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Cheap intercom system?

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  • Cheap intercom system?

    Lately, we've been using the filipino intercom system (go by the stairs and yell the person's name, and your "request"), but since that stairs is buy my grandparent's side, it echoes into their side, and sometimes they translate it into filipino for my Mom, who is on the downstairs living room portion of the house (which gets irritating, repeating things when you can just go downstairs and tell her).

    We have 2 cordless phones (both by Panasonics; a 900mhz answering machine phone and a 2.4ghz fax machine), and I know, that they can't "talk to each other" to enable an intercom system between them, but alone, they can communicate with their headset counterparts.

    Is there a cheap solution (I don't know the budget yet, but it's small) to get "soft" communication between upstairs and downstairs? (at night, its embarrasing to let the neighbors know that we're done cooking dinner or finished doing our chores.)
    How'd I get so white and nerdy?

  • #2
    Re: Cheap intercom system?

    It really depends on what you consider "Cheap". For $20 nowdays you can buy a pair of "cheap FRS two way radios, $50 gets you a bit more power and options.

    Other than that maybe one of those party air blast horns should do it!
    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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    • #3
      Re: Cheap intercom system?

      Originally posted by craigwatanabe
      For $20 nowdays you can buy a pair of "cheap" FRS two way radios
      This was my first thought as well. It almost seems like a bit of overkill, considering the range on those handsets can be 2 miles easily, but at that price, it's an attractive option compared to hardwired "home intercom" solutions from Radio Shack. And when you're all out of the house, you can take 'em with you and keep track of each other while shopping or at a park!

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      • #4
        Re: Cheap intercom system?

        The good thing about FRS is that if you or your kids lose one just buy another as they can all communicate with each other. When we go shopping at the dreaded WalMart (wassup with Aaron complaining about Walmart yet he works at KMart?), my wife likes to spend the whole time at the linen/bedsheets/curtain department where as my kids play at the electronics and I just hang out in the sporting goods/hardware/automotive section. When it's time to go, we call everyone and meet at the front.

        So convenient instead of canvassing every aisle until you find everybody
        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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        • #5
          Re: Cheap intercom system?

          2 miles? What about 5 miles with GMRS. I have one of them, and it works good. And I tried using some cheap radios with my siblings when we were at a fair, and it was hell. I couldn't get in touch with them no matter what I used, and me and my Mom ended up looking for them with our cell phones. As we were walking back to the car with them in tow, I found the pair of radios, in the trash can. I picked them up, and they looked like they were dropped. I rescued the batteries and left the radios in the trash. Luckily, it was some cheap model, or I'd be pissed.

          Also, I was thinking of something that will use electricity, and not batteries.
          Last edited by adrian; September 28, 2004, 02:49 PM.
          How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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          • #6
            Re: Cheap intercom system?

            If you're looking for intercoms that plug in then it ain't gonna be cheap. Radio Shack sells intercoms that transmits thru the electrical wiring. It does a great job but it's not cheap.
            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Cheap intercom system?

              Originally posted by craigwatanabe
              If you're looking for intercoms that plug in then it ain't gonna be cheap. Radio Shack sells intercoms that transmits thru the electrical wiring. It does a great job but it's not cheap.
              But the cheap ones I'm willing to sacrifice doesn't have good battery life. If I leave them on for a while, then it'll drain its batteries to half full in a few hours of standby.

              I guess I'll try again when I have a bit more money.
              How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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              • #8
                Re: Cheap intercom system?

                check the swap meets, garage sales, even the thrift stores. I've seen several at any of these places.

                or go online and check Ebay.

                I still like the idea of those cheap party air blast horns. It'll definately get their attention! And a summon to dinner is just a push of a button away...just like the intercom but LOUDER!
                Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                Comment

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