|
By John Francis
Frequency Considerations for Recreational 2 Way Radios
If you are in the market for 2 way radios for personal use,
you
have an immediate and important choice to make: What radio
frequency band do you require?
Frequency! 2 way radios obviously utilize 'wireless'
communication methods so when using a 2 way radio you are
transmitting and sending your message through the air -- the
same air that is currently carrying television signals,
commercial radio signals, Ham radio signals and literally
thousands of signals from other private 2 way radios. The
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the job of
controlling all of these communication signals so they don't
run into each other; to accomplish this they have reserved
frequency bands for use by certain types of communication
(signal sending) devices. There are two frequency bands in use
for recreational 2 way radios, these are called Family Radio
Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).
In 1996, the FCC reserved a set of radio frequencies they
called the Family Radio Service (FRS) band, specifically for
short-range 2 way radios (radios that operate no more than 2
miles away from each other) with a small power output (up to
500 milliwatts or one-half watt).
About fifty years before the FCC created the FRS band they had
reserved a set of frequencies for higher power 2 way radios
that operated over a longer range this is the General Mobile
Radio Service (GMRS) band. The GMRS band is for radios with a
power output between one and five watts and a range over 2
miles. The FCC regulates the 2 way radios that operate on the
GMRS band and requires users of this type of radio to obtain a
license and pay a fee. The GMRS license is good for five years
and costs $80.00; the license must be obtained by an adult
(the
radios operating under the license may be used by minors but
only with the licensed adult's knowledge and permission). Go
to
the FCC's Internet page at:
wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=service_home&id
=general_mobile
for more information on GMRS licensing.
When buying 2 way radios, your choice is between a set of
radios that operates only on one of these frequency bands or a
set of radios that is able to operate on either one of these
frequency bands. This determination will obviously have to be
made based on the maximum distance the radio users will be
from
each other. If the radios are to be used within two miles of
each other, FRS will be the best (and least expensive) choice.
If a greater distance is consistently required, 2 way radios
that operate on the GMRS frequency band will be required. If
the need for distance is uncertain or if you want the option
of
occasionally transmitting up to five miles a FRS/GMRS hybrid
is
the radio set to choose.
About The Author: twowayradioshq.com Find out more
about
Two Way Radios.
|