Two-way radios, or walkie talkies, are a great way to communicate over a relatively small range. There are two frequency bands for two-way radios, FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service). Generally there are only FRS radios or hybrid FRS/GMRS two way radios. GMRS originally started in the 1940s for commercial use. This band differs from FRS in that the power outage for the GMRS radios is more (1-5 watts) and the radios have a slightly larger range at a maximum range of up to 5 miles, rather than 2 miles for FRS radios. Nowadays manufacturers offer GMRS 2 way radios for recreational use, though the FCC monitors the band and requires a license to use this band. There are no tests to become licensed to use the GMRS band, but there is a fee. Go to www.fcc.gov for more information on becoming licensed. FRS/GMRS radios cost a bit more than just FRS radios because the FRS radios offer 14 channels and the GMRS radios offer 23 channels. Having greater channel choices becomes important in very crowded locations where many people might be using walkie talkies. FRS/GMRS radios work just like FRS radios in that they only work in "line of sight." Buildings, cars, weather, and rough terrain can cause interference in the communications. Two-way radios offer a number of features including channel lock, calling and paging features, scramble codes, and water resistance. REI has a great review of two way radios at Rei.com. |
GMRS Two Way Radios
