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 The advent of the Family Radio Service and GRMS has opened a whole new possibility for reliable short-range communications, and depending on your needs they may just fill the bill --or they may not. Understand that ANY means of radio communication can save lives, exchange information and simply be fun, so that is endorsement industrialengineering enough. Most of these radios operate on frequencies just above the 70 cm Amateur Bands...somewhere around 462-467 Mhz. The major players all produce satisfactory equipment with similar industrialengineering standards so, for the price conscious, dollars can be saved if you know what to look for. First look at the specifications; the more watts of power out, the further your signal will travel. Beginners note that 700mw (milliwatts) is LESS than 1w (watt). More watts, more power, more distance. The manufacturer''s range claims are not fraudulent or specious, but they can be misleading unless you are in clear country, the ideal conditions for distance communications. Don''t expect a two mile range in heavy terrain, you won''t get it...sometimes you won''t get 200 yards. But for inner-mall talking with your kids and family members, most of them are ok. I''ve also used them on fly fishing trips where we have seldom been more than a quarter mile from camp and they were fine. What is the purpose of using these radios? If you plan to use them to talk-up-a-storm - go right ahead! But, keep in mind, anyone within range may tap into your conversation at any time if they also have an FRS radio, unlike a cell phone. It is not best used for private conversations. My friend has a different brand FRS radio then the one I want to buy. Are they compatible? Yes! All FRS radios operate industrialengineering on the same range of frequencies, regardless of brand. Although, keep in mind that if you or your friend has an older model, you may have different sub-channel capabilities (14 channels vs. 14 channels with 38 sub channels). The physical casing of the radio can be an issue depending on whether the radio is for the wife''s purse, or for us butch fishermen and hunters whose equipment is subject to jostling and knocking around. In the outback hunting, fishing and rockclimbing venues, don''t rule out Walkie-Talkies-- the units are usually less expensive and just as well made. In remote areas interference is highly unlikely, and the squelch can be set just high enough to allow only your immediate user groups participation in more populated areas. The subjects of intermodulation, transmit/receive audio, etc. can for the moment industrialengineering be set aside inasmuchas these questions are of little concern to the casual hobbiest. The "rubber ducky" antenna that comes with these radios is the LEAST efficient antenna. But there are extensible "gain" antennas that can be had, even though they are a little bit clunky in active environments. If you are going to be in difficult terrain, or say you industrialengineering want to transmit from car to car, 440 Mhz antennas are available from many sources, notably, and with a simple adaptor you can connect your industrialengineering FRS rig to a magnetic mount antenna on the roof of your vehicles. Welcome to the primier site for two way radios. Our company is the World's Leading Supplier for Professional Portable and Mobile Two-Way Radios & Walkies! We Buy, Sell, Trade, & Repair all types of new and used 2-way radio equipment for Virtually any and all types of work.
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