Cobra LI 6500-2 WX VP 20-Mile GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radio (Twin Pack) Reviews

• What you should know about FRS/GMRS range claims

  
  By A2G3HNPBVWPEKH on 2007-08-05
  When looking at FRS/GMRS Radios radios ignore the marketing ploys that tell you the range of the radios (12 miles, 18 miles, 22 miles). All of the radios sold to the general public (except high end models- over $100 per individual radio) have the same power output rating- 1/2 a watt for FRS and 2 watts for GMRS. All other things being equal- every radio will have the excact same range. Why do you think that the more expensive the radio the farther a range the manufacturer says it has? Because they want you to THINK a more expensive radio has a farther range so you will buy the more expensive one. But they all have the same power output- meaning they will essentially have the same range. This is all a marketing PLOY to get you to buy a more expensive radio. A more expensive radio may have more features, but if the power output is the same the range will essentially be the same. You can look for the power output on the manufacturer's website, but I have researced this already- almost all models sold to the general public have 1/2 a watt for FRS and 2 watts for GMRS. With the power rating being the same the things that will affect range are antenna size, height of the transmitter, and terrain- usually things you will have little control over. So buy a radio that has the features and size you want and ignore the marketing ploys about the range.
  
  

• Cobra GMRS 2-way Radios

  
  By AUYT2H281GPNJ on 2007-08-04
  I recently purchased the Cobra LI 6500-2 WX VP 20-Mile GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radio and so far, i think it is a fantastic radio. It is very small - fits into my hand easily and very light. It comes with a clip on the back to fasten it to a belt or the rim of your jeans. The radio has 10 weather channels.
  
  I bought these because I live in a lake community and sometimes it is nice to be able to talk to someone in the house when we are out on the boat. Also, we travel frequently to Disney World in Orlando and our group always seems to be separating. These radios are a good way to keep in touch while we are scattered in one of the parks.
  
  The radios are supposed to have a 20-mile range, which is hard to believe. I have tested them to 2 miles over trees and through houses and they work great. I talked to my wife who was inside the house at the lake and I was at a bank about 2 miles from the lake. Using the high power option, I had perfect communications. The low power setting was a little problematic, but I could communicate at this distance.
  
  These radios have all kinds of options including a hands free setting where your voice activates the transmitter. It also has an alert feature to tell you that you have an incoming message when you are in a noisy environment. The 10-channel weather radio works great picking up weather broadcasts that are quite a few miles away. There is a base charger that charges both radios at once. All in all, these radios are very impressive and I am very happy with my purchase.
  
  

• OK FRS/GMRS Radio

  
  By ASTU2C6D98ADZ on 2007-06-14
  Don't believe the claimed 20 mile range unless you are taking this radio to Mt. Everest. This radio works fine, but its range in the suburbs of Chicago is just the same as any other average FRS/GMS radio - just under 1 mile. We own several pairs of radios like this made by Midland and Cobra and despite the mileage claims, they all work about the same. So, if you are thinking of buying another pair of these radios to obtain better mileage, don't bother. These are no better than the ones you have.
  
  The weather radio function of this model is a nice addition to the functionality of these radios.
  
  
  

• Battery Availability Problem

  
  By A3HZI6KVYX0YTE on 2007-08-30
  I am a 61 year old widow and live by myself near the Gulf coast. I purchased these radios (Mode LI6000, same battery packs) to use for communication with my "neighborhood watch group" in the event of a hurricane or severe weather. I never used the units, purchased 2 years ago, so I can't comment on their range or capability. However, I realized recently that the batteries needed replacing. It appears, from my research, that the batteries that come with these units are propriatary - only Cobra seems to stock them. It also appears that the batteries are generally "Out of Stock" with Cobra, and in stock, cost $19.95 each. So I am looking for a new set, but I will not repurchase the Cobra MicroTalk model, due to the replacement battery cost and the lack of availability.
  
  
  

• Cobra LI 6500-2 WX VP

  
  By A6GZN55F1X4TW on 2007-09-10
  I've owned GMRS radios from several different manufacturers in the last few years. This is my first Cobra set. What surprised me at first was the construction of this unit. It appears to be 'built to last'. It's obvious that there is a higher degree of quality that goes into this radio than in some other manufacturer's radios. The buttons are designed to greatly minimize accidental 'pushing'. For each button, you have to depress the soft rubbery outer button cover with purpose to effect the change. Speaker sound quality is excellent as well. This particular model has about as many different functions as you'll find in any GMRS radio today (although voice scramble would be a nice addition)! I have not tested this radio at full advertised distance because I will probably never use it under fully optimal transmit/receive conditions anyway. Beware, the picture for these radios on Amazon.com is slightly deceptive. They do not have a flat bottom so they will not stand up on their own. All in all they are well worth the money!!
  
  
• High Performance, Light Weight Radios
  By A61SKXNIA4KYZ on 2007-09-15
  Good build quality and excellent performance in heavily wooded parks. I am satisfied with the range (varies with terrain and structures). The rechargeable batteries and charging stand are very convenient. Privacy codes go a long way to ensure clear communication without interference from other users. Radios are light and rugged -- the only thing that would make these better is if they were waterproof. Excellent deal on Amazon!
  
