• Aug 12, 2019

    Review: Motorola Talkabout T460

    Many years ago I purchased FRS (Family Radio Service) radios commonly called walkie talkies. I chose the Motorola T5000 because it came with 4 radios and the price was right; I know I didn't spend much time researching them. The radios have served me well over the years. The radios operated on both FRS and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) frequencies. Certain frequencies (the radios have specific channels that correspond with frequencies) are FRS only, some are GMRS only and some are available on both. FRS is unlicensed whereas GMRS requires a license. Since I don't have a GMRS license, I've always stuck to the FRS channels. I suspect that many people just picked a channel and used it not realizing that they were violating FCC regulations.

    In 2017 the FCC adopted changes to FRS and GMRS which increased the maximum output for FRS radios (from 0.5 W to 2.0 W) and made available certain channels that were GMRS only to FRS users. They basically acknowledged that people were using the FRS/GMRS radios with no regard to which channels were being used.

    The rechargeable batteries on the Motorola T5000 radios I owned had long died and with my push to have all my devices rechargeable via USB, I decided this past spring to replace the radios. The radios also had a maximum output of 0.48 W on the GMRS channels (now available for FRS) which meant that the range of the radios was quite limited.

    I liked the styling of the newer Motorola Talkabout radios, so I picked up a pair of Talkabout T260 radios. I used the radios on a Scout trip and they worked quite well, but there was a place that I lost contact with another leader that was at the front of the hiking group. We also used the radios on a cruise ship and they worked pretty well across several decks even with all the steel that blocks signals. Even though the radios performed decently, I decided to do some more research on the radios. The radios are advertised with a 22 mile range; that, of course, is in ideal conditions and never happens. The manual has a chart of channels and shows the maximum output power on the different frequencies. This is quite misleading as I soon discovered. All FCC registered devices have information available on the FCC's website including test reports showing the actual power output. Doing a search of the FCC ID AZ489FT4929, I discovered that the maximum output of the radio was 0.8 W which is far lower than the legal maximum.

    After more research, I found the older manual for the radio and it appears that Motorola changed a few pieces when the new FCC regulations took effect including the chart; the old chart showed which channels were FRS and which were GMRS. The new chart was basically a waste because all the channels could be used by all users; some of the channels would have higher output. Motorola did respond to my claim that the manual was misleading by saying that the chart in the manual wasn't there to indicate how much power the radios actually put out, but to show that it complied with the FCC maximum.

    This newfound knowledge kind of bummed me out, so I went back to the drawing board and went through all the Motorola Talkabout radios (I like the design of the radios over other brands) and looked up the FCC ID of each one looking for the radios that had the highest output power (up to the legal limit). If my information is correct, the Motorola Talkabout T460 which has an FCC ID of AZ489FT4924 has a maximum output power twice that of the T260 (1.7 W). While I don't expect to ever get the 35 mile range advertised with these radios, I at least could have radios with the highest power available.

    I purchased a pair of the T460 radios and have now used the radios on a couple of trips and they are far superior to the T260 (and the old T5000 ones I had before). (While I did purchase these radios, Motorola generously sent me another pair of the T460 radios in response to my letter to them about the T260 manual). Specifically the T460 has an analog control for the volume making it easier to turn the units on/off and control the volume. They also have a feature called VibraCall which vibrates the radio the first time it receives a transmission if it hasn't received a transmission in a certain period of time; this is handy if the volume is turned down or you happen to not be paying attention. Once the radio vibrates, you can ask the other end to repeat the message. The radios also have a weather radio, different call tones, and a few other features that are generally not of much use to me.

    Pros

    • Highest power output of Motorola Talkabout radios
    • Water/splash resistant (IP54)
    • VibraCall
    • Analog volume control
    • Acceptable voice quality
    • Standby time allows for all day usage in my testing

    Cons

    • Doesn't come anywhere close to the advertised range

    Summary

    If you're looking for relatively low-cost, unlicensed FRS radios, I think the Motorola Talkabout T460 are hard to beat. They have a decent range and a number of features that make them easy to use. Time, of course, will tell how durable they are and how good the range is in a variety of environments.

  • May 2, 2019

    Monthly Battery Checks

    Every month I have a routine where I make sure batteries and devices that I don't use regularly are charged. Some may think that I'm a "prepper" getting ready for a major disaster, but I'm definitely not that extreme (I don't have a bunker and am not off the grid!). You never know when some of this will come in handy; a few months ago the power went out at dinner time due to an emergency transformer replacement. I pulled out the LED lanterns I have (the orange pucks in the picture) and we had light. It wasn't a big deal.

    I know that I still have a lot of work to do to be fully prepared for an emergency, but having light, some power, and cooking equipment (my camping stove is in the garage and we have a gas grill outside) goes a long way. The good news is that much of my gear is used for camping so it isn't just sitting around collecting dust (some emergency meals I have need to be checked as I have no idea how old they are!).

    I highly recommend that people regularly charge devices, check flashlights, and have some portable battery packs lying around.

    Also, just about all my devices can be charged via USB which makes it easier to charge everything.

    In case people are curious, here's what is in the picture.

  • Apr 21, 2019

    Fighting back against rebates

    The other day I was filling out a rebate form and it got me thinking. Rebates are a great way for companies to make people believe that they are getting a deal on a product. The reality from what I've read, is that most people don't bother filling out rebate forms or fill them out incorrectly and don't receive the rebate thereby making rebates just a marketing gimmick. Years ago, the minority of people that received rebates got checks that they could deposit.

