HOBBY RADIO: PoC — The 5,000-mile walkie-talkie

How do these two-way radios reach hundreds or thousands of miles?

MARK HAVERSTOCK | K8MSH

Summary of this article: You’ve probably seen long-range walkie-talkies advertised that can reach hundreds or even thousands of miles. How do they work? Are they for real? We take a look at what are known as PoC radios.

Do your walkie-talkies go the distance?

The range of Family Radio Service and General Mobile Radio Service handheld radios depends on several factors, including transmit power, antenna quality and environmental conditions. Things like buildings, rough terrain and signal interference make real-world coverage fall drastically short of the 30-plus-mile claims seen on packaging.

Here is Poclink’s POC-1 Ultra radio. If cell service goes down, your group can remain connected off-grid with a built-in FRS radio – if they are within a few block radius. Learn more about Poclink’s radios and network here.

Is there a better option? Would you believe there are handheld two-way radios that can reach across town or across the world? Yes, they can reach hundreds or thousands of miles. Read below as we tell you about these amazing radios and how they are used.