  
• Solid performance
  By A14OKKW09MI0FS on 2007-07-04
  These definitely outperform motorola equivalents. As expected the real range is a very dependable 2 miles under normal circumstances. Voice is clear. The auto squelch is a bit too agreesive, eliminating fairly strong signals so you need to occationally turn it off - which is easy to do.
  
  Do to their small size these are good alternatives for use on cruise ships or in Europe where roaming charges will eat you alive...
  
  
• Good, sturdy little radios
  By AU7RD1FKL4HN0 on 2007-09-09
  I bought a pair of Midland radios for use while fishing in Alaska, but they died from condensation build-up. I was totally disappointed in them, but these little Cobras do the job. So far, they've survived a couple of fishing trips, being banged around in a backpack, and various other mild torture tests including my two-year old son.
  
  They seem much more suitably built for outdoor use then the other radios I've had or looked at. They are tight and solid feeling. Range varies, as with all radios in this class. Sound clarity could be a little better, but it's not bad. Battery life is good but not great and they take a while to recharge. The buttons are designed a little funny and can be annoying to push one-handed, and it has a step-volume rather then a knob which I would prefer, but overall I think these are good little radios. I would recommend them.
  
  
• Excellent product for the Money
  By AA0Z5CQAIFIU on 2007-08-01
  We are very pleased with the Cobra 2-Way radios. Excellent range, alert call and alert vibrator..Lock feature for the channel in use. Great price for all of the features. Dual chargers included which is an excellent feature.
  
  
• Great Product
  By A2WE8FFDVONN1I on 2007-06-01
  Very impressed with: small size, reception, directions very clear, easy to use. Would recommend to anyone and everyone.
  
  
• Cobra LI 6500
  By A23NCUIGCL9AZC on 2007-11-19
  Well, I used it extensively this past weekend, as we did a lot of backpacking. I certainly did not get 20-mile service with it. Often the other scouts who had other radios from other brands got better reception than I did with the Cobra. Often the incoming message was more easily received on other radios than the new Cobra that I had. There are many settings that I'll have to play with to hopefully improve the performance.
  
  
• Great little radios - couldn't ask for more.
  By A282W8N36SQN6N on 2007-08-28
  The Cobra LI 6500-2 WX VP 20-Mile GMRS/FRS 2-Way Radios work great. I especially like the small size and clear audio.
  
  The distance is far from 20 miles but I know enough to realize that is a theoretical specification that would require nothing in between the line of sight of the two units. I never actually measured the distance but am happy with the performance. In our lake community where we use them I easily get several miles with houses, power lines, trees and hills between the two units.
  
  I feel these radios are feature packed and a good value and I would buy again.
  
  
  
• Cheap plastic
  By A16EH4EXA6S4D on 2007-11-06
  I opened the box and then proceeded to place the battery into the back as instructed. The clip that holds the radio to your pocket or belt loop breaks off right away. I purchased these radios for a long move from Texas to Washington state that was coming up in 4 days. I called Cobra customer services to ask for a new clip and they said they would replace it no problem but it would not reach me before the trip. I take them anyway.
  The first day of the trip the other clip breaks in half! This all happened weeks ago and I still have not received the promised replacement clip for the first one.
  What idiot designed this clip? The one part of the radio that is most likely to receive high pressure is designed with brittle plastic!
  Not worth the cost at half the price.
  Oh, and the 20 mile range? Out in the middle of Texas on an open highway with no obstructions.....maybe 3/4 mile before it starts to break up.
  
  
• Beware - made in Hong Kong!
  By A3I04M9U696ZON on 2007-10-08
  I am filming the pilot for a reality show which entails the use of two way radios and upon advice from my producer I purchased two sets totaling four units. Two of them were dead on arrival and the others barely work. From prior experience we both thought we would be getting quality American made product but what we got is poorly made Chinese junk. Not only is the product cheesy but customer service at Cobra is extremely hostile. You can't get a straight answer and you can't get a refund.
  
  
• The Best Performance Available; Expert Opinion
  By A37LQ6DM9LIVNL on 2007-12-20
  I have owned well over a dozen of these types of radios over the last 10 years. After a recent trip to Europe (18 relatives, 6 radios between four vehicles in many different environments), I would have to say that these radios outperformed all the others in this top price class. Reception seemed to well out-perform other brands and their durability and transmission clarity was a real help in tough urban environments.
  
  The only drawback is the proprietary, rechargeable battery pack, since you can't just slip in a set of AAA's when you forget to recharge or are far away from an outlet or car battery.
  
  Overall, these radios offer a lot for the price and better reception makes them superior to most others in signal punching performance.
  
  As has been mentioned, forget about 20 mile ranges on this type of radio. Even the finest, pro-quality radios get the same 2 miles in an urban or forested setting and that is the MAXIMUM you can hope for; much less is normal in dense rocks and buildings.
  
