It works much like any two-way radio that you can use to talk to individuals over a reasonable distance, allowing you to stay in touch with a group even without a cell tower in sight. Unlike traditional walkie-talkies, though, the Motorola Talkabout T800 doubles as a wireless modem for your smartphone, so you can still use that small gadget in your pocket for communication even without a proper cellphone signal.
That’s right, this two-way radio allows you not just to talk to each other, but to text and share locations when you connect to it over Bluetooth, giving you access to more useful tools when exploring and adventuring off the grid, similar to products like the GoTenna. Whether you’re hiking in a remote mountain area, riding side-by-sides deep in the desert, or partying in an island in the middle of nowhere, this thing lets you keep in touch even in places that cell signals can’t reach.
The Motorola Talkabout T800 is a 22-channel two-way radio that you can use to communicate with people within a 35-mile radius, ensuring it won’t be easy to lose touch with your group, even when you end up in a patch of the world with no wireless signal coverage. Do note, that 35-mile radius is based on a situation here there’s an unobstructed line of sight, so if there’s a pack of large dinosaurs between you and your group, you just might not be able to find each other when you get lost in the jungles of Jurassic Park. Or something. Oh yeah, that range is also just for the psuh-to-talk function, with data transfer (messaging and location sharing) limited to a 20 mile radius.
It’s fully waterproof according to IPX4 standards, so you can keep it out even in the middle of rain or when crossing bodies of water, although it’s not designed to float, so make sure not to drop it when kayaking, fishing, or doing something else in the water. Designed to be an indispensable tool in the outdoors, it even comes with a built-in flashlight, NOAA weather channels, and emergency alerts, making it useful for far beyond communication.
Of course, what makes the Motorola Talkabout T800 special is the ability to pair with the Talkabout smartphone app over Bluetooth, where you can send-and-receive messages, share waypoints, and locate your companions, giving you an easy and quiet solution to staying in touch off the grid. That way, you don’t have to disturb your surroundings when communicating with your group (especially useful to hunters), all while letting you easily add waypoints for easily marking meeting spots when you decide to reunite. Just mark the spot of your campsite and never get lost coming back again.
A boost function allows you to increase the push-to-talk range when it’s necessary, giving you a potential solution when some people in the group have strayed just a little too far. A fresh batch of alkaline batteries can last it up to 25 hours of continuous use.
The Motorola Talkabout T800 is available now.
- T800 Features Include: Radio Control Settings, Bluetooth Connectivity, Off-Grid Group Messaging Or...