Re: FRS Radios vs CB

[Bert Craig]

"Homac" > wrote in message
om...
> You are right about CB I have seen more and more people with them
> again. It started in the 70s then died out, back in the late 80's
> then died out and now its back again???
>
> Homac

Happily, I can say they sure are. Particularly on channels 36 through 40 on
SSB. Nice QSOs too. (Starting to hear more "QSX and standing by," rather
than "QRT and standing by.")

--
73 de Bert
WA2SI

[Skipp]

Just depends on how serious the user wants to be... and if they are using
radios for business and or personal communications.

Most common people trying radios don't want to even think about them, its
enough to figure out how to push the transmit button.

So the simplicity and low cost of an FRS radio is the big deal. Only the
shorter range keeps them from really becomming a lot more common place.

If you want more range, you can easily apply for a business radio license
which would give you 10 to 25 watts of power, more than enough for most
short haul direct conversations. Notice some of the latest radios are
combination FRS and GMRS Radios... drives a lot of GMRS repeater users
crazy.

*****

I have friends using CB for business... when the long path band conditions
are wacky, a mutual friend in Mexico might have to relay a message back
to the mobile which is only 15 miles from the base. Most people are not
going to even try to bother with it.

*****

FRS is popular, I can hear and talk back to a lot of users from a
2500 foot mountain top site. Put one of the silly simplex repeaters on
the air from the same mountain and watch the fun begin.

cheers
skipp
http://sonic.ucdavis.edu

[Leland C. Scott]

"Skipp"
>
wrote in message
...
>Notice some of the latest radios are
> combination FRS and GMRS Radios... drives a lot
of GMRS repeater users
> crazy.

My understanding is those so-called combo FRS-GMRS
radios don't have the required PL tone generation
circuits in them to activate repeaters. Plus they
don't have any offset capability either which is
also required to use a repeater system. And, I
could be wrong here, but I thought that the GMRS
repeaters you have to pay for access. They are not
the free and open type of repeater you commonly
find in Ham Radio V/UHF operations.


--
Leland C. Scott
KC8LDO

Saw this on a Tee-shirt:

"I am a
bomb
technician
if you see me
running
try to keep up "

[Jim Hampton]

Just a thought here. True the FRS units are a commodity (selling price near
the higher end throw-away cameras) and their range is limited, but they
don't have to contend with skip. One possibility might be MURS. With a 2
watt limit and a much more efficient antenna than the 27 MHz units, these
may make a lot of sense (especially if they get the prices down). I would
expect 5 miles between handhelds on MURS (but then, I may be ever the
optimist :)


73 from Rochester, NY
Jim

"Homac" > wrote in message
om...
> The range on the average CB even the smaller "Walkie-Talkie" style is
> much better. FRS main advantage is it's much smaller size, however if
> you want to communicate reliably (more than 1 mile) a CB or 2m Amateur
> equipment is the way to go.
>
> You are right about CB I have seen more and more people with them
> again. It started in the 70s then died out, back in the late 80's
> then died out and now its back again???
>
> Homac
>
>
> >I want something which can communicate 2-3km and keep hearing how
> limited FRS >radios are. I know CBs are starting to come back, is the
> range much better. >Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Luigi


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.497 / Virus Database: 296 - Release Date: 7/4/03

[Duh]

"Jim Hampton" > wrote in message
...
> Just a thought here. True the FRS units are a commodity (selling price
near
> the higher end throw-away cameras) and their range is limited, but they
> don't have to contend with skip. One possibility might be MURS. With a 2
> watt limit and a much more efficient antenna than the 27 MHz units, these
> may make a lot of sense (especially if they get the prices down). I would
> expect 5 miles between handhelds on MURS (but then, I may be ever the
> optimist :)
>
>
> 73 from Rochester, NY
> Jim
>
Maybe over flat unobstructed ground (which is the optimistic way they rate
distance anyway, but who lives at Bonneville Salt Flats?), but in the real
world, usually a bit less. I have used MURS at the deer lease though, and in
wooded and slightly hilly terrain, we were getting around 2 miles at near
full quieting, with one watt and the tremendously inefficient rubber duck
antenna.

[Alan Lansburger]

Jim, do you know of any CB shops in the Massena, NY area? It don't matter
if it is in Canada.

****************
"Jim Hampton" > wrote in message
...
> Leland,
>
> You are absolutely correct concerning the repeaters. The owners of the
> repeaters monitor them too. Someone doesn't pay, they get shut off in a
> hurry. When I worked in a shop, the move was up to trunking radio (800
MHz)
> where the radios had a digital id and it was much easier to control
access.
>
> 73 from Rochester, NY
> Jim
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.497 / Virus Database: 296 - Release Date: 7/4/03
>
>

[Jim Hampton]

Unfortunately, no. Any chance of looking in the white (or yellow) pages on
the internet (or locally, if that is where you are)?

73 from Rochester, NY
Jim


"Alan Lansburger" > wrote in message
...
> Jim, do you know of any CB shops in the Massena, NY area? It don't matter
> if it is in Canada.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.500 / Virus Database: 298 - Release Date: 7/10/03

[Jim Hampton]

Yes, but you *can* replace that antenna! A decent (yet still relatively
small) antenna plus an increase to 2 watts would yield a considerable gain.

