Motorola Talkabout T800 at a glance
The T800 is an FRS radio from Motorola's Talkabout line, announced on October 23, 2018. FRS is the US license-free walkie-talkie service.
The T800 pairs with a free phone app that shares locations and sends text messages over the radio, so you need no cell service. It suits hikers, hunters and groups who want to see where everyone is.
The one thing to know: the T800 line has changed. Motorola's page now shows the T800 series as the T802 and T803, a newer generation. The next section sorts out which is which.
Motorola T802 and T800: what changed
The T802 and T803 are two packs of the same newer radio. The T802 Dual Pack has 2 radios, 2 belt clips, 2 NiMH batteries, 16 stickers and 2 charging cables.
The T803 Dual Pack has 1 cable and 1 dual-unit charger instead. Motorola's guide says the T801 is covered with the T800; it does not say how the two differ.
| T800 | T802 / T803 | |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | micro-USB | USB-C |
| Water rating | IPX4 | IP54 |
| Battery claim (1300 mAh NiMH) | up to 14 h, Bluetooth off | up to 16 h |
| Weight with batteries | 0.47 lb | 0.45 lb |
| Bluetooth | to the app, data only | to the app and to headsets |
| Push-to-talk from the phone | no | yes |
The app side grew too. The T802 guide lists location sharing, text messaging, push-to-talk from the phone, recorded tracks and control of radio settings. Motorola's page adds an offline map, a do-not-disturb mode and what3words addresses for people without the app.
Data swaps only work inside a generation. T800 and T801 radios exchange data with each other, and T802 and T803 radios do the same.
Motorola states no limit for voice, which is plain FRS on both. To tell them apart, look at the buttons: the T802 and T803 have light gray buttons on the front and black buttons on the side.
Who the T800 is for
Pick it for hiking, camping, hunting, skiing or a festival where your group spreads out. The app shows where friends are and lets you send a short message when voice does not get through. A silent text suits hunters.
Pick something else in three cases. For a radio that floats and survives a dive in the lake, the T600 H2O has IP67. For a very long battery life and a rugged shell, look at the Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio.
If you only want cheap radios for kids, see best kids' walkie-talkies. Everything in the T800 family is covered next to its siblings in Motorola Talkabout models compared.
Motorola T800 range: the claim and real use
Motorola claims up to 35 miles for voice and up to 20 miles for data. The press release says both figures assume optimum conditions with an unobstructed line of sight.
The T802 page says "mountain to valley" for the 35 miles. It also gives 6 miles over open water and 2 miles in a neighborhood.
FRS allows 2 W on channels 1 to 7 and 15 to 22, and 0.5 W on channels 8 to 14. On the T800 you hold the upper part of the push-to-talk button for full power, and the lower part marked L for low power. Low power saves battery.
Cobra, another maker, publishes typical ranges for 2 W radios of this class. Treat them as a guide, not a promise for the T800:
- Between buildings: 675 feet to 0.5 mile.
- City: 0.5 to 1 mile.
- Suburb: 1 to 2 miles or more.
- Flat open ground: 1.5 to 3 miles or more.
- Woods: 0.5 to 1.5 miles.
Work out your own case with the walkie-talkie range tool.
Motorola T800 battery and charging
The T800 comes with a 1300 mAh NiMH pack, a rechargeable battery type. Motorola claims up to 14 hours on a 5/5/90 cycle: 5 percent of the time talking, 5 percent listening and 90 percent waiting. That figure is for Bluetooth off, and Motorola gives no number with the app link on.
You can also fit three AA alkaline batteries, good for up to 25 hours by the data sheet. That makes spares easy to carry on a long trip.
A micro-USB charger comes in the box, and an empty pack fills in 11 hours. A drop-in dock is sold separately.
While it waits to pair, the radio beeps at 60 and 90 seconds and then turns Bluetooth off. It chirps when one battery bar is left.
Channels, privacy codes and which radios it talks to
The T800 has the 22 FRS channels between 462 and 467 MHz. Each channel has 121 privacy codes. Codes 1 to 38 are standard analog tones called CTCSS, which open the speaker only for your group.
Codes 39 to 121 are 83 digital codes. Code 0 turns the filter off, and a code never makes a call private.
Any FRS radio on the same channel and code hears the T800. GMRS radios share the same 22 channels, as FRS and GMRS walkie-talkies explains.
Tone numbers 1 to 38 follow a common list across brands, but digital code numbers can differ. Check a pair of radios with the privacy code tool or the radio type tool.
Easy Pairing sets up a group fast. Hold the button on the member radios until a beep.
Hold it on the leader radio until a double beep, and it sends its channel and code to every waiting radio. Members wait 3 minutes.
The radio also has 11 weather channels, 7 of them from NOAA, with weather alerts. Press Mode to switch between Two-Way and Weather.
Where the T800 is legal
In the US, FRS needs no license. The FCC rules treat it as authorized by rule, and radios must be FCC-certified with a non-removable antenna.
Business use is allowed. Motorola's guide says FCC Part 95 requires no license for FRS devices.
The T800 is approved for the US and Canada. In Canada, FRS is license-exempt under ISED rules, and the 22 channels match the US ones. Ofcom says US FRS radios cannot be used license-free in the UK.
For Europe, buy a PMR446 radio such as the Motorola Talkabout T82 Extreme. For other services, see do you need a license for a walkie-talkie.
Build, water and controls
The T800 weighs 0.47 lb with batteries, which is 213 g. IPX4 has two parts. The X means Motorola gives no dust rating.
The 4 means water splashed from any direction does no harm. Rain is fine; submersion is not.
