Suggestion: 2-way radios
08-18-2008, 07:45 PM
#1
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Suggestion: 2-way radios
When we travel in a drive we should use GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) or FRS (Family Radio Service) radios. There are 14 FRS channels some of which are shared with GMRS. We usually keep ours tuned to 13-0 or 13-10. Many, NOT ALL, FRS radios have the ability to use security codes.
One of the challenges of Channel 13-10 is that not all radio brands use the same privacy code frequencies. The best channels to use from a technical viewpoint are channels 1-7 with Security/Privacy Code 1. Security/Privacy code "1" is the same on all major brands of FRS/GMRS radios.
RANGE - When you see a maker boasting ranges beyond two miles, the maker is probably referring to the range on the GMRS channels of the dual FRS/GMRS Radios. FRS is limited to 0.5 watts (500 mw) and the range is seldom better than a mile or two. From a practical viewpoint with trees, dash boards, seats, windshields, your significant other and other stuff in the way, you're lucky to get 1/2 mile with most radios. We recommend you buy a GMRS radio with powers of 1, 2 or 5 watts max which will allow you to use high power when transmitting on channels 1-7 which are "shared" with FRS and GMRS radios.
PRIVACY CODES - When you buy your radio MAKE SURE IT WILL TUNE/SELECT THE 38 PRIVACY or SECURITY CODES, if it does not, you may be able to hear others on channel two but you will not be able to transmit or talk to others.
GPS+FRS - Garmin have introduced some new interesting dual purpose GPS/GMRS/FRS units. These are their RINO series which currently have monochrome and color displays.
FRS: FRS or Family Radios Service radios are compact, handheld, wireless 2-way radios that provide very good clarity over a relatively short range. FRS radios operate on any of 14 dedicated channels (1-14) designated by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) expressly for FRS radio usage. In order to comply with FCC standards, FRS radios have a maximum allowable power of 500 milliwatts (or 1/2 watt). FRS radio transceivers and their antennas may not be modified to extend their range. FRS radio distinctions:
Unlike with CB (citizens band) radios and most other 2-way radios, there is no license required to use an FRS radio. There are no fees for usage, airtime or per-call charges. (Aside from the cost of batteries, they are virtually free to use.)
GMRS: GMRS has two main groups of channels. It shares channels 1-7 with FRS and one can use up to 5 Watts ERP, channels 8-14 which are limited to 500 mw (0.5 Watts) and channels 15-22 which are GMRS only. Click here for the frequency/power chart. GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service radios operate on any of up to 8 dedicated channels (15-22) designated by the FCC. GMRS radios typically have power ratings of 1.0 to 5.0 watts and have a maximum allowable power of 50 watts for base stations.
GMRS radios are very similar to FRS radios, except for a few important distinctions:
GMRS radio use requires you to purchase an FCC operators license.
GMRS radios generally achieve greater ranges than FRS radios.
While FRS radios may not legally be altered, GMRS radios may legally be outfitted or retrofitted with optional antennas, car antennas or home antennas to extend their range. Note: Some GMRS radios (those with non-detachable antennas) will not accommodate antenna alterations. If you intend to alter your GMRS radio, please take care to choose a radio with a detachable-style antenna that accommodates your needs.
Information
Personal Radio Steering Group Inc
FCC- FRS Home Page
FCC - GMRS Home Page
Manufacturers
Cobra Electronics
Garmin (GPS/GMRS/FRS Combination Devices)
ICOM Radio
Kenwood Radios
Midland Radios
Motorola
Uniden
Resellers
BestBuy
Circuit City
K-Mart
Radio Shack
Target
Wal-Mart
So my Suggestions are -
Buy a GMRS radio (FRS radios have much lower power)
Always use a channel between 1 and 7 (These are common to both FRS lower power radios and the recommended GMRS higher power radios.)
Buy a headset. Road and wind noise in an open roadster make it very hard to hear a radio without a headset.