73 from Rochester, NY
Jim


"Duh" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Jim Hampton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Just a thought here. True the FRS units are a commodity (selling price
> near
> > the higher end throw-away cameras) and their range is limited, but they
> > don't have to contend with skip. One possibility might be MURS. With a
2
> > watt limit and a much more efficient antenna than the 27 MHz units,
these
> > may make a lot of sense (especially if they get the prices down). I
would
> > expect 5 miles between handhelds on MURS (but then, I may be ever the
> > optimist :)
> >
> >
> > 73 from Rochester, NY
> > Jim
> >
> Maybe over flat unobstructed ground (which is the optimistic way they rate
> distance anyway, but who lives at Bonneville Salt Flats?), but in the real
> world, usually a bit less. I have used MURS at the deer lease though, and
in
> wooded and slightly hilly terrain, we were getting around 2 miles at near
> full quieting, with one watt and the tremendously inefficient rubber duck
> antenna.
>
>


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.500 / Virus Database: 298 - Release Date: 7/10/03

[stewart]

"Leland C. Scott" > wrote in message >...
>
> My understanding is those so-called combo FRS-GMRS
> radios don't have the required PL tone generation
> circuits in them to activate repeaters.

Actually, there are some... but, most aren't capable of transmitting
on the repeater inputs, only the repeater outputs (this is how you end
up with 22 channels on many of these hybrid FRS/GMRS radios).

> Plus they
> don't have any offset capability either which is
> also required to use a repeater system.

There are a few that actually do - Motorola makes one; but, one would
be much better off buying a "real" GMRS radio that didn't suffer from
the integral antenna limitation.

> And, I
> could be wrong here, but I thought that the GMRS
> repeaters you have to pay for access. They are not
> the free and open type of repeater you commonly
> find in Ham Radio V/UHF operations.

That is generally true.

- Stewart

[stewart]

"Jim Hampton" > wrote in message >...
> Yes, but you *can* replace that antenna! A decent (yet still relatively
> small) antenna plus an increase to 2 watts would yield a considerable gain.

Also, higher quality receivers make a big difference. One never sees
specs on the packages of FRS or GMRS/FRS hybrid receivers - but most
of them have to be absolutely awful... manufacturers know that 99.9%
of their FRS FRS/GMRS hybrid customer base couldn't understand
receiver specs, even if they made them available. For most "real"
GMRS, MURS, ham, or business radios, you will easily be able to find
the specs - usually in the user's manual inside the package, or on a
on-line spec sheet at the manufacturer's web site... fact is, I'd
guess than more than half the ham Techs don't understand receiver
specs.

> 73 from Rochester, NY
> Jim

- Stewart
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MURS-OPEN

[Homac]

I agree....

Most FRS units I have seen are restricted to 500mW or 1/2 a watt.
Good for a picnic or at the ski hill. If you are a radio enthusiast
and want to speak to people around town or further, better stick to CB
or amateur boxes....

Homac


(stewart) wrote in message >...
> "Jim Hampton" > wrote in message >...
> > Yes, but you *can* replace that antenna! A decent (yet still relatively
> > small) antenna plus an increase to 2 watts would yield a considerable gain.
>
> Also, higher quality receivers make a big difference. One never sees
> specs on the packages of FRS or GMRS/FRS hybrid receivers - but most
> of them have to be absolutely awful... manufacturers know that 99.9%
> of their FRS FRS/GMRS hybrid customer base couldn't understand
> receiver specs, even if they made them available. For most "real"
> GMRS, MURS, ham, or business radios, you will easily be able to find
> the specs - usually in the user's manual inside the package, or on a
> on-line spec sheet at the manufacturer's web site... fact is, I'd
> guess than more than half the ham Techs don't understand receiver
> specs.
>
> > 73 from Rochester, NY
> > Jim
>
> - Stewart
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MURS-OPEN

[stewart]

(Homac) wrote in message >...
> I agree....
>
> Most FRS units I have seen are restricted to 500mW or 1/2 a watt.

All are.

> Good for a picnic or at the ski hill.

They are actually fairly worthless at a large ski resort. If you are
on the same run, they might work out, but UHF (FRS) doesn't work well
thru trees.

> If you are a radio enthusiast
> and want to speak to people around town or further, better stick to CB
> or amateur boxes....

CB is OK for mobile/base usage, but they are absolutely huge and
totally inefficient in handheld applications... they might work better
than an FRS radio on the ski slope, but they are completely ungainly.

For the skiing application, a "real" GMRS, or MURS radio would be
preferable to FRS for performance reasons or CB for size reasons, and
a modern miniature 2m ham handheld would be the ideal solution for
both size and performance reasons.

- Stewart
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MURS-OPEN

[Scott Unit 69]

> For the skiing application, a "real" GMRS, or MURS radio would be
> preferable to FRS for performance reasons or CB for size reasons,


A real GMRS radio on the same frequency range will not do much better then
an FRS radio. Height, antenna and power makes more of a difference in decreasing
amounts in that order.