Why not use a mobile phone?
Have you tried getting consistent signal on any of the normal phone networks in the UK on the ground? In the air - I get anything between 2 bars and 0 bars, often the latter, especially when flying towards Ashford area (maybe its just O2 being rubbish). Having to keep trying to call again and again as and when signal comes back seems to me, to be an unnecessary distraction.
It would be so much easier if there was a frequency dedicated for chat, then I could have box 1 on the chat frequency, and box 2 keeping a "listening watch" on any ATC / service I may be getting. The range would be more than good enough for such an occasion, reliable (well... as reliable as the radios are), no messing around with phones... I think this would increase safety if not anything else.
I have just gone on:
http://www.airscene.co.uk/tinc and looked up a few frequencies, 118.000 pops up as "Nationwide - Civilian Air-Air" in addition to a few aerobatic / air display teams. Does anyone have any information with regards to this?
Thanks,
Alex90