Motorola TalkAbout T5420 (AA) Graphite Black 2-Way Radio (Pair)

Amazon.com Review
Motorola is a big name in FRS radios for a reason, and the TalkAbout T5420 radio exhibits the range, clarity, ease of operation, and build quality that the company's FRS designs are known for. The T5420 may not have all the extra features that more expensive products offer, but it does have all the options users are most likely to use, and at a very reasonable price.

The T5420 feels very solid and the three AA batteries each unit requires give the radio a nice heft without making it too heavy. A large knob on top performs double duty as a power switch and volume control, and the rubber-coated antenna flexes slightly so it is not likely to break off if the radio is dropped. The large Push To Talk (PTT) button on the side also is rubber-coated, providing good traction for your thumb. The button is recessed, making it difficult to push accidentally, and requires a fair amount of pressure to depress (although not so much that a 5-year-old we enlisted to help test it had any trouble).

Most features are accessed by pressing the Menu button on the front of the radio, which cycles through different modes on the LCD display (such as selecting a channel or subcode). Another button transmits one of five selectable call tones when pressed, which are useful for getting someone's attention before speaking. The Monitor button lets you listen in on an entire channel to make sure it's clear before transmitting (which is handy if you are using a subcode), and there is a covered jack on the side of the unit for attaching an optional voice-activated (VOX) headset for hands-free talking. The T5420 even lets you easily set the VOX sensitivity to adjust for unusually noisy or quiet environments.

The pair of T5420 radios we tested did very well, working at ranges of a half-mile or more in most outdoor tests. Range is cut a little when both radios are used in cars, and varies greatly when used indoors, but that is the case with every FRS radio. Audio clarity is good, but prepare for random interference if you use the units in a city.

We used the T5420s with a Motorola T5320, which doesn't have subcodes (also known as privacy or interference-eliminator codes), and it worked fine as long as both T5420s were set to subcode 0. Setting them to a different subcode on the same channel let the T5320 hear transmissions from the other radios, but the T5420s didn't pick up transmissions from the T5320.

All said, the T5420 is one of the best radios available for the money. It's good and rugged, has a decent battery life, and manages to be easy to use while making it difficult to accidentally change channels or open a transmission. The fact that you can get two of these terrific radios for what a single similar unit cost a short time ago makes them even easier to recommend. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

Easy to use without being prone to accidental transmissions or channel changes
Good range and clarity
Excellent build quality, with several optional accessories available

Cons:

Must buy accessories to take advantage of VOX features
Lacks a channel-scan button, which can make it easier to find a clear channel in a crowded area

Product Description:
Keeping up with the kids just became a little easier. The Motorola Talkabout T5420 two-way radio is your secret weapon at the amusement park, in a football stadium, or on a biking trip. Providing push-of-the-button communications on the go, the T5420 keeps family and friends connected for up to a two-mile range (range will vary based on terrain and conditions). Weather-resistant, the T5420 delivers rugged Motorola quality and clear communications without monthly carrier or airtime usage fees.This two-way radio has all the features of the T5400 version, but also includes the ability to talk hands-free with an optional voice activation (VOX) accessory. 14 channels, 38 subcodes to help cut down on channel interference from outside your group 5 audible call tones grab the attention of your family and friends before you start talking. Backlit LCD display makes the radio easier to read in dark conditions.

Motorola TalkAbout T5420 (AA) Graphite Black 2-Way Radio (Pair)

Motorola Ni-Cd Rechargeable Battery Upgrade Kit for T5000 Series Radios (53614)

Average customer rating:

A money saver
ski time
Awesome

Motorola Ni-Cd Rechargeable Battery Upgrade Kit for T5000 Series Radios (53614)

Manufacturer: Motorola
ProductGroup: Wireless
Binding: Wireless Phone Accessory

Motorola | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola NiMH Rechargeable Battery
Motorola TalkAbout Belt Carrying Case / Arm Band
Motorola TalkAbout Earbud with Microphone for All Series
Motorola TalkAbout Headset with Boom Microphone for All Series
Motorola Talkabout Remote Speaker Microphone for All Series

Product Features:

Use your AA alkaline 2-way radio as a Ni-Cd rechargeable 2-way radio
Up to 2 hours of talk time and more than 10 hours of standby time
Compatible with Talkabout T5320, T5400, T5420, T5800, and T5820 two-way radios
Kit includes: dual pocket charger, 2 Ni-Cd battery packs, 2 insert adapters, and an AC power transformer/charger
2-way radios not included

ASIN: B00006JHZ1

Amazon.com Product Description

Now you can use your AA alkaline two-way radio as a Ni-Cd rechargeable radio, enjoying up to two hours of talk time and more than 10 hours of standby time. The charger kit, model 53614, includes two Ni-Cd batteries with AA-style adapters as well as a dual-socket charging unit. The kit is compatible with Motorola T5320, T5400, T5420, T5600, T5620, T5700, T5720, T5800, and T5820 two-way radios.

