Official FTO Liftlines FRS/GMRS Channel

[Admin]

OK, I thought that I'd propose an "official" Liftlines FRS/GMRS radio frequency: Channel 3, subcode 13, to allow Liftlines users to find each other on the hill. I propose that choice for the following reasons:

1. It works on both FRS and GMRS radios.
2. For those of us with GMRS, it uses a full one-watt transmitting power, rather than some of the channels that are only a half-watt.
3. For purely selfish reasons, it's the one I always use to communicate with friends on a certain listserv.

For this weekend, the plan is to be at Okemo on Saturday and Jay on Sunday. If anyone else is in the neighborhood, give me a shout on 3-13.

 

[Tony Crocker]

On large mountains the range of the 2-way radios seems limited. I tried them at both Mammoth and Snowbird and was quite frustrated. Most everyone out here uses cell phones if they need to communicate while on the hill. Cell phones usually work except in backside areas like Chair 14 at Mammoth or Mineral Basin at Snowbird.

The radios are good for backcountry. We used them on the Mt. Whitney hike in 1999.

FYI I tried the radios on a cruise ship (where cell phones are out of range) and still had trouble, this time presumably due to interior walls stopping the signal.

 

[Admin]

On large mountains the range of the 2-way radios seems limited. I tried them at both Mammoth and Snowbird and was quite frustrated. Most everyone out here uses cell phones if they need to communicate while on the hill. Cell phones usually work except in backside areas like Chair 14 at Mammoth or Mineral Basin at Snowbird.

The radios are good for backcountry. We used them on the Mt. Whitney hike in 1999.

FYI I tried the radios on a cruise ship (where cell phones are out of range) and still had trouble, this time presumably due to interior walls stopping the signal.

Radios are line-of-sight only. While you've encountered limitations, the one-watt GMRS radios have a range of up to 5 miles if terrain features do not block transmissions. I've found them to be very effective.

Two problems with cell phones:
1. You have to know who you're calling, and their number. With a radio, you can just give a shout out on 3-13 and see if another Liftlines user responds.
2. Cell phones are only good for person-to-person communications. Unless you set up a party line, they're useless for group communications.

 

[NHpowderhound]

I'll make sure to monitor 3-13 and shout out "First Tracks Online" a few times a day.
((*
*))NHPH