There must be something to these radios. Before mine were stolen I never had any problems like I’m having now.
You may want to consider moving up to a business radio. You will find significant quality improvements over the consumer models. The Motorola CLS1110 business radio would be a good choice for you. It is a very small radio and is used by many restaurants and retail stores. Plus, a new one is close to the price range you mentioned the used Talkabout 250’s are going for.