What's in the Box
Two Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries, one dual-socket charger with two insert adapters, an AC transformer/charger, and an instruction sheet.

Product Description

Keep a spare battery charged and ready to go. The NiCd rechargeable battery kit provides up to 12 hours of use. The kit includes Dual Pocket charger, two NiCd battery packs, two insert adaptors, and wall transformers.

Customer Reviews:

A money saver.......2007-05-19

The rechargable batteries and chargers came in OEM package, and in good shape, the only drawback is the power output is slightly less than what is recommended for the Motorola T5420 so it doesn't last as long should but when compared to batteries or rechargeable batteries it is quite a money saver.

ski time.......2007-03-28

Replaced the regular batteries in mt Motorolas. Great for skiing. Holds up in cold weather better than regular batteries

Awesome.......2007-03-09

Great add-on for those who are tired of buying batteries that only last a few hours.

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, GREAT DEVICE
excellent solidly built product
Love it!
great product

Motorola T5420 AA 2-Way Radios (Pair)

Manufacturer: Motorola
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

FRS Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola NiMH Rechargeable Battery

Product Features:

14 channels
2-mile range
38 sub-channels
5 audible call tones
VOX (hands free) capable

ASIN: B00005YXCS

Product Description

Keeping up with the kids just became a little easier. The Motorola Talkabout T5420 two-way radio is your secret weapon at the amusement park, in a football stadium, or on a biking trip. Providing push-of-the-button communications on the go, the T5420 keeps family and friends connected for up to a two-mile range (range will vary based on terrain and conditions). Weather-resistant, the T5420 delivers rugged Motorola quality and clear communications without monthly carrier or airtime usage fees.This two-way radio has all the features of the T5400 version, but also includes the ability to talk hands-free with an optional voice activation (VOX) accessory. 14 channels, 38 subcodes to help cut down on channel interference from outside your group 5 audible call tones grab the attention of your family and friends before you start talking. Backlit LCD display makes the radio easier to read in dark conditions.

Amazon.com Review

Motorola is a big name in FRS radios for a reason, and the TalkAbout T5420 radio exhibits the range, clarity, ease of operation, and build quality that the company's FRS designs are known for. The T5420 may not have all the extra features that more expensive products offer, but it does have all the options users are most likely to use, and at a very reasonable price.

Pros:

Easy to use without being prone to accidental transmissions or channel changes
Good range and clarity
Excellent build quality, with several optional accessories available

Cons:

Must buy accessories to take advantage of VOX features
Lacks a channel-scan button, which can make it easier to find a clear channel in a crowded area

Amazon.com Product Description

This pair of small, compact Motorola TalkAbout T5420 two-way radios helps you keep in touch with family and friends within a range of up to two miles. With 14 Family Radio Service (FRS) channels and 38 privacy codes, you can communicate easily with minimal interference from other radios.

The T5420 has a number of useful features such as a backlit LED display with icons, a transmit LED indicator, and a single-pin audio accessory connector to connect a headset. Its audible call alert informs you of an incoming call for phone-like convenience. The T5420 is capable of VOX hands-free use with optional accessories.

This package comes with two TalkAbout T5420 radios, a user's manual, and quick user guide. The T5420 is powered by AA batteries, and is also rechargeable-capable with optional accessory upgrade kit. It is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, GREAT DEVICE.......2003-08-02

Some of the reasons why this offering from Motorola is nearly the best bang for your buck:

(1) Sleek, compact design and pamperingly light-weight
(2) Tone singalling...a tone indicating either party is done talking
(3) Talk button on the side for easy reach
(4) Easy to open battery compartment
(5) A quick release belt clip that snaps into a built in socket, seems more reliable than the Nokia style clips
(6) A water-resistant plastic casing and a changeable faceplate feature (redwood or black)
(7) Apart from the standard 14 channels, 38 privacy subchannels to help keep outside chatter from interrupting your conversations
(8) Built-in support for voice-activated transmissions
(9) Excellent signal, great up to nearly one and a half mile range
(10) Astounding battery life, close to 30 hours nonstop for me
(11) Sensibly designed charger with two bays that will either take the radio itself or the battery pack with an included spacer
(12) And most importantly, an un-ignorable price!

