Prep Comms - FRS: Real-World Family Use Cases

Episode Date: August 26, 2025

FRS radios aren’t long-range or flashy, but they’re still one of the most useful family tools you can own. In this episode of the Prep Comms Podcast, Caleb Nelson (K4CDN) dives into how families actually use FRS today, including: Keeping kids connected in the neighborhood Calling everyone home for dinner without shouting Car-to-car communication on road trips and caravans Staying in touch at theme parks, malls, and campgrounds Why short range and lack of privacy don’t have to be deal-breakers FRS may not be perfect, but it works — and when it comes to family connection, that’s what matters most. Learn more in the blog: hamradionetwork.com/blog/frs-realworld Radios mentioned: BTECH FRS-A1 Build your full plan: Family Connect System

It's the prepcom's podcast, FRS radios, part two of the mini series here. I'm Caleb Nelson, K4 CD, and thank you so much for your time, your commitment to listening, to sharing, to reviewing, and being a part of what we're doing here. on the show. Yeah, FRS radios, they're real-world radios that are cheap enough for your family to use without breaking the bank and without having to do anything other than going to the store, buying them, putting batteries inside, and turning them on. FRS radios are like the easiest thing. They're crazy cheap. Like, you can go to Walmart, Kmart, the Kmart's not around anymore, Target, and buy these things for maybe $20, $25 a set. You may spend $25, on batteries. There's probably some better options. But if you're in a bind, they work great.

Like you're going somewhere, you get somewhere, and you're like, oh my gosh, I didn't realize that it was so far from the condo to the pool. And our phones don't work out here on this beach. Go to Target and buy you a set of radios. You're covered. They're FRS radios. It's a set of frequencies that the U.S. Government, the Federal Communications Commission, gave to primarily families to use back in 1996. I purchased my phone. first set in 1999 as a way to prepare for Y2K and the world ending. I thought these little know-watt radios were going to protect my wife and my family and keep us going until the Lord returned. And the funny thing was, I never used them for that because nothing happened.

Thank goodness. That was the nightmare, was it not? You guys remember that? I remember that. Thank goodness we're on to something else. And I can't say that we're in much better shape. and the theory, conspiracy theories haven't gotten worse, but that's the thing about what we're doing here. It's not a conspiracy theory show, but we're here to help you and your family build out redundant and resilient communication systems if and when something were to happen. We're coming up on 20 years of Hurricane Katrina, and you talk about a problem. That was an end-of-the-world event for those folks down there.

I'll link my Ham Radio show where we did an episode. with a guy who worked in communications during that event, it will move you. And I'll encourage you to watch it. It'll be in the show notes. It's the Ham Radio 360 Katrina show from a long time ago. FRS radios, though, that's this topic of this show. We've already talked about CB radio. We talked about MURS radio.

And there was a reason I skipped this FRS and did MERS first. And you'll understand it later. But right now, just trust me, these radios are cheap. They'll work around your neighborhood. They'll work in your yard. They'll probably work around the small campground or if you guys are hiking together. It's a great alternative method that's cheap enough to put in your pocket and take off and get something done. So I want to encourage you.

If you don't have a set, you probably do. You may not even realize it. You might have bought some for your kids and didn't even realize what you're buying, but they're actually FRS radio. So anyway, say all that to say this. they're really, really hard to beat, especially for the price, and they'll keep your family connected, especially around your neighborhood. So maybe you and the neighbors have a community watch, or maybe you and like your best friend, two houses down and three rows over. I want to be able to communicate in case the power goes out or your phone dies or something. These are the

kind of things you could use for that. Now, there'll be no privacy. Matter of fact, there'll only be one private type of radio we'll talk about, and it'll be on down the roadways. So don't expect any privacy here, but it's a great alternative, little alternative method to use their new neighborhood. They weren't great if you're a caravan. And we've talked about this before as well. You're in the car. You guys are going to Me Ma Ma's house for Thanksgiving and your brother-in-law is following you. And your kids and his kids can talk on the radios and go ahead and do that great cousin fun.

That's going to be nothing but chaos when they get together in the house. But you guys can keep up with each other. they just work that's the thing about radio people don't understand so maybe you're one of those people that just doesn't understand um it is an alternative it won't work like your telephone and i understand that all you know is your phone in your pocket i understand that we've forgotten what it used to be like but just please hear me when i say they don't always work and from time to time, you'll need an alternative. This is literally the least expensive alternative you can have that'll work. Neighborhood, car to car, in a campground, at the pool. They're worth it. By a set,

try to get some of the rechargeable batteries. You'll be much happier and you'll save a bunch of money. They're not a long-range tool. So it's not like you're going to talk to your uncle across the county, but you will be able to talk to your family around your neighborhood, you know, half a mile, Mile and a half, that's your window there. It's entry level, and I keep saying this, because it literally is the easiest way to get into alternative communications, because they are so cheap, and because they are so limited, they're so cheap. So I want to encourage you to just to spend, to spend, I mean, I'm talking 20 bucks. And for the insurance, it can give you, it's a well-spent $20. You know, a lot of times people will start with these, especially when they have small.

smaller children because you can grow into the next steps along with your kids. Your kids are going to understand this more than you will. And you're like, I don't understand that. Well, it's just it's because they're more technologically friendly. My kids are. Now, they don't get all the radio theory and stuff that dad gets, but it's easier for them. And it's easier for me than it was my dad. So, again, it's what we do.

