Walkie-Talkie's

[lisas414]

I am going on the Explorer of the Seas in July out of Cape Liberty, New Jersey for a 10 day eastern caribbean cruise with my husband and 3 daughters. My question is that I am not very comfortable just letting my 3 girls roam the ship. They are 16, 13 & 11 and I am just trying to find out which walkie-talkies are the best to take (since I will need at least 3 of them). I have heard many bad reviews about how bad the interference is with them and that you cannot hear anything over them, or that there are too many people on the same channel as you.

 

Does anyone out there have any advice for me on what to buy? Or any other type of communication to use instead of walkie-talkies?

[tkportersat]

We used ours on the Rhapsody of the Seas in November and they worked great......sometimes you will have to change channels. I bought mine as a three pack at Target, I believe they are Uniden.

[Ella2]

We use the Motorola Talkabouts, I think we got them at Costco. They work pretty well on a Voyager-class ship because of the open architecture; we've had problems using them on other ships with more choppy areas, that seems to block the signals.

 

We've never really had a problem with interference, but honestly, we weren't on them constantly. She would let us know if she was leaving the kid's club and where she was going, or if she was in the room at night (she's 12) watching a DVD while we were out, we'd leave her with one if she needed to contact us.

[smalltimecruiser100]

We use the Motorola Talkabouts, I think we got them at Costco. They work pretty well on a Voyager-class ship because of the open architecture; we've had problems using them on other ships with more choppy areas, that seems to block the signals.

 

We've never really had a problem with interference, but honestly, we weren't on them constantly. She would let us know if she was leaving the kid's club and where she was going, or if she was in the room at night (she's 12) watching a DVD while we were out, we'd leave her with one if she needed to contact us.

 

Everyone I've seen required an FCC License and it also said you can't take out the the US. I heard that the ship have something like a pager. Do you know anything about it?

[smalltimecruiser100]

Does anyone know where you can get one that does not require an FCC license. I believe its called a family radio?:)

[Ella2]

Everyone I've seen required an FCC License and it also said you can't take out the the US.

 

Really? :confused: For those little walkie-talkie things? I've never heard of an FCC license required for those, nothing in the packaging, and I assure you that there were MANY parents whose kids were running around with the same thing on the ship.

 

I do think they rent ship PHONES on a first-come, first-served basis, and I think they may have pagers for little ones in the kid's programming.

 

But honestly, the two-way radios worked fine for us and no one blinked an eye at them.

 

EDITED TO ADD: I just looked up the Motorola radios and it does say that some of them require an FCC license, huh! Ours are pretty old; I don't know if the technology is the same or not. I've just never know anyone who has the kind we have to say anything about an FCC license, nor was there any information on that when we purchased them. Guess you learn something new every day!

[labeachcomber]

Hmm, I didn't know these things required an FCC license either. We use them all the time when we go skiing - that's where I've seen them the most. Brought some along on a cruise, but aside from the sea day, we really didn't have any need to use them. They are quite convenient, and I think any brand would do. Some people say they get annoyed by people who use them, but I've never really seen why that would be the case.

[smalltimecruiser100]

I'll check it out Thanks for your info.

[KarinaGW]

We used them on our first cruise, but it got really old really quick for everyone concerned and they sat in the room from sometime on Day 3. The really entertaining thing was one really sparkling clear day when I was on deck and there was some other mom on my channel and we were commiserating with each other. As we chatted, the coversation went really weird until we realized that we each were on that ship out thata way a couple miles.

[RN7997]

I just used a set on the Adventure in April. I did not get asked for a license though. I bought a set at Home Depot for 50.00. They are by Uniden. They are supposed to work up to a 10 mile radius, but I don't think they do. They did work on th ship but it depended where the other person was. It seemed like if you were to many decks apart they didn't work. They came in very handy on the islands too. Our group rented jeeps in Aruba (5 jeeps) and we were all able to talk to eachother from those. Even when out of sight.

They are not foul proof but better than nothing at all.

[The Big Booper]

We use Motorola talkabouts rated at 7 miles. This allows 5 deck penetration, say from our 9th deck cabin to the purser's office or the shopping area.

[johnjen]

Everyone I've seen required an FCC License and it also said you can't take out the the US. I heard that the ship have something like a pager. Do you know anything about it?

 

You CAN use the walkie talkies without an FCC license, and you CAN take them outside of the US and yes, you CAN use them.

[sparkygrl]

I second the previous post you CAN use the motorola talkabouts and other walkie talkie radios without an FCC license. Motorola produces other bigger stronger radios that require a license Talkabouts DO NOT require a license. They are considered FRS...Family Radio Service the below link provides information about FRS.

 

http://www.provide.net/~prsg/frs-faq.htm

 

 

 

On May 15, 1996, the FCC created the Family Radio Service (FRS) in the 462 and 467 MHz spectrum. The FCC rules that pertain to FRS station operation are available through this link.

FRS uses narrowband FM (NBFM) with maximum effective radiated power of 0.5 watt. FRS is intended for hand-held, short-range local communications. No license is needed. FRS radios are now available from dozens of manufacturers.