You may also want to consider one of Motorola's vox accessories for hands-free communications -- their handsets are crystal clear, perhaps best on market in terms of quality, but just a LITTLE pricey.

Anyway, this radio comes highly recommended from me if you are in the market for one of these thingies.

excellent solidly built product.......2003-02-28

I used these radios for two purposes: to stay in touch with my firends on the mountain when skiing, and to talk to people in the other car on the road. In both cases, they worked perfectly. In the past, I had experience with similar radios without privacy codes, and it was a nightmare at a big ski resort because all channels were busy most of the time, and you had to listen to all that chatting to make sure that you do not miss a call from someone from your party. As you can imagine, skiers and boarders use such radios quite often. The privacy codes which this radio is equipped with eliminate interferences with other people completely and reliably - better than I could expect. You still share the same 14 channels with the other people using the principle "only one radio can transmit at a time", but you do not hear the other people talking unless they use the same privacy code as you do. The only way how you know that the channel is in use is blinking on the display. Setting the privacy code to zero enables you to communicate with people with the older radios without the privacy codes.

The radios are compact, and have long battery life. Typically, a set of 3 AA batteries lasts 3-4 days. The reception is clear and loud. The settings of the channel and subchannel can be locked, which is great because this prevents inadvertent switching to another channel when one or another button gets accidentally pressed in your pocket. If this happens, the most difficult part is to recall what setting you used before! The radio also has a "scan" function which I never used and find useless because it is good only to get out of the radio noise and conversations of the strangers. The range of the radio is decent (Motorola claims up to 2 miles in an open area), although it may not to work if you get separated from your party by a mountain ridge. A longer range can only be reached if you use more powerful radios which work in GMRS frequency band and require a government license (which costs, I think, about seventy bucks per year). The last but not least, these radios are weather-resistant and will not get damaged by sweat and moisture accumulated inside of your jacket.

It is my understanding that different brands and models of FRS radios use the same standard, they are compatible, and they all have the same basic features. They difference is only in (a) weight, (b) size, (c) sound quality, (d) weather resistance, and (d) availability of privacy codes. This Motorola is not the cheapest radio on the market, but you get a good value for the dollars paid as it is a well-built compact weather-resistant radio with a good sound quality.

Love it!.......2003-01-17

I bought these as a Christmas gift for my husband. We moved into a house and he's been doing a lot of work outside. It's much easier to just radio him than searching all over the place for him!

great product.......2002-04-26

a must have product for summer getaway!

Motorola TalkAbout T5420 (AA) Graphite Black 2-Way Radio (Single)

Average customer rating:

We still use them!
excellent value
Just a toy...
Great radio worth the money
Great For Vacations

Motorola TalkAbout T5420 (AA) Graphite Black 2-Way Radio (Single)

Manufacturer: Motorola
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

FRS Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Motorola | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola NiMH Rechargeable Battery

Product Features:

14-channel FRS 2-way radio and up to 2-mile range
38 CTCSS subcodes per channel for communicating with less interference from other users
5 audible call tones; talk confirmation tone; backlit LCD
Removeable swivel belt clip; single-pin audio accessory connector
Rechargeable capable with optional accessory upgrade kit; VOX hands-free use with optional accessories

ASIN: B00005YXCT

Amazon.com Review

The T5420 feels very solid and the three required AA batteries give the radio a nice heft without making it too heavy. A large knob on top performs double duty as a power switch and volume control, and the rubber-coated antenna flexes slightly so it is not likely to break off if the radio is dropped. The large Push To Talk (PTT) button on the side is also rubber-coated, providing good traction for your thumb. The button is recessed, making it difficult to push accidentally, and requires a fair amount of pressure to depress (although not so much that a 5-year-old we enlisted to help test it had any trouble).

Pros:

Easy to use without being prone to accidental transmissions or channel changes
Good range and clarity
Excellent build quality, with several optional accessories available

Cons:

Must buy accessories to take advantage of VOX features
Lacks a channel-scan button, which can make it easier to find a clear channel in a crowded area

Amazon.com Product Description

The compact, black Motorola TalkAbout T5420 two-way radio helps you keep in touch with family and friends within a range of up to two miles. With 14 Family Radio Service (FRS) channels and 38 privacy codes, you can communicate easily with minimal interference from other radios.

