FRS Radio's and Geocaching in Indiana

[+Dobroplayer]

Indiana Geocachers....I read about this on another forum here on this site.

The comments were made about using the cheap,easy to use FRS radio's while geocaching. Bieng a ham operator for many many years this made me stop and take a read. The discussion was to somehow make it known that geocachers use(d) FRS channel 3 while caching. (No security channel or set to 0). Looking at this from several angles, the new FRS radios are good for a fair amount of mileage and easy to operate and require no FCC license, for when (heaven forbid) you or your caching partner needs a hand or have an emergency. I know....everyone carries a cell phone these days, however do you think the EMT's can find you at waypoint XX.XXXXX for you with a broken ankle? A $20 FRS radio stuck in your pack just might just give you an upperhand survival boost by having another nearby cacher at least having the GPS in hand to bring the EMT's to where you are. Or at least another person to go for help. Let's all face it....there are times for all of us we could just use a little help. Could be that no one is close enough to hear you but at least you had just one more tool for this fine hobby. From now on my pack will have a radio inside on FRS channel 3.

 

Dobroplayer

[+SixDogTeam]

Where does one get a decent radio for twenty bucks?

[+CYBret]

If you read on down in the thread you'll notice a link to the Geocaching FAQ and this statement:

Do you have an FRS/PMR channel to find out if other Geocachers are in the area?

 

Yes. The community has decided on channel 2 as the primary for both FRS and PMR, and 12 as the alternate FRS (Family Radio Service) channel and 8 for the alternate PMR (Europe). FRS and PMR radios are longer distance walkie talkies, like the Motorola Talkabout.

 

I keep a set of Motorolas with me in my backpack. Along with the FRS/GMRS radio function they also have weather radios built in. I really like having that feature considering how unpredictable the weather can be at times.

[+The Herd]

Where does one get a decent radio for twenty bucks?

 

Bass Pro and Cabelas both carry decent radios for $20. A quick glance online does not show them, but I've seen them in both their stores around here in the last month. Personally I upgraded to a $50 pair that has the weather radio functions too and actually got to use it when we drove towards a tornado warning recently!

[+Dobroplayer]

Where does one get a decent radio for twenty bucks?

 

Where else? EBAY.

[+Dobroplayer]

If you read on down in the thread you'll notice a link to the Geocaching FAQ and this statement:

Do you have an FRS/PMR channel to find out if other Geocachers are in the area?

 

Yes. The community has decided on channel 2 as the primary

 

I keep a set of

 

I think that is great! I am very new to this and maybe have more ehthusiasm than knowledge right now. I know very well from my old scoutmaster years......the extra weight of a radio or two in my cache pack may be worth much more than it's weight in gold. Thanks for the waypoint to the FAQ!

Dob.....

P.S. I'll be on channel 2

[+Dobroplayer]

If you read on down in the thread you'll notice a link to the Geocaching FAQ and this statement:

Do you have an FRS/PMR channel to find out if other Geocachers are in the area?

 

Yes. The community has decided on channel 2 as the primary

 

I keep a set of

 

I think that is great! I am very new to this and maybe have more ehthusiasm than knowledge right now. I know very well from my old scoutmaster years......the extra weight of a radio or two in my cache pack may be worth much more than it's weight in gold. Thanks for the waypoint to the FAQ!

Dob.....

P.S. I'll be on channel 2

[+Dobroplayer]

Where does one get a decent radio for twenty bucks?

 

Good old Ebay....

[+CYBret]

Where does one get a decent radio for twenty bucks?

 

Where else? EBAY.

 

Keep an eye on the clearance aisle at your local Wal-place. They will often have them dropped down pretty low. I've also seen them in the Clearance aisle at Staples.

 

And keep in mind, no matter what the packaging says, your range isn't going to be as good as they advertise. I'm in flat ol' IlliNOISE and I've never been able to do better than 3 miles and that was in near perfect conditions.

[+Dobroplayer]

Where does one get a decent radio for twenty bucks?

 

Where else? EBAY.

