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Radios that are able to work on FRS

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Maxx102

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Hello, forgive my naivete on this subject but I am looking for a radio that would be able to change FRS channels by a channel selection knob instead of pushing channel selection buttons. The main reason why I am asking is because my paintball team uses radios when we are playing and channel selection knobs would make it easier for us to switch channels without having to remove the radio from my holder.

I have a few friends who are hams and they tell me it maybe possible program a radio like the Puxing PX-777 but I don't know if that would be legal or not.

This one looks fancy and durable but again, I am not sure if it would work or legal....

Wouxun KG-UV8D Dual Band 999 Channel Handheld Amateur Radio [KG-UV8D] - $149.99

Again, sorry if this is a novice question....the only radios I am used to working with are FRS, CB, and business radios that were licensed and programmed for work.
 

robertmac

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To be brief as this has been discussed on a number of threads, not legal. It is a ham radio with a removable antenna.
 

teufler

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First there are radio that have knobs for channel changing, but as reported they are illegal for FRS, not to say they will not work, just the rules. Now this is not a bad thing because in a "war" like environment, a knob can be rotated at a time that you do not want th change channels. Second, some radios , with a control knob have a function that locks the radio to a channel. If you are going to change, you have to remove the radio to hit the function keys anyway. So no matter top knob or buttons, the radio will be removed from a holster. FRS specific radios havve short fixed length, very sturdy antennas, which in a "war like" environment is what you want. If you had a radio that had an antenna that unscrewed, you could be screwed at the wrong time with the antenna falling off. Most of the non specific frs radios have longer antennas and that will become a wire that will hinder your movements. I have several sets of FRS radios, though my favorite in a high environment are the Kenwood UBZ-LH14 Units. They have all the options but there are a couple that are unique. You can set the radio to frequency hop and voice scramble. This means in a "war" environment, you can put all the groups radio in the frequency hopping mode. When one radio keys up, that one send a signal that the others in the group key on and the group will say is on channel 1. Maybe the next tranmission, the radios key on channel 9. The radio detects any conversation on any channel and avoids that channel if the radio is not part of the group. Then you can further go to voice scramble. If the enemy is listening, they get frustrated because you are jumping all around and they can not understand you either. These two features , I can not find in ham type radios, or most business radios. Yaesu made a vx-10 that had voice scramble. It was small, very heavy, solidily built but it did not have frequency hopping ability.
The FRS designed radios arfe bettter in a war like use.
 

wa1nic

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ICOM F21GM will do that. I dont know if that model is still made but you should be able to find a used one.

The F21 (without GM) is the same radio as far as I can tell, and it is in production still, but it does not come pre-programmed for GMRS specifically. You would have to program the GMRS frequencies into it.

Be aware that that covering 16 channels with a rotary know makes for very little movement between channels so changing channels quickly without looking can be difficult.

There is also the F-11, which is only two channels with a simple toggle switch. If you can get by with only programming two channels into it, that might be a better choice.
 

Project25_MASTR

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ICOM F21GM will do that. I dont know if that model is still made but you should be able to find a used one.

The F21 (without GM) is the same radio as far as I can tell, and it is in production still, but it does not come pre-programmed for GMRS specifically. You would have to program the GMRS frequencies into it.

Be aware that that covering 16 channels with a rotary know makes for very little movement between channels so changing channels quickly without looking can be difficult.

There is also the F-11, which is only two channels with a simple toggle switch. If you can get by with only programming two channels into it, that might be a better choice.

You're a bit off. The F21 is no longer made. It is type accepted for Part 90/95A applications. It is not accepted for FRS (nor does the GM variant come programmed for FRS). The F11 is not a two channel radio…it is the VHF version of the F21. Icom produced 4 different versions of the F11 series radios…a GMRS version that could be programmed in the field (F21GM), a 2 channel version (later renamed to F11BR or F21BR), a 4 channel version and the standard 16 channel version. With the F21GM, you can change tones and repeater settings in the F11 software and you can also hard program the radio for Part 90 application.

I have a few friends who paintball and have radio comms…they all have GMRS licenses, take a couple of GMRS repeaters with them, and never have a problem.
 

wa1nic

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W5PKY, I just checked and you are right, the F21 is no longer being made either.

It appears that it has been replaced by the F24 / F24S. The F24 has a rotary 16 channel switch, and the F24S has the 2 channel toggle switch. Heck if I know what is different between the F21 and the F24, although it seems that variations of the other newer models seem to magically have the WFM mode dropped on versions made after the rebanding initiative went into effect. I dont quite know about the F21/F24 though.

I didn't know for a fact that the F21GM could be programmed with the F11 software (although I did suspect it). So, the F21GM is just an F21 that has GMRS channels pre-programmed into it, and that can all be changed with the F11 cloning software then?

Rick
 

Elfnetdesigns

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FRS is easy:
They MUST NOT have a removable antenna
They MUST NOT exceed 1/2 watt TX power

So the Chinese radios are like said a ham radio but NOT for FRS use
Also the swarms of Commercial radios on ebay are also not legal to use on FRS either.

NOW the Chinese DO make a few models of radio that have internal or non removable antennas but those are not legal for FRS because the exceed 1/2 watt.
 

gewecke

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Do a search for the Motorola talkabout, model; T7200
It does have simple up/down buttons to change channels which can be used without removing the radio from your belt. It also has scrambling option.

It hasn't been sold new for several years but they can still be found, if you look. ;)

73,
n9zas
 

Project25_MASTR

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W5PKY, I just checked and you are right, the F21 is no longer being made either.

It appears that it has been replaced by the F24 / F24S. The F24 has a rotary 16 channel switch, and the F24S has the 2 channel toggle switch. Heck if I know what is different between the F21 and the F24, although it seems that variations of the other newer models seem to magically have the WFM mode dropped on versions made after the rebanding initiative went into effect. I dont quite know about the F21/F24 though.

I didn't know for a fact that the F21GM could be programmed with the F11 software (although I did suspect it). So, the F21GM is just an F21 that has GMRS channels pre-programmed into it, and that can all be changed with the F11 cloning software then?

Rick

Yes and no. You can read/write the tones, adjust squelch threshold, narrow/wide (why they even left it an option for fpp on a wideband service I don't know), default power per channel and whether or not to use the split. Now, if one wanted to change the frequencies I see to remember having to do that in Makers Reserved or Manufacture mode (its the same thing in that particular CS). However, it may behave exactly like a regular F21 at that point but it can default back to GMRS if it is accidentally started in FPP mode.

You may be able to re-flash the firmware (that is the only thing that separates a 21 from a GM) but 21's are generally easier to find than GMs are so you might just go from there.
 
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