Well if you need a radio then you could get something from Argos etc, but there are very under powered radios RF wise, oh and you want get any user service on them. Transmit power is about 500mW add the small rubber duck style antenna then you are not going to get out far, 5 Km at best. At UHF signals are very line of sight. If you are interested then I would just sit an Amature radio exam, there is only 25 questions and 2 practical exercises, just basically showing you can use a radio and set one up. The other exercise is a morse practical. Don't worry it’s not a pass or fail morse test, just an exercise to show you what its all about. You get a crib sheet and are just sent and receive a quick message. The morse requirement was taken out of the licensing condition in 2003. Cost is about £27 but that’s it the licence is then for life, no annual fee. Please see the link for more info:-
http://www.rsgb.org/newcomers/
Just take a look around the website and find a radio club in your area; you will be glad you did. Don’t worry about the exam as it is multiple choice and is very basic, as it is aimed at all ages so even 8 year old kids have passed.
What you get in return is a foundation licence and a call sign, this get you 10 Watts power limit, but if you are only going to use a hand held radio then that’s fine as they only transmit a maximum of 5 Watts. You do a little you get a little, if you pass and like the hobby you can then go on to the intermediate licence and finally onto the Full licence. They do get progressively harder in fact the full licence I found very hard.
Back to the matter in hand, I see where this 2 way radio thing is heading. You want it as a safety aid while out and about, well that is good as a VHF/UHF radio can be picked up new for about £100, but you can find second hand radios for less. Chuck in the fact that you have a lot of repeaters across the UK you can be heard over a wide area. Say on average about a 20 square mile average, sometimes more, hand held to hand held much less. (Repeaters are a bit like your mobile phone masts) you may not hear any activity but believe me there are always people listening on the repeaters, put out an emergency call and you will get a reply.
http://www.electronics-radio.com/articles/ham_radio/amateur-repeater/repeaters.php
Above explains what repeaters are.
Anyway I hope I’ve given some food for thought. If you have any more questions then please ask and I will do my best to answer them. Hope to hear you on the air soon.
Thanks
Rick
http://www.qrz.com/callsign/m0zav
73 DE M0ZAV