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Rating: 
Summary: Almost perfect!
Review: I find this item to be small and compact. Light weight and easy to use. I love the weather station feature and the VOX hands free capability... without having to purchase an accessory! And the range, this is definitely NOT a kids toy. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the location of the "talk" button. Not that I have a better suggestion... but I think it's just a little awkward. But overall a great value for the money.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent and now unavailable as a new item; buy it used.
Review: Motorola no longer builds this radio. Buy it used here if it's available. Motorola really blew it by not continuing to make this item. Cobra and Audivox quickly moved in to fill some of the voids left by the exit of this item from the market. Maybe Motorla thought it had other customer information on the features that most people want. The result: every other Motorola consumer 2-way radio, except for the t7200 (much more expensive), has fewer features, is much bulkier, and in most cases, inferior, to this unit. For example the t5950 has NOAA weather channels, but no alert for severe weather bulletins. Why take away such a basic complementary feature? I don't get it.I preface this review by stating that I purchased this radio primarily for its weather radio feature (not many others have it) and I use it only on FRS channels so far. This radio has an unparalleled wealth of useful features for its price. I have found the following features useful, and you'll have to pay more to get them on another radio.
--Voice scrambling: Good but it takes time to adapt to it.
--Scanning: An awesome feature; scans all 22 channels quickly.
--Weather radio: Excellent. I get three channels in the Chicago area.
--Range (FRS): In an outer-suburb setting you do get 2 miles.
--Vox: Hands free does work but it takes time to adapt to it.
--Batteries: Uses 3 AA batteries. Other manufacturer's comparable radios take 4 AAA, thus representing a bigger expense over time for batteries.
--Size: Comparable radios from other manufacturers are much larger than this unit.
--Shortcomings. Battery case does not seal totally, but it has not fallen off during my use. The PTT button is on the front, though it has not been as much of an inconvenience as I thought it would be. I upgraded to this from the Motrola 5420 (sold in pairs), itself an excellent FRS radio. I have found this unit to be equal or superior in all comparable respects (except for the PTT button on the front, and battery lid sealing), and I have yet to upgrade its use to GMRS--the license costs $75.00 per household for five years.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Weather feature is great.
Very Compact.
Most features used and neccessary-not like higher models.
Great scan feature.
Very easy to use.
I love the easily detachable clip feature.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: You are required to have a FCC GMRS license (extra $...) before you can use the GMRS channels. Some cell phones provide walkie-talkie type capability locally and I think Nextel is going nationwide with their walkie-talkie type service soon. Nationwide is a lot farther than the 5 mile max. for these units. You might have a recurring need for a pair in which case the rating would probably be higher. As for me, my need is limited and I have returned the units.
Rating: 
Summary: Read other Reviews
Review: You are required to have a FCC GMRS license (extra $...) before you can use the GMRS channels. Some cell phones provide walkie-talkie type capability locally and I think Nextel is going nationwide with their walkie-talkie type service soon. Nationwide is a lot farther than the 5 mile max. for these units. You might have a recurring need for a pair in which case the rating would probably be higher. As for me, my need is limited and I have returned the units.
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