Motorola MH230TPR Rechargeable Two Way Radio 3 Pack, FRS/GMRS

Motorola MH230TPR Rechargeable Two Way Radio 3 Pack, FRS/GMRS..

Special Price Motorola MH230TPR Rechargeable Two Way Radio 3 Pack, FRS/GMRS By Motorola

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918 of 936 people found the following review helpful.
Great 2-way radios!
By Vaughn
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.

450 of 468 people found the following review helpful.
A good budget buy, but you're better off spending the extra $20 for the MR355s.
By M. Carlos III
I bought 2 pair of these radios as well as 3 pair of the MR355s. They cost $20 less, so I could get about 3 pair of these for 2 pair of the MR355s. I distributed them to my supervisors, vehicle operators and field engineers in our open area shipyard.

The reception is fine, although you do notice the clearer sound and slightly longer range of the MR355s (I'm talking only a couple hundred yards longer).

The unit uses the supplied NiMH battery pack or 3 AAA's. Of course, AA's batteries like the ones used in the MR355 would have more power and last longer, but then, the MR355 has more features (like vibrate and an LED flashlight) that use up more power. Anyway, I knew the compromises when I got the units.

However, I wasn't ready for the MH230 to show 2 bars on the battery icon and yet the display wasn't functioning clearly. Some of the LCD lines were very faint or could only be seen at an extreme angle. For instance, the 8 looked like a 9 bcs the left lower LCD bar wouldn't light up. After trying out the features, I fully charged the battery. Wouldn't you know it, at full charge, all the LCD's work. At partial charge (or discharge, as you like it) some of the LCD bars would fade out. This happened with all 4 MH230 radios and didn't happen with any of the MR355s, even as the more expensive radio's would run out of juice. NOTE to Giant Electronics, fix this issue! You're ruining Motorola's rep.

Anyway, we use the MH230 in thick steel crane and payloader cabins, talking to people in the office 700 yards away with a couple 30 foot tall cargo ships and a few dozen welders doing their thing in between. The sound is mostly clear and everyone gets heard. The users wish they had the PTT earbuds that come with the more expensive units, but hey, you get the bright yellow ones, be happy!

The guys who crawl around inside the steel hulls get the MR355s with the PTT, vibra and lights. They're happy too.

4 stars for the unit performance, minus 1 star bcs of the LCD problems at half batt.

Can't complain I'm not getting the 23 mile range, or they would owe me stars. BTW, many 25 Watt vehicle or base station radios with 36 inch antennas won't get 23 miles, so don't expect these reach that far.

119 of 125 people found the following review helpful.
Good Product
By Todd M Wochok
I purchased these walkies so our group of 6 could keep in touch during a 7 day cruise. They did not dissapoint. We never had any problems with interference or static. One day, we were off the ship,about 6 miles from port and the walkies actually worked getting in touch with our group still on the ship! We were impressed! We look forward to using them for this upcoming ski season

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SANGEAN WR-11 AM/FM Table Top Radio

SANGEAN WR-11 AM/FM Table Top Radio..

GET SANGEAN WR-11 AM/FM Table Top Radio By Sangean

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194 of 200 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent sound from a tiny package!
By T. Betz
In my small kitchen, I have only a tiny space for a radio between one cabinet and a microwave oven, and I wanted to find the best sound I could reasonably afford to put there. I also wanted to avoid anything powered by a "vampire" wall-wart transformer; when I turn off the radio, I want it to stop drawing any power. The Sangean WR-11 fills both those needs admirably.

When I first plugged it in, I tuned it to a local traditional-jazz station (WBGO-FM) playing a Brubeck quartet, and I was amazed by how much integrity its little speaker gave the sound of a plucked upright bass! Some had complained about this radio's predecessor, the WR-1, that its bass was too boomy. I don't find any evidence of that at all with the WR-11, except on the one or two FM rock stations that really do a sloppy job of boosting the bass in their equalization; and even in those cases, the WR-11 never really loses control of the sound.

As I primarily use this radio as a receiver for my own home FM transmitter (broadcasting whatever audio stream or MP3 that my computer is playing) these stations aren't much of an issue for me, nor is the fairly pedestrian AM section. On both FM and AM, reception and selectivity are strong, and the tuning dial (with a tuning "eye" LED) is both pleasant to use and accurate in feel.

The only drawback this radio has displayed so far (and the only reason I gave it four stars instead of five, after about half a day's use) is a range on the lower end of the volume control where it seems unable to stick at a particular volume, slipping randomly up and down a bit in volume even though I'm not touching the knob. If I were using this radio in a bedroom, I might be concerned about this -- but in the relatively noisy environs of the kitchen, I'm not likely to have the volume knob in this particular position often.