To switch on, turn the Power/Volume knob clockwise. To change channel, press Menu/Lock until the channel number blinks, press + or -, then press PTT to save.
To turn on Bluetooth, press Menu/Lock until the Bluetooth icon shows, then press + or -. The icon blinks fast for 90 seconds while the radio waits for the phone.
Other controls, all from the guide:
- Menu/Lock: hold it to lock the keys; hold again to unlock.
- Scan/Monitor: press to scan; hold 3 seconds to listen for weak signals.
- Call Tone: sends one of 20 tones to your group.
- Easy Pairing/Location Sharing: with a phone connected, it shares and requests a location.
- Emergency (orange): hold 3 seconds for an 8-second alert tone, then 22 seconds of hands-free talk. With the app, it sends a saved S.O.S. message.
- Flashlight: one press turns the LED on, another turns it off.
The display is a segmented LED screen. The guide states no backlight. The app needs an iPhone or Android phone, and the T800 uses Bluetooth LE 4.2.
Limits of the T800
On the T800 the app link carries data only. It sends no voice and no sound to a headset. Bluetooth audio accessories and push-to-talk from the phone came with the T802 and T803.
The T800 is splash-proof, not waterproof, and it does not float. Charging is micro-USB and takes 11 hours. The 20-mile data claim is below the 35-mile voice claim.
Motorola's page lists only T802 and T803 packs. I found no page that says whether the original T800 is still sold, so check the radio's label before you buy a used pair.
How the T800 compares
| Radio | Claimed range | Claimed battery | Power | Water and dust | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorola Talkabout T800 | 35 mi (56 km) | 14 h | — | IPX4 | — |
| Motorola Talkabout T470 | 35 mi (56 km) | 12 h | — | IPX4 | ≈ $87 2-pack · Oct 2026 |
| Motorola Talkabout T600 H2O | 35 mi (56 km) | 9 h | — | IP67 | ≈ $94 2-pack · Oct 2026 |
| Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio | 35 mi (56 km) | 3 h | 2 W | IP56 | ≈ $240 2-pack · Oct 2026 |
The Talkabout T470 claims the same 35 miles and has IPX4, an 800 mAh battery with a 12-hour claim and no app. The T600 H2O keeps the 35 miles and adds IP67 and a float with the included battery. It claims 9 hours on NiMH.
The Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio is an FRS radio built for the mountains. Rocky Talkie claims a tested maximum of 35 or more miles, IP56, a replaceable Li-ion battery and USB-C charging. It claims 3 to 5 days of life.
The T800's edge is the app for shared locations The. Mountain Radio's edge is battery life and a sturdier shell.
How big is the Motorola Talkabout T800?
The Motorola Talkabout T800 next to other radios, a phone and a bank card, drawn to scale. Pick up to three to compare.
Motorola Talkabout T800 full specifications
Values come from the maker's pages and manuals listed at the end of the page. Range and battery life are the maker's claims.
| Radio service | FRS |
|---|---|
| Channels | 22 |
| Privacy codes | 121 (38 CTCSS + 83 DCS) |
| Claimed range | 35 mi (56 km) |
|---|---|
| Claimed battery life | 14 h |
| Battery | NiMH 1300 mAh |
| Charging | micro-USB |
| Water and dust | IPX4 |
|---|---|
| Weight | 213 g |
| Size | 56 × 191 × 33 mm |
| Features | hands-free VOX, scan, dual watch, NOAA weather, flashlight, emergency alert, Bluetooth |
|---|
Questions
What is the difference between the Motorola T800 and T802?
The T802 charges over USB-C, has IP54 instead of IPX4, and claims 16 hours instead of 14. It also adds push-to-talk from the phone and Bluetooth to headsets. T800 and T802 radios do not swap app data with each other.
What does the Motorola T800 app do?
Once the phone is linked over Bluetooth, the app shares your location and sends text messages through the radio, with no cell service. The T800 link carries data only, no voice.
What is the range of the Motorola T800?
Motorola claims up to 35 miles for voice and up to 20 miles for data in optimum conditions. Cobra's typical figures for 2 W radios give about 0.5 to 1.5 miles in a city or in woods.
Is the Motorola T800 a GMRS radio?
No. It is an FRS radio on the 22 FRS channels, and Motorola's guide says FRS needs no license. It can talk to GMRS radios on the same channels.
Is the Motorola T802 waterproof?
No. Motorola gives it IP54, which means dust-protected and splash-proof, not waterproof. For submersion, look at the T600 H2O.
Can I use the T800 outside North America?
No. It is approved for the US and Canada. Ofcom says US FRS radios cannot be used license-free in the UK, so Europeans need a PMR446 radio.
Sources
- TALKABOUT T800 Series walkie-talkies (lists T802 and T803 packs) · Motorola Solutions
- TALKABOUT Two-Way Radio T800/T801 Series user guide, December 2023 · Motorola Solutions
- TALKABOUT T800 data sheet · Motorola Solutions
- T802 and T803 two-way radios data sheet · Motorola Solutions
- TALKABOUT Two-Way Radio T802/T803 Series user guide, May 2024 · Motorola Solutions
- Talkabout T470 data sheet · Motorola Solutions
- Talkabout T600/T605 user guide · Motorola Solutions
- Mountain Radio · Rocky Talkie
- Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio user manual · Rocky Talkie
Show all 16 sources
- RSS-210 Issue 11, Annex E · ISED Canada
- Cobra support article 47001184443, range estimates for 2 W radios · Cobra Electronics
- Talkabout privacy codes chart · Repeater Builder
