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Author Topic: Walkie Talkies Brandon Willis Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Richmond, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-03-2005 03:19 PM                     What kind of walkie talkies does everyone use in their theatres? We have Kenwood Business Band walkies that all managers and the doorman, ushers, and box office have. We also have a set of FRS radios (the cheap ones from Wal-Mart) that I brought from home since I don't use them anymore. These are designated "managers only" so that we can relay messages that we don't want the employees to hear. Although the employees could just go to Wal-Mart and buy one for $10 or less, most of them just don't care enough to do that.  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 09-03-2005 03:32 PM                     What don't you want "the employees to hear"? (are managers not employees?? ) At my theatre we use one channel, staff members, supervisors, managers, projectionists, security guards - all hear the same.  |  IP: Logged Cory Isemann Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: White Plains, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 09-03-2005 03:42 PM                        Sometimes it's best when the employees can't hear you.. like when you want to tell the other managers what a poor job they're doing.  |  IP: Logged Chase Hanson Expert Film Handler Posts: 172 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 09-03-2005 04:14 PM                     I beleive that the mainstays are Icom F3S and than Managers have Motorola CP 100. We have some much older Motorola Radios that used to be the mainstays, that we rarely use. 3 Channels are utilized one for Floor, one for Booth and one for Managers.  |  IP: Logged Bruce Hansen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 847 From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-03-2005 04:59 PM                     So, what about when the employees want to talk about how bad a job the managers are doing?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-03-2005 05:01 PM                     Motorola CP200 UHF 16 channel ***Be sure and order "privacy programming" so your radios won't pick up any other nearby radios on the same frequencies! It's free, you just have to request it. You will want to also upgrade the battery to a model Q651. That is a 1800mAh Li-ion battery with quick charger. It's only $21.50 extra and your batteries will last a LOT longer than when using the default batteries. I have dealt with this company linked to above and they are reliable. [ 09-03-2005, 07:08 PM: Message edited by: Brad Miller ]  |  IP: Logged Cory Isemann Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: White Plains, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 09-03-2005 05:11 PM                        quote: Bruce Hansen So, what about when the employees want to talk about how bad a job the managers are doing? Most of the time, they have no room to talk..  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-03-2005 06:54 PM                  Hey Grand-Poo-BAH, your walkie-talkie link doesn't work. You need to delete one of the *http://'s Perhaps you should read the FAQ & Rules page on how to use the many great features of Film-Tech...  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-03-2005 07:09 PM                     This makes me think of another great password PhilizaC@@T!  |  IP: Logged Jim Ziegler Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 753 From: West Hollywood, CA Registered: Jul 99 posted 09-03-2005 07:41 PM                     We are using ICOM F-11S radios... Took a long time to get them, as my home office kept thinking FRS were ok...  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-03-2005 09:04 PM                     We ditched our walkie-talkies in favor of a phone connection between the box and booth. Its much better, but floor employees hardly ever call. Many of the young kids working here have never seen me and I like it that way.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-03-2005 11:42 PM                     Funny, I pitched a similar idea to a couple of theaters, but they didn't like it. Here's the pitch. Go to a cellular store and sign up for a "family plan" where you can get half a dozen phones. Be sure and purchase the insurance for a few extra bucks a month. Make sure the plan (like they pretty much all do) has "unlimited mobile to mobile minutes". Then select the cheapest plan. You won't be needing any actual airtime minutes, as those calls would be made from the land lines. Now program in "BOX OFFICE" and "MANAGER 1" and MANAGER 2" and "PROJECTION", etc into each phone's speed dial and just issue the phones instead of radios! Communication would be directed SPECIFICALLY to the person desired, vibrate feature for when inside auditoriums, and the communication would be private between those two people since other radios couldn't listen in. The reason for the insurance is so if a phone broke you just get another free one through insurance. Really, is it such a ridiculous idea? Given the average lifespan of a radio in a theater environment, I think the cell phone would probably be a cheaper and superior solution. Mark G will surely disagree though.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 09-04-2005 12:04 AM                    is there a way to keep the phone from being used for personal use?  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 09-04-2005 02:05 AM                        Or just purchase phones with the "click-to-talk" feature.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-04-2005 02:30 AM                     You would think the phone company could block all numbers except the few you wanted them to use. Worst case scenario if someone used them for personal calls the date, time, number dailed, and length of call would all be on the monthly bill. Simply having people sign a log sheet whenever they took a phone would pin the culprit pretty quickly.  |  IP: Logged

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