This package comes with one TalkAbout T5420 radio, a user's manual, and quick user guide. The T5420 is powered by AA batteries, and is also rechargeable-capable with optional accessory upgrade kit. It is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

We still use them!.......2006-09-20

Have used this on two car vacations or work related trips, also use this as an intercom unit with the recharging base, because we live in a large house. We bought three and only use it within a half mile or less and have never had a problem. Purchased 4 years ago and the batteries still maintain a charge for a week with limited use. Very reliable.

excellent value.......2003-09-22

Purchased two and they are working great! We use them to talk between cars on the road. Excellent value.

Just a toy..........2003-08-10

The problem is the reception range, which is miserable. Clear reception is for only a couple of hundred feet, provided there are no obstacles. The signal disappears completely at about 1/2 of a mile. However, in the Magic Kingdom park of Disneyworld in Florida, we had difficulty maintaining any communication at all, probably due to a lot of buildings and steel structures around. Therefore, I consider these units as not a real communications devices, but rather just children's toys. Also, in this case, clearly, you get what you pay for: the item is cheap and it works like a cheap item.

Great radio worth the money.......2003-08-08

The Motorola Talkabout T5420 is a great radio if your looking for an inexpensive way to keep in touch. Like most radios, don't expect this to get to 2 miles, more in the 1-1/2 mile range. When I was hiking mount modadnock I got about a mile of these which is pretty good considering all the trees and rocks. My freind also brought along an Audiovox FR-540 Radio which also had a 2-mile range but proved to be better becuase of its clearer voice, smaller size, and got a bit more range than the motorola's. (I'd reccomend those if you don't want to get a license but want a good radio). I've also noticed that these radios sometimes having a longer range (and clearer voice) than my freinds 5 mile version, and a clearer voice. Overall, a good product well worth the money!

Great For Vacations.......2003-08-05

Having been burned by toy walkie-talkies that cost almost as much as these and barely work at two feet, let alone two miles, we were skeptical. Our son got a pair of these while we were on vacation, and they worked great. They were easy to use. The audio quality was very good. They fit in your pockets or can be used with the clip attachment. They were easy on the batteries. They worked clearly at just over 1 mile of beachfront (fairly open terrain). They worked well through 9 floors of steel and concrete. They were dropped once and worked flawlessly. These are great for the whole family. Highly recommended.

Motorola TalkAbout T5420 (AA) Graphite Black 2-Way Radio (Pair)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Experience All Around
great!
T 5420
Good for home use, or short communication in the city.
Poor battery compartment door design

Motorola TalkAbout T5420 (AA) Graphite Black 2-Way Radio (Pair)

Manufacturer: Motorola
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

FRS Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola NiMH Rechargeable Battery

Product Features:

14-channel FRS 2-way radio and up to 2-mile range
38 CTCSS subcodes per channel for communicating with less interference from other users
5 audible call tones; talk confirmation tone; backlit LCD
Removeable swivel belt clip; single-pin audio accessory connector
Rechargeable capable with optional accessory upgrade kit; VOX hands-free use with optional accessories

ASIN: B00005YXCU

Amazon.com Review

Pros:

Easy to use without being prone to accidental transmissions or channel changes
Good range and clarity
Excellent build quality, with several optional accessories available

Cons:

Must buy accessories to take advantage of VOX features
Lacks a channel-scan button, which can make it easier to find a clear channel in a crowded area

Amazon.com Product Description

This pair of compact, black Motorola TalkAbout T5420 two-way radios helps you keep in touch with family and friends within a range of up to two miles. With 14 Family Radio Service (FRS) channels and 38 privacy codes, you can communicate easily with minimal interference from other radios.

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Experience All Around.......2005-01-29

We purchased these radios for our move from Idaho to Arizona. The seller got them to us in plenty of time (as stated) even though we had purchased them late.
We used them throughout our trip and found them very satisfactory for such use. Never had a problem communicating and only had to change the channels twice due to heavy traffic in heavyily populated areas.
We used alkaline batteries and they are still working after nearly two weeks after the move.
We found them user friendly and very easy to carry.
Motorola you have our strong endorsement of this product. Thank you.

great!.......2003-11-25

Excellent quality, durable, good range, clear signal. We've been very happy with these. We mostly use them when my husband climbs on the roof to do something like reposition the satellite dish or other thing like that where one of us needs to be in the house and the other needs to be on the roof. I'm afraid of heights so I never "need" to be on the roof but he goes up and snaps one of these to his belt. He can hear me and talk back (in a nice way) without having to hold it which is especially nice when he's on the roof. As I said, its clear and has good range so we're quite pleased. It fell onto the driveway from about 10 ft up at one point and survived the fall but I don't recommend doing too much of that.

