How can I increase the range of my kids walkie talkies ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: jumstar45
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 08:22:09 am
content: I recently bought Kidzlane walkie talkie for my kids but I guess the range of the device isn't much. I don't want to buy a new set of walkie talkies again. isn't there any way by which I can increase the range of the device atleast to a range where it can cover my whole house ?

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 09:19:21 am
content: Welcome to the forum. Move into a smaller house?

author: mrpackethead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 09:22:28 am
content: Knock out all the wall.s

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 09:55:32 am
content: Quote from: jumstar45 on October 10, 2018, 08:22:09 amSorry, I very much doubt there's a simple and legal way to increase the range.If they work at the low end of VHF or below, <500MHz, then antennas might be too short, so increasing the length may help, although the circuit may need to be modified, as the new antenna will have a lower impedance.If they work at high UHF or above, then the antennas will most likely be long enough and making them longer will not help. The only way would be an extra power amplifier on the transmitter, which would probably make them illegal to use, as there would be a high risk of causing interference.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 10:12:32 am
content: It is typical that the range quoted for radio transceivers - such as these - is all too often given as a maximum... for clear line-of-sight... without any objects that sap energy or offer signal cancelling reflections... within a radio quiet zone (zero EMI)... with both the transmitting and receiving antennae oriented in the optimum direction... with the freshest batteries availableand operated by people who's hearing can pick out the sound of a match falling during a hurricane.In a domestic setting, the only one you would have a chance with is fresh batteries - and that freshness won't last long.Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do with these. As I understand it, modification of the units is not really an option and even if you could make a modification, you would certainly risk some issues with the FCC.

author: Nusa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 10:23:25 am
content: If these are the ones advertised as having a 2-mile range, I'd take em back to the store and either get a refund or another set. At least one of the ones you have is defective.The 2 miles is a marketing exaggeration, only achievable under ideal circumstances, but you should have no problem with a hundred yards, even with a few normal walls in the way.If for whatever reason they're not returnable, you could trying opening them up to see if there are any obvious problems, such as the antenna not being connected.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 10:25:00 am
content: Sometimes it can be something quite simple as well such as the two transceivers being aligned or on the same frequency, an early set of my handheld UHF radios went out of whack for no apparent reason and just needed the tweak of a trimmer to be working properly and over a substantial distance again.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 10:38:04 am
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on October 10, 2018, 10:25:00 amThis !A well known Australasian brand garage remote would only work at very close range until I aligned it to the correct frequency with a spectrum analyser where now it works at sufficient range that by the time I drive to the door, it's fully opened !Componentry ages and drifts in value so that needs be adjusted for.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 10:55:22 am
content: IMHO the original post is standard spam... probably from a SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) executive. The pattern is... 1 post and includes a product and often a link.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 11:02:06 am
content: Quote from: NivagSwerdna on October 10, 2018, 10:55:22 amYep, agree, SEO bullshit, be a shame if the results returned for a search on Kidzlane walkie talkies lead to this thread rubbishing them.The Kidzlane stuff is crap, cheap rubbish 49MHz gear by the looks of it so completely incapable of the advertised range.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 12:02:29 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on October 10, 2018, 11:02:06 amThere's no mention of a specific model number or link, so I doubt it's spam.We'll have to wait and see if the original poster returns or creates more threads about Kidzlane products to see.I doubt the original poster will be back, as I don't think they will get the answer they're looking for.Lots of children's toys are rubbish. I remember having a pair of walkie talkies in the late 80s/early 90s and they weren't very good. They used a discrete design, with the speaker doubling as the microphone to save money. I remember them being very crackly. The frequency was around 27MHz and they did have a greater range than their more modern counterparts which I believe work at 433MHz or 2.45GHz. My nephews have some of the latter than they're worse than the ones I had, back in the day.

author: StillTrying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2018, 04:32:04 pm
content: I've known 27 or 49 MHz toys to not work even from one room to another, proper PMR works through many brick houses.If they're these blue things there seems to be at least some reports of them not working out of the box.https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Kidzlane_Walkie-Talkie