The La Mesa club at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum

uses frs radios.  You can pick them up for a reasonable price from Radio Shack, perhaps from other electronics retailers.  They can be used without an FCC license on the lower channels.  I think use on the higher channels (above 9 or 12 I don't remember for sure) require an FCC license, but I don't know how they check.  The downside is that you might pick up chatter from other users nearby, but that is probably true of any radio you would use. 

Tbe BC&SJ uses FRS band

Tbe BC&SJ uses FRS band two-way radios (usually with headsets - mike and earphone).

Charlie

Thanks guys for the

Thanks guys for the responses! What brand and model of FRS radio's do you use and/or recommend?

Thanks,

Colin

FRS Radios

The better models of these radios have codes you can set to avoid chatter from other radios that may be in your area.

I have a good pair of Cobra radios with the codes and many features like VOX hands-free.  Bought a set of cheaper Audiovox radios for my kids.  The Cobra's are much better with regards to range, we found.  Probably not an issue for operations though.

Motorola makes several models

Motorola makes several models of FRS; I got mine from REI.com on sale. Many of the big-box stores and sporting goods outlets have them.

Say NO to vox

Blue, I must respectfully disagree with you on VOX. Voice operated transmission (VOX) is a really, really, really BAD idea during an op session. It means that every bit of idle chatter, gossip, rude remarks, desire to use the head, slights, offensive humor, etc. gets transmitted to the universe during the session instead of the radio channel being confined to communication between the DS and crews (or yardmaster).  Even if no one is actually offended and no state secrets are revealed the extra chatter uses up bandwidth and makes it very hard to actually carry on an official communication.  Use push-to-talk instead. Most sessions there's someone who inadvertantly has their radio in VOX mode resulting in a which-hunt to find out which operator is guilty.

Cheers,

Charlie (oh no, I'm in vox mode again) Comstock

A vote for Cobra

I've got a pair of Cobra radios and they work very nicely with a very nice range, but range isn't as important in the basement empire.  Very clear, though and you can get the optional head set. 

To VOX or not to VOX

No disagreement at all Charlie.  I only mentioned VOX as one of the features I could think of off the top of my head.  The only time I use VOX on my radios is when I am using the radio as a baby's room monitor or when I used to do Satellite installations, as a remote repeater of the dish tuning tone.  No Op sessions running here yet.

For operations I would agree push to talk is the only way to go!

As for giving away national secrets...we don't have too many of those in Canada that we haven't already let slip.  All the same, to be sure, I use the security codes on my radios in the hopes that any radios in the area are not accidentally listening in on clandestine conversations.

As Dave mentions, the sound from my Cobra radios is noticeably better than from the Audiovox radios we have.

What do you use for radio communications?

FRS - Magnavox - - all of the operators in MER of NMRA seem to use these. They're okay but I miss the Maxons - with that headset you could hear what you were transmitting so if you accidently went into VOX mode you knew it, not so with the FRS.

Cobras

 Our Western Union modular group uses Cobra MT600 PMR (I think the equivalent of FRS in the UK) radios. We use head sets, set to push to talk, with the radios. So long as I remember to charge them before the meeting they work well.

Once I set up operations on my home layout I plan to use them here as well, as the dispatcher will be downstairs from the layout room.

http://www.nmrabr.org.uk/articles/53-lights-sound-and-action

Shows an article on our operations.

Mike Ruby

VOX

"It means that every bit of idle chatter, gossip, rude remarks, desire to use the head, slights, offensive humor, etc. gets transmitted to the universe during the session instead of the radio channel being confined to communication between the DS and crews (or yardmaster)."

I often dispatch on Gary Petersen's Salt Lake Southern and transmit rude remarks and offensive humor to the crews using PTT mode.  Might share how things went in the head too.  Lack of VOX does not save them.

On my own layout, I have a party-line phone system.  The only time a crew has to listen to it is when actually communicating with the dispatcher, which saves having to endure radio chatter relating to other trains.

Party-line phone system

How would one go about setting up a party-line phone system?

Thanks,

Colin

I knew somebody was gonna ask that..

"How would one go about setting up a party-line phone system?"

Mine was built by a buddy years ago using the circuit board then available from Bruce Chubb's JLC Enterprises.  I don't see it listed on the site any more.  The Chubb board was itself based on an article by Ken Thompson in the August, 1982 (?) issue of Model Railroader. 

Radio Communications for Operations

Hi, first time blogger for this magazine forum. Our Club [The Cedar Creek Central Railroad Club] located in Jackson, Wisconsin just switched to FRS. We use the legal channels for communication and the tranmissions are clear, crisp and no crackle like theold Maxons. The RF interference from all of our florecent lights raised problems with the old Maxons. We have Midland 22 channnel sets. I have a FCC license, but won't have to use it unless there is channel interference from the outside.

In another instance, I would like to know about using LED's in old Athearn diesels with NCE or Digitraks decoders. Any pros or cons on this subject?

Sincerely, Don Wick the ol' Yardmaster

Then there is the least expensive of all!!!

Budget Communications:

you take a tin can and clean it out well and then punch a small hole in the center of the bottom of the can. Now take a piece of string long enough to reach from one end of the room to the other and tie a Knot in one end of the string and thread the string through the hole and pull it until the knot sets tightly in the botton of the first can and repete for second can and then tie a knot in other end and Stretch line tight between cans and speek and listen into cans

Can you tell I'm board tonight?

Dan