# Looking for intercoms/walkietalkies: does such a thing exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816 "2006-02-16T16:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816/21 "2006-02-17T05:49:59Z")
> [@ombre3](#): > > Not want to seem to be overemphasing this facet but ------using an ordinary walkie talkie, whether FRS type or GMRS type or MURS is not really rocket science. Little 5 year olds learn how in about 5 minutes. > > Pushing that button to talk and releasing it to hear very soon becomes a natural thing, an automatic thing======you don’t even notice you are doing it. I believe she needs hands-free so they can play games at the same time, as she mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![ombre3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@ombre3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816/22 "2006-02-17T05:58:59Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > I believe she needs hands-free so they can play games at the same time, as she mentioned. OK Sorry. Guess I missed that part. Seems to me that I have seen hands free advertised as a feature on some GMRS walkie talkie radios. I forget how it works exactly and never paid much attention to it, because I never saw any reason to use it. Maybe somebody else would have more knowledge about that. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816/23 "2006-02-17T12:08:01Z")
You don’t have to replace your existing phones, just simply buy the uniden system and plug the base station into a spare phone jack. Then, you can use the intercom system and still use your existing phones for everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816/24 "2006-02-17T13:23:48Z")
Yes, I guess I could try the second phone system setup. **DooWahDiddy** is right; when three monsters jump you and you’re doing everything in your power to keep alive, picking up the phone/walkie talkie/etc to talk isn’t going to happen. I’ve used push-to-talk and Teamspeak before, and I can handle it OK, but Mr. Athena is just learning and he’s overwhelmed by just the game at this point. Plus he’s a perfectionist - small echos or having to type a couple keys don’t bother most people, but they drive him batty, as does the half-duplex stuff. I have a high maintenance husband 🙂 I’ll try Google Speak; that sounds like it may be the ticket. If not, I’ll look into the phones. ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816/25 "2006-02-17T16:49:16Z")
If that all fails, Amazon has some Panasonic phones (5.8 ghz) that have the features you are looking for, that work with headsets: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007Q3QQM](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007Q3QQM) I’m thinking about this system but will probably want to test drive it first. But it is available from Target, and I could return it instore, which is a plus. That page also has the instruction manual linked (PDF) for you to peruse further. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-intercoms-walkietalkies-does-such-a-thing-exist/344816.md?page=1)