Long Range Walkie Talkie

Long range walkie talkies are available in a variety of styles and prices depending on the number of features you want on your set.  For the longest time GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) was relatively expensive in relation to FRS (Family Radio Service) models.  FRS models can be had for around twenty to thirty dollars a pair with a charger while most GMRS radios start at twice that amount for one GMRS radio.  Several years ago that difference was about five to one instead of two to one.  Pricing has come down as the demand for long range walkie talkies has increased.

It will not be hard to find a long range walkie talkie in your local area.  Local outdoor sporting goods stores from camping stores to hunting and fishing stores to discount stores all carry long range walkie talkies now.  Major makers of these units include Motorola, Icom, Kenwood, Cobra, Uniden and Audiovox.  What makes a long range walkie talkie long range?  It all has to do with the out put power of the handset.  Anything less than one watt (1W) is considered FRS and is relegated to a certain band of frequencies.  GMRS radios for public and business use can have as high an output as five watts (5W).  This power output can give you a ten mile range in clear line of site territory.  This power will give you greater reach in populated (residential) areas and inside buildings.

Many of these models are used by fire fighters and disaster relief workers and have enhanced voice capabilities to allow them to be heard over the sounds of a fire or storm.  Many GMRS models are also constructed to be dust and waterproof for those occupations as well as to Mil Spec 810 C, D, E for armed forces use in the field.

Owners of GMRS radios are now required to obtain a personal license from the FCC to use these radios.  They operate on the UHF-FM band in the 450 to 470 MHz area and have twenty three distinct channels available for use.  Applications for the personal license can be downloaded from the FCC government website.  GMRS licenses cost $85 and are usually purchased by businesses using long range walkie talkies in the GMRS band for employee communications.  Combination FRS/GMRS radios have been sold over the last several years in blister packs at retail (30-50 million sets) and very few if any owners have purchased a GMRS license as required by the FCC.

Long Range Walkie Talkies Long Range Walkie Talkies