>>2835265A FRS radio is actually fine for reaching people outside of yelling distance, JUST SO LONG AS, you research and buy a FRS radio that actually puts out the FULL 2 WATTS as allowed by the FCC.
Radio nerds will talk shit about FRS radios because of them being weak and low quality and "hurr hurr I paid the gubberment for a GMRS permission slip so I can use 5 watts instead of two watts" but for talking to people around you but outside of shouting distance, a 2 watt FRS radio is fine.
The only actual issue is that there are shitloads of crap FRS radios you can buy that only output 0.2 watts but then have a 'high power mode' which is just 0.5 watts. And the box doesn't mention it at all. Plus the antenna is made of shit metal that can't receive good either.
I regularly carry a Motorola Talk about 478 on every mountain hike and island hike and river trip. I've been able to talk to other groups or friends at base camp or friends up river just fine. Whatever metal the antenna is made out of is FANTASTIC because it can receive far off signals that it really should not be able to. If I put it in my window on scan mode I can hear GMRS guys on repeaters talking all the time, and I frequently hear a large daycare and construction workers talking all around me. It also has a FM radio and NOAA radio so it's nearly perfect.
In Maine during snowstorms and floods and power outages, it's been normal since 1998 for people people in neighborhoods to all just hop on channel 3 to start checking on each other. People driving around on sleds would also use FRS radios on channel 3.
Everybody loves to shit on FRS but if you're looking to talk to people around you then it's really just fine. But ONLY if you buy a FRS radio that outputs the full 2 watts of power. If you buy a shitty one then yes you will have a shitty experience. I think my Motorola Talkabout 478 is great but the best FRS on the market is the Rocky Talky Mountain Radio.
