Get at least 2 walkie talkies that are the same brand and model. You can put any number of radios on a single frequency as long as they’re all using the same transmitter and receiver. Get a number of radios based on how many people you want to have a radio. If you’re just planning on chatting with a friend, get a pair. If you’re hoping to staff a security team or other set of professionals, get 10-20 radios based on the number of employees or team members that you have.[1] X Research source All of the walkie talkies that you plan on using need to be the same make, model, and brand. You may notice that it becomes difficult to track what people say if you have more than 10-15 people on a single frequency. This is a common issue with cheaper radios. If you want to use walkie talkies as a baby monitor or listening tool, get a version that has a “monitor” mode. Turn the radios on after charging them to full battery. While the radios may have been charged before they were packaged, it’s a good idea to get them to full power before using them. Plug them into the charging stand or USB charger and wait until the light on the radio indicates that they’re fully charged. Take the

radio off of the charger and turn the dial at the top to turn it on. On most radios, you’ll see a green light turn on. If it has a screen, this should pop on as well.[2] X Research source Every style of walkie talkie is different, but almost every type of radio will have a light on the charger or walkie that turns on when it’s being charged. Some radios use batteries instead of chargers. These aren’t a good option if you’re planning on using your radios regularly, since the batteries can be a pain to replace. Some cheaper radios won’t have dials. Look for a power button if you can’t find a dial to turn it on. Tune every radio you’re going to use to the same frequency. Start with one radio. Turn the dial that says “channels” or “frequencies” to the “1” position. If there isn’t a dial on top, look on the side for a wheel and rotate that to “1.” If frequency is set on the LCD display, work through the menu until you find the setting to change the channel or frequency and set it to “1.” Repeat this process for every radio that you plan on using.[3] X Research source Turn the volume all the way up on every radio and test them. Before you split up the

walkie talkies, make sure that they work by testing every single radio you plan on using. Turn the volume up as high as it will go and press the “press-to-talk” button before saying something. The press-to-talk button is usually the biggest button on the side of the walkie talkie. Confirm that each radio works before splitting them up.[4] X Research source Once the radios are split up, it’s a good idea to test them again just in case they’re out of range or something is wrong with the antenna. If channel 1 isn’t working, move to channel 2. Sometimes the individual frequencies get a little messy. This can be caused by other radio waves or interference. The number of frequencies ranges from 2-10 based on the type of radio you have. If none of the channels seem to work, double-check the volume knobs. Then, if they still don’t work, look on each radio for a sync button. Hold the sync buttons down at the same time on every radio to link them up. Get earpieces if you’re using radios professionally. If you’re setting up radios for a security team, construction crew, school staff, or hospitality team, you need to get earpieces so that the conversations over the radio remain

private. Get a set of radio earpieces that work with your brand of radio and have a built-in microphone. Plug an earpiece in, wrap the speaker around your ear, and press the button on the microphone built into the cord to talk to the other radios.[5] X Research source To be on the safe side, buy your earpieces from the same company that makes your walkie talkies. This will ensure that they’re compatible. Earpieces will also keep the person using the walkie talkie from missing information due to ambient background noise. Hold the button on the side of the radio to turn the microphone on. To activate the microphone on your walkie talkie, press the “push-to-talk” or “PTT” button. On almost all makes and models, the PTT button is the biggest button on the radio and it’s almost always on the side of the unit. On some radios, the button will simply be labelled “talk” for short.[6] X Research source On an earpiece, the PTT button is on the small case attached to the cable near the top of the earpiece. You can still use the regular TPP button with an earpiece in if you prefer. Keep in mind that only 1 person on a frequency can talk at a time. If 2 people speak at the same