We're trying to help everybody make some sense out of this. and FRS radios is a great option. You're not going to talk for forever. You're not going to talk across the county, but you can keep up with your neighbors, with your family, in an emergency, on vacation, around the neighborhood. Your boys out kicking soccer balls,

three doors down, just call them on the radio. Okay, supper's ready. Come on in the house. Look, not all kids have cell phones. So if yours don't, this is a great way to introduce them to the walkie-talkie, You know, if something bad were to happen, you may be leaning on more than you actually realize. So teach them to use them properly, teach them to use them respectfully, help them understand

that there's no privacy so their neighbors can listen and hear what your guys are saying. So you're not talking about embarrassing things on the radio, but you are trying to get your kid to come home and eat supper. So these things are so simple. They're really hard to talk about, honestly, because they're just, they're basic. Y'all remember when we were kids? Who here had Radio Shack walkie-talkies that you put 9-volt batteries in the back and it just said all the time

to your brother was standing right beside you and he said something into his radio and it came out of yours. But if you got on the other side of the, even the other side of the house, you're never going to hear him. Well, this is the modern day version of that except they work a lot better.

And the frequencies are attuned to that. That's the big deal. So the UHF frequencies that they use and most of them have a modern squelch where they take a lot of that static out, they're going to work a lot better than what we had as kids. Funny thing is,

they cost about the same money. And a lot of them come with carabiner clips and you can clip them on your kid's backpack or his, whatever, his bike, and he can take them with them around the neighborhood. So if you're wanting something to just really get into the, you want to ease yourself into having just an alternative, FRS radio is it.

Again, this is very, very short programs, but as we build out this library of information, I want people to be able to come in and say, I don't want to spend $400. I don't want to have to take a test. I don't want to do this. I don't want to have to get a license. I don't want a big antenna. I want them to be able to come in and choose through these episodes something that can solve the problems they have. Maybe they don't have problems yet, but they're trying to prepare an alternative. And so their budget is 50 bucks. So their investment time is only six months. So there's a lot of different ways to help folks get different communication methods. And that's what we do here. That's why I came

out of podcasting retirement to help folks learn how to communicate with their family with alternative methods. And that's the prepcoms podcast. All right, I'm going to go. Be back next time. Make sure you check out the show notes. I'll promise the Katrina show in there as well as a couple of other things. maybe a recommendation that oh yeah i do have a recommendation so there is a summer camp that we work at every year in Nashville tennessee and they needed some radios this year um for their one of their use cases um and i look i'm not i'm not getting into FCC rules here i'm just telling you this is what they bought and they worked great okay so they have a zip line there at the summer camp and they needed a radio to use on both sides of the zip line for the you know send and

receive kind of a thing. Okay, go ahead. The lines clear of that kind of stuff. And they bought a set of radios that I'll link in the show notes. They're pretty inexpensive. They have rechargeable batteries in them and they used them all summer long. They're still going into the fall now as we move that way. And they're using them with alternative camps now. But they were shocked that they've used all these different other styles before. But this little cheap radio kept up through the whole summer with the teenagers and the college age students running the zip lines. is, you know, the camp staff, and they couldn't destroy them. So I think that says a lot.

I'm actually probably going to order me a set just because, why not? This is another set of radios, and who can say no to a set of radios? I can't. Anyway, it'll be listed in the show notes. The Katrina shows almost 20 years ago. Put that show, if you're interested in what that sounded like in real life, I've got a program I want to encourage you to check out. It's quite moving at its very least.

That'll be in the show notes. We're going to continue this, maybe one or two more shows. These things are just so simple. They're almost hard to talk about, but they are a keystone piece to a family trying to learn about an alternative communication system. If you've enjoyed this, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you. We appreciate your reviews and your comments. Appreciate you sharing it with your friends.

Maybe your neighbors, you're looking to do like a neighborhood watch. This is a nice little place to start right there. I'm not going to say it's the best answer, but it's a great place. the start and it's cheap. So if I can help you, please let me know. Remember, the Family Connect System is our sponsor. It's FamilyConnectSystem.com. And we're going to talk about that a little bit more as we continue the process of getting that out in here to the real world. My name is Caleb Nelson. My manager radio call sign is Keelow for Charlie Delta November. I appreciate you being here. I'll be back next time. Hope you are as well. And until then, 73 y'all.

Thank you.