Customer Reviews

Motorola Talkabout T280 2-Mile 14-Channel Two-Way Radio (Black)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased two of these because they had the most features of all the Motorola models. Having NOW read the reviews of some of the competitors I am certain that I would have been just as happy with cheaper models. These are the "cutest" and smallest, but the feature of different sounds to identify different callers is a disappointment. The SENDING radio makes five different noises to identify five different senders, but the noise is made out loud on the sender's radio and the noise is transmitted the same as one's voice would be. I find it annoying and not worth any extra cost over the model 250. The only advantage that I can see of the Motorola 250 and 280 over the competition is the number of channels and sub-channels they make available. This would be a useful feature when there are lots of other radios being used in the area, such as at a crowded theme park but, in the circumstances that I find myself, there are never other radios around and I am not certain that we will be able to communicate with radios with less channels.

My wife and I use the radios when we are caravaning on drives with our car club and they have been very useful. One member missed a turnoff when he didn't see us turn and we were able to re-direct him, otherwise we probably would not have seen him until the end of the day.

Another consideration in making a purchase of a two-way radio is the number and type of accessories, we wound up spending as much on accessories as we did on the radios: arm holsters, earphone/ microphone combination for easier hands free operation when driving a car and rechargeable batteries and chargers.

I have a set of these 2 way radios and they are excellant. My wife and I use these when we go to the mall,or when we go on a trip with another couple using 2 cars. My dad and I also use these on our 120 acre farm.

When driving in cars reception is good up to a mile.

When using outside around hills reception range seems to be around .7 to a mile.

When using outside in ideal conditions (flat land, a way from power lines) reception seems to be around 1.8 to 2.2 miles.

This unit is small and fits in the palm of your hand. These units uses AA batteries which lasts up to 30 hours.

The Motorola TalkAbout 280SLK is nothing like a Motorola FR50 Radio. These radios DONT COMPARE! The talk About 280SLK has a rechargeable battery ans has 532 channels. There Are 14 main channels and 38 sub-chanels. the FR50 has only 14 channels and no sub-codes. The 280SLK also has a call feature which has 5 calls the Fr50 has only 1 call. The talkabout 280SLK also has a channel scan which helps find active or free channels. The FR50 does not have this. The 280SLK has a vox feaurure which enables hands free opperation! You can set it to 3 sensitivity levels. The FR50 does not have this. The 280SLK also has a mute feuture which the FR50 does not have. You can also set your 280SLK to turn off at a spefic time! THESE 2 RADIOS DO NOT COMPARE! The TA280SLK is much Better! The FR50 is also twice the size of the 280slk. This is a great product! (280SLK)!

I am currently in Bosnia, as part of a peacekeeping mission here in the Balkans. I purchased two Talkabouts to play around with while here, and was so impressed with their performance that my unit has purchased several more. We currently use them in the majority of our missions, as we have found that, with a two mile PLUS range, these radios are ten times more practical than the military-bought bulky radios, which, in average, are not as dependable as the Talkabout. We have enough to carry around with us, and know a convenient product when we see it. A great buy.

I've been very happy with my older talkabouts for skiing & backpacking. With this newer radio, it works just as well, I'm saving 2 ounces, and it fits better in a parka pocket. The review signed by "Dissapointed" which says that the radios are buzzy at short range fails to note that these radios aren't supposed to be used at close range (the manual does note that there is excessive interference within 5 feet, but I've found that there's extra noise within up to 50 feet), so for fun-with-kidz type uses, a cheap Radio Shack radio might well be a better choice. This Talkabout is the best choice for outdoor rec uses though. The only problem is that too many people are using them at ski areas now, so sometimes we've had to switch channels/codes.

I recently purchased two of these and used them very effectively while travelling around the various central Florida theme parks. My wife and I were able to split the kids and then make arrangements "on the fly". The reception was excellent even when some distance apart. I lost track of the number of other parents who said "What a great idea!" when they heard us using them. The push-to-talk button location is a bit inconvenient but this might be better than being placed on one side where it could be accidently depressed when in a pocket. At a couple of theme parks other people were using them and we had to swap to different channels - no problem. We also used them effectively when shopping for food at the local market when I was able to talk to my wife at home and get updated instructions! Since returning home we have also used them as car to car communication for longish drives. I can't recommend them highly enough.

I bought a pair of motorola FR50's recently and the range is great. These work just as great as a pair of Talkabout's can, but they were much cheaper. They are very small, lightweight, and have just as many channels. The only difference between the FR50's and the Talkabout's are minor extras like VOX and scan feature. Most people don't need those. Do yourself a favor and save yourself some money.

The Motorola Talkabout 280 2-way radio is the near-perfect tool for outdoor enthusiasts with a need to communicate with one another. It's compact design means it fits well in a pocket, a backpack or clipped onto a belt. The controls are easy to use and the darn thing is loud enough to be heard through 3-layers bombing down Mt. Baker on a snowboard. The rechargeable battery is a huge feature. I can't imagine using it with AAs. It easily lasts all day on the slopes trails and even during an ascent on the Grand Teton. Charge time is minimal, but I would recommend charging it over night before you take off on your destination.

A couple of minor nitpicks now. The talk button is directly in front of the mouthpiece. It's not a huge deal, but sometimes you miss the first word of what people are saying. It's plastic construction is durable, but dropping it or falling on it could prove fatal. It's not really weatherproof either. A friend of mine got some mud and rain on his and had to take it apart to let it dry, but heck it still works great so no big complaint there.

If you participate in any type of outdoor activity with family and friends I highly recommend you pick up a set of these radios.

I have purchased 1 of these TalkAbouts. They come in handy whenyou are in a group and want to go your own and and keep in touchwithout paying the bills required for a cell phone. The TalkAboutdelivers clarity even in far distances (Up to 2 mile range depending on the terrain). There is also a scan feature included in the TalkAbout which scans other channels with people using them. You can easily make friends this way and have fun. I stronly recommend the Motorola TalkAbout TA280 SLK for family trips, shopping, camping, skiing, in a theme park, and many more!

The buzziness you heard is due to close range. TalkAbouts interfere with eachother at ranges below 20ish feet. If you hold them next to eachother to test sound quality, you will be disappointed for sure - in fact, it says so in the manual! Beyond that range, they are the clearest radios I have ever used.