Tracking With A FRS Radio?

[mrmonteith]

I saw where someone used a FRS two-way radio to do tracking. I found a set at the sale isle at the local Wally World for $12. I went ahead and snatched them up for now. I wondered if anyone else has done this?

The electronics would fit nicely in my 3" dia. rocket. I figured I could use it two ways. One is audibly by hooking up a tone generator to the transmitter I have. Plus it will do the Roger beep at the end of a call. The other way is making a directional antena to locate it transmitting. I'll probably add electronics to switch from transmitting to receiving so I can have both.

With a supposed range of 5 miles I think it will do nicely.

Michael

 

[jadebox]

The FCC doesn't permit FRS radios to be used that way. They can only be used for two-way voice communication. But you'll probably still find the FRS radios helpful when trying to find a lost rocket. It's easier to follow a sight line if you have someone near the launch pads giving you directions.

-- Roger

 

[mrmonteith]

Roger,
Thanks. I wondered about that. All the other transmitters I've seen for this use were pricey. I already have some two-way radios for voice and yes they are handy.

Thanks again
Michael

 

[LarryC]

Some years back, I had an FRS unit aboard a rocket. intended to use it to record motor sounds. Had another recorder (minidisc) recording the sounds directly from the ground. The difference in apparent burn times served as a basis for burnout altitude estimation. Things turned out a little weirder than that.

The rocket landed off the field, somewhere on the far side of a lake. The lake was concealed from the launch site by a stand of trees. There were a couple of kids there, who ran off when I appeared. The rocket was nowhere in sight. I kept yelling and listening on another radio unit, figuring that the rocket's unit would hear me and transmit my voice as I neared it. By such means I located the thing - deliberately hidden under a rack of canoes!

Didn't know at the time that such usage was illegal. If pressed, I'll deny everything.

-Larry C.

 

[Rick Lindsey]

Some years back, I had an FRS unit aboard a rocket. intended to use it to record motor sounds.
...
The rocket was nowhere in sight. I kept yelling and listening on another radio unit, figuring that the rocket's unit would hear me and transmit my voice as I neared it. By such means I located the thing - deliberately hidden under a rack of canoes!

Didn't know at the time that such usage was illegal. If pressed, I'll deny everything.

-Larry C.

Sounds to me like you were using it for two-way voice communication... communicating between you and the kids to "found" your rocket! Then eventually between you and, well, you!

-Rick (that's his story and he's sticking to it *halo*)

 

[Arnold Roquerre]

Sounds to me like you were using it for two-way voice communication... communicating between you and the kids to "found" your rocket! Then eventually between you and, well, you!

-Rick (that's his story and he's sticking to it *halo*)

Kids buy FRS radios. The units are all but ubiquitous. I really don't think the FCC is coming after anyone using an FRS radio in a low population area to home in on a rocket a couple of times a year.

 

[BHP]

Kids buy FRS radios. The units are all but ubiquitous. I really don't think the FAA is coming after anyone using an FRS radio in a low population area to home in on a rocket a couple of times a year.

Nope, I agree. The FAA won't come looking for anyone using an FRS radio this way. And neither will the FCC.

Sorry, Arnold, I just had to do it. It's a common err. I've made it myself!

 

[SCE to AUX]

FRS (and GMRS) are about as effectively regulated as the 27 MHz citizens band.

A rocketeer using one as a tracking transmitter, while technically illegal, is way down on the FCC's list of priorities. They are way too busy selling off the radio spectrum to private interests and holding hearings over "wardrobe malfunctions" to actually worry about policing the spectrum for interference.

On the positive side, such priorities allow a lot of interesting pirate radio activity to appear both on the FM broadcast band, as well as shortwave...

 

[ghost]

Using a directional antenna seems like a great idea. Which one would you use and how would you mod it?