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FRS & GMRS Walkie Talkies

All Walkie Talkies are created equal, right? Wrong. They're not and neither are their transmitter services. There are two types of radio services: FRS and GMRS. Both can be used to stay in touch with the 'home base' when walking, biking, or visiting a friend. You can find them manufactured by Audiovox, Cobra, Kenwood, Sylvania, Cherokee, Garmin Rino, Midland and Uniden. But there are differences, and those come into play depending on what your intended use will be. Shall we explore?

FRS stands for the Family Radio Service, which is a series of 14 channels in the 462 and 467 MHz range set aside by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use by sportsmen and their families, free of interference from business and government agencies. These radios are usually compact, use little power, and are ideal for communicating when hunting, camping, or the like. FRS band radios require no special license by the FCC to use, and depending on the terrain, you can achieve a range of up to two miles. This radio is great for casual conversation such as for hikers, families and friends.

GMRS is an acronym for the General Mobile Radio Service, which is a series of specific frequencies in the 462 MHz range set up by the FCC. Again, it depends on terrain, but these radios can have a much broader range for talk, extending up to five miles. While a bit larger than an FRS Walkie Talkie, GMRS radios will give you increased range in a unit that you can virtually take anywhere. One thing to note, however, is that to be able to use the 10 available channels on the GMRS band, you must obtain a license from the FCC. But besides that, the main difference here is that this service allows you to discuss your personal business or commercial activity. This is not your typical hobby radio. This is intended for purposeful communications only.

No matter if you choose Uniden, Sylvania or Midland, Kenwood, Garmin Rino or Cobra, or even Cherokee or Audiovox, they'll all be dependent on Watts to transmit your signal. Keep in mind that most FRS radios are limited to 0.5 Watts, while GMRS radios are often limited to 2 Watts, yet some models can have up to 5. Happy chatting!