[FedCom] Hobbyists Availability for Future FRS Radio PotentialEmergency Air/Ground Transmissions Study?

[Ken]

Hello Gary & the group:

Thanks for your comments.

I think since the Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) are relatively new, their 
position in the marketing product life cycle (Introduction, Growth, 
Maturity, & Decline) - it is still at Introduction/Growth, still warrants a 
high price.  I totally agree with you that this is the BEST method for being 
found BUT at this point still is a one way communications device.  I'd still 
pack my little FRS radio with me!

I know that Civil Air Patrol is now allowing their search teams to carry FRS 
radios to communicate with potential victims.  Others will follow IF it 
takes off.   I don't see the FRS manufacturers getting on the band wagon for 
calling FRS#1 an emergency help channel, at best it will defined as a 
calling channel.   BUT I just have to wonder how long it's going to be 
before the various states consumer departments and perhaps the FTC put some 
pressure on the ones that are claiming, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 miles 
communications range.   See 'Popular Communications' magazine editorial at: 
http://www.popular-communications.com/Dec06Highlightsblank.html

Hey about 2 1/2 hours back I monitored some activity on FRS Channel 1, 
someone in the neighborhood was telling the kids to get to bed since Santa 
Claus would be coming tomorrow.  Needless to say I couldn't resist giving a 
HO HO HO over the air and reminding the kids that they better nice cause SC 
was monitoring whether they were being naughty or nice!!!


Ken



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gary" <lists at lazygranch.com>
To: "Discussion of Federal Government Communications" 
<fedcom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 11:38 PM
Subject: Re: [FedCom] Hobbyists Availability for Future FRS Radio 
PotentialEmergency Air/Ground Transmissions Study?


> It's not a bad idea, but the FRS manufacturers will have to dream up some 
> legalize to get them out of the loop. Nobody wants to be sued because the 
> FRS they sold failed in the field and there was loss of life.
>
> I'd be interested in finding out what keeps the cost of EPIRB so high. 
> That seems like a better solution, though you would probably find yahoos 
> firing off their EPIRB when out of gas, with a flat, etc.
..snip..snip..