Best Walkie Talkies for School | Top 5 Best Two-Way Radios & Buyer Guide

Efficient communication is one of the tools you need to manage a school well. As the school head, you have to ensure both your students and teachers are on the right track. Well, this may mean constant reminders and follow-ups in a day.

You already know a school setting and teachers move around from class to dining halls, staffrooms, to the labs, pitch, and many other places of learning. Students too! This means a landline wouldn’t be effective and a fancy mobile phone could easily get lost.

The walkie talkie can be used in school to contact staff when on the move. The same device can be used to enhance security in and around the school. This can be effective especially on sports day and eventful occasions where the whole school and visitors are all over and need an eye over them.

You may probably wonder what makes a two-way radio the better option for school. This device works even in the remotest of places. The fact that most expansive schools are located in places where there might be network challenges makes it a great fit for internal communication.

Below are some of the factors you could consider before choosing which walkie talkie to buy for your school.

Top 5 Best Two Way Radios for Schools: By Best Feature

Buyers Guide: Critical factors to consider before choosing a walkie talkie for School

There are things to think about when choosing a walkie talkie. These are factors that will ensure you stay satisfied during the device’s lifetime in use. You can consider the following;

1. Range/coverage – Ability to penetrate classes and vehicles

How far can a walkie talkie go and still receive and send the communication? This is a consideration the device you want to buy should take care of.

Your device’s ability to maintain communication over wide and lengthy distances can be affected by the presence of obstacles like classrooms and vehicles. Therefore, consider walkie talkies that can cover long range even with the presence of these hindrances.

2. Battery type to sustain movement around the school

In a school setting, the teachers and students may be involved in travel and other long-distance movements. That means they may be away from power at times. As a result, the power needs to go high.

Therefore, you should settle for a walkie talkie that has a rechargeable and durable battery. Some radios are powered by regular alkaline batteries while others come with rechargeable batteries. Regular recharged batteries are advisable.

3. Number of handsets for teachers and non-teaching staff

You need enough supply of walkie talkie for this to work. The size of your school and the number of officers in need of the handsets will advise on which brand to go to.

Of course, different brands make walkie-talkie sets with a different number of handsets. It is important to figure out the number of radios you need before purchase. The larger the school the higher the number of walkie-talkies you should buy.

4. Design for convenience during movement around the school

Walkie talkies come in different designs. The hand-free walkie-talkie is the perfect design for a school setting as it gives the handlers freedom to move around.

The device should also be small enough that no one will notice the carrier is walking around with the radio. The device should also have a hook to prevent regular falls from the pocket.

5. Good Signal/frequency to facilitate uninterrupted communication

The ultra-high frequencies operate between 400 and 512MHZ and are capable of penetrating through metals and concrete structures.

This is the best selection for schools because these educational institutions have many buildings, hence, check the frequencies of two-way radio before you purchase for school.

6. Build quality for sustainability in schools

Students are a jumpy lot and that puts the life of walkie talkies in danger. Chances are the radios will be misused and dropped several times when in use. That is why you need a device that will last long and serve a purpose.

The design and material used to make walkie-talkies come into consideration when thinking about the build quality. The harder the material used the more likely the 2 way radio willlast.

7. Usability

Communication is a walkie talkie’s main use in school. The head may decide to give more responsibilities to staff and encourage the use of the device. Before buying a walkie talkie, ensure it has all the features to facilitate easy use. 

Top 5 Best Walkie Talkies for Schools

1. Retevis RT22

Best For: Design

The walkie talkie’s pocket size is slim and compact for easy carriage. The radio features a VOX hands-free and emergency alarm which enables school security to alert others during threats.

This makes it suitable for school because it can help prevent accidents and security threats. This two-way radio has charging protection against overcharging, over-voltage issues, and short circuits.

The rechargeable Li-ion battery can last 12 to 24 hours and the USB charging design allows a teacher to charge the radio on the go. It has reliable belts and durable belt clips too which allow the school IT to easily install and remove the devices.

The walkie talkie channels are very clear and the radio is easy to operate. Because of its well-built design, it’s easier to use the gadget in school.

Specifications of Retevis RT22

  • 16 channels
  • Hands-free
  • Multi-charger unit
  • The Battery lasts up to 12 to 24 hours

Pros and Cons of Retevis RT22

Pros:

  • Easy to carry
  • You can use it to communicate without holding
  • Clear channels

Cons

  • The battery might be an issue thus needs to get new ones

2. Arcshell walkies

Best for: Price

This walkie talkie comes in a pack of four and it’s a gorgeous device because it allows short and long communication ranges. This allows the school head to communicate to teachers out in the field or away.

This two-way radio uses the Li-on battery which is long-lasting and prone to less damage and overcharging issues. The feature lets teachers and school security use the devices for long.

Besides, the device is resistant to water and it’s built to last for years, offering 16 channels. All these features make it the best for schools.

Specifications of Arcshell walkies

  • 16 pre-programmed stations
  • 1500 mAh rechargeable battery
  • Battery lasts around 8-96hours
  • High-quality built-in speakers
  • Water-resistant
  • 15 miles range coverage
  • Frequency range of UHF 400.025-469.975 MHZ

Pros and Cons of Arcshell walkies

Pros:

  • Dependable range of up to 5 miles without the obstruction
  • High-quality in-built speakers
  • Programs are compatible with other devices and work perfectly
  • Budget-friendly

Cons:

  • Cannot be used in open fields because of obstruction from obstacles

3. SAMCOM walkie talkie

Best for: Build quality

This is the best selection for schools because of its long antenna that provides effective communication to different types of environments like the playground and the camping ground.

