Home > Consumer Reviews > Uniden GMRS520-2 22-Channel 2-Mile GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radios (Pair)

This product is small, lightweight, and easily fits in your pocket (or clips onto your belt). It definitely proves itself useful under many circumstances. Shopping malls, long road trips with more than one car, hiking, camping, etc. You'll save a lot on cellular phone fees and have better reception...but for only about 1.5-mile range (my personal estimated range in which you can hear and understand the words coming from the radio).

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Other than its short range, this 2-way radio does its job right. From ranges less than a mile, it's pretty clear. That is simply what it is: a Walkie Talkie. You can't pick up any scanner signals, radio frequencies, or anything else (unless a stranger who just happens to have the same radio as you is within two miles of your location and has his or her channel set on the same channel as yours). If all you are looking for is a simple way of communication for short range, I'd definitely recommend this product for its fair price. Don't waste time on the few models that are little more expensive than this. They may have extra features (like more call tones--sounds of beeping, birds chirping, bells ringing, etc.), an FM Radio, and fabulous designs, but the range is the same. For more range, which comes with many unnecessary features in my opinion, expect to pay a lot more.

Does everything it is supposed to do for that price and more. Can communicate with any other FRS/GMRS radio, is lightweight and small, and range is decent. Unless you're in a mall where everybody's using radios, you don't need privacy codes (they prevent you from hearing others but don't prevent others from eavesdropping on you). You don't need charging as the 3AAA batteries last for at least one day of extensive usage.

First, these radios don't have a great range (we get about 1/2 mile or so in our neighborhood). They use little AAA batteries. They don't have privacy codes, etc. But, I rarely have one away from my side.
Our old house has an intercom system which probably hasn't worked since the Bradys were happily married. Replacing it would have cost over a grand. FRS to the rescue.
We bought the pair, as well as 12 rechargeable batteries and a charger, and now we just put in the batteries and clip them to our belts or drop them in our pockets and go about our business. The next day, we swap out the old batteries, and they are good for another day.
The squelch works great, but rarely, we get mild interference, so we switch channels. (To be honest, I doubt we do that more than once a week.)
The bottom line is that they are small enough, that you forget you have it on until the other person needs to reach you.
Get a charger, you wouldn't want to have to feed these things batteries.

I purchased a pair of these radios a few days ago ... and have been very pleased with them... I was still very pleased with the performance and range of these units. We seem to be able to get ~1 mile range through some fairly heavy forest without any real trouble, and quite a bit further depending on terrain. The sound quality is quite good, with the person on the other end remaining clear out to the very extremes of the radio's range. The auto-squelch is also nice, although it would be useful to be able to turn it off (which you can do on more expensive Uniden models) as I am convinced that I could get a bit further range that way. These are also really, really small; the entire unit fits in the palm of my hand. For comparison, it's only 2/3 the size of my Nokia 3360 cell phone.

I would have to recommend these radios for the casual user. If you need 5+ miles range under all conditions, you should re-evaluate your price range. If you need some walkie-talkies for family use a few times a year, I don't think you will find a better product. Frankly... if we ever need better radios, these will make great toys for the kids!

I enjoy the compactness of the radios. The quality of sound seems to be great so far. Unbeatable at this price.