Would these be worth the investment?

[78k10]

So the guy I bought my radio shack 19-1210 from also has these for sale. A pair of them, new in box. I’m tempted, but not sure they’re worth the investment. They are “business band”, but UHF instead of VHF. Looks like the frequencies start just above GMRS, which probably makes them useless/illegal for me to use currently. But I wanted to ask the group anyway, because I like radios and am tempted to get them just because. He’s asking $70 for the pair. My biggest concern is what shape the batteries are in and how hard would it be to find replacements.

 

[DeeEx]

Yawn…just another 20-ish year old business band radio. Probably sells for $20 a pair on eBay, likely still NIB.

 

[mmckenna]

So the guy I bought my radio shack 19-1210 from also has these for sale. A pair of them, new in box. I’m tempted, but not sure they’re worth the investment. They are “business band”, but UHF instead of VHF. Looks like the frequencies start just above GMRS, which probably makes them useless/illegal for me to use currently. But I wanted to ask the group anyway, because I like radios and am tempted to get them just because. He’s asking $70 for the pair. My biggest concern is what shape the batteries are in and how hard would it be to find replacements.

You would need an FCC issued license to use those legally.

The batteries are probably shot, and finding replacements would be difficult if not impossible. Rebuilding battery packs for a radio that you can't legally use and are that old is something you'd need to decide.

Sometimes there's a good reason people are selling radios so cheap...

If you really got the hots for those types of radios, Radio Shack did sell a GMRS version that was halfway decent. But, same issues, you need a suitable GMRS license and the batteries are going to be shot.

 

[78k10]

Thanks for the quick response guys. I don’t really have a need for them, and I definitely don’t want to get into rebuilding battery packs and all that. I think I’m going to pass on these.

 

[Coffeemug]

So the guy I bought my radio shack 19-1210 from also has these for sale. A pair of them, new in box. I’m tempted, but not sure they’re worth the investment. They are “business band”, but UHF instead of VHF. Looks like the frequencies start just above GMRS, which probably makes them useless/illegal for me to use currently. But I wanted to ask the group anyway, because I like radios and am tempted to get them just because. He’s asking $70 for the pair. My biggest concern is what shape the batteries are in and how hard would it be to find replacements.View attachment 177706View attachment 177707View attachment 177708View attachment 177709

That Radio takes me back I actually thought about buying one or two, but they're simplex only, and I need a radio that I could use on the Town Watch's Repeater. I didn't have a GMRS license back then, but the Town Watch Members Piggybacked off of 2 members that were licensed. Of course, that was and still remains a taboo, because unless you're all relatives, we were supposed to have our own license.