"Joseph Luner" wrote in
. cable.rogers.com:
http://www.f-r-s.org/homepage.htm
Can they be scanned? Is the Pope Catholic?
Carry a handheld scanner the next time you go to a major flea market, or
any where many people may wish to coordinate with each other using FRS
radios.
FRS radios use CTCSS, Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System. The intent
of CTCSS is to allow people using a common channel to be able to ignore
communications not concerned with them.
CTCSS Explained:
http://mmi-comm.tripod.com/pl.html
In other words, if there are 14 Channels, they each have 38 Privacy
Codes (CTCSS Tones). Assume you're on channel 8, Privacy Code 10,
someone else in your area is on channel 8, but with Privacy Code 15. You
won't hear their communications, they won't hear yours. BUT, since you
are both on channel 8, if you would transmit at the same time as the
other person, and the other person was nearby, even though you have
different Privacy Codes, you likely would interfere with them, they with
you, or you both would experience interference.
When using a transceiver with CTCSS, one would commonly use the
"monitor" button to temporarily suspend the use of the CTCSS Squelch
entirely, and if the frequency is clear, you would hear static. At this
time initiation of the desired transmission could be started.
Using a scanner is the same as using the monitor button, allowing you to
hear what is being transmitted on the frequency in question regardless
of the Privacy Codes.
All you need to do is to program the 14 Frequencies into your scanner
and scan away. The Privacy Codes won't be a concern, the people using
the FRS radios won't have "Privacy", and you'll hear what they say.
I live in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania U.S.A., Remember CB, the vulgarities
and such? FRS has taken over for this here, kids talking about wanting
to F--K some other kid's mother (used in a degrading sense), using F--k
continuously, and overall having reduce the FRS service in the city, at
times, to a useless prospect.
But FRS does come into it's own at times, and we use them every year
while vacationing at a Pennsylvania Park.
Some of the "over the counter" radios now in stores are actually GMRS
radios, (General Mobile Radio Service). Though these radios require a
license to operate, and in teeny tiny print somewhere on the box or in
the instructions, or both, this licensing requirement is asserted.
Problem is that few actually license their radios, they give them to
children, the children abuse them, and the people that are licensed to
use their GMRS radios are finding the service less useful. GMRS radios
can use greater power and have external antennas.
You may wish to scan for the GMRS frequencies as well, 7 of the
frequencies are shared with FRS anyway.
http://www.g-m-r-s.org/index.htm
http://www.g-m-r-s.org/frequencies.htm
Some scanners now use CTCSS, I have 2 that do, such as the Uniden 785D
and a Yaesu Transceiver VX-5R. Though they have this feature, they can
be used with conventional squelch as well.
And by the by, I believe that some FRS manufacturers are using scrambled
or encrypted transmissions now, so you may not be able to understand
what you are receiving. I believe that these radios are rare as of yet.
See "Private CallŪ voice scrambling " at this page:
http://www.durhamradio.com/cobra-frs-radios.htm
Regards.
I am newbie to scanner, can Family Radio be scanned? I have one of
this with 14 channels (38 sub channels)..
If so, can anyone can tell me the frequencies?
thanks...
--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.