Always use security/privacy code 1 as it is common to all radio brands.
One of the challenges of Channel 13-10 is that not all radio brands use the same privacy code frequencies. The best channels to use from a technical viewpoint are channels 1-7 with Security/Privacy Code 1. Security/Privacy code "1" is the same on all major brands of FRS/GMRS radios.
RANGE - When you see a maker boasting ranges beyond two miles, the maker is probably referring to the range on the GMRS channels of the dual FRS/GMRS Radios. FRS is limited to 0.5 watts (500 mw) and the range is seldom better than a mile or two. From a practical viewpoint with trees, dash boards, seats, windshields, your significant other and other stuff in the way, you're lucky to get 1/2 mile with most radios. We recommend you buy a GMRS radio with powers of 1, 2 or 5 watts max which will allow you to use high power when transmitting on channels 1-7 which are "shared" with FRS and GMRS radios.
PRIVACY CODES - When you buy your radio MAKE SURE IT WILL TUNE/SELECT THE 38 PRIVACY or SECURITY CODES, if it does not, you may be able to hear others on channel two but you will not be able to transmit or talk to others.
GPS+FRS - Garmin have introduced some new interesting dual purpose GPS/GMRS/FRS units. These are their RINO series which currently have monochrome and color displays.
FRS: FRS or Family Radios Service radios are compact, handheld, wireless 2-way radios that provide very good clarity over a relatively short range. FRS radios operate on any of 14 dedicated channels (1-14) designated by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) expressly for FRS radio usage. In order to comply with FCC standards, FRS radios have a maximum allowable power of 500 milliwatts (or 1/2 watt). FRS radio transceivers and their antennas may not be modified to extend their range. FRS radio distinctions:
Unlike with CB (citizens band) radios and most other 2-way radios, there is no license required to use an FRS radio. There are no fees for usage, airtime or per-call charges. (Aside from the cost of batteries, they are virtually free to use.)
GMRS: GMRS has two main groups of channels. It shares channels 1-7 with FRS and one can use up to 5 Watts ERP, channels 8-14 which are limited to 500 mw (0.5 Watts) and channels 15-22 which are GMRS only. Click here for the frequency/power chart. GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service radios operate on any of up to 8 dedicated channels (15-22) designated by the FCC. GMRS radios typically have power ratings of 1.0 to 5.0 watts and have a maximum allowable power of 50 watts for base stations.
GMRS radios are very similar to FRS radios, except for a few important distinctions:
GMRS radio use requires you to purchase an FCC operators license.
GMRS radios generally achieve greater ranges than FRS radios.
While FRS radios may not legally be altered, GMRS radios may legally be outfitted or retrofitted with optional antennas, car antennas or home antennas to extend their range. Note: Some GMRS radios (those with non-detachable antennas) will not accommodate antenna alterations. If you intend to alter your GMRS radio, please take care to choose a radio with a detachable-style antenna that accommodates your needs.
Information
Personal Radio Steering Group Inc
FCC- FRS Home Page
FCC - GMRS Home Page
Manufacturers
Cobra Electronics
Garmin (GPS/GMRS/FRS Combination Devices)
ICOM Radio
Kenwood Radios
Midland Radios
Motorola
Uniden
Resellers
BestBuy
Circuit City
K-Mart
Radio Shack
Target
Wal-Mart
So my Suggestions are -
Buy a GMRS radio (FRS radios have much lower power)
Always use a channel between 1 and 7 (These are common to both FRS lower power radios and the recommended GMRS higher power radios.)
Buy a headset. Road and wind noise in an open roadster make it very hard to hear a radio without a headset.
Always use security/privacy code 1 as it is common to all radio brands.
08-19-2008, 04:13 AM
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Maybe I am wrong, but the lower FRS channels are all the same power regardless if the radio is also GMRS capable.
The FCC mandates how mucgh power a radio can put out based on certain factors. technically, you need to register with the FCC to use the GMRS channels but not the FRS channels. By law, the radio manufacturers cannot allow the FRS channels to have the same high output as the GMRS channels.
