My favorite walkies (Motorola FV100) had to be replaced. One of the displays went but we were still able to use them...then one start complaining (chirp chirp) about a dead battery constantly even when fresh triple A's were installed. I headed to Home Depot at lunch to pick some up for the job we were working on. HD employee says "we don't carry those" but we found them in the electronics area anyway lol.

The HD cheapo motorolas worked okay at first. They are 3 times the size of the ultra mini FV100's with apx the same range. After a week of use one of the mics is dead. I am going to return them to HD today and get another set that will probably fail in a week.

So...

Where do i go from here? I need something small but durable. I need just enough range for a 10,000 sqft house. Both sets of these consumer motos work fine in this application. I prefer something that lets me use normal batteries so i am not a slave to the charging station. I don't have room for docking stations in my tool bag and i don't like having to remember to put them on a charging cable every day. I also want something rubberized. The 2 sets i have are hard plastic consumer grade.

I can always just keep buying $20-40 sets and throwing the bad ones out every week but it would be nice to have a decent set for a while. The walkies in my primary tool bag have been working for 10 years. They are consumer motos but they have rubber edges/grips and can take the impact when dropped. The newer models arent as tough.

Mac, are you asking if there's something newer/better?
If not, this is the first thing that came up on Google based on the Motorola FV100 search: [Link: basketcode.com]

Sounds like you treat them very roughly. Maybe before you decide to spend money on something different you should look at how you use the ones you've got. Somebody here once commented that something or other didn't last too long, then said after using them, they tossed them into the back of the van... revealing the real problem.

I bought some of the cheap motorolas but ended up rarely using them. Instead we use our cell phones. Two pushes on the bluetooth to call the last person called, and we're in communication, handsfree.

This doesn't work in the occasional canyon, at which time I take out the Motorolas. After cell phones, push to talk walkies are pretty clumsy. VOX walkies transmit whenever there's a loud noise on your end, so can cut off a message coming in. Cell phones are duplex, so don't ever cut off the other person.

I dont really care about newer...just something better. Better meaning i don't have to buy new ones for every project or every other project.

The FV100's are great for range and size but the display broke in one after a few months and then the other one wont work properly because it thinks it needs new batteries even when new ones are installed. It chirps when you press the button making it impossible to communicate with the other person.

I want something small and indestructible. A happy middle ground?

The other option is to just keep buying the cheapos and tossing out the last set every few months.

Consider the Engenius Dura Walkie product. Great range, durable, not likely to cause interference with other competing communication devices. May or may not do what you want on a new construction job site, but effective on large property jobs...

Mac, ill send you info later, right now im onsite.

For years i've been using small uhf radios. Range is incredible, they are small and light...We wear ours daily and it's like they are not even there..they wont pull your pants down, lol

Ive dropped them with no problems

The only thing that you might not like is they need a charger, I have 4 chargers and radios in my truck with an inverter so it's not an issue for me

I start to use CLS1410 about 7 yrs ago, now they are growing to a collection of 8.

Pre-wired a few Targets and Office Max, communicating between operators without any static. Only having problems while at a job on 24th floor to contractor parking lot

Got tired of the cheap stuff.

It's a tool, better ones save you time and hassles.

Motorola CP185, FCC business class licensed for 4 frequencies.

These things are great. From lighting/AV/camera setup, big wire pulls, general job-site communications on estates with multiple buildings. Even the concrete bunker below ground mechanical rooms have not been a problem.

Have not tried 24 floors, but have worked at over two miles.

Mac, did you research this any further?
My Moto t6400WX that's sitting next to me is starting to get on my nerves.
I may get whatever you settle on since I'm too lazy to do my own research.

Emailed you to your hotmail address and your website email....let me know if you received.

Thanks man. Got it on my business email. How do you still have my hotmail?.. nevermind, I'll respond thru email as well.