First I want to say I’m glad I’ve found this site. I’ve been searching for a place to find info on 2-way radios.
I have a paintball team, we play woodsball and 26hr scenario games. Which means we’re out in the woods for 26 hrs running around playing Rambo, lol. The problem we run into with the GFSR radios is that you can scan the channels and monitor your opponents channel. Therefore I would prefer a buisness radio that was more secure. After reading your posts I’m looking at the Motorola XV2100 which doesn’t require a liscnense, but I have a few questions:
Would this be the best radio choice?
If 10 of us buy these, at different times, can they all be put on the same channel or frequency? If so, can that frequency or channel be changed?
If 3 of us buy the XV2600, can I program one channel to match the rest of my team using the XV2100 and pick another channel for the 3 of us to use?
I’m open to any suggestions. I would prefer not to have to get a license. If I need to I would like information about that, like can I register it under my team name and have one liscense for the whole team?
I need a radio that I can put AA’s or AAA’s into in an emergency, when I don’t have time to recharge.
Cost is an issue, I need to most bang for the buck!
I think you are definitely on the right track. A Motorola XV2600 or XV2100 would be perfect for your situation. Both of these models support 27 frequencies, including the 5 unlicensed MURS frequencies. You can assign the radio’s channels to any of these built in frequencies. Right out of the box, channel 1 on the XV2600 will communicate with channel 1 on the XV2100 and is an MURS freq. If you find the other team is using these same radios, it is easy to reassign the channel to a different frequency. You will not need a license as long as you are using one of the 5 MURS frequencies.
Both of these models will operate with 4 AA batteries as well as the included rechargable packs. The included battery pack is typically good for around 13 hours. If you would like to keep a fully charged backup pack, we sell replacement battery packs for $17.99.
If I want to use any of the other frequencies, would one buisness license cover all the radios?
Also, are there any other radios you would recommend that have a shorter antenna? I don’t know if the guys are going to want such a long antenna if they can find something smaller.
If you use the licensed frequencies, I don’t believe that a single “business” license would cover all of the radios because your team technically isn’t a business. I don’t claim to be a licensing expert, so you may want to contact an offical frequency coordinator to confirm this.
If you want a smaller radio, the Kenwood TK-3130 and the Motorola CLS 1110 are small, light radios with shorter antennas. They are 1 watt UHF models, so the range will not be as good as the 2 watt VHF. The Motorola CLS models have the ability to work with AAA batteries if you purchase a separate battery tray. The Kenwoods only work with the included battery pack.