FRS two-way radios are a perfect way to communicate with your family or friends if you are in an area where cell phones or land lines will not work. For instance, when you are on a camping trip with your family and the kids go into the woods for a hike, you can give them one of the walkie talkies and you keep the other. You can check on them or they can contact you if there is any problem. An FRS radio is also great for communicating with the rest of your group when you are on a ski trip, boating, or canoeing. There is no charge for air time, no monthly contract, and no per call fee, so FRS walkie talkies are very economical to use. They are also a bargain to buy.
There are many walkie talkies that are made by large companies who specialize in electronics and radios. Their FRS radio features, such as range, battery life, size, price, and audio quality vary among the models. Some of these companies are Motorola, Kenwood, Midland, Cobra, and Uniden.
The Motorola Talkabout MR30R walkie talkies have a range of up to 35 miles and can be used for Family Radio Service. They can be operated with gloves on because the buttons are very large, yet the walkie talkies are fairly compact. You can access government weather stations, emergency alert channels, and there are 20 call tones. Motorola has added a built-in LED flashlight to each device along with a power boost. Each one uses rechargeable AA batteries. A set of Talkabout walkie talkies sells for less than $60.00.
The Uniden FRS radio features up to an 18 mile range and uses nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries. These walkie talkies have an LCD display battery strength indicator, a belt clip, dual charging base, and it is sold with the rechargeable batteries included. They are available at online websites.
Cobra also makes an inexpensive pair of walkie talkies that can be purchased for around $25. They have a maximum range of around 16 miles. Features include a call alert, a battery saver, and an indicator that the battery is low.
There are also more expensive models available with unique FRS radio features. Kenwood manufactures the FreeTalk that has an Auto Channel Select that finds a channel that is vacant and locks onto it. This feature would be very helpful to the person who uses the walkie talkies frequently. It is designed for short-range use of up to two miles, and batteries last for around 36 hours. Other features include a low battery indicator, optional case, headset, and microphone, and clip. This set sells for around $159.00.
Motorola also sells a high-end FRS radio set with many features at $209.00. It uses a lithium ion battery and can reach from the first floor of a building up to the 20th floor with battery life of about 12 hours. These walkie talkies would be appropriate for any sport or activity that involves water because they are water resistant. Dropping them into the snow or a lake would not destroy or hurt them. In fact, they are so durable that they meet military specifications for adverse conditions like wind, shock, and vibration. A one year warranty is another one of the FRS radio features of this set.