    At some point, companies decided to switch to prepaid gift cards that are more difficult to redeem. The gift cards expire within a few months and it is hard to use up the last few dollars of the cards since many vendors don't do split payments across multiple payment types. After thinking about this for awhile (yes, I think about strange things), I came up with what I consider a brilliant solution. As a frequent Amazon shopper, I figured that I could just buy an Amazon gift card and apply it to my account. Amazon lets you purchase a gift card in any amount (not sure if it is whole dollars only) and then have it sent to yourself. Apply it to your account, it doesn't expire, and there is no need to worry about spending the last bit of the card.

    Next time you get one of those prepaid gift cards, go ahead and buy an Amazon gift card and either send it to me or apply it to your account! You'll thank me for not having to deal with that piece of plastic for more than a few minutes.

  • Feb 26, 2019

    Dealing with the influx of scooters

    I try to get out and run 3-4 times a week down by Mission Bay as there is a nice path and I don't have to be afraid of vehicle traffic. I used to run on the sidewalk where there was one and on dirt when there wasn't; however with traffic whizzing by at 55 mph (speed limit is 45 mph), I got smart and decided that I'd just drive to a nice place and run. Last year on one of my runs, I noticed electric scooters parked in groups along the path. Over the course of the next few months, the scooters started appearing just about everywhere I went in the city.

    The scooters are an interesting solution to the last mile problem and appear to be useful for a lot of people. However, the companies that are running the scooters have taken the approach that they'll just "disrupt" transportation and simply do what they want and deal with the fallout and laws later. This has been a big topic on the news with injuries happening all the time, lawsuits (currently San Diego is facing a lawsuit about disabled access on the sidewalks), and some riders disobeying laws.

    The San Diego mayor and city council have been working on ways to handle these scooters so that they can co-exist with everyone in the city. While this may seem like the right thing to do, I'd argue that instead of spending time trying to handle these scooters, how about taking a look at the problems they are causing and what laws already exist to handle them.

    In my view, there are a number of issues that I've seen:

    1. Scooters are parked on the sidewalk either by the companies (or their contractors) or the riders.
    2. Scooters are being ridden on the sidewalk and the riders are getting into accidents with innocent pedestrians.
    3. Scooter riders are riding in the street in the wrong direction and not stopping at traffic lights and/or stop signs.
    4. Parent and child riding on a scooter.
    5. Kids riding the scooters.

    The scooters, themselves, aren't the problem in my opinion. It is the riders (mostly) that don't know what they are supposed to do or frankly don't care.

    Let's take a closer look at my list.

    Scooters parked on sidewalks

    This is already illegal under California Vehicle Code 21235:

    (i) Leave a motorized scooter lying on its side on any sidewalk, or park a motorized scooter on a sidewalk in any other position, so that there is not an adequate path for pedestrian traffic.

    While people may argue what is an adequate path, unless the sidewalk is really wide, a scooter on the sidewalk won't allow 2 people to pass one another comfortably.

    Scooters ridden on the sidewalk

    This is already illegal under CVC 21235:

    (g) Operate a motorized scooter upon a sidewalk, except as may be necessary to enter or leave adjacent property.

    If we consider the path around Mission Bay a bike path and not a sidewalk (scooters can be ridden on bike paths), San Diego Municipal Code §63.20.7 states:

    Driving Vehicles On Beach Prohibited; Exceptions; Speed Limit On Beach
    (a) Except as permitted by the Director and except as specifically permitted on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, no person may drive or cause to be driven any motor vehicle as defined in the California Vehicle Code on any beach, any sidewalk or turf adjacent thereto; provided, however, that motor vehicles which are being actively used for the launching or beaching of a boat may be operated across a beach area designated as a boat launch zone. Original

    A scooter is defined as a motor vehicle under California Vehicle Code and the path around Mission Bay is adjacent to a beach thereby making it illegal to ride a scooter on the path.

    CVC 21230 states:

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a motorized scooter may be operated on a bicycle path or trail or bikeway, unless the local authority or the governing body of a local agency having jurisdiction over that path, trail, or bikeway prohibits that operation by ordinance.

    Meaning that San Diego (as they have done) can regulate scooters on bike paths.

    Scooters ridden recklessly

    As scooter riders must have a driver's license (or permit) and scooter are classified as motor vehicles, the riders must follow all the rules of the road including which direction they ride on the street, stopping at stop signs or traffic lights, yielding, etc. This is already covered under California Vehicle Code.

    Parent and child riding on a scooter

    Again, illegal under CVC 21235:

    (e) Operate a motorized scooter with any passengers in addition to the operator.

    (c) Operate a motorized scooter without wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards described in Section 21212, if the operator is under 18 years of age.

    Kids riding the scooters

    Illegal under CVC 21235:

    (d) Operate a motorized scooter without a valid driver’s license or instruction permit.

    As I wrote in the beginning, I don't have a problem with the scooters if they are operated in a safe and respectful manner (just like driving). I do, however, have a major problem with scooters blocking the sidewalk when parked and riders zipping by me when I'm walking on the sidewalk. In addition, driving is already dangerous enough without having to take into account a scooter rider on the road not obeying the law.

    Instead of trying to add more regulations for scooters, how about the city enforce the current laws on the books? This would go a long way at solving the problems. The companies that operate the scooters could possibly do more to make their riders understand how to properly operate them. As much as I'd like to blame these companies, it is the riders that are causing the problems. The companies, however, need to stage their scooters in appropriate locations to not block sidewalks and need to pick them up in a reasonable amount of time as they look like trash scattered all over.

    I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. This article is based on my interpretation of the laws.