Also abbrev. for "
Family Radio Service," a band established by the
FCC in the 1990s for unlicensed civilian use in the
United States. The FRS band encompasses 14 channels between 462 and 467
MHz. Maximum legal transmit power is 500
mW.
FRS radios are widely available for between $20 and $100. Most claim a range of two miles, and have a reliable range somewhere slightly under one mile under normal urban usage.
The key to being satisfied with FRS radios is to think of them as expensive grown-up walkie-talkies, not like CB radios. They don't have the range to do CB-like things, but fit nicely in an inside pocket for coordination of tandem driving and suchlike.