I agree 100% that the GMRS radios are the way to go and I have wanted one for a while because FRS sucks bawls, but I know that everyone is way to cheap to jump on with the GMRS radios because they cost $20 more.
The FCC mandates how mucgh power a radio can put out based on certain factors. technically, you need to register with the FCC to use the GMRS channels but not the FRS channels. By law, the radio manufacturers cannot allow the FRS channels to have the same high output as the GMRS channels.
I agree 100% that the GMRS radios are the way to go and I have wanted one for a while because FRS sucks bawls, but I know that everyone is way to cheap to jump on with the GMRS radios because they cost $20 more.
08-19-2008, 06:26 AM
#3
George,
As the typical dinosaur in this bunch, I have two FRS radios with only the raw 14 channels (no subchannels). These radios went useless to me in the last few years as the New England drives started using subchannels. If I recall, I wasn't able to communicate with folks using 13-0 even when my FRS was tuned to 13. Maybe not... My aged memory continues to fade.
I was looking for an FRS radio with subchannels for the Nor'Easter, but I found that WalMart isn't carrying them anymore! They used to have tons of them, but I never picked one up.
Anyway, I just thought you should should check your list of retailers. Is the WalMart near you still stocking them?
As the typical dinosaur in this bunch, I have two FRS radios with only the raw 14 channels (no subchannels). These radios went useless to me in the last few years as the New England drives started using subchannels. If I recall, I wasn't able to communicate with folks using 13-0 even when my FRS was tuned to 13. Maybe not... My aged memory continues to fade.
I was looking for an FRS radio with subchannels for the Nor'Easter, but I found that WalMart isn't carrying them anymore! They used to have tons of them, but I never picked one up.
Anyway, I just thought you should should check your list of retailers. Is the WalMart near you still stocking them?
08-19-2008, 07:13 AM
#4
The other recommendation would be to get a headset.
with the top down it's almost impossible to hear.
and never set the radio for vox control unless you want to broadcast your country and western. right Kenta?
In theory you are supposed to have an FCC license to use the GRMS bands.
with the top down it's almost impossible to hear.
and never set the radio for vox control unless you want to broadcast your country and western. right Kenta?
In theory you are supposed to have an FCC license to use the GRMS bands.
08-19-2008, 07:27 AM
#6
Originally Posted by boltonblue,Aug 19 2008, 11:13 AM
The other recommendation would be to get a headset.
with the top down it's almost impossible to hear.
and never set the radio for vox control unless you want to broadcast your country and western. right Kenta?
In theory you are supposed to have an FCC license to use the GRMS bands.
with the top down it's almost impossible to hear.
and never set the radio for vox control unless you want to broadcast your country and western. right Kenta?
In theory you are supposed to have an FCC license to use the GRMS bands.
For the record it wasn't country music... Rilo Kiley's Under the Blacklight
08-19-2008, 09:36 AM
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I would definitely avoid these
from Radio Shack. The rechargeable batteries didn't even last the length of the Mohawk Trail ride. maybe regular batteries would last longer.
from Radio Shack. The rechargeable batteries didn't even last the length of the Mohawk Trail ride. maybe regular batteries would last longer.
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08-19-2008, 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by paivag,Aug 18 2008, 10:45 PM
GMRS radio use requires you to purchase an FCC operators license.
I have had and used my Motorola T8500R's for two years with no such license.
08-19-2008, 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by boltonblue,Aug 19 2008, 10:13 AM
The other recommendation would be to get a headset.
with the top down it's almost impossible to hear.
and never set the radio for vox control
with the top down it's almost impossible to hear.
and never set the radio for vox control
08-19-2008, 10:26 AM
#10
Yeah, we had the voice control activated on one of the radios in our Cape drive group this weekend. Of course the person with it enabled has no idea they're stepping all over everyone.