Article  Can You Afford Not to Own 2 Way Radios? Even if you don't live in an area that is prone to natural disasters such as floods, blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes or earthquakes, it's still a good idea for every family to own a set of 2 way radios. Owning a set of high-quality long-range devices just in case you lose cell phone service or land line service is an extremely good idea. Aside from the aforementioned natural disasters, it's important to remember just how fragile our advanced, high-tech communication systems really are. They can be taken out due to lightning strikes during thunderstorms, mechanical or electrical failures, sabotage due to terrorist activities, failures because of aging equipment or increased demand on the power grid, or any other wide variety of causes resulting in an overall breakdown in communication technology.   We all love our cell phones, but how reliable are they in an emergency? When disasters like Hurricane Katrina hit, people are on their cell phones immediately. Unfortunately, however, there are only a limited number of circuits. Even if the cell phone infrastructure is still mostly intact, it may be so swamped with calls that it's impossible for your call to go through. That's why it's very important to have a back-up communication system to rely on. You will be able to reach your friends and family members, help them to reach a place of safety, and get yourself to some kind of shelter where you can ride out the emergency or natural disaster.   Emergencies aside, having several sets of long-range 2 way radios can come in extremely handy, especially if you're camping, boating, hiking, or working at a construction site. This is particularly true if you are somewhere that is too isolated to have cell phone service. There are dead zones all over the U.S., especially if you're out in the far reaches of the Southwest, away from any towns, cities, or cell phone towers.   The sheer utility of a 2 way radio almost demands that most people buy a set of them. They're especially good for kids. If your kids are adventurous types who like to hike and play in parks and wooded areas around where you live, these devices can keep you in touch with them. You can keep tabs on the kids without leaving the house, and the kids will love using walkie-talkies so they can pretend that they're soldiers, spies, or police officers. They may only think they're having fun, but as parents you see the added benefits. Rest assured your kids will be safer if you can stay in near constant touch with them through their 2 way radios.   If you also think that owning a set of these long-range radios is a good idea, here are some features to look for: you want your radios to be sturdy with strong hard rubber or impact-resistant plastic cases and durable rubber-encased antennas. Don't waste your money on impractically made radios. Knowing full well your children will be using these devices is reason enough to spend a little extra to make sure they will withstand your child's touch.   Only buy radios that have multiple, programmable frequencies and are built to military specs, whether you opt for UHF or VHF models. It's a good idea to get radios with a powerful signal, at least four watts, for maximum range. The 2 way radios you buy should feature at least 16 channels so that you'll have plenty of bandwidth to be able to switch channels if you find that you're infringing on military or law enforcement channels.   Battery strength and lasting charge are important to look for when purchasing 2 way radios. One of the big problems with the cheaper radios is that they don't work very long between charges, so look for a model that will give you at least six hours of usable life before it needs to be recharged. Anything less than that will cut into its usefulness and leave you frustrated.   Category Business Services Author Admin Add To Favorites Print This Article Email Article To A Friend Post Comments   Rate This Article (0) 1 - Poor2345 - Good678910 - Excellent Added On 2009-04-22