 

Keep an eye on the clearance aisle at your local Wal-place. They will often have them dropped down pretty low. I've also seen them in the Clearance aisle at Staples.

 

And keep in mind, no matter what the packaging says, your range isn't going to be as good as they advertise. I'm in flat ol' IlliNOISE and I've never been able to do better than 3 miles and that was in near perfect conditions.

 

Well.....all I'm saying is... it could just possibly be the one tool you had with you that might save either my life or yours. I also think for the horsepower to weight ratio.....worth throwing one in the old cache backpack. We'll all pray we never need it in ernest!

As for the 3 miles thing.....the pair I have are 5 watt units. (on some channels) the channels thing, that makes a big difference. There are some channels that the units are required by the FCC to drop down to .5watt because of other services using the same band slot. I think I read that 1 thru 8 and then the rest down to the .5 watt. But going by memory here. Being a ham....I will be the first to admit....460 MHZ is mainly line of sight communications. But on the other hand that frequency will punch thru more things like walls.concrete, trees etc. Good old ILLINOISE.... you should have a lot of line of sight. Just like everything...we all get what we pay for. Have a good summer cacheing!!!! Be safe! and God Bless!

Dobroplayer

[+CYBret]

Hey, no argument here. I love them and have had a lot of fun using them. I know what they're capable of and feel safer carrying them.

 

We've had a few caching trips where cellphone coverage was so bad that we had to use the radios. We've also been to a few events where it's just plain fun to keep track of each other on the radios. Moonshine comes to mind...for some reason. ;-)

 

Enjoy!

 

Bret

[+baloo&bd]

As for the 3 miles thing.....the pair I have are 5 watt units. (on some channels) the channels thing, that makes a big difference. There are some channels that the units are required by the FCC to drop down to .5watt because of other services using the same band slot. I think I read that 1 thru 8 and then the rest down to the .5 watt. But going by memory here.

 

The 5 watt vs 1/2 watt is FCC regulation.

 

In the US (and Canada I think), FRS is limited to 500mW. To use the 5 watts (thus GMRS) you are required to obtain a license.

 

Yes, VHF and UHF are line of sight communications, so unless there is a repeater involved and/or conditions are PERFECT, FRS you are looking at 1/2 to 1 mile range and even that is iffy.

 

These are great if you are out with friends. As for security, maybe, but wouldn't count on it.

 

The only time I have seen it work is the troop I was scoutmaster at went to an Illini game (I know, against BSA G2SS policy but actually a BSA council endorsed event). We had the kids that had them bring their FRS radios. We further told the others that if you somehow got separated, that if they saw someone with a radio like this to have them call on a channel we set to our troop number. Sure enough two boys wandered off and as we were looking for them I heard a unfamiliar voice calling me on that radio. Another troop had found them. Again, however, they were within 1/2 miles.

[+jtomason]

In the US (and Canada I think), FRS is limited to 500mW. To use the 5 watts (thus GMRS) you are required to obtain a license.

 

Yes, VHF and UHF are line of sight communications, so unless there is a repeater involved and/or conditions are PERFECT, FRS you are looking at 1/2 to 1 mile range and even that is iffy.

 

This is correct. Most (all?) combination FRS/GMRS radios have the no-license-needed FRS channels as 1-14 and the license-needed GMRS channels on 15-22. Many GMRS'ers will get annoyed if they hear FRS users and some will go to the trouble of locating you and notifying the FCC.

 

Now, personally speaking, if/when I decide to do more than urban-caching, I'll have my ham radio with me for a few reasons: Much greater range, lots of repeaters to choose from, and a much bigger audience of people to contact with who *enjoy* having the radio on and count amongst them people who are handy with lat/long and mapping (APRS for you hams).

 

If you go into the "real" back country (unlike what passes for it here in FL) and are concerned for your safety, I suggest you look into a Personal Locator Beacon that sends your lat/long to the CORPAS/SARSAT international rescue satellites so that Search And Rescue folks know that you're in need of help. They aren't cheap, but they will work even when the other geocachers, FRS users, and hams aren't listening or close enough.