Motorola TalkAbout T5420 AA 2-Mile 14-Channel FRS Two-Way Radios (Pair)

by Motorola

Product Details

Product Manual [1.64mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005YXCS
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Motorola is a big name in FRS radios for a reason, and the TalkAbout T5420 radio exhibits the range, clarity, ease of operation, and build quality that the company's FRS designs are known for. The T5420 may not have all the extra features that more expensive products offer, but it does have all the options users are most likely to use, and at a very reasonable price.

The T5420 feels very solid and the three AA batteries each unit requires give the radio a nice heft without making it too heavy. A large knob on top performs double duty as a power switch and volume control, and the rubber-coated antenna flexes slightly so it is not likely to break off if the radio is dropped. The large Push To Talk (PTT) button on the side also is rubber-coated, providing good traction for your thumb. The button is recessed, making it difficult to push accidentally, and requires a fair amount of pressure to depress (although not so much that a 5-year-old we enlisted to help test it had any trouble).

Most features are accessed by pressing the Menu button on the front of the radio, which cycles through different modes on the LCD display (such as selecting a channel or subcode). Another button transmits one of five selectable call tones when pressed, which are useful for getting someone's attention before speaking. The Monitor button lets you listen in on an entire channel to make sure it's clear before transmitting (which is handy if you are using a subcode), and there is a covered jack on the side of the unit for attaching an optional voice-activated (VOX) headset for hands-free talking. The T5420 even lets you easily set the VOX sensitivity to adjust for unusually noisy or quiet environments.

The pair of T5420 radios we tested did very well, working at ranges of a half-mile or more in most outdoor tests. Range is cut a little when both radios are used in cars, and varies greatly when used indoors, but that is the case with every FRS radio. Audio clarity is good, but prepare for random interference if you use the units in a city.

We used the T5420s with a Motorola T5320, which doesn't have subcodes (also known as privacy or interference-eliminator codes), and it worked fine as long as both T5420s were set to subcode 0. Setting them to a different subcode on the same channel let the T5320 hear transmissions from the other radios, but the T5420s didn't pick up transmissions from the T5320.

All said, the T5420 is one of the best radios available for the money. It's good and rugged, has a decent battery life, and manages to be easy to use while making it difficult to accidentally change channels or open a transmission. The fact that you can get two of these terrific radios for what a single similar unit cost a short time ago makes them even easier to recommend. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Easy to use without being prone to accidental transmissions or channel changes
• Good range and clarity
• Excellent build quality, with several optional accessories available

Cons:

• Must buy accessories to take advantage of VOX features
• Lacks a channel-scan button, which can make it easier to find a clear channel in a crowded area

Amazon.com Product Description

This pair of small, compact Motorola TalkAbout T5420 two-way radios helps you keep in touch with family and friends within a range of up to two miles. With 14 Family Radio Service (FRS) channels and 38 privacy codes, you can communicate easily with minimal interference from other radios.

The T5420 has a number of useful features such as a backlit LED display with icons, a transmit LED indicator, and a single-pin audio accessory connector to connect a headset. Its audible call alert informs you of an incoming call for phone-like convenience. The T5420 is capable of VOX hands-free use with optional accessories.

This package comes with two TalkAbout T5420 radios, a user's manual, and quick user guide. The T5420 is powered by AA batteries, and is also rechargeable-capable with optional accessory upgrade kit. It is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent solidly built product, February 27, 2003

By 

+++ (OR, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motorola TalkAbout T5420 AA 2-Mile 14-Channel FRS Two-Way Radios (Pair) (Electronics)

I used these radios for two purposes: to stay in touch with my firends on the mountain when skiing, and to talk to people in the other car on the road. In both cases, they worked perfectly. In the past, I had experience with similar radios without privacy codes, and it was a nightmare at a big ski resort because all channels were busy most of the time, and you had to listen to all that chatting to make sure that you do not miss a call from someone from your party. As you can imagine, skiers and boarders use such radios quite often. The privacy codes which this radio is equipped with eliminate interferences with other people completely and reliably - better than I could expect. You still share the same 14 channels with the other people using the principle "only one radio can transmit at a time", but you do not hear the other people talking unless they use the same privacy code as you do. The only way how you know that the channel is in use is blinking on the display. Setting the privacy code to zero enables you to communicate with people with the older radios without the privacy codes.

The radios are compact, and have long battery life. Typically, a set of 3 AA batteries lasts 3-4 days. The reception is clear and loud. The settings of the channel and subchannel can be locked, which is great because this prevents inadvertent switching to another channel when one or another button gets accidentally pressed in your pocket. If this happens, the most difficult part is to recall what setting you used before! The radio also has a "scan" function which I never used and find useless because it is good only to get out of the radio noise and conversations of the strangers. The range of the radio is decent (Motorola claims up to 2 miles in an open area), although it may not to work if you get separated from your party by a mountain ridge. A longer range can only be reached if you use more powerful radios which work in GMRS frequency band and require a government license (which costs, I think, about seventy bucks per year). The last but not least, these radios are weather-resistant and will not get damaged by sweat and moisture accumulated inside of your jacket.

It is my understanding that different brands and models of FRS radios use the same standard, they are compatible, and they all have the same basic features. They difference is only in (a) weight, (b) size, (c) sound quality, (d) weather resistance, and (d) availability of privacy codes. This Motorola is not the cheapest radio on the market, but you get a good value for the dollars paid as it is a well-built compact weather-resistant radio with a good sound quality.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, GREAT DEVICE, August 2, 2003

By 

Shashank Tripathi (Gadabout) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Motorola TalkAbout T5420 AA 2-Mile 14-Channel FRS Two-Way Radios (Pair) (Electronics)

Some of the reasons why this offering from Motorola is nearly the best bang for your buck:

(1) Sleek, compact design and pamperingly light-weight
(2) Tone singalling...a tone indicating either party is done talking
(3) Talk button on the side for easy reach
(4) Easy to open battery compartment
(5) A quick release belt clip that snaps into a built in socket, seems more reliable than the Nokia style clips
(6) A water-resistant plastic casing and a changeable faceplate feature (redwood or black)
(7) Apart from the standard 14 channels, 38 privacy subchannels to help keep outside chatter from interrupting your conversations
(8) Built-in support for voice-activated transmissions
(9) Excellent signal, great up to nearly one and a half mile range
(10) Astounding battery life, close to 30 hours nonstop for me
(11) Sensibly designed charger with two bays that will either take the radio itself or the battery pack with an included spacer
(12) And most importantly, an un-ignorable price!

You may also want to consider one of Motorola's vox accessories for hands-free communications -- their handsets are crystal clear, perhaps best on market in terms of quality, but just a LITTLE pricey.

Anyway, this radio comes highly recommended from me if you are in the market for one of these thingies.

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, January 17, 2003

By 

Kristen Mondaruli "iamkmondo" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Motorola TalkAbout T5420 AA 2-Mile 14-Channel FRS Two-Way Radios (Pair) (Electronics)

I bought these as a Christmas gift for my husband. We moved into a house and he's been doing a lot of work outside. It's much easier to just radio him than searching all over the place for him!