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Walkie-talkie watches are becoming a rage with outdoor enthusiasts and businesses with a need for quick outdoor communication. Packed with all the features of standard hand-held walkie-talkies, these watches bring comfort and style to the fore. With a multitude of choices available in the market, it's difficult to choose a design or model that's appropriate. This buying guide discusses all the points you need to consider before selecting a walkie-talkie watch. The best walkie-talkie watch is a reliable piece of equipment that caters to most of your communication needs.
FRS (Family Radio Service) devices have a shorter range as compared to GMRS device. They can be used within the house or a building or the immediate neighborhood. For personal or recreational use, short range FRS devices should suffice.
GMRS (General Mobile Radio Services) devices have a range of five miles or more. If you need to communicate over long distances reliably, then a walkie-talkie watch with GMRS channels would be the more suitable option.
Comfort and design: A comfortable, light-weight design that is easy to wear and can sustain physical activity like hiking or outdoor sports is the ideal choice.
Ease of use: After going through thousands of walkie-talkie watch reviews, we found that most users stress the importance of an intuitive interface and easy operation. A detailed booklet with clear instructions is required for taking optimal advantage of all the features.
Warranty: Most users stress the need for manufacturer’s warranty. Walkie-talkie watches are not cheap, and a manufacturer’s warranty goes a long way to put your mind at ease.
Check durability: This is one of the prime concerns, especially for products like this that are meant to be used outdoors. Rugged designs that can withstand rough use are the most suitable. Good quality plastic and standard parts are a must in any reliable walkie-talkie watch.
Check battery life: Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are reliable and long-lasting are the minimum standard in a walkie-talkie watch. Some models come with an AC adapter that makes charging convenient. A continuous battery life of 24 hrs in standby mode and up to 5 hours in active mode is an acceptable benchmark.
Check range: A standard hand-held instrument works effectively up to a distance of 20 miles in conducive weather and terrain. Walkie-talkie watches, on the other hand, have a much shorter range of 3.5 to 5 miles. You should consider the range you are looking to cover before investing in the product. Weather conditions and landscape can interfere with communication, further limiting the range.
Check the channel options and frequency: A multi-channel capability allows you the freedom to switch between different frequencies or channels, to reduce any interference during a communication. It is, therefore, a desirable feature. The channel auto-scan feature automatically searches and finds the frequencies that will provide a clear signal.
Check the legal issues: Walkie-talkies employ either FRS (=Family Radio Service) or GMRS (=General Mobile Radio Service) frequency channels. To transmit or communicate over a two-way GMRS channel, you may need a license. You must check the local laws in this regard before you purchase the device.
Check the watch's functions and features: A walkie-talkie watch will obviously sport a digital watch. Full LCD screens with AM/PM display and back-lit LCDs are some of the available features that you can find. The LCD screen should ideally display all relevant information of your walkie-talkie, such as the channel, frequency and battery life.
Go for hands-free communication: Hands-free communication should be on the top of your mind when you buy a walkie-talkie watch. A hands-free mode internal VOX (=Voice Operated Exchange), which is a voice-activated system that saves you the effort of having to press a “Talk” button every time you want to talk, allows you to use the radio without interrupting other activities. Some models provide motion sensors to activate the speakers along with the conventional buttons.
Additional features: Some other features that you could expect in your walkie-talkie watch include:
Headphone jacks
Auto-squelch feature, to reduce external noise
Earbuds
Headsets
AGPtek - is the leading manufacturer of walkie-talkie watches. Cutting-edge technologies combined with sleek designs are a trademark of this brand.
VECTORCOM - is another well-known manufacturer of walkie-talkie watches. Their comfortable designs with intuitive controls are very popular among users of all ages.
ImeMine - makes reliable and durable walkie-talkie watches. They provide a host of features and are made to handle rough use.