Wireless Barn-to-House Intercom System?

[King_s_Ransom]

Has anyone installed a wireless intercom system between their barn and house?

DH and I are using a pair of inexpensive walkie-talkies, and they are GREAT – really come in handy when one of us has to go out to the barn alone. The only down side is that sometimes we forget to grab the walkie talkie before we run out the door. I was thinking that a better system would be one that is permanently installed, WITH a portable unit that you could grab and go – for those times when you might grab the portable off the base and run out into the field.

Any experience or recommendations for a system like that?

[Frank_B]

Try Walmart and Radio Shack. They usually offer several systems.

Once you get it home, try it before you make a permanent installation. Most have an advertised range of a thousand feet or so, but some are marginal over a couple of hundred feet.

Ask before you buy. Some of their employees are very knowledgeable of their product line. Unfortunately, others are dumber’n a box of rocks!

[Frank_B]

Delet duplicate post.

[Foxyrab]

I purchased a two station intercom unit similar to this one from Radio Shack years ago and have been happy with the reception:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2036287

The barn is 100 feet from the house. I leave the unit located in the barn locked in the “talk” position so I can hear what is going on out there with the horses while I’m in the house. The only problem I’ve had with it is that certain appliances can cause a slight interference/humming sound when they are in use.

[FancyASB]

You may also look into a fire alarm system in conjunction with the intercom. My Son is a fireman/paramedic in CO and was on scene for a barn fire several years ago. The barn was equiped with a intercom, fire alarm to house and nearby firestation and sprinkler system. This was a 20 stall barn. The owners were awaken by the horses noises via the intercom even before the alarm went off; they were in the process of getting dressed to go to the barn when the alarm went off. All the horses were saved, luckily my Son knows horses and helped the other fireman with halters, etc. The problem with the sprinkler system it was only over the center aisle not the stalls. He said they were on scene in less than 5 minutes after the alarm in the wee hours of the morning. Without the system who knows what would have happened.

[cssutton]

A lot simpler to get two cell phones both on the same system so that you are not charged for calls to each other.

With them, you can communicate with each other for free from your barn, any place on your farm as well as from ny place in the US.

Intercoms have their problems, another expense, another maintenance problem, etc.

CSSJR

[King_s_Ransom]

We have cell phones, but – ah – seldom have a cell signal out here in the boonies! Certainly can’t rely on it in an emergency.

I like the idea of the intercom / fire alarm system. The walkie talkies are working really well, and were such a great help to us the other day during an emergency … but I just frequently forget to grab mine when I head out. Maybe I just need to work on my habits!

[FancyASB]

Same with me no cell service in barn area…

[ReSomething]

We had a cordless telephone with an intercom feature. You could talk to the base unit with the cordless handset but it also needed to be carried with you in order to be any use and it didn’t have a multiple platform like what you sound like you want. No cell reception at that house either. I would try Radio Shack, as suggested.

[chai]

I used to have a baby monitor in the house with the receiver in the barn when my kids were younger. Our house was an open floor plan post and beam design and it was great to be able to talk to the kids while I was in the barn, especially in the winter. Even though the house was only about 20 feet away from the barn, it was nice to have that connection.

[pony4me]

Radio Shack. But see my post on the “Worst Christmas Gift Ever” thread. It’s fine while you and DH are still honeymooning, but you will regret it later. In a sweet, funny way of course. I had to 'fess up to my hubby about what really happened to the intercoms after COTH did an expanded version of the story in their print edition last year.

[Mallard]

Yup…Radio Shack. Don’t know which model.
We’ve had it for 15+ years.
Works great.

Also have no cel service here…
Or high speed…

[KitKat987]

I have a baby monitor in my barn, primarily so that I can hear the smoke detector if it were to ever go off. Did hear one horse thrashing around cast in his stall once too. I can actually hear them peeing with it - not that I really want to! I also have cordless phones with intercom on them as well. There are 3 in the house and 1 in the barn. They rarely get used though seeing as the barn is only about 300’ from the house. Usually we just walk over or holler instead.

[Nancy1]

We have a couple of sets of the Radio Shack ones. They work well when someone actually answers in the barn.:lol: They were reasonably priced and work quite well.

I did use them the first time my mare was pregnant. I could hardly sleep because I could hear everything that was going on. Much better when I bought a foaling alarm.

Nancy!

[BasqueMom]

Leave one walkie talkie in the barn…then you won’t forget it.

We also have a cordless phone system where a bunch of handsets work off
the base and put one of the handsets and charger in the barn. System has
an intercom system. Forget what gig hertz it was…hubby brought home
an ATT set a while back that wouldn’t work outside of the garage, much less
to the barn. The one that worked so well was a V-teck system. Also had snap-on holsters for the handsets so you could hang one on a pocket which I often
did when going out to the barn so I wouldn’t miss a phone call in between the
house and barn. Lightning seems to have gotten the Vteck system though…
the main unit also had three mailboxes and a battery backup if the power went out. Couldn’t find anything like it when we recently replaced it.

[Mozart]

Love it.

Well, usually. Becomes less appealing when offspring uses it for not so important reasons.

Buzz: “Mom”
Buzzzz: “M-o-o-o-m”
Buzzzzzzz: M-O-O-O-OM"!!! Why did you buy yucky cereal again!!!

Ours was second hand, 12 years old, going strong. No problems other than occasional interference. It has an A channel and B channel. If there is interference on one I just switch to the other channel. Or if I’m just getting random complaints from the inmates.

[msj]

I’d be totally lost without the ones I have. But the distance between the house and the barn has to be within a certain range. I think mine are supposed to be ~500’ but not sure. I have 2 transmitters in the barn, depending on what stalls the horses are in and receivers in my BR, LR, FM, and TV rooms so I can keep an ear on what the boys are doing. I have one horse that has about 5-9 episodes of gas ‘discomfort’ every year and it might be at 2 AM.

You can use baby monitors as well so check out several places. I’ve had the best luck though with Radio Shack ones that you just plug in and set for talk/transmit or receive.

Sometimes though, for no apparent reason, there will be a LOT of static on the line.

[system]

wireless home intercom system

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[iamcheryl]

We have an home safety system in place where we can hear and see EEEEVERYTHING because it’s connected to our wifi. (THANK GOD FOR TECHNOLOGY AM I RIGHT)
I’m not sure if this helps but I think it’ll beat carrying walkie-talkies around :lol: I got mine from Home Safety Store https://homesafetystore.com.au/ … Umm it all works good so far. I think they have intercoms too

[clanter]

post 18 reported as possible spam… this is a ten year old thread