This is a quick, non-technical guide to stop you getting shafted on eBay, there are technical guides on here if you need one.

PMR446 in the UK is a low power, licence-free radio system.

There are eight base frequencies, and often have sub-channel tones (google CTCSS if you want to know more) that allow more than one conversation per channel, so '304 channels' is not a wild claim, 8 base channels multiplied by the 38 sub-channel users per base channel.

UK spec is a transmit power of 500mw also shown as 0.5w or maybe ½ watt.

Do not be tempted by American and Canadian sellers that offer 3w or 5w outputs, they use FRS/GMRS, (Family Radio Service-(US version of our PMR446)/General Mobile Radio Service-(US service requiring a licence)) they are illegal to use in the UK, and won't work much better than a legal UK spec set, they operate on 462mhz and 467mhz, using them in the UK could interfere with the analogue emergency services, and could land you in court facing a heavy fine.

 Radio energy is logarithmic, not linear, so if 0.5w gets you 1 mile, 5w won't get you 10 miles, probably 1½ miles if you're lucky.

Also, some sellers advertise the distance the sets can cover, 3km, 5km, 14 km 2miles 10 miles etc. take these with a pinch of salt, they are theoretical distances given by the manufacturer under optimum conditions, these conditions would be accross saltwater with no obstuctions and a back wind. A UK spec 500mw set advertised as 3km range will probably go no more than 500 yards in the real world.

Do not buy one of the zillions of ex-police radios that are flooding eBay now that the Old Bill have gone digital. They are decomissioned, so they are set to low power, all on the same useless frequency and it will cost you about £20 for a battery, £25 for a charger, £15 for an aerial, £30 for a radio interface box, £20 for a connector lead and £500 for programming software, and once you've done all that, you still have a radio that's illegal to use without a licence. Leave these sets for HAMs to mess about with.

And finally Esther, those nice chaps from Hong Kong and China, they advertise some right tasty two-way radios, all brand new, 137-174mhz tx and rx. only £30 and £100 P+P and £25 compulsary insurance, if you're lucky enough to receive one without having to pay another £60 customs fees, and it actually works, unless you hold a licence to use one then you're now the proud owner of an illegal radio, congratulations.

In conclusion, only buy PMR446 0.5w radios with fixed antennae, if you want to stay on the right side of the law. Google the make and model advertised to make sure it's a bona fide set. And spend a few extra pounds to get a set with built in rechargable batteries and a recharge station, as they are radio transmitters they will eat batteries, £5 for a pair without rechargables may seem a good deal, but by the time you've bought six or eight AAA alkalines, and need to replace them every few weeks, it's not such a great deal compared to the pair for £15 with rechargables and base charger unit.

As with every product on eBay, Google is your friend, do some research before you bid, you'll be very peeved when you realise afterwards that you could have got your purchase elsewhere cheaper.

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Walter.