The Retevis RT15 is a walkie-talkie you and your family need for general communication, emergencies at home, or when you’re outdoors on adventures, such as camping. It’s a radio with FRS tuner technology and 22 channels. In this review, we will see what the RT15 is capable of.
Table of Contents
Power source
Typically, walkie-talkies work on AAA batteries. You usually have to buy these separately as they are not typically included in the package. However, the RT15 comes with rechargeable batteries and a charger.
The battery life of walkie-talkies lasts around 15 hours or more. However, each of the RT15s has a 1000mAh battery. This is capable of lasting for up to 10 hours of continuous use.
If you plan to use the device for a longer time, it is advisable to take spare batteries with you. When it comes to battery life for two-way radios, the following applies: the longer the range, the shorter the battery life.
Range
Walkie talkies usually have a range of 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) to a maximum of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers). The Retevis walkie-talkies can reach a range of just half a mile in the town, but some users have reported that they reached a range of a mile.
Your surrounding environment is a decisive factor here. The range is reduced if there are obstacles such as walls, mountains, or tall buildings around them. The range is greatest on open terrain or an exposed location such as a mountain.
But these are not commercial or professional types of radios, considering the channel number and the size. They are intended for use by families for hiking, camping, or while at home.
Features
The RT15 comes with 2-watt max power, a high-quality speaker for crystal clear sound, and 16 channels with 258 channels of privacy to increase your channel options to over 1000 for private communication.
The walkie-talkie has almost all the important functions that most walkie-talkies usually have. It has the automatic squelch function. With the automatic squelch, annoying background noises are also reduced. You can set this squelch for all wireless networks.
The walkie-talkies also have the scan function. This means the device can automatically search for open channels, i.e., radio activities. When the walkie-talkie finds a channel in use, it stops searching, and you can communicate using the channel it has found.
The radios also have the VOX function. The abbreviation VOX means “Voice Operated X-change”. This feature eliminates the need to press the PTT button to send your signal. Especially if you want to use your walkie-talkie in a car or on a motorcycle, this function is indispensable, as you have to have your hands free for these activities.
You can also use a walkie-talkie with VOX function as a baby monitor. For baby monitoring, you must first check whether the sensitivity levels of the VOX hands-free function are sufficient to be activated by the child’s noises.
The walkie-talkies have the companding scrambling function that makes the conversation private and safe. It doesn’t matter how many radios you buy; it is possible to communicate directly with each other. Just set the walkie-talkies to the same channel.
What We Liked
- Small and portable design
- Has a display screen, unlike many Retevis models
- Easy to use
- Has 50 CTCSS and 208 DCS
- Features a key lock function
- There’s a low battery warning and battery saver
What We Didn’t Like
- The low battery warning can give you away when trying to keep a low profile
Conclusion
Overall, it’s a compact mini walkie-talkie. The walkie-talkie has a flat ergonomic design, is easy to use and carry with one hand, and can be operated conveniently.
The small and slim design means you can move with it and fit it comfortably in a bag or pocket. And with the VOX feature, a bag or pocket could be where it will stay for a long time if you have to use your hands for other important tasks during an emergency.
Because of its small size and lower price, we can’t complain about its lower capacity rechargeable battery and the range. It’s ideal for use at home and outdoors, for hiking and camping.
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