Motorola T9500XLR 25-Mile 2-Way Radio Pair by Motorola
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List Price: Our Price: $19.95 You Save: $60.04 (75%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Car Audio or Theater See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Motorola T9500XLR 25-Mile 2-Way Radio Pair
Digital camera Review: Almost useless audio and intolerable PTT delay
Summary: 2 Stars
I buy a pair of FRS radios pr. year, on the average. Radios like these are great to tack on to the kids when they run around the neighbourhood. I bought my first pair in 1999 - I feel I have some experience, this pair of radios beeing my 8th pair or so.
The radios looked cool, although bigger than expected. The charging stand is practical, the kids use batteries like I owned a battery factory, so I can appreciate anything rechargeable. The range is better than I am used to, I guess it is mostly due to the fairly long antennas.
Now to my main two gripes:
The audio is beyond awful. I am a ham radio operator with a comprehensive understanding of radio electronics, also professionally. And I fail to understand what they have done to make the audio so incredibly bad. It sounds like someone is talking through a very long plastic tube. It's garbled, distorted and metallic sounding. This -must- be a design flaw, I cannot think that this passed basic Q/A testing. My 10-year old, after trying to talk to me many times, finally broke down and called me on the phone from his friends house. I have had Unidens, Cobras and Midlands, but these are my first Motorolas.
My second gripe is just as serious when you try to make 10-year olds call home for dinner - the radios do not start to transmit audio until maybe half a second after you push the PTT. This translates into much difficulty when you are used to an instant reaction when you key. Even my old tube HF set is faster than this. Again, this must be a design flaw. All my old, beat-up Unidens are instant (as well as smaller and with crystal clear audio, I might add).
Sorry, Motorola-guys, you need a second look at this design. I will make sure to field-test your FRS radios before considering another purchase.
Digital camera Review: Better than a cell phone for keeping track of young kids
Summary: 4 Stars
Got these so that we can tell our 9yo to come home. Works with other brands too (uniden for sure) so he can also communicate with his friends (who have other brands) while they're playing.Digital camera Review: Can't beat Motorola
Summary: 4 Stars
Great price and loaded with man features.
Hard to imagine not going with Motorola.
Digital camera Review: Cut down cell phone Bill
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
It's great to see a package complete with charger/adapter, rechargeable batteries (if the recargeable batteries die out one day, you can also use AA rechargeable batteries), changeable face plates and belt clip. I can talk to my wife while next block for free. Reception and voice is clear. The minus side is the size and mass, less comfortable for females. The antenna is rather big.
Will update when I got my results on long range communication.
Digital camera Review: Don't Buy These
Summary: 1 Stars
We use 6 - 8 handheld radios at our business to communicate across multiple floors and buildings. We have gone through two generations of Motorola Talkabouts, with this line being the third. These are the worst of them all. The last generation of blue and black ones was fairly bad, with several ceasing to work within days of purchase, and so we thought we would upgrade to the next model up. Of the 6 we purchased, 5 did not have adequate sound transmission - cutting off at the beginning and end of transmission or not working at all. These are junk, don't waste your money! (My one star is because they are attractive to look at.)