Hi Tweets:
This is Carol Schulz. Back in Aug, Jack Stephens wrote about using FRS
radios, and submitted suggestions for which ones to buy. I had been looking
for some affordable ones since last summer, when we left one in a wet meadow
on top of a pass in the North Cascades. They had just been too expensive
lately. I had gone ahead and bought a cheap one that only had 14 channels,
and had the "roger beep" that we all hate.
Finally my husband found a ad in the paper. The sale is running during this
week only at CompUSA. We bought two and the price is very affordable.
Here's the deal at CompUSA (there are stores at So Center, Kirkland,
Tukwila, and Bellevue):
Motorola FRS 250 TalkAbout2-way Radio. 14 channels/38 codes. NO ROGER
BEEP! Hooray.
Usually $59.99 each. $29.99 each after in-store savings and rebate. Rebate
slips are at the store. Can get the rebate for up to 6 radios. Sale
started on Sunday, and runs until Sat Nov 3.
We use these things all the time to talk between cars on field trips and on
trips w/ friends. Charlie Wright and I communicate w/ each other in the
field. You can talk up to 2 miles, and sometimes farther. They are
handheld and quite light weight.
Yours, Carol Schulz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jack Stephens" <jstephens62 at home.com>
To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2001 7:44 PM
Subject: FRS Radio Recommendations from the ABA


> ABA RECOMMENDATION ON FRS RADIO USAGE FOR BIRDING
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> FRS Overview
> ------------
> FRS radios are increasingly being used by birders who come
> together (either planned or unplanned) to communicate the
> location of interesting birds and to coordinate groups. They
> are used in car caravans, at birding hot spots, and often at
> "chase sites". These two-way radios are small, handy, and
> effective for communications for about a two-mile range.
>
> ABA FRS Recommendations
> -----------------------
> In an effort to improve communication of birders using FRS
> radios in North America, the ABA is making the following
> recommendations:
>
> 1) States/Provinces should adopt and publicize a standard
> FRS channel/subcode for birding communications.
>
> a) The ABA recommends the adoption of channel 11 & subcode 22
> (11/22) to try to achieve a continent-wide standard.
>
> i) States/Provinces without a standard are encouraged to
> adopt 11/22 rather than coming up with their own
> conflicting standard.
>
> ii) States/Provinces with an existing standard other than
> 11/22 are encouraged to switch to the 11/22 standard.
>
> b) The FRS standard chosen by a state/province should be
> publicized through any FRS birding directories that are
> created, through any RBA transcripts for the region,
> and through any other relevant birding publications.
>
> 2) Radio communications on the standard channel/subcode
> should be limited to:
>
> a) Requests and reports about the location of
> rare and interesting birds.
>
> b) Coordination between birding groups/parties.
>
> Examples of acceptable communications:
> * "This is John Doe. Are there any birders here?"
> * "Where are you and what have you seen?"
> * "We're at Z. We saw a Y at X and a W at V."
> * "Has anybody seen the X?"
> * "I've relocated the X. It's at Z."
> * "The ABA tour is now leaving X and heading to Y."
> * "Let's meet on 10/22 to discuss lunch."
>
> Examples of unacceptable communications:
> * "So, he said..., then she said..."
> * "Did you watch the game last night?"
> * Any and all signals not made with human voice.
> * Any conversations not germane to the bird or location
> at hand.
>
> 3) Radio communications should be considerate of other birders,
> non-birders, and the birds.
>
> a) Radio users should be sensitive to the disturbance the
> volume of their radio and their speaking voice can have
> on others and adjust accordingly. In some situations it
> may be inappropriate to use FRS radios.
>
> b) When using a standard birding channel you are sharing the
> airways with other birders. If you need to converse
> frequently with people in your group, switch to a different
> channel/subcode.
>
> c) Radio communications should take into account the potential
> impact on birds and habitat. For general guidelines see the
> "ABA Code of Birding Ethics".
