One of the first things you’ll notice about this radio is its alluring, vivid color. While it might not be your favorite, its color choice is ideal for standing out. This can be really helpful should you misplace it on a green forested area and the like.
Another great thing about the Motorola Talkabout T400 is its simple design. Some of the the best bugout radios out there include several features and enhance existent ones for better precision and the like. Yet even with all these features, a radio like that might even seem like a waste for an inexperienced user! This makes the Motorola Talkabout T400 a great choice for a first radio, given its simple design; whilst remaining a great tool with useful features.
Speaking of features, you might be wondering what features you can expect this radio to offer you. We always try to focus on the best radios out there, and these tend to have similar features every time. We will list and go through the details of this features and explain their importance and uses.
Motorola Talkabout T400 Features
As mentioned previously, this radio include features you can expect to see on some of the best radios on the market. The Motorola Talkabout T400 offer ou the following:
- 22 channels, each with 121 privacy codes
- Built-in flashlight
- Dual power options
- iVOX/VOX hands-free mode
- Micro-USB charging port
- Weather resistance
- NOAA weather channels and alerts
You might be wondering what some of this features are, but rest assured we will go over these and explain what they are as well as their uses.
Motorola Talkabout T400 Two-Way Communication
Why do I need 22 channels? What are privacy codes? What is a hands-free mode? Who is NOAA? If you’re not familiar with radios, these might be some of the questions in your mind when you see these features. So lets start from the top!
The Motorola Talkabout T400 has a total of 22 communication channels. These are different frequencies you can use to communicate with any other radios in your range. These means multiple radios can hear you as long as they are on the sane channel.
All radios can hear what I’m saying? Whatever happened to personal space! If you want only some radios to listen in your communications, you can use a privacy code that allows only these radios to communicate with each other. Pretty handy!
Additionally, the Motorola Talkabout T400 includes high and low frequency channels for communication. Low frequency channels use less energy from our radio, increasing battery life! They are used most effectively when in close range to other radios; for long range communication is best to use the high frequency channels.
Furthermore, this radio has a mountain to valley range of up to 35 miles. Now that is pretty impressive for a 0.2 kilogram radio!
The hands-free mode is a neat feature for communication without making use of the push to talk button. VOX stands for “Voice Operated Exchange”. This feature detects when you are talking, and the radio will start transmitting without the need to push a button. This is particularly useful when your hands are busy!
So who is NOAA and why are they such a big deal? For starters, NOAA stands for “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration”, and they are your first line of defense to avoid a crisis! NOAA weather radios constantly transmit weather forecasts and inform you of emergency weather forecasts such as a thunderstorm or even a tornado!
The Motorola Talkabout T400 includes a NOAA weather alert feature which will go off if NOAA begins to transmit an emergency forecast. In other words, NOAA aims to keep you safe by giving you a heads up!
Motorola Talkabout T400 on the Field Features
A flashlight might not seem such a big deal to you, but may be surprised how useful it can be! It’s the same reason Swiss Army knives are so amazing, being able to have multiple tools in a single hand, can really make a difference when it counts!
On top of that, you can recharge this device with a USB port. Sure, this might not be so useful during a trip in the woods, but it can come in handy during a field-trip whenever you stop on a roadside restaurant or the like!
Its rechargeable battery can last up to 8 hours without a recharge. However you can also power it with 3 AA batteries, which should provide enough energy for up to 21 hours.
One of the biggest worries you may have with a device like this one is for it to break during your travels. However the Motorola Talkabout T400 has an IP54 weatherproof design!
What does that mean? An IP rating stands for Ingress Protection rating, and it defines the level of protections a device has against outside elements like water. Both numbers represent something different; the left side number indicates intrusion protection, while the right side defines moisture protections. Basically the higher the number, the better the protection.
On intrusion protection, this device offers you high protection against dust and little to no deposits of it will be found. While the device is not waterproof, an accidental spill of liquid or rain is unlikely to cause damage to it.
Is the Motorola Talkabout T400 Ideal for Me?
So far you might be thinking “most of these features seem standard, whats so special about this radio?” And you’d be right to ask yourself that! Truth is, this radios special feature is simplicity: an easy to use, resistant and useful radio.
Sometimes less is more, and this radio really proves this to you. A Morse code feature wouldn’t be of much use to you if you can’t speak Morse code to begin with! Overall, this radio remains simple without sacrificing any of the key features found on the best bugout radios; making it a great choice for beginners and experienced users alike.
In the negative aspects of this device you’ll find some users dislike the quality of sounds the radio offers. While the radio seems to pick up white noise, the quality of audio seems to decrease the further away you are from the other end.
Fortunately the drop in audio quality is not so bad as to make communication impossible. It is also worth noting that your surrounding and radio traffic can greatly affect your audio quality as well.
Even with a minor drawback, the Motorola Talkabout T400 remains a great choice for you and your loved ones for activities in the outdoors such as camping or hiking. It is also a great choice should you make an emergency kit, to remain in contact during times of crisis.
