2 way radios for theme parks - rental?

[blott]

The problem is that I don't think you can get them in UK for use in USA as they use different frequencies. Wal-Mart is open 24 hours and I'm sure you'll want to pay it at least one visit during your trip - you might even pass it on the way to your villa from the airport, depending on where you rental home is located, as it's on Highway 192.

Sounds like you'll need three so if you get the $9.99 ones, then that's only about £20 for your three weeks so you could do either of your suggestions. But I bet you'll want to go back again so you never just know...

[steph_goodrum]

You could try www.amazon.com (make sure you don't use .co.uk or ebay and order some (I think they'll probably have some as they have ToysRUs site on there and get them delivered to the UK. I got some from ebay, some will ship internationally. They're typically called FRS (Family radio service - I think) radio and as has been said don't be tempted to think that because they work in the other country (UK/US) they are legal as the frequencies allocated to the channels are different in both countries and the ones used by the US are allocated to certain emergency services in the UK. If you use them in the UK you will find they work but you cannot see what interference you may be causing to other people.

[Lesley S]

As I have had before, we use ours in the UK and so do alot of our rentors, who bought ours in Walmart. We even bought some as a preset this year. We have never had problems, it sho easy to find the other half when they have gone shopping or even if you go to the theme parks over here (ie, Alton Towers or even Blackpool) you can then find them quickly enough.

I would invest in them and then bring them home. If you leave them in the villa, you someone might take them before the owner knows they are there.

[steph_goodrum]

Jamie and Lesley
What I was trying to point out was that the radios WILL work in this country, nobody is disputing that, but the frequencies they use are not the same as the UK one. The ones that are used in the US are allocated for different purposes in the UK. You could be quite happily chatting away in Alton Towers whilst the Fire brigade is trying to solve some emergency with interruptions from your family and lives could, in the worst case scenario, be put at risk.
This was the reply I got when I asked the question before.
"Further to may last post heres some more research I dug out last year for a similar question.
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I did a little reasearch last year before choosing to buy in the USA.
I,m no expert but have had to legally license channels in the UK for stage and TV use before.

With ref. to Radio Communications Agency UK and Family Radio Services USA.

UK PMR frequencies
446.00625 MHz
446.03125 MHz
446.05625 MHz
446.08125 MHz
446.01875 MHz
446.04375 MHz
446.06875 MHz
446.09375 MHz

And as you can see the US frquencies are totally different.

USA/Canada FRS Frequencies
1 462.5625 8 467.5625
2 462.5875 9 467.5875
3 462.6125 10 467.6125
4 462.6375 11 467.6375
5 462.6625 12 467.6625
6 462.6875 13 467.6875
7 462.7125 14 467.7125

WARNING: USA FRS frequencies are allocated to fire, and police services in the UK.

The UK channels are definatly not licensed for personal use in the USA.
The sub codes make no difference they are only like access codes not channel frequencies.
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Hope this makes sense.