Cobra PR 3800-2 DX VP microTALK/GMRS 2 Way Radio Two Pack with Up to 12 Mile Range
From Cobra
Staying in touch with your family and friends is convenient and easy when using your microTALK radio. Some of the many uses you will discover include: Communicating with others while hiking, biking, and working; keeping track of family and friends at a crowded public event; checking with travel companions in another car; talking with neighbors; arranging meeting spots with others while shopping at the mall.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #60243 in Consumer Electronics
- Color: Black/Silver
- Brand: Cobra
- Model: PR 3800-2 DX VP
- Dimensions: 2.00" h x 2.00" w x 7.00" l, 2.00 pounds
Good radios with a nice set of features but not perfect.
PROS*
COMFORT: They have a good fit and feel solid in my hand - not so small that they feel like a toy and certainly nothing like the old school walkie-talkie.
RECEPTION: The radios are crystal clear and have many channel and privacy options to select from. Reception for NOAA weather radio also works very well. Weather stations are clear if you are within about 50 miles of the transmitter.
BATTERY LIFE: Adequate for normal use. With constant monitoring and moderate transmitting they last a full day with no problem. The base charger is handy if you use the supplied batteries.
AA BATTERIES: One great selling point for me was the option of replacing the AA batteries if it became necessary. I bought these during the Katrina mess and wanted something that I could use regular alkaline batteries in if I had no other options. Believe me when I tell you that when the power goes out for weeks, aside from drinking water, there are few things more precious than a good set of spare batteries. When all other technology becomes useless a good set of batteries may be all that stands between you and news from the outside world, and having spare AA's is a simple swap if needed. For a field or emergency radio this should be a HUGE consideration.
CONS*
RANGE: They claim 12 miles. I suppose you could get 12 miles in the cold vacuum of deep space, but not anywhere near that on earth. The best I've seen was about 2.5 to 3 miles cross country.
WON'T CHARGE HI-CAP BATTERIES: While battery life is adequate for a full day using the supplied nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, they have a capacity rating of only 1000 milliamp hours (mAh). Most MiMH batteries in the AA size that I've seen have capacity ratings from as low as 1600mAh to as high as 2750mAh. The higher the capacity rating the longer they will operate on a full charge, but don't try charging a higher capacity battery while in the radio because it won't work. With high capacity batteries installed, circuitry in the radio will not engage the charger even if the radios are stone dead. I tried a charger with the same voltage but higher output and it still didn't work. However; you can still use high capacity batteries with the radios as long as they have been fully charged in an external charger. If you own a digital camera or anything else that eats batteries you may already have one. Just check the charger for a label stating it is suitable for charging your type of battery.
MENU: The menu is not very intuitive. You scroll through options that are clear enough at first, but going below the top level of the menu can become confusing if you don't do it often enough to remember the steps. This is a common issue with all portable radios of this type so don't let this get in your way.
NOTE: I used these radios probably 3 times for a total of no more than 14 hours when one of them stopped transmitting. They were out of warranty but I sent Cobra a letter explaining the situation. The radios were in mint condition and have never seen dirt or water. Cobra stepped up and repaired the radio at no cost to me. I did not expect them to honor a warranty repair since the warranty coverage had expired, but they repaired the unit and Fed-X'd it back in less than two week. This is the kind of customer service I will remember when I need another pair of radios.
With the few issues I will still give the radios a high score because of the form, features, clarity, and because Cobra stood behind their product.
Cobra PR 3800 Radios- Overrated
Tried these radios out while camping. Couldn't communicate one-half mile away from each other in wooded area. I realize I would not get 12 miles in the woods, but not even one-half mile. Come on.......
Tried I the city, amount the same results. So where do you get the 12 miles???????
I feel I was ripped off by this purchase. Extremely dissatisfied.
Very good, Great Preformance.
These radios work very well. The other model the one the one under this I think its the 3500, has a better screen layout that I liked better. And some of the quality was better on the older model. But with this model I found a better preformance with signal. I pick up more signals and they were clearer on the 3800. So overall this is the best preformance radio. And rechargeable batteries with the stand, you can't beat that.