[BallFour4]

You CAN use the walkie talkies without an FCC license, and you CAN take them outside of the US and yes, you CAN use them.

 

Many people confuse FRS and GMRS. They are two entirely different services.

 

The two way radios purchased at almost all stores that carry consumer electronics are GMRS radios, NOT FRS radios. Do not be confused when they say FRS/GMRS. If a radio has more than 14 channels, it is a GMRS radio, and you require a license to operate this radio.

 

A GMRS license is good for all persons legally residing in your household. Each individual does not need their own license. Most 22 channel radios are type accepted for use on all 14 channel license-free FRS channels. As such, you may operate on channels 1-14 only, using only low power.

 

FRS stands for Family Radio Service. The FRS channels were set aside by the FCC in 1995 to meet the needs of families on non commercial use of higher power radio transmission with mobile radios.

 

Most FRS radios available presently have 14 channels and 38 sub channels in each of the 14 primary channels. These devices have a line-of-sight range of about 2 miles.

 

Some of the older FRS radios have only the basic 14 channels and lack the additional 38 privacy channels. Recently these have been phased out and are seldom seen now in stores.

 

FRS and GMRS radios share the use of channels 1-7 on the FRS radio.

 

GMRS stands for General Mobile Radio Service. This was formerly known as Class A of the Citizens Radio Service. These are the same type of radio used by commercial and government radio communications.

 

However these are set aside for use by individuals who have the same "longer" distance radio communications needs, and operate on separate radio frequencies from the commercial and governmental users.

 

The most significant difference between FRS radios and GMRS radios is that the FCC requires that the GMRS radio be licensed with the FCC.

 

Here is the link for the application:

 

http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/

 

Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 47, Volume 5, Parts 80 to End]

[Revised as of October 1, 2000]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 47CFR95.3]

 

[Page 519]

 

TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

 

COMMISSION (CONTINUED)

 

PART 95--PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES--Table of Contents

 

Subpart A--General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

 

Sec. 95.3 License required.

 

Before any station transmits on any channel authorized in the GMRS

from any point (a geographical location) within or over the territorial

limits of any area where radio services are regulated by the FCC, the

responsible party must obtain a license (a written authorization from

the FCC for a GMRS system).

 

[53 FR 47714, Nov. 25, 1988]

 

 

Finally, a gentleman named Wraithe will respond to this link. He's one smart guy when it comes to wireless communication. He and I have discussed this topic before, and all I needed to do was check his profile and credentials to find out he's an expert at radio and a HAM operator as well.

 

Happy sailing.

[KK_Cruisin]

I also have read in here abou tthe "radios/pagers" You can get from the pursers desk. I cannot remember the name of them or if there is a fee for them for the week. I did read the ships have a limited supply of them.

[cruisinisforme]

We bring walkie talkies on all of our cruises, its the only way with those voyager class ships and we are definitely going to need them on the freedom. Anyway, my only suggestion is to make sure you get walkie talkies with sub channels, this way you dont have to keep changing channels. They work great, we were on the explorer had no problem at all using them

[wraithe]

Finally, a gentleman named Wraithe will respond to this link. He's one smart guy when it comes to wireless communication. He and I have discussed this topic before, and all I needed to do was check his profile and credentials to find out he's an expert at radio and a HAM operator as well.

 

Happy sailing.

 

 

Actually, I was going to blow it off, since some people don't want to hear the facts. You pretty much covered it all, but in summary.

 

FRS radios that don't need a license are limited to 1/2 watt and a fixed antenna, they're usually the 2 mile radios. Blusry can tell you that they're useless in your neighborhood, much less a steel ship.

 

FRS/GMRS radios that exceed 1/2 watt or have a removable antenna (the 5 and 10 mile radios), require the $80 license that Blusry mentioned. In addition, the license is only good in the states and protectorates, like St. Thomas. The other Caribbean islands or Mexico have their own laws, and your license isn't good in their countries.

 

On board a ship on the high seas, it requires the Ship Master's approval to use a radio. This is implied by the fact that no one has ever been told by an RCL ship Captain that they can't use their radio.

 

They have a limited number of "deck phones" on RCL ships that work just like a cell phone on the ship. They have their own number, and you can use them to call a room, or another deck phone. They're available to rent, but I don't know that cost, and they run out pretty quick, so if you want one, get to the purser's desk early.

 

Final point, if you want to use the radios, fine, use them, but don't get mad if you are the one that gets busted by an FCC agent having a bad day and have to pay large sums of money in fines. In another country, if their agent is having a bad day, you'll be lucky if they just keep your equipment, in Mexico, corruption is rampant, there's no way of knowing what it will cost you to get out of trouble. The chance is small, but it's still there. You've got the facts now, including the link to get the application from Blusry's post, you have to make up your mind what you want to do. Have a great cruise, cruise vacations are the best.

[lisas414]

You said that you used walkie talkies with sub channels and that you used them on the explorer. Which brand of them did you have? We are going on the explorer and would like to make sure we have a brand that has been know to work well on them. Thanks!

[emdia43]

Does anyone know if they have the ship phones for rent on Splendor of the Seas?

[emdia43]

OOPS got my S's mixed up- that should read Serenade of the SEas...