Hi folks,
If you're planning to do the Biosphere/Old Tucson tour or the Kartchner Caverns drive, please consider bringing along an FRS radio. It was pretty obvious from the last couple of events that radios make the experience much more enjoyable and fun. In the past we have rented NSX club radios, but I think we should go with FRS due to the following reasons:
Cheap - for the cost of 2-3 rentals, you can own a basic 2-way radio, and not have to deal with the hassles of renting.
Batteries - the Motorola models (preferred) take common AAs, so you can pick up new ones anywhere should you run out of juice. The FRS radios are lower powered than commercial two-way radios, so the batteries last a long time. I had rechargeable NiMH AA cells in my radio during the Salt River Canyon drive, and they were still at full charge at the end of the day.
Compatibility - FRS radios are used by other car clubs (including the S2k club), so they'll come in handy when we do combined group events.
Availability - they are sold everywhere, and you can usually find them on sale every week. I've even done some homework for you; below are the results of my search this week (in no particular order). I only searched for Motorola models, due to potential compatibility issues. If you have other brands already, go ahead and bring them, but if you haven't bought one yet I recommend you stick with Motorola.
Costco - 5950 pack for $59.99 ($15 mail-in rebate available from Motorola)
Costco - 5710 pack for $49.99 (incl. charger, batts, earbuds)
Sam's Club - 5950 pack for $59.87 ($15 mail-in rebate available from Motorola)
Best Buy - T5720 for $39.99 (free earbud)
Amazon - T5620 for $29.99 (free shipping)
Amazon - Step up to the T5820 for $35.80 (free shipping)
Thank you, and see you at the next event!
If you're planning to do the Biosphere/Old Tucson tour or the Kartchner Caverns drive, please consider bringing along an FRS radio. It was pretty obvious from the last couple of events that radios make the experience much more enjoyable and fun. In the past we have rented NSX club radios, but I think we should go with FRS due to the following reasons:
Cheap - for the cost of 2-3 rentals, you can own a basic 2-way radio, and not have to deal with the hassles of renting.
Batteries - the Motorola models (preferred) take common AAs, so you can pick up new ones anywhere should you run out of juice. The FRS radios are lower powered than commercial two-way radios, so the batteries last a long time. I had rechargeable NiMH AA cells in my radio during the Salt River Canyon drive, and they were still at full charge at the end of the day.
Compatibility - FRS radios are used by other car clubs (including the S2k club), so they'll come in handy when we do combined group events.
Availability - they are sold everywhere, and you can usually find them on sale every week. I've even done some homework for you; below are the results of my search this week (in no particular order). I only searched for Motorola models, due to potential compatibility issues. If you have other brands already, go ahead and bring them, but if you haven't bought one yet I recommend you stick with Motorola.
Costco - 5950 pack for $59.99 ($15 mail-in rebate available from Motorola)
Costco - 5710 pack for $49.99 (incl. charger, batts, earbuds)
Sam's Club - 5950 pack for $59.87 ($15 mail-in rebate available from Motorola)
Best Buy - T5720 for $39.99 (free earbud)
Amazon - T5620 for $29.99 (free shipping)
Amazon - Step up to the T5820 for $35.80 (free shipping)
Thank you, and see you at the next event!