T 5420.......2003-07-26

The best pair of Walkies I ever had (MOTOROLA)!!! what more.

Good for home use, or short communication in the city........2003-06-08

I bought the pair of these radios hoping for a 1/4-1/2 mile range in the city. In my neighborhood, which has trees and is on a slight hill, I don't get that. If you want an intercom to keep in touch with someone at an event when you are separated, or doing work when two of you are not in the same location and you have to coordinate activities and you are nearby, ok. But I was disappointed that I couldn't use this like a cell phone at the range stated...

Poor battery compartment door design.......2003-06-05

I have an older pair of Motorola radios. Decided to get two more and went with a pair of T5420. Everything is great EXCEPT I see that the battery door design is now different and more flimsy. BOTH of my units had the same problem. Mine came with a rechargeable battery pack. With the battery pack installed, a tap on the back of the battery door with a finger makes it pop off. My kids wouldn't make it out of the front yard without it falling off. It would probably work better with normal AA alkaline batteries, but why supply a battery pack and charger if I can't really use it. Other than the battery door, good product. But because of that, I'm returning mine.

Motorola T5420 AA 2-Way Radio (Rosewood)

Average customer rating:

Great Radio/Accessories stink

Motorola T5420 AA 2-Way Radio (Rosewood)

Manufacturer: Motorola
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

FRS Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Radios | Boating Electronics | Boating | Categories | Sports & Outdoors
Accessories:

Motorola NiMH Rechargeable Battery

Product Features:

14 channels
2-mile range
38 sub-channels
5 audible call tones
VOX (hands free) capable

ASIN: B00005YXCP

Amazon.com Review

Pros:

Easy to use without being prone to accidental transmissions or channel changes
Good range and clarity
Excellent build quality, with several optional accessories available

Cons:

Must buy accessories to take advantage of VOX features
Lacks a channel-scan button, which can make it easier to find a clear channel in a crowded area

Amazon.com Product Description

The small, compact Motorola TalkAbout T5420 two-way radio helps you keep in touch with family and friends within a range of up to two miles. With 14 Family Radio Service (FRS) channels and 38 privacy codes, you can communicate easily with minimal interference from other radios.

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

Great Radio/Accessories stink.......2002-06-06

I enjoy the radio, it's features and useability is very simple. However the belt clip stinks. At least 50% of the reason I purchased was because of the clip. Both clips broke within 3 days of use by two different users. I emailed Motorala and they were non-responsive as to replacement or problem.

Motorola T5420 Rechargeable 2-Way Radios (Pair)

Average customer rating:

I recommed this product
Useless
Broke the first day
No range, hard to use, and broke
Great product

Motorola T5420 Rechargeable 2-Way Radios (Pair)

Manufacturer: Motorola
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All Two-Way Radios | Two-Way Radios & Accessories | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics

Audio & Video | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola | Brands | Electronics Features | Electronics

Motorola NiMH Rechargeable Battery

Product Features:

14 channels
2-mile range
38 sub-channels
5 audible call tones
VOX (hands free) capable

ASIN: B00005YXCV

Amazon.com Product Description

This radio is powered by rechargeable ni-cad batteries. It includes two ni-cad batteries, a transformer, a desktop charger, and two pocket insert adapters.

The T5420 is backed by a one-year limited warranty.

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

I recommed this product.......2003-12-11

I have been using the T5420 Talkabout for a year now and it still works great! You shouldn't expect to have an exact 2 mile radius unless you are in an open area - no obstructions, trees, walls, mountains, etc.

These radios come in handy when my friends and I go on long drives since it helps us keep in touch with each other across vehicles. We also use it during outdoor activities such as biking, skiing and snowboarding because these areas usually don't have cellphone coverage.

Useless.......2003-03-29

What a disappointment. These don't work in 1/2 of the range advertised, and they eat 6 "AA" batteries in less than 2 hours (not constant talk time). Even with rechargables, the incredibly low battery life makes them useless.

Broke the first day.......2003-02-14

The range is good only in wide open space.

The PTT button broke the first day of use.

No range, hard to use, and broke.......2003-02-03

Range: In a suburban setting - no tall buildings, 0.3 mile - honestly I could almost shout that distance. On ski slopes it was ok.

Use: The push to talk (PTT) button was very stiff and both I and my wife had problems holding it down.

Broke: PTT button broke the 4th day we had it - just as well. I'll go GMRS next time - different brand too.

Great product.......2003-01-21

I have used Motorola FRS radios at work for over 2 years and they have performed very well. The T5240 continues this excellent performance.

Great value for the money.

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