After our rather difficult trial opening the package, the T5100 unveiled itself with standard, no-frills features such as 14-channel reception, key lock, channel scan, ring tone, battery meter, and belt clip. The overall design felt very solid and reliable with a blue removable faceplate (so you can put in your favorite design). Yet it was still light and very easy to carry.

We set up a distance of more than a half-mile between the two radios with lots of trees and buildings in between and found performance to be very good. Our messages came across loud and clear, punctuated by nifty, audible tones before and after the calls. We found that we didn't need to hold our mouths close to the mic in order to make clear and legible transmissions. In fact, radio mics are so sensitive these days that quality diminishes if you hold them too close.

We did experience a few minor distractions. The positioning of the call button on the front of the radio felt a bit awkward. It should be on the side where the radio fits naturally in the palm of your hand and you don't have to thumb-wrestle your way while trying to make a transmission.

Another potential problem is the lack of privacy codes, which allow for more secure transmissions over the same channel to prevent others from listening in. This could be an issue if you plan to transmit to others in an area congested with other FRS radio users, such as a busy ski slope.

But if privacy codes aren't an issue for you, the T5100 is a great, reliable radio at a winning price. --Bao Tran

Pros:

• Good performance
• Light, solid design
• Great value for the price

Cons:

• Call button should be on the side
• Lack of privacy codes