Radio

Radios have their place as safety gear.  They key is NOT depending on them to work.  When setting up plans, do so assuming that your radios won't work.  If you make plans that will work without a functioning radio, your radios will work great to enhance your outing. 

Radio Recommendations

Radio science and tech can get pretty geeky.  Here are a some basic recommendations to get you started. 

Hiking, Camping and Generally Everything Else UHF Radio

• Motorola T600

  • Waterproof FRS radio with good range

  • IP67 waterproofing (immersion 1-meter)

    • Can be used for canoeing

• Rockie-Talkie

  • Waterproof FRS radio - considered the best outdoor radio

  • IP56 Weather Resistant

    • Not for canoe use

  • Expensive (get single radio for price of pair)

• Rockie-Talkie GMRS

  • Top end option: WAY more radio than you will likely need

  • GMRS radio with OVERKILL wattage

  • Requires License to operate

    • See GMRS License 

  • IP67 waterproofing (immersion 1-meter)

    • Can be used for canoeing

  • Use by some our Medical Scoutmaster

Marine VHF Radio

Can ONLY be used for Marine use without a license.

• Cobra MR HH350

  • 6 Watt

  • JIS7/IPX7 rated Submersible

  • Floats

UHF vs VHF 

The most common radios used in the outdoors are UHF and VHF radios.  UHF does a much better job of penetrating through concrete and forests.  VHF is better for long distances in open areas, like water. 

UHF

• Better in woods and in urban environment

• This is what we primarily use for radio communication

• 300-3,000 MHz

  • FRS and GMRS 22 channels on 462-467 MHz

    • Max 0.5 watts Channels 8-14 

    • FRS Max: 2 watts Channels 1-7 and 15-22 

    • GMRS Max: 5 watts Channels 1-7 and 15-22 

• Better in urban areas - will penetrate through walls

• Dedicated channels that aren’t interfered with by radio, tv, or mobile phones like CB and VHF radios

CB

• 40 channels near 27 MHz 

• About a 5-mile range

• Once very popular in the 1970s and 1980s

• Fell out of favor with introduction of Cell phones and FRS radios

• Still used by truckers

• Suffers from signal interference from radios, mobile phones, and TVs

Multi-Use Radio Service

• 5 Channels 151.82-154.60 MHz 

• VHF band - use without a license

• Used by Costco and Walmart

• Max 2 Watts

Ham Radio

• Very capable communication

  • Can communicate globally 

• NOT legal to communicate with FRS (due to detachable antenna and power output)

• Requires license and passing a test

• Very complex to use - don't let hobbyist fool you

UHF Radios

This is what we primarily use for radio communication.

There are two main types of two-way radios used it the outdoors:

Cross Compatibility

Transmission signals and channel numbers can vary from brand to brand.  With a bit, or sometimes a LOT, of fussing, you can get different radios to talk to each other.  Ideally, you should use radios of the same brand. 

VHF does NOT talk to UHF.

Emergency Channels 

UHF

• None of the FRS channels are assigned for the exclusive use of any user

  • NO emergency channel

VHF

• Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) VHF-FM 

  • Designated by FCC as the national distress, safety and calling frequency

• Channel 09 

  • FCC has designated Channel 09 as a recreational calling channel in order to eliminate congestion on Channel 16 

  • Initial NON emergency calls here

  • United States Coast Guard does NOT monitor Channel 09 VHF-FM for distress calls

• Channel 22 

  • Most common working channel for USCG in the event of an emergency.

  • Initiate call on Channel 16

CB

• Channel 9

  • Emergency use

• Channel 17 and 19

  • Used by trucker to report road conditions

  • 17 is often used by drivers going north or south

  • 19 is often used by drivers going east or west

License Required?

Use of certain radios requires an appropriate license. 

Anyone found operating a radio station without FCC authorization can be subject to a variety of enforcement actions, including seizure of equipment, fines and other civil and criminal penalties (Source). 

Family Radio Service (FRS) Radios

• License NOT required

General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) Radios

• License Required

  • You don't have to take a test for your license - just pay the money

  • Licensed to family - so only one license needed per family

• Will share same channels as FRS, but transmit at higher wattage

• See our GMRS License Page

Hybrid FRS/GMRS Radios

• License Required

• Exception:

  • Radio is certified for FRS

  • When using FRS channels at FRS certified wattage

    • 0.5 Watts Channels 8-14

    • 2 Watts Channels 1-7 and 15-22

VHF Marine Radios

• License Required 

  • Those traveling to or broadcasting in a foreign port (including Canada, Bahamas, Caribbean)

  • Those with boats 65 feet or longer

  • Navigation (vessels to bridges, etc.)

  • Those using single sideband radios or Inmarsat equipment

  • Commercial vessels

• Exception:

  • When used on a recreational vessel limited to domestic voyages

  • Telecommunications Act of 1996 permits recreational boaters to have and use a VHF marine radio, EPIRB, and marine radar without having an FCC ship station license (Source)

Multi-Use Radio Service

• License NOT required

CB

• License NOT required

Ham Radio

• License and passing a test required

Emergency Use without a License

• Use the following information at your own risk (not legal advice)

• PART 97—Amateur Radio Service Rules (Ham Radio)

  • § 97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.

    • No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.

  • § 97.405 Station in distress.

    • (a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.

    • (b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a) of this section, of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a station in distress. 

• Part 90 - Private Land Mobile Service two-way radio bands

  • Among these are Public Safety Frequencies (Police, Fire etc.)

  • 97.403 and 97.405 do NOT apply to Part 90 regulations 

  • People have been prosecuted for using these frequencies for emergencies

• Part 95 Personal Radio Services (FRS, GMRS and CB)

  • 97.403 and 97.405 do NOT apply to Part 95 regulations 

  • § 95.143 Managing a GMRS system in an emergency.

    • a) The stations in a GMRS system must cease transmitting when the station operator of any station on the same channel is communicating an emergency message (concerning the immediate protection of property or the safety of someone's life).

    • (b) If necessary to communicate an emergency message from a station in a GMRS system, the licensee may permit:

      • (1) Anyone to be the station operator (see §95.179); and

      • (2) The station operator to communicate the emergency message to any radio station.

Rocky Talkie FRS Radio

A UHF FRS "Walkie Talkie" designed for outdoor use.  This is a bit more rugged than other FRS radios and seems to work quite well.  It is limited to 2 Watts, making it legal for anyone to use.

This radio does NOT have NOAA weather channels, supposedly to keep the size and weight down. 

Rocky Talkie 5 Watt GMRS Radio

5-watt GMRS version or Rocky Talkie.   

This radio requires a GMRS license to use. 

This is an excellent radio and allows you to communicate with various FRS and GMRS radios that are out there.  These work great for the WSAP course and you can easily communicate between the campsites and the parking lot using 0.5W. 

BTech GMRS Pro

A GRMS radio requires a GMRS license, which is easy enough to get and a single licensee allows you to use GMRS radios with other family members. 

This is a great outing radio if you are looking for a radio with higher wattage and want an FCC legal radio without having to get a Ham radio license.  It is heavier than a basic FRS radio and requires some geeky setup to get it up and running. 

Since publication of this page, the 5-Watt Rocky Talkie has become available.  The Rocky Talkie is considered a better radio for wilderness use and is comparably priced (not including Pro Deal).