UK Walkie Talkie Radio Sales Centre
View/Download
Price List
(PDF File)
Cobra
MT800 PMR446
licence-free walkie-talkie
Licenced
Professional
Walkie Talkies
Walkie Talkies in Different Countries -
PMR446, FRS, GMRS - Legality and Licensing
You may be confused about different types of walkie-talkie on sale in different countries, or not be sure what type of radios you need, and what you are legally allowed to use in your part of the world, or in some other country that you intend to visit.
Firstly, please note that any type of radio WILL WORK ANYWHERE in the world. However, there are laws and rules about where certain kinds of radio CAN BE USED LEGALLY.
In different parts of the world, governments have specified different types of walkie-talkie radio that can be bought and used by the general public. These rules are usually to make sure that important or "official" users of walkie-talkies (like police etc) do not suffer from interference from members of the public using walkie-talkie radios.
PMR446 European Walkie Talkies
"PMR446" is a European Union standard for radios approved for use in the UK and the European Union. They have 8 channels, and a maximum range of around 2 miles in open country. No PMR446 radio can have more than 500mW of transmission power, so all makes and models effectively have the same maximum range.
The Cobra radios that we supply (Cobra MT800)) are PMR446-compliant European radios.
PMR446 radios (like the ones that we sell) are NOT APPROVED for use in the U.S.A or Canada.
There is NO SUCH THING as a "combined" European / American walkie-talkie that is legal to use in both places, since such a radio would, by definition, be capable of transmitting on non-legal frequencies as well.
PMR446 walkie-talkies can be used in any of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania (channels 3,4,5,6 only), Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom. Other countries, including the Russian Federation and Latvia should be included fairly soon.
What About the "Rest of the World"?
Individual countries may have their own rules and restrictions about what kind of radios can be legally used. We cannot provide a complete list of these rules. It is up to the prospective buyer to check what the situation is in their intended country of use.
Supply of Radios - User Responsibility
We are happy to sell radios to people anywhere in the world. However, please make sure before ordering that you have read and understood the contents of this web page. It is the responsibility of the user to make sure that they do not interfere with other users, especially "official" radio users on the same channels.
FRS / GMRS American Walkie Talkies
"FRS" and "GMRS" radios are approved for use in the United States of America and in Canada. They are not approved for use in the United Kingdom or Europe.
You cannot communicate between an American FRS / GMRS radio and a European PMR446 radio, because the frequencies that they use are different.
You cannot adjust or modify an American-type radio for legal use in Europe, or vice-versa.
We DO NOT supply FRS / GMRS radios, because we are a U.K.-based supplier. If you need FRS / GMRS radios, find a U.S. based supplier of these.
UK Customers
Be aware that there are many vendors on Ebay offering "long range" (5 miles +) walkie-talkies for sale in the UK. Invariably, these are actually American radios as described above, and are ILLEGAL to use within the UK or Europe.
Also, American products will need 110 volt mains power for their chargers, as well as an American-type socket, whereas in Europe the mains voltage is 230 volts.