Gary Solomon <<gary>> sends:

Because of the cost, some people are using these FRS/GMRS radios while flying instead of the "community standard" 2 meter HAM radios. Here are a few notes. Included is a link to the cheapest, high power handheld (pair) I ran across. I don't like that these radios send interference (albeit temporary) which makes my vario squeak like I hit a small thermal bump every time I press the transmit key. Does this harm the vario? However, at approximately $20.00 per radio they are much cheaper than Ham radios which are about $120.00 per radio.

FRS (Family Radio Service)

REALLY low power, 1+ mile range, COMPLETELY UNLICENSED (CB replacement)

GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) LEGALLY REQUIRES an $85.00 one-time LICENSE MUCH HIGHER POWER ?? 20+ mile range ?? , (Business band replacement) Almost ALL being sold now are COMBO radios with 22 channels. Really, just another way to sell us more "different" crap that does not really do anything different from the OLD crap, except that currently it is CHEAP.

The 38 "Privacy codes" are channel variations using a Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System 22 x 38 CTCSS codes, or 836 available channels. These SHOULD be used to AVOID IDIOT TRAFFIC.

http://www.antonline.com/p_Midland--GXT-720VP3--Midland-GXT720VP3-2-Way-30-Mile-22-Channel-Radio-_482886.htm  Total including shipping $ 45.47

Any use of channels 15 through 22 or any power setting above LOW POWER is GMRS and legally requires the $85.00 license. The license application comes with the radio, but somehow the radio turns on without it.

Here is something REALLY COOL if you have $800.00 (for a pair) to toss around. The Garmin RHINO is a GPS and RADIO COMBO. It has one of these radios built in. The cool thing is that from EITHER radio, you can get THE POSITION OF THE OTHER. This means that a DRIVER can have a GPS with an automatically continuously updated destination set to the pilot IN THE AIR!