Two-Way Radios
 

Anybody know where I can find information about using these in Europe? I'm sure there are certain frequencies that are off-limits, and in some countries they may even be illegal. I'd like to find out BEFORE we go. Thanks.

Hard to find this info, for two-ways (walkie-talkies) purchased here in the US. Usually said that the frequencies used are illegal.<BR><BR>But they are clearly sold IN Europe - - and they have their OWN (legal) frequencies - - and I have bought there (in Germany) and used there, with great success.<BR><BR>There are several good threads on walkie-talkies:<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1303832<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1266213<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1140967&<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Thank you, oh wise one (better than know-it-all, don't you think?). I'll check them out!

I have done some research on this for Ireland and can tell you for sure that the 2- way radios sold in the US are illegal there.

to the top<BR>

They are illegal in France.

ooops, then we broke the law when we were over in the UK in November. We brought a pair of walkie talkies, used them extensively (for a group of 11 they were a life saver!), and never had any probs either getting a frequency, or having anyone (police or otherwise) question us about them. Maybe we were lucky? But none of us even thought about that they might not be leagle....

The radios sold in the US are illegal in France. You can purchase ones here that work in France... but you would need to get a local license to use them. <BR><BR>PB

Is this license thing a big deal? Has anyone ever heard of getting fine for not having one? I have never even seen a car pulled over for speeding in over 100 days of driving in France in the past 10 years.<BR>

topping, for Tracy<BR>

Some people seem to be missing the point here. The danger of using illegal frequencies is not that you might get stopped or even fined, but that the frequencies these things use may be reserved for the emergency services of the country you are in. Anissa, your radios may have been a "lifesaver" for your little group, but they could have spelt a death sentence for someone else if the ambulance or fire service couldn't get to them in time, because you were blocking their frequencies.

But isn't Elaine missing the point? Walkie-talkies ARE sold IN Europe that use frequencies that ARE legal IN Europe. Why does anyone think that it's bad to share information about the use of THOSE walkie-talkies?<BR>

No I wasn't missing the point at all - The point I was making (and I thought my post made this quite clear) was about ILLEGAL frequencies and equipment which used those frequencies being brought into Europe. I see nothing whatsoever wrong with using, or exchanging information about, radios which use legal frequencies, but I'm afraid that I found the casual remark about breaking the law and being lucky not to get caught (without any apparent thought to the possible consequences of her actions) a different matter altogether.

PS My apologies to anyone who is taking the time and trouble to find out how to purchase legitimate equipment and may have thought that my remarks were addressed to them. They most certainly were not. It just seemed that at least one person needed to know why using imported sets might not be such a good idea.

topping again, for the person who is trying to decide about a van versus two cars, Munich to Rome<BR>