oneilla
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Posts: 112
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Radios
Jun 18, 2004 20:10:59 GMT -5
Post by oneilla on Jun 18, 2004 20:10:59 GMT -5
I've been considering getting a couple radios so me and some friends can talk back and forth while we play, but I was only going to get two or three. I was wondering that if someone that I play with gets a different brand or type of radio, will thay still work together if they are on the same frequency?
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Radios
Jun 18, 2004 20:50:19 GMT -5
Post by silentkilla on Jun 18, 2004 20:50:19 GMT -5
Just get some basic 14 channel walkie talkies, $30 at any hardware and electronics store.
Walkie talkies of different brands will work, the brand of walkie talkie has no effect on the frequency.
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CarNic
New Member
Commucations Specialist
Posts: 104
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Radios
Jun 18, 2004 21:53:26 GMT -5
Post by CarNic on Jun 18, 2004 21:53:26 GMT -5
Hah, I work for a communications company. I saw this post and thought it would be cool to note that I have a lot of 800MHz portable motorola radios with a portable repeater that sets up on my van! (Seen SWAT with the cool beeping on the radios?) Hopefully I will be able to bring them to a game some time, they rock! Talk about mil or pol-sim, you forget that you're shooting plastic bbs! Radios will work about 3 miles between each other, 20-30 miles with repeater (on a hill).
Just had to plug that!
-Car
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Radios
Jun 19, 2004 22:21:01 GMT -5
Post by Netrix on Jun 19, 2004 22:21:01 GMT -5
but i thought 800MHz was reserved for Nextel, thats why all the 800MHz radios were traded in and are pretty much junk now?
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Radios
Jun 19, 2004 22:30:45 GMT -5
Post by Motown on Jun 19, 2004 22:30:45 GMT -5
No, the 800mhz band isn't *totally* reserved for nextel, however, many Metropolitan areas still have problem with Interference from them (even with the fliters and the other stop gap measures), not to mention inherent crappiness and expensiveness of the 800mhz system. Michigan State Police and some departments in Metro Detroit are running 800mhz radios.
LAPD and LAPD SWAT doesn't use 800mhz radios, they use digital UHF- the beep you hear in SWAT ISN'T anything to signify that it's an 800mhz radio. If I recall accurately from the movie, those tones are from the old MODAT system which LAPD doesn't use anymore since they went digital, and would be factually inaccurate in any case.
...To answer the question and reiterate what Caveman pointed out, pretty much regardless of which FRS Radio you purchase, they are all programmed with the FRS frequencies and CTCSS codes to ensure interoperability.
I believe there is another (number) of threads about which FRS radios are the best to purchase, though, it would be in your best interest to find one with both the 2.5 and 3.5 accessory jacks, but it may be somewhat difficult anymore.
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CarNic
New Member
Commucations Specialist
Posts: 104
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Radios
Jun 20, 2004 12:54:06 GMT -5
Post by CarNic on Jun 20, 2004 12:54:06 GMT -5
Motown is correct in everything in his last statement. LAPD freq range is in the 400MHz, and the system is bullet-proof. These radios I have are just cool looking and make some noise, nothing short of spectacular. But man are they fun!
(Thanks for that clarification, motown! ;D )
-Car
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Radios
Jun 20, 2004 21:24:10 GMT -5
Post by Zorak on Jun 20, 2004 21:24:10 GMT -5
Make sure your FRS radio has "privacy codes" or "squelch codes". They can be very helpful in reducing interference.
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Radios
Jun 20, 2004 21:29:14 GMT -5
Post by Netrix on Jun 20, 2004 21:29:14 GMT -5
yeah when we were in Dayton, OH at the Hamvention, we picked up some 800MHz Motorola Max Trac for like, $10. they were ones people turned in when Nextel went into service.
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 16:44:59 GMT -5
Post by xaos on Jun 21, 2004 16:44:59 GMT -5
Make sure your FRS radio has "privacy codes" or "squelch codes". They can be very helpful in reducing interference. Big important thing, here. Without the squelch code at OP:Blind Fury, our FRS radios were all but useless, due to other radio traffic...once we hit a code, we were able to use our radios much more effectively. edit: oh, btw...if you go to any ops, please, please, please, refrain from idle chatter on team frequencies...can't think of anything more annoying than hearing part of the team try to coordinate an attack, then having someone pop in with "so, do you think I should put a tightbore in my AK?".
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 17:15:02 GMT -5
Post by Motown on Jun 21, 2004 17:15:02 GMT -5
If you are purchasing a radio which doesn't provide CTCSS (Coded Tone Control Squelch System) frequencies (which is the actual term for squelch, privacy codes and subchannels) you are most likely buying a very old radio, or very big piece of garbage. Any namebrand radio which operates on FRS frequencies will be pre-programmed with the CTCSS frequencies for each of the 14 FRS frequency channels.
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 20:32:21 GMT -5
Post by Netrix on Jun 21, 2004 20:32:21 GMT -5
yeah $3-5 will get you a good used 14 channel frs radio, so its no problem finding one. you pay a little bit more for rechargable ones which i think are worth it if you use it more.
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C.Martin
New Member
"You must give of your self" "Alright i can do that, how much?" "Sexually" "....."
Posts: 333
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 21:20:04 GMT -5
Post by C.Martin on Jun 21, 2004 21:20:04 GMT -5
alittle off topic, but looking around a little, a lot of these radios talk about an FCC licence of some type or another. Any one able to shed some light on this?
Any one know the process of getting a licence, like how much it costs that kind of thing?
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 21:26:32 GMT -5
Post by Jacko on Jun 21, 2004 21:26:32 GMT -5
GMRS frequencies require a license to use, that's what they're talking about.
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 21:32:39 GMT -5
Post by Motown on Jun 21, 2004 21:32:39 GMT -5
If you plan on using GMRS (general mobile radio service) then yes, the FCC requires one to purchase the license ($75 I believe, or pretty close) to operate on those frequencies.
Since FRS only operates on .5 watts (whereas GMRS can operate up to 50 watts) there is no licensing demanded by the FCC.
The range difference really is negligible (when using a handheld radio) to necessitate the purchasing of the license to operate on the few GMRS channels as opposed to the performance which one receives with the free FRS.
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Radios
Jun 21, 2004 21:36:17 GMT -5
Post by Jacko on Jun 21, 2004 21:36:17 GMT -5
Yeah, supposedly, my Rino 120 will have a 5 mile range using GMRS channels, whereas FRS is 2 miles, which is way more than enough. That's assuming the terrain is cooperating, which it wasn't at Blind Fury this last weekend.
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