Family and Friends

As boaters we are known for our active lifestyles, so no one can call us "couch potatoes." "L-shaped lounge potatoes," maybe. But couch, no. Because in addition to the cruising, diving, fishing, and water skiing we do, we're also more likely be snow skiers, hikers, campers, and outdoors people than the real couch potatoes we all know. In recognizing the growing numbers of people who enjoy the outdoors--and a group's need to stay in touch with each other--Radio Shack petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in June of 1995 "...to establish a very short distance, unlicensed, two-way voice personal radio service called the Family Radio Service (FRS)," according to the FCC. Motorola Corporation was also involved in supporting this new radio service, and after the comment period ended, the FCC agreed with Radio Shack's petition and authorized the creation of FRS. Today, we are seeing FRS radios coming to market on a wide-scale basis.

For boaters, the FRS is a significant new development in short-range communications. In approving the new service, the FCC said, "We envisioned the FRS as facilitating activities around the house, throughout the neighborhood, at group outings, and at activities where group members became separated, either planned or inadvertently." But according to David Kingsolver, director of engineering at Midland Consumer Radio, "People are finding ever-expanding uses for FRS, and it may now be used in many of those boating situations where people were using handheld VHF radios illegally."

Essentially, an FRS radio is a compact, low-power (0.5 watt) personal radio with a range on land of two to three miles, and up to 15 miles over water according to Kingsolver. The obvious use for boaters is mothership-to-dinghy communications or when small boats are fishing as a group, but Kingsolver sees applications at marinas, boat ramps, and even aboard megayachts when crewmembers need to communicate during docking operations.

The new FRS radios have many advantages over walkie-talkies, handheld VHFs, and CB radios. First of all, they're not toys--they're professional-grade radios, some with the same high-end features we've seen in VHF radios such as selectable scan. Next, there are no FCC licensing requirements or user fees involved. Third, Kingsolver says, "The big advantage they have over CB radios is they're virtually free from interference. They're not affected by electrical noise from power lines, electric motors, or fluorescent lights, and that's because they operate in the 462- to 467-mHz UHF range, which is well above most electrical-noise sources." And finally, they're very affordable, with list prices ranging from $150 to $175 on average.

A typical FRS radio has 14 channels, and you and your companion(s) can talk on any one of them. But because FRS use is expected to boom in the coming months, anyone else on the same channel nearby can easily "step on" your conversations. So to avoid channel overcrowding, Midland's 75-710 FRS radio has 38 privacy codes within each channel, effectively creating 532 different frequencies from which to choose. So as long as you and your companions agree on a channel and code before you separate, you can talk all day long in privacy. Other advanced features of the Midland FRS radio include automatic squelch, all-channel and select-channel scan, a time-out feature that will turn off the radio if it's inactive for three hours, and automatic power-save mode. Kingsolver says the radio comes standard with Nicad batteries and charger (a $30 option on some other radios), and "the radio will last a full day on one charge--you can transmit continuously for three hours before recharging." The radio will also run on AA alkaline batteries, and available options include a lapel-mounted speaker microphone and an earphone for those times when you need extra-quiet or private communications (read: bonefishing).

ICOM is also climbing aboard the FRS bandwagon, and plans to introduce its new 4008A early this year pending FCC approval. This radio will also have 14 channels/38 privacy codes, and it will be built to a JIS-5 level of water-resistance. In addition, it has several new features not found on any VHF radio. A "call-ring" feature will send a tone to another radio so the receiving party knows you want to talk, and ten different rings are available so anyone in the group can have his/her own identifying ring. A "Smart-Ring" function checks for other members of your group within range, and an "Automatic Transponder" function checks for another ICOM radio listening in its range.

The reason for these hide-and-seek-type features is simple: Whether you're skiing on the slopes or jet-biking through the mangroves, the primary function of the FRS is to keep families and friends in touch--cheaply, and without restrictive licenses. In addition, it offers the best kind of insurance since anyone can easily call for help. And though it won't broadcast a MAYDAY or link you to a marine operator, it will keep everyone in your group appraised of the situation--from "I ran out of gas," to "Come back to the boat for dinner." Not only that, but since you can legally use an FRS radio on land, you might use it to keep track of your wife as she roams the aisles at Home Depot. But on second thought, only a couch potato would do something like that.