Things to Do With Walkie Talkies

Even with all the latest advances in sophisticated two-way communications technology, the two-way radio remains a solidly useful and inexpensive means of keeping in touch over short ranges. The portability and reliability of these handy devices makes them ideal for a number of uses, whether you're looking to apply them as a practical solution or use your walkie-talkies to have some fun.

Use several sets of walkie-talkies to play a game of "radio sardines." Tune all players' units to the same frequency, then select one player to hide. Once he is hidden, he will give the other players audio clues as to his whereabouts over the radio. These may be verbal clues about what he sees in his near vicinity, or simply allowing ambient sounds to drift through. Players split up and try to find him by identifying his location from the clues, with the last player to locate him becoming "it" for the next round. This game is best played in a large area where all players are familiar with the local geography, such as a college campus.

Walkie-talkies are also a great way to enhance any two-party, outdoor strategy games, from water balloon fights to capture the flag to paint ball or air soft battles in large outdoor areas. Have the two opposing teams communicate with one another using different frequencies to retain the element of surprise (and thus, the challenge), and use the radios to plan more complex strategies. This communication will also allow you to react to your opponents' plans and actions in a more sophisticated way.

Two-way radios have excellent practical applications as well, including safety uses. If you enjoy back country skiing, use walkie-talkies to help keep your party together. This way, if you get separated during a downhill run, you can find one another again by describing your relative positions to large landmarks in the area.

A good set of walkie-talkies can be a great thing to have during a multivehicle road trip, saving you the expense and operation hassle of staying in touch via cell phone. Use two-way radios to plan routes and pit stops, and keep each other informed of factors like traffic or environmental delays.