Anne,

FRS radios are what most folks use. Birders seem to standardize on channel
11 with the code set to 22. There are many manufacturers of these units but
Motorola is the 800 pound gorilla. The better Motorola units are usually
robust, reliable, and do the job well. Costco, Best Buy, Magnolia HiFi,
REI, and others are a good place to look. I have a couple Kenwood models
and like them very much. The only negative comment I would have about them
is that one can change the channel and/or code easily by mistake. The
Motorola units seem to be better in this regard.

Here is a web link to the radio page at REI.
HYPERLINK
"http://www.rei.com/online/store/Search?originalTextQuery=radiotoc&cm_re=toc
*8*radio&langId=-1&query=radio&link=1&cat=4500616%2C4500615%2C4500600&text=1
&noheader=1&storeId=8000&vcat=REI_SSHP_GPS_TOC"http://www.rei.com/online/sto
re/Search?originalTextQuery=radiotoc&cm_re=toc*8*radio&langId=-1&query=radio
&link=1&cat=4500616%2C4500615%2C4500600&text=1&noheader=1&storeId=8000&vcat=
REI_SSHP_GPS_TOC
Be sure to get the entire link if you click it. Also, some of the
rechargeable units use nickel cadmium (NiCad) batteries. NiCads need a
little TLC when it comes to recharging. If you get such a unit, be sure the
battery is almost out of juice before recharging. Failure to do so may
result in shortened battery life.


The above should be all you need but I've included a bit more information
below if you wish more technical information.



The radios you mention are either for the Family Radio Service (FRS) and/or
the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). FRS units do not require an FCC
license while the GMRS units do. The FRS units are limited to very low
power and must be used as manufactured. You may not legally change the
antenna in any way and may not use a power amplifier. FRS has relatively
short range, a few hundred yards to a couple miles depending on where you
are. The FRS units should cover the entire Nisqually area with no trouble.
GMRS units may use higher power and uses other frequencies which FRS may not
use. GMRS may also be used through a GMRS radio repeater which, if located
on a mountain top, allows the unit to transmit much further, several miles
up to 10s of miles. Both FRS and GMRS share a few channels and may
communicate with each other on those shared channels. Both services use
discrete radio frequencies (channels) and any of 38 tones. The tones are
referred to as codes but, in fact, encode nothing. The codes are used in
both the transmitter and receiver of the units, almost all of which are hand
held as opposed to mobile units like CBs. The receivers use a quieting
technique called tone coded squelch. With tone coded squelch the audio
output of the receiver is squelched (silenced) until it hears a unit on the
same channel with the same code.

Doug Hudson
Bremerton WA
dhudson at silverlink.net



Subject: [Tweeters] radios



I want to get a couple of the rdios that you all use to communicate back and
forth on. It seems like most use Motorola, but are there any preferred
models?

Thanks,

Anne Kahle,

Castle Rock



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