time, the signal will be difficult for others on the channel to understand and the 2 people speaking won't hear incoming messages. Position your mouth close to the microphone. With the PTT button held down, raise the unit so that the microphone is 1?2–2 inches (1.3–5.1 cm) away from your lips. On higher-end radios, the microphone is normally right underneath the antenna and will look like a vent. On cheaper radios, look for a small group of holes in the plastic case.[7] X Research source Wait 1-2 seconds before you start speaking. Waiting 1-2 seconds before speaking allows your walkie talkie to establish a clear connection with the other radios on the frequency. If you don't pause before speaking, the beginning of your message might get cut off and you may have to repeat yourself. This is usually a problem for cheaper radios, but it's still a good idea to wait at least 1 second to establish the connection before you speak. Keep your message short and pronounce words clearly. Keep the button held down and say whatever you need to say. It can be kind of tricky to make out what people say over a radio so it helps if you keep your messages short. Think about what you want to say

before pressing the PTT button and enunciate each word so that everyone can clearly hear what you’re trying to say.[8] X Research source Avoid saying personal or private things over a walkie talkie unless you know for a fact that everyone on the channel is wearing an earpiece and it’s essential that everyone hears it. If you’re using a radio in a professional setting, avoid using it to chat about random things that aren’t related to your work. Radio lines should generally be kept open for important information. Release the button immediately after speaking and wait for a response. Once you’re done talking, quickly release the PTT button and hold the radio up to your ear. You will not be able to hear anyone if the PTT button is still being held down, since the PTT button automatically shuts the speaker off. This prevents the microphone from picking up white noise or cross-talk, so keep your finger off of the button while you’re waiting for a response.[9] X Research source Repeat this process whenever you want to talk. Hold the button down to talk and release it to listen. Turn your radio off and charge it after every use. After every use, plug your walkie talkie in to

let it charge when you’re not using it. This way you’ll have a set of fully-charged radios when you need them. This is especially important in a professional situation where the radios are being used daily, since they tend to take a long time to charge.[10] X Research source Some cheaper radios rely on batteries and can’t by charged. Keep a set of spare batteries nearby in the event that the batteries in the radio die. Say “over” right after you’re done speaking to indicate you’re finished. One problem with using radios is that other people can’t hear what you’re saying if they’re holding down the PTT button. To work around this, say “over” as soon as you’re done talking. This is a signal to everyone else on the frequency that you’re releasing the PTT button and will be able to hear responses.[11] X Research source For example, if you say, “I’m over on Main street” but don’t say “over” at the end, other radio users on your channel will think that you’re thinking about something and are about to speak. Instead, say “I’m over on Main street, over,” and then release the button to listen. Usually you’ll know everyone on a frequency and

will be able to identify their voice or comments. If you’re on a giant network of radios though, it may be a good idea to say your name before saying “over.” This is rare unless there are more than 10 people on a channel, but at that point you usually break up into multiple channels to minimize background noise. Stick with “copy” instead of “okay” or “got it” to show you understand. Whenever you get important information over the radio, say “copy” to indicate that you heard the information accurately. “Copy” is the radio code for “I understand,” and is much easier to hear over the radio than “okay” or “got it.”[12] X Research source For example, if someone says, “The boss is walking around, so stay sharp,” you’d reply, “Copy” to tell the person that just spoke that you understand what they said. If you really want to step up your radio game, use “10-4” instead of “copy.” 10-4 comes from the radio codes used by police. It means “okay” in police-speak. The problem with “okay” is that it could be mistaken for “oh, hey,” or “oh, way.” “Got it” can be misinterpreted since the syllables in “got” are really

soft. Use “affirmative” and “negative” instead of “yes” and “no” for clarity. “Yes” and “no” are both one syllable, and can easily be cut out or misinterpreted over a radio. Instead, say “affirmative” for “yes” and “negative” for no. These words have more than one syllable and are more distinct, which makes them easier to understand for the people listening on the other end.[13] X Research source For example, if someone says, “Can you bring me the list of names?” you might say, “Affirmative. On it now, over,” or, “Negative. I’m busy at the moment, over.” Utilize other common radio codes like “20” and “breaker.” If you really want to sound like a professional on the radio, borrow other popular codes from CB slang. The 2 most common phrases are probably “breaker,” which means “I’d like to start talking,” and “20,” which means “location.” You might say, “Breaker, breaker, Alex, channel 1 over,” which would mean “Hey Alex, I’d like to speak with you on channel 1.” You could also say, “What’s your 20?” instead of “where are you?”[14] X Research source