This weekend, we had 10 Skys and Solstices on our club Fall Leaves Run up to Flagstaff Arizona (photos ). What was cool about the event, however, was that we used FRS radios to stay in touch. However, before we suggest that club members go out and get radios prior to the next event, I thought I would seek feedback from others who may have used radios.
For this trip, we used the FRS bands only, using older $20 Motorola FRS-only radios. We used channel 12, code 21 (winter solstice) and they worked very well as long as we were within about a mile of each other. Due to stop lights and some people taking wrong turns in downtown Flagstaff, we got separated, and the radios failed us, when we got further than one mile apart from each other.
I spoke to another car club, and they said that they use business radios, and that the club has "purchased" a frequency for club use. Others mentioned using radios that support the GMRS bands, which cost about $30-50, but they are much more powerful (10 mile range). However, I am told that you need a $75 license to operate in the GMRS frequencies, although I know of some people who say they use these GMRS frequencies without licenses.
So, does anybody have more knowledge about use of radios, what is appropriate for car clubs, etc?
For this trip, we used the FRS bands only, using older $20 Motorola FRS-only radios. We used channel 12, code 21 (winter solstice) and they worked very well as long as we were within about a mile of each other. Due to stop lights and some people taking wrong turns in downtown Flagstaff, we got separated, and the radios failed us, when we got further than one mile apart from each other.
I spoke to another car club, and they said that they use business radios, and that the club has "purchased" a frequency for club use. Others mentioned using radios that support the GMRS bands, which cost about $30-50, but they are much more powerful (10 mile range). However, I am told that you need a $75 license to operate in the GMRS frequencies, although I know of some people who say they use these GMRS frequencies without licenses.
So, does anybody have more knowledge about use of radios, what is appropriate for car clubs, etc?