Yes, yes I have.

  • FRS radios may be used in the United States without a license but are limited to devices with poor fixed antennas and low power output (500 mW)
  • GMRS radios can use better antennas and far more power (1000 mW is common in handhelds with a 50 W maximum for the service) but require a license
  • GMRS licenses are easy to acquire without an exam but they're not cheap ($85 for five years)
  • You may legally use one GMRS license for you and your immediate family
  • My experience has been that FRS radios can get about a mile of range under ideal conditions, with FRS/GMRS hybrid radios getting perhaps two miles
  • GMRS only radios can have significantly better range and power
  • Amateur radio handhelds can have much better range and are very versatile, but require a license exam
  • With a repeater, an amateur radio handheld can have a 20+ mile range or even around the world if the repeater uses IRLP
  • The weak link of any handheld radio is its batteries
  • A great radio is worthless if its rechargeable battery goes dead and can't be economically replaced
  • I've lost the use of some great radios when their batteries went bad and couldn't be replaced economically
  • Using a handheld radio that takes AA or AAA batteries means that you can use easily replaced rechargeables or primaries without worry that the radio's lifespan will be limited to its battery pack
  • Motorola makes great handheld radios
  • Consumer radio range claims are unadulterated hype