The Radio Shack/Maxxon radios have two buttons on the side...one above
and one below the push-to-talk switch. If you press them both
simultaneously, it locks the keys so you can't change channels. We
also try to remember to tell everybody at the drivers meeting to keep
their fingers off all the buttons except the p-t-t.
One other caveat I forgot in my original message. These things are so
small that it's easy to stick one in your pocket and forget that it's
there! We usually have to get on the PA at the end of the event and
remind people to turn them back in.
John (Old Fartz & TLS #37) Lieberman
Craig Blome wrote:
>
> I don't remember if Houston Region's radios are Maxon FRS or not, but
> I do remember they were FRS with the channel set internally. This is
> a major advantage for autox use as corner workers can't accidentally
> change the channel. Texas Spokes uses Motorola Talkabout Plus FRS
> units that have channel buttons external but are otherwise pretty
> good. (Well, I *would* say so, seeing as I work for Mot and all...
> :-) There is occasionally a few minutes' confusion and much comic
> hand-waving until everyone is on the same channel again...
>
> Cheers,
> Craig Blome
> Texas Spokes SCC, Austin, TX
>
> ---John Lieberman <johnlee@softdisk.com> wrote:
> >
> > We went with the Radio Shack (made by Maxxon) 14-channel rigs. Got
> > them for 80-bucks apiece. They have much better range than the old 49
> > MHZ (also made by Maxxon) radios we had been using. Battery drain is
> > practically nil, so you can use replaceable alkaline batteries for 2
> > or 3 events before you have to swap them out.
> >
> > However, the audio amp in them is pretty weak. You can't hear them
> > unless you have them relatively close. And, if you have a loud
> > projecting voice like mine (25 years in radio news!!) you can't work
> > them closely. If you do, everything you say is distorted. I have to
> > work them with my mouth about 6-inches away from the radio to keep
> > from distorting everything I say. And, you have to wait about a
> > second after you key them up before you start talking. Otherwise, you
> > clip off the first couple of syllables of whatever you were trying to
> > say.
> >
> > Other than that, they've worked great for us so far.
> >
>
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