All in all, at $100, this radio is every bit a match for the Tivoli Model One in a slightly shorter package. At $50 (what I paid for it) it's an absolute steal.

94 of 96 people found the following review helpful.
Pleasantly surprised
By Mark Fletcher
It took me a full week to talk myself into paying $85 for a simple AM/FM table radio. After all the research, I'm glad I did it. It is worth the money spent.

I was looking for a radio for my office after yet another of those cheap clock radios died. I was sick of the tinny sounding, fading in and out, scratchy volume control, throw-away nature of the two or three radios I've had in my office. I decided I wanted to look for a quality sounding radio that would hold a station solidly that I wouldn't have to replace in a couple of years.

Enter the Sangean WR-11

It fits the bill. The three stations I tend to tune in while working at my office come in clear as a bell and do not fade. The sound quality is such that I can turn the volume down much lower than with the other radios and still hear it perfectly (a pleasant surprise.) I recommend this whole heartedly for an office radio.

Pros-
-Nice looking retro enclosure. I thought the wood-grain might look cheap but it is actually quite nice.

-Very smooth tuning. Easy to fine-tune a station.

-Good sound.

-Very functional external FM antenna greatly improving reception.

-Nice size. Not too big, not too small. A clock sits nicely on top completing the office desk setting.

Cons-
-It would be nice to have a tone control so you can adjust the bass a bit. Not a big deal really as the sound is superb.

-I would prefer to have a power button instead of an "off/FM/AM" selector. Sometimes I hit the volume control when I'm trying to turn the radio on or off. Very trivial criticism but there is plenty of real estate for such a feature. Again not a big deal at all.

The only reason this review got four stars instead of five is that I left the "dependability" rating blank because I haven't had the radio long enough to honestly evaluate that. I didn't realize that would knock the overall rating down. So be it. It is a five star radio as far as I'm concerned.

347 of 371 people found the following review helpful.
Where oh where has the tone knob gone
By Steve Fullenkamp
I bought this radio for my 84 year old understandably technophobic Mother. Simplicity was the order of the day. Old fashioned knobs and station indicator fit the bill perfectly. The receiver section is pretty good. My Mother lives in a rural area where most major markets are 60+ miles away. FM stations from as far away as 35-45 miles pulled in with simple wire antenna that is include and all of the AM stations that were tradionally available in her area were received with good quality.

Speaking for myself, the audio has too much bass. Combine that with the absence of a simple tone knob to allow the user to change the bass/treble balance leaves me scratching my head and wondering what the people of Sangean were thinking when they decided a tone knob wasn't necessary. I might be tempted to plug the bass port on the back of the radio with something to see if that cuts down the amount of bass output if I had bought it for myself. It's not for critical music listening but isn't bad for background music and listening to the news.

But it made my Mom happy to have a radio that she knows how to use. And the audio quality deficiency doesn't bother her. When she was a kid audio quality from electronics was crappy. For this purchase, the 3 star rating reflects my Mother's positive comments minus my critical remarks about audio quality.

Surely they can find a spot for a tone knob.

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Memorex Portable CD Boombox with AM FM Radio

Memorex Portable CD Boombox with AM FM Radio..

Special Price Memorex Portable CD Boombox with AM FM Radio By Memorex

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81 of 83 people found the following review helpful.
Basic Single CD Player with AM/FM Radio
By Scott D. Welch
This Memorex 3221 is a basic, single CD player with an AM/FM radio. The unit itself functions as it should, it plays CDs (music and CD audio books) with no issues. I have never experienced any skipping or instances of non-play. With music the range is pretty good all the way around, high, mid and bass. With the volume too high you may experience some distortion depending on the type of music. For audio books I find that the sound is crisp and clear.

The radio works as good as you can get radio reception. By that I mean if you live in an area with poor, not-so-good, reception that is what you will get. My area is pretty good so I am able to get a large range of stations, though this is used primarily for book CDs.

There is an AUX IN port in the front and this can be used to connect an MP3 player (with the correct cable) if you want to have a much longer selection of music playing. There is no option allowing use of headphones or ear buds. The lid over the CD is pressed down and it pops up to either insert or remove a CD. It runs on either AC or with six (6) "C" batteries. I have never used batteries so I have no idea how long they would last, but it does add a portability feature allowing you to take it to a place where there are no electrical outlets.

My reason for the 3 star review is that this is just your average everyday single CD player/AM-FM radio with no real bells and whistles. If that is all you want or need, this should work fine.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful.
Simple, Compact and does the job
By judith a foster
Purchased as a gift for an elderly friend, the buttons and knobs are on the top of the Boombox where they can be easily found and the CD loads from the top which makes it easier. Does what she needs it to do without a lot of confusion on how to operate it.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Perfect for us
By R. Yates
I purchased this boombox for my dad to use in his dusty workshop. He loves it. The cds do not skip, and the radio picks up the stations in our area very well. For the price, it is a good product.