  "Line of sight" is the rule of thumb, keeping in mind that signals often bounce around rather and through concrete and stone, behaving more like invisible "light beams". The higher you are, the better your signal will get out.
  
  
  
  
• 20 miles???
  By AHCI44DCU56J3 on 2007-12-30
  With the exception of the range reception, this is a fine radio set. They are compact, and easy to use, the vibration feature is also appreciated. The best set of four that we have used. We always find that Cobra seems better than other makes. The problem of reception was encountered on a 700 mile trip, when we were in two cars. The reception was only good for a distance up to 4 or 5 miles between the cars on an Interstate flat non mountainous highway. However in open land out in the country they seem to work fine, but we are unable to vouch for distant reception there.
  
  
• Very Satisified with Cobra LI 6500
  By A26KASMLZU8LLZ on 2007-08-29
  The cobra was used for a 2 car trip down South.Clarity of voice, battery life and range exceeded my expectation.
  
  
• don't bother using them in the city
  By A2B7JN0BNY1MG2 on 2007-08-31
  radios were good on a cruise, but horrible in the big city, maybe only a 4 block radius
  
  
• Cobra LI 6500
  By A6U2VAM6AIZ16 on 2007-09-08
  The product was purchased as a means to keep in contact with others during our upcoming cruise, since cell phone are charged oversea's roaming fees. Haven't tried them as of yet, but from the tests I've conducted, they'll do the job. I have purchased Motorolas T6220, purported a distance of 5 miles and I couldn't even use them from one end of the property to the other (1/3 acre). So I'm a happy camper, or shall I say, cruiser.
  
  
• Not too pleased!
  By A1WS7XWG3Q18WZ on 2007-10-24
  I was pretty disappointed with the radios. We tried to use them by our hunting shack and we couldn't even hear each other when we were about a mile apart. I really think that when they say a 20 mile radius that they are deceaving the customer.
  
  
• Codra LI 6500-2
  By A3JF61MUU45I2N on 2007-10-08
  Dead on arrival the base charger was the problem the radios use a rechargeable battery so the charger is critical for operation.
  
  
• 20-miles? Not in the mountains
  By A2IKT3XS94DAF2 on 2007-10-28
  Why do these companies make claims that are just not possible?? Or, just say 20 miles ON THE BEACH? Not that I believe either....
  
  
• ok
  By A17WO0AZU883KF on 2007-11-30
  bought to replace older motorola talk abouts. product worked well, but no better than less expensive motorola. features of radio such as calls also not compatible with all of the channels using motorola.
  
  all in all satisfied, but feel could have bought less expensive radios and had same performance.
  
  
  
• Good for around the farm
  By A3KQY2DFFM4PLK on 2008-01-10
  We have a farm that is located in a cell phone dead zone. When my wife tries to call me for lunch or to check on me when I am in the field the phone will not work. We read the reviews on the Cobra LI 6500-2 and decided to give them a try. We have tested them from 10 miles out and they will not cover that distance around here but luckily my farm is not near that size. I can get reception from about 2 to 5 miles depending on trees and hills and that is enough. They are easy to use and the price was right for our limited use. The call function is great and the size is great. The channels come in clear but be warned 20 miles is a long way. They might work on water but not in the hills.
  
  
• Great & reliable portable radio connection
  By A3FWZCQJREZ26N on 2008-03-10
  Great product indeed!
  tough & long distance - this is what u need when going on a off-road trips with your buddies.
  battary life is very long & the actual distance is 10 miles & more (hilly area).
  i already bought 3 pairs of these cobra 6500 & 4 more of the 25 miles model (cobra 7000) - all my friends r using them & are very satisfied.
  the 6500 model is much smaller & the radio distance is fine for its miniature size & weight.
  
  I'm about to buy some more soon.
  
  
• These are amazing
  By A2PTR8ZALV4XF7 on 2007-08-23
  This radios are more than worth it at this price! Just buy them already you won't regret it! I use them everyday as a LPO!
  
  
• Better than most
  By AHR67KQ6DL5PQ on 2007-09-26
  We have found that this radio is better than most that would fall in to this size and type. Good buy for the money.
  
  
• cobra walkietalkie
  By AGNYOK3UHTAMZ on 2007-11-26
  Had problems with 1st one,sent back,defective. 2nd one just got back, problems with on/off switch,quality issues.Not very pleased.
  
  
• Good on distances less than 4 miles inside Town.
  By A361CLHRP48SDX on 2007-12-11
  On big cities the range does not reach more than 2 miles, I had bad experience with this. They tested this radios on the Sea, at the Sea's level and no problems to blocking the signal, so them can reach 20 miles. On the big cities with all cellphones, antennas and other stuff, is hard to get good reception and good talking over 2miles distances.
  On the farm I could reach 3 to 4 miles, more that this We can not talk, still good for the prices.
  Good item for big factories, Malls, big parking lots and other places that require less than 5 miles inside a Town.
  
  
• Great Radios
  By ALIV6Q7AARCLF on 2007-12-27
  These radios worked as advertised. Very clear. A great way to keep in touch with your kids.
  
  

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