Can different brands of walkie-talkies talk to each other?
Yes. Almost any FRS or GMRS radio can talk to any other brand on channels 1 to 22. Set both to the same channel and the same privacy code, or turn codes off on both. Privacy codes 1 to 38 use the same tones across the brands we checked. Codes above 38 don't always match.
How to pair two brands, step by step
Pick a channel from 1 to 22
Channels 1 to 22 are the same frequencies on every FRS and GMRS radio (47 CFR 95.563).
Set the same privacy code on both, or turn codes off
A privacy code is a hidden tone. A radio with a code on stays silent until it hears its own tone. If only one radio has a code, you may hear them, but they won't hear you.
Use codes 1 to 38
Codes 1 to 38 are the 38 standard tones (makers call them CTCSS), in the same order in every manual we read. Codes above 38 are digital codes (DCS), and the brands count them differently: Midland lists 104, Rocky Talkie and Cobra 83.
Test across the room, then outside
Press talk on each radio. If one can't hear the other, check the code first.
The codes match across brands
From each maker's own manual. The tone is the real setting; the code number is just its name.
| Radio | Privacy codes | Code 1 | Code 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland GXT1000 | 142 total: 38 CTCSS + 104 DCS | 67.0 Hz | 94.8 Hz |
| Midland X-Talker (T50 manual) | 38 CTCSS only, no DCS | 67.0 Hz | 94.8 Hz |
| Rocky Talkie Mountain | 121 total: 38 CTCSS + 83 DCS | 67.0 Hz | 94.8 Hz |
| Cobra RX100 | 121 total: 38 CTCSS + 83 DCS | Not in the manual | Not in the manual |
| Motorola Talkabout | 121 | 67.0 Hz | 94.8 Hz |
Motorola tones from a published Talkabout code chart, not a Motorola manual.
Radios that won't pair easily
- Retevis RT22. It has 16 channels, not 22 (Retevis). It works best with other RT22s. Check its channel list before you mix it with another brand.
- Business radios sold as walkie-talkies. Some best sellers are approved only as business radios, on their own channel plan. Check any radio.
- Video and toy sets. They use a Wi-Fi-style link, not FRS, and only talk to their own kind.
Questions people ask
Can a Motorola talk to a Midland?
Yes, on channels 1 to 22, set to the same channel and the same privacy code. Codes 1 to 38 use the same tones on both, so code 10 on one is code 10 on the other.
Can a GMRS radio talk to an FRS radio?
Yes. GMRS radios include all 22 FRS channels. An FRS radio can't use the GMRS repeater channels, though.
Do privacy codes make my talk private?
No. Rocky Talkie explains that "privacy codes do not establish a secret, encrypted frequency". Anyone on the same channel with codes off can hear you.
Why can I hear them but they can't hear me?
Usually one radio has a privacy code on and the other doesn't, or the codes don't match. Set both to the same code, or turn codes off on both.