>
> 4) FRS radio feature recommendations:
>
> a) Radios with 14 channels and 38 subcodes
>
> b) No radios that have "over/roger" tones that can't be disabled.
> These tones should always be disabled when in the field.
>
> Frequently Asked Questions
> --------------------------
> 1) Q: What do I do if I have a radio that doesn't have 14 channels?
> A: Chances are that your radio will not be compatible with the
> 11/22 standard or other 14/38 compatible standards. You will
> have to purchase another radio if you wish to communicate with
> birders using these standards.
>
> 2) Q: What do I do if I have a radio without 38 subcodes?
> A: If you have a radio with the same channel as the local
> channel/subcode you will be able to listen in on communications
> from birders using the standard but you will not be able
> to send a transmission that they can hear.
>
> 3) Q: What do I do if non-birders are already using 11/22?
> A: Birders' use of 11/22 has no priority over non-birders' use
> if they are already using it when you arrive at a location.
> The best that can be done is to inform the non-birders that
> 11/22 is being used nationwide before switching your
> radio's subcode to 21, 20, etc.
>
> A suggested scenario is given below:
>
> Scenario:
> --------
> S1) Birder: Arrives at location, radio set at 11/22.
> "Hi this John Doe, any birders in the area?"
> S3) Non-birder:
> "Hey dude, we're already using this subcode!"
> S4) Birder: "(in a polite voice) Sorry, this is the subcode
> birders are using nationwide. We'll move to
> subcode 21. If other birders contact you can
> you tell them we're on code 21?"
> S5) Non-birder:
> a) "Sure. Thanks for moving." GOTO S6
> b) "Dude, get off our code." GOTO S7
> c) "That's too much trouble. It's easier
> for us to move."
> S6) Birder: "Can you also contact us on 21 when you leave
> so we can switch back to 11/22?"
> S7) Try subcodes 21, 20, etc. for a usable subcode, if it
> isn't 21 recontact Non-birder on 22 with update if they
> responded favorably above.
>
> 4) Q: What do I do if transmissions are being blocked by other
> users of channel 11 or by other interference?
> A: Switch to 10/22 and then 9/22 to see if those channels
> are usable.
>
> 5) Q: What do I do if I hear birders overusing the channel?
> A: By cooperating with the usage recommendations birders
> can make the standard channel as useful as possible.
> Unrelevant communications will cause people to switch
> channels or turn off their radios, limiting communication.
> The usage recommendations are not regulations to be
> enforced however. Birders should not take on the role of
> "channel police". Birders can make polite requests if
> they feel that the channel is being overused.
>
> A suggested scenario is given below:
>
> Scenario:
> --------
> Birder 1: Arrives at location and other birders are
> chitchatting away on 11/22.
> Birder 1: "Hi this is John Doe, are there any birders here?"
> Other Birders:
> Hopefully, realizing that others are listening,
> the other birders quit chitchatting.
> But if they persist...
> Birder 1: "(in a polite voice) Can you guys limit transmissions
> on 11/22 to bird sightings and location info, it's
> pretty noisy listening in on this end."
> If they persist, switch temporarily to subcode 21 or
> some other usable channel/subcode.
>
> 6) Q: Should 11/22 be used to coordinate birding groups (caravans,
> etc.)?
> A: Internal communications of a large group can easily overwhelm
> 11/22 and make it unusable for others. Large groups should
> choose a different channel/code for logistical discussions.
> Separate radios can be set to monitor and report interesting
> findings on 11/22, or radios with scanning features can be
> used to monitor both channels.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Birding Association's FRS Recommendations may
> be freely reproduced for distribution/dissemination. You
> can download a copy from:
> <http://americanbirding.org/resources/resfrs.htm>
> Please acknowledge the role of ABA in developing and promoting
> these recommendations with a link to the ABA website using
> the url <http://americanbirding.org>. Thank you.
>
> Jack Stephens
> Edmonds, WA
> jstephens62 at home.com
> Use FRS 11/22 for Pacific Northwest birding
>