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Motorola MT350R FRS Weatherproof Two-Way - 35 Mile Radio Pack - Orange

Motorola MT350R FRS Weatherproof Two-Way - 35 Mile Radio Pack - Orange..

GET Motorola MT350R FRS Weatherproof Two-Way - 35 Mile Radio Pack - Orange By Motorola

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117 of 120 people found the following review helpful.
Robust radio, clear transmissions, lots of features.
By Kim
**REVIEW UPDATED 12/21/2012...see end of review for updated info.**

I've been around the block with consumer-grade two-way radios that I use for backpacking, camping and general Boy Scout activities. I've tried Uniden, Midland and Motorola, but always come back to Motorola. Midlands broke and Unidens don't have great range and can't produce clear enough audio for me.

I learned after hobbling along with my last non-Moto set (Uniden G-227) that Motorola really is the way to go for clarity, range and features. Audio clarity is important to me because there's nothing more maddening than muddy audio and having to ask the person on the other end to keep repeating until you can understand what they've said.

PROS:

* Robust design.
* Bright color makes it harder to lose.
* Waterproof from basic elements. Living in Florida, this is important.
* Great audio clarity.
* Decent range (certainly not 35 miles, but a more realistic one-mile+ range in forested and flat terrain).
* Richly featured for a consumer radio.
* PTT power adjustable buttons (one H, one L) means no more fidgeting with menu settings when you need higher power transmissions.
* Comes with a rechargeable battery pack for each radio.
* Emergency LED light is very handy.
* NOAA weather receiver.
* USB chargeable.

CONS:

* Currently lacks charging station (allegedly to be released soon, according to Motorola).
* Wish it had a carrying case instead of the plastic belt clip.
* Wish it had more range in typical conditions, but this is not a pro radio set.

I'm a realist when it comes to consumer two-way radios. I don't expect an actual 35-mile range and don't actually need 35 miles. That's what cell phones are for, but of course, if you are in a very remote area, a cell signal may not be available.

I was impressed with the menu of features on this radio and really needed to move up to a radio with NOAA weather capabilities. When you are one of the adults responsible for as many as 75 boys on an outing, you really need to be on alert for their safety. I like the overall quality of the radio and have never been disappointed with a Moto two-way. I still have my Talkabout 250, which has been in use for close to 10 trouble-free years now. It's still crystal-clear and transmits well for a compact FRS radio, which was another reason why I came back to and will remain with Motorola.

This radio set deserves five stars for its performance and deep feature list, but more importantly, for me, being able to hear transmissions clearly is a key element. I'm happy with this radio for what it is: an effective communications tool.

** 12/21/2012 UPDATE **

Not changing the five stars rating, especially after taking the radios camping in dense woodlands this past weekend. My daughter went hiking with her girlfriend and was well beyond a mile away when she called me on the radio. Her voice was loud and crystal clear. She also found the built-in LED light very helpful when she couldn't find her own flashlight. Honestly, I didn't think much about the radio's emergency light, but it came in handy!

61 of 67 people found the following review helpful.
Another Great Motorola Product
By Joe B.
As advertised they are truly waterproof. A teenager dropped one overboard the first week I owned these units. IT FLOATS! (thank you Lord)

Communication is crisp and clear. VOX operation works very well.

To all who are new to quality two way communication be aware.....
YOU NEED A LICENSE TO OPERATE THESE UNITS ON HIGH POWER CHANNELS!

Radio licensing is a painless function that can be done online.

If you need quality communication these are the radios.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
FANTASTIC!
By RodZilla
Love them! I bought a pair of these walkie-talkies for my boys (ages 4 and 6), knowing that the novelty would wear off pretty quickly for them, and I'd be left with a decent pair of radios for driving, hunting, fishing and other cool activities. But, man... I didn't know how great these things were when I ordered them.

Their range and clarity is startling. They have a built in LED flashlight that is really handy and more bells and whistles than I'll ever use. They are weatherproof, which has already come in handy when one of my knuckleheaded ankle-biters left his radio in the backyard where it was hit with our sprinklers, a light rain shower and a massive amount of dew on one night and a hard frost the next. I found the radio, turned it on and it worked like a charm.

The only problem so far is how much my boys LOVE these things. I may never get to put them in my "Outdoor" bag as I'd hoped when I ordered them.

They are big, easily the size of a full-grown man's hand, and they are rechargeable. In a perfect world, I'd like them to be a bit more compact and allow me to replace the batteries rather than recharge them (when I'm camping or fishing, I have access to loose batteries, but no electricity for charging.). But, these are still outstanding consumer-level radios that won't disappoint.

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