[vasi]

I carry a Motorola FRS /GMRS radio in my pack for all my solo trips. In the open point to point range is 20 miles. In the woods and hills maybe 2-3 miles. I figure if I get lost the search party should get within a few miles of my location and should be able to communicate. I leave a trip report with my wife that has the frequency information. You could communicate with a helicopter in visual range at least 10 miles away. In areas where from the air you would never be seen the radio could make the difference in surviving.

[boot up]

Don't forget to leave your channel and code! Good idea, even if the range is really only a couple of miles. I JUST picked up a $50 set of "20 mile range" Cobra LI6500, but my motivation is to allow a couple of people with different pacing needs to still get the safety effect of the buddy system without driving each other crazy with different pacing. Now if one I can convince the slow climbers that its a good idea to carry the weight and turn them ON....sigh. Gonna have to leave them in the dust a couple times to drive home the point, I suppose. Of course they leave ME in the dust on the downhill so overall it averages out. Its sort of fun connecting with another group for safety, which we have done when a couple people wanted to go bushwacking and others of us wanted to stick to the trail.

[Malachai Constant]

I got 20 mi. of of a set (once) when I well up Grand Teton and my family was in Jackson. Not really a fair test though if you are in one gully and the search party is in the next drainage

[croc]

i use one-way radio when hunting zeebas because it cheeper than the two-ways version. hello. heelllo? is this thing on, evun?

[Snow_Knot]

Anything is better than nothing I guess. Just as long as people remmember that FRS/GMRS ( you do have your license for the GMRS freq's right?) is very limited in the range, and amount of power it puts out. Just treat it like another secondary tool to leaving a detailed trip plan behind for other's to follow. I packed around a little FRS/GMRS and would leave it on scan when I was in SAR..... Never once got a hit, in fact never once did I find anyone after that had a FRS/GMRS radio with them. ( funny cause it seems that everyone and their dog has one on the hike up Wallace Falls). Now that I dispatch, I can say that I have taken several calls of lost/inj persons on the trails, or in the hills with their cellphones being able to at least get through.... I just seems that everyone has little to no batt power left. Now, in NO WAY am I saying that FRS/GMRS is a waste to pack, just dont depend on it. I would push you into getting your HAM radio ticket ( It really is not that hard anymore) and going for a duel band radio that is hooked up with the repeaters in the area. I almost go nowhere that I cant hit a repeater ( I may have to climb up a little bit, but thats the way it goes sometimes) at least you can extend your range by a huge amount.

[RodF]

[Criminal]

[Snow_Knot]

[Mike Collins]

I recently purchased a product called SPOT Satellite Messenger. It is sold at REI and Joe's. The device weighs less than 8 oz and offers three push button options. One sends a message (to a chosen email address)that you are OK. Another sends a message (to a chosen email address) to Send Help. The third is a 911 button. They will contact the emergency responders for the GPS location. The device costs $150 but requires a support fee of $100 a year. The benefits are several. For whatever reason sometimes you are late getting back from an outing. The "I'm OK" button will allay any worrying of family/friends. I was on a climb of Triumph last year where the "Send help" button might have been useful. Our double rope rappel snagged and we couldn't retrieve the rope. Sending a message for help would have brought the rope without using the 911 emergency button. The 911 option is just for the reason of medical emergency. I haven't received the SPOT product yet as I bought it on-line. It works anywhere in Canada, the US, and Mexico. I will let you know how the shake down cruise goes for it.

[GeoHiker]

Mike, you'll have to keep us up to date on how you like the SPOT. Coasty is doing a product review and so far I haven't seen anything about how well it works or any specifics. I would second the advice on getting your Ham ticket. It's very easy to do and you won't have a subscription fee to pay. Many of the repeaters have access to a phone line that you can activate if needed. There's a broad network of repeaters that cover most of the state, so coverage is excellent.

[Snow_Knot]

SPOT hummm.... Edited out my rant I would not trust that to save my bacon. Another tool, COOL!... I like toys, but I would trust that much more if It had an emergency voice feature for the 9-1-1 part. Just keep in mind that as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I am not allowed to Guarantee that help will arrive, I can only tell you that I will pass on the information I get to someone else. If all I get is a GPS grid out in BFE, from a 3rd hand party with no details... You may only get the local deputy to roll by a trail head to see if your car is in the area, and try and put it in action from there. That could be a huge delay.... something with Voice contact will always paint a better picture of the situation.

[Nisquaww]

Walk more yha shmucks. No piece of electrono- bullshiit necessary "I carry" wits about my limbs and limitations

[Snow_Knot]

[Nisquaww]

So lets jump off this bridge here... Me first?

[Snow_Knot]