Walkie Talkies-Marraige Saver

[TheCoachPotatoes]

After many years of camping with RV's, I have never learned to communicate with the stubborn person backing into spaces with our Monty. I am never in the right spot, at the right time and can never seem to give him the right signals. It has always been quite comical to watch!! Recently, we started using our walkie talkies and it is the only way to go for us! I am able to get him right where he wants to be. When we arrive home, we have to back it into a very small tight space to get between fence and house and then into back yard. The angle is very important so as not to hit the house or the fence.

Campsites on our recent trip were challanging to back into. From low branches with scars from other RV's, to going up the wrong road and having to back up and do a U-Turn in a driveway, we have been very successful using them.

If you have this problem, try the walkie-talkies, you'll like them!

[ols1932]

They work well as long as the person giving the instructions keeps the mike button pushed down and keeps talking! If all the one doing the backing sees is lips moving, that's not good!

Orv

[Crossthread]

I agree Orv, when the lips move really fast,the eyes gets big as saucers, it's time to stop!!!DW can't find the mike button half the time.

[TheCoachPotatoes]

Sure are a lot of wise guys on this forum!!!LOL

[rps]

Hello:

My wife and I have been using our cell phones -- we both have hands free headsets

[TLightning]

We use the cell phones, too. I put mine on speaker so I don't have to hold it while backing the truck.

[Merv]

We use the Cb radio in the cab and one handheld Cb for the wife.
It works very well. We had tried the family walkie-talkies but the sound quality wasnt very good. (cheep set I guess)
But the CB works very well. We just pick a channel other than 19.
Sure beats trying to holler over the truck engine.
With out the radios it seams no matter how many times you tell the spotter that "if they can not see you in the mirror then you can not see them either", they forget!

Merv

[mtnhntr]

Those walkie-talkies are also great when you and your mate go into a large store like Costco. Beats tagging around with each other.

[Montana Rog]

We use our walkies all the time. While backing I trust my wife back there 100%. I just get upset at times when she puts her lips on the mike and talks loud. I have to stop and get out of the truck, and we have the "lesson" again..and again..I think she gets excited when I get close to something, and forgets the last "lesson we had about 2 minutes ago..It's the only fault I find with her backing me up. Our signal is left, right, or hard left or hard right..and stop. That's all I need to hear. I don't respond to her directions. I just keep backing the way she wants until I get the "stop"

[Waynem]

Ditto on cell speaker phone. DW used "Whoa," once and I almost backed into the garage door. I told her "Stop," is more noticeable than "Whoa!"

No ladies, don't take offense, but most of the time when I ask a woman for directions, she gets her left and right mixed up. What's with that? I think it's funny most of the time.


Semper Fi!

[ols1932]

I like Waynem's idea of using the cell phone. We have Verizon's Mobile-to-Mobile (no cost) which would really work. Just put them both on speaker and go for it.

Orv

[Bill and Lisa]

We've tried walkies and phones but found a combination of hands free and hand signals work well in the daytime. At night we use two flashlights that double as small lanterns placed on the ground at the left and right back corners of the cg "pad". This makes a target area easily seen in the mirrors. Here's a simple remedy for the Left and Right challenged -- always face in the same direction as the driver and ALWAYS use the mirrors. If you point which direction you want the back end of the Monty to go and are eyeballing each other in the mirrors there will be no questions!

[Fire1]

My parents had communication "issues" with regard to getting the RV into the site without yelling, having "lessons" on signals, left and right issues (mainly because of mirrors), Dad hearing "static" instead of words when Mom was giving directions (kind of like Charlie Brown's mom), and trying to communicate over the diesel "ratcheting" from the truck. I happened upon a Hands Free set of headphones (I think in a Trailer Life magazine) with voice activated microphones (which takes care of being able to hear, worrying about pressing the microphone key, and supplementing vocal directions with hand signals). They LOVE them and it has made a previously stressful part of RVing essentially unstressful. (Unless Mom (still haven't figured out how Dad has no liability) forgets to turn off the headsets and the batteries are dead at the next campsite...but she has learned to have an extra set of batteries at the ready in the carrying case.) With the 5th wheel Montana almost ready for us to take deliver I will have to get the information from my parents and order a set for us. I will post the information once I get it from them for anyone that might be interestetd in getting themselves a set. Price was very reasonable in general and for peace in the family they'd be cheap at any price! LOL

[Icehouse]

Like the walkie talkies. And if I can't find the microphone button (which is most of the time), I just yell a little louder!

[eeoski]

All,

I was able to get hold of the gentleman from whom I purchased the "Tech-Link Two-Way Hands-Free Radio Headsets" for my parents. He has recently retired from RVing as he is approaching 80 and no longer sells the units. HOWEVER, he has sold his inventory to Linden and Lisa Hammond in Colorado and they now sell the units. I do not have the pricing information (been a bit busy with houseguests and time keeps getting away from me) but their contact information is as follows:

Linden & Lisa Hammond
RVHeadsets@msn.com
(719) 338-3138

The headsets have "mickey mouse" ears that completely cover the ears; sound comes in only on left side; and there is a high and low setting (low usually is sufficient for most uses and conserve batteries). There are no "transmit" switches, so neither operator can monopolize the circuit. As they are voice activated and handsfree you are free to supplement your vocal directions with hand gestures (NO, not THOSE hand gestures! LOL) and the driver has use of both hands to manuever the truck.

If you are interested drop them a line/phone them!

Robin

[msmoonsatx]

We used the walkie talkies when traveling with two other couples in caravan back from Louisiana. Helped when someone got stopped by a light or going through a congested area on secondary roads. Got some flak as the "wagonmaster" when my navigator got me off the intended routes and I gave everyone a scenic tour of some small towns. LOL.

[ols1932]

The two-way radios work for us if I can only convince my wife that it is not a cell phone. She almost always forgets to push the mic button. She talks and talks but receives no response from me until I get out of the truck and go back and talk to her, eyeball to eyeball.

Orv

[rames14]

I think that the new backup cameras will be a real benefit for this use. We use the walkie talkies, but if it's a difficult cut in, there can be issues. Then I get out and look for myself.

[condor]

Couldn't agree more. We started using them years ago so we could limit the noise (yelling) if coming in at night and found them also to be great "argument preventers". Wouldn't take a trip without them.

[CasaDelSol]

We use the cellphones with DH using the speakphone for hands free backing. He was wise enough to have me try to back the Casa up once. After that, instead of calling him an a**hole when he wouldn't follow my directions, I now call him the back-up guru and bow to his skills.