It allows uninterrupted communication between teams far apart. This walkie talkie has a 1500mAh battery and LCD with an earpiece for all the 9 packs. It has a battery-saving mode thus making the device operational for a long time.

Specifications of SAMCOM walkie talkie

  • It’s waterproof
  • 3000mAh rechargeable battery
  • 190 hours standby charge and 33 hours of working
  • Antennas, clips, and belt for long term use
  • Support VOX and scan functions
  • Frequency of 400-469.995MHz

Pros and Cons of SAMCOM walkie talkie

Pros

  • It is water-resistant
  • It has the best long signal range
  • It’s battery is long-lasting

Cons

  • Fairly high costs

4. Motorola T260 TP

Best for: Value for Money

The Motorola T260 Tp was designed for outdoor activities like gaming and hiking among other outdoor activities. It has a strong battery and gives notifications in case the battery is getting low.

Besides, you will get weather predictions and alerts. This feature will be helpful during outdoor activities in school. Besides, the device is compatible with Any Radio and you can communicate with other FRS/GMRS radios regardless of brand by being on the same channel and privacy codes.

Specifications of Motorola T260 TP

  • Battery lasts up to 10hours or uses 3AA battery for 29 hours
  • Use of Ultra high-frequency band
  • 22 channels offered with 121 private codes
  • Use scan feature to see channels in use
  • Battery low alert feature
  • Easy to pair

Pros and Cons of Motorola T260 TP

Pros:

  • High battery quality
  • Compatible well with other set radios
  • High range channels and privacy offered

Cons:

  • Not favorable for field work

5. TID TD-V2

Best: More Number of Handsets

Bigger schools require a greater number of radios to manage internal communication. In terms of the number of handsets, the TID TD-V2 has the most. You get 20 packs and this can be enough for a moderate size population.

This can be used by teachers or security to manage traffic when parents come to drop and pick their children. So, if you are looking for a walkie talkie set that can offer more inter-connected handsets for your school, then you should go for TID TD-V2 walkie talkie set.

This two way radio comes with sensitive built-in mic with PTT. Also, this device uses VOX (hands free) technology that enables you to communicate without pressing PTT, the transmission is activated by your voice itself.

Specifications of TID TD-V2

  • 8 hours battery life
  • 16 programmed channels
  • 1500mAh battery capacity
  • Fast and safe charging USB
  • Scanners that allow track where communication is coming from
  • Range of 5kilometres

Comparison table of Best Walkie Talkies for Schools

   Retevis RT22  Arcshell walkies  SAMCOM walkie talkie  Motorola T260 tp  TID TD-V2
Range15 miles5 miles30 miles  25 miles4km
Channels1616202216
Battery life12 hours8-96hours33hours10hours8hours
WaterproofnoYesYesYesUnspecified

Frequently Asked Questions about Walkie Talkies for Schools

There are questions that you should ask yourself before considering buying a walkie talkie. This will help you settle for a device that serves the purpose and help you achieve your goals. The factors below will help you out.

1. How can a walkie talkie be used to tighten school security?

Some security threatening situations may be of an emergency nature. A walkie talkie allows for fast-flowing information between security guards manning different points at the school. That way, the danger can be neutralized and safety restored.

Another instance would be that of a stubborn student trying to act cheeky. For instance, he may decide to steal from a classroom and try to break away. Well, the security may use the walkie talkie with the assistance of CCTV footage to get the boy and recover the items.  

2. Can walkie talkies be used in managing traffic in school?

Parents drop and pick their children in most schools daily. This means lots of cars coming in and out of school. Some parents may be notorious and double pack among other uncalled for practices in the process causing traffic in school.

Walkie talkies may come in handy during this time. Security may liaise with teachers to help manage the traffic; using the walkie-talkie as the main form of communication.

3. Is a walkie talkie allowed in school?

Parents have bestowed schools with the power to take care of their children. That is why anything must be verified before it’s allowed for use in schools.

For normal walkie talkies, there shouldn’t be a challenge in the verification process. But, the management and parents will appreciate being informed of the importance of these devices.

4. What is the importance of using walkie talkies in school?

The nature of work in school calls for the use of walkie talkies. There is a lot of movement with teachers moving from class to class and the non-teaching staff too. Sometimes you may need three of four of them as soon as possible. With a walkie talkie in use, it is easier to summon them faster.

5. Do you need to buy a license for the radio?

Some walkie talkie may need you to purchase a license. Local authorities and governments among other concerned institutions are tasked with the responsibility to protect children.

That means they have the power to stop the adoption of any technology that puts the lives of school-going children at risk. That is why you may need to go through some process when purchasing some walkie talkies for use in school.

Conclusion:

It’s easy for teachers to be in touch with students and easily monitor their movement. The walkie talkies facilitate communication between department heads and their juniors on the ground. As a result, the school is run well and everything goes on according to plans. At the end of the day, we have to come up with one walkie talkie that carries the day based on the overall score calculated from scores in each of the considerations. SAMCOM carries the day!

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