FRS RADIO 9 11

[Siskiyou]

My son and grandson are snowboarders.  A great way of staying in shape, but like all outdoor sports there are risk.

A fellow snow boarder has a gps and Motorola FRS/GMRS radios.  Many of the ski resorts are now monitoring Channel 9 tone 11 (911).  I called a friend who is associated with a number of ski areas.  He told me the ski patrol has it's own radio system, but the Lift Houses at the top of the lift are monitoring FRS channel 9 tone 11.  The lift operators can pass emergency information to the Ski Patrol.  How this is handled will very with each ski area.  How closely these radios are monitored is unknown.  But in one case a call for help was monitored at ski area "A".  A skier had gone down an icy draw and was in at ski area "b".  The information was relayed to ski area "b" by phone and the skier was rescued.  

Lift houses are idea radio relay locations because they are normally at a high point on the mountain.  The Central Serria has a number of ski areas with high elevation lifts.  These not only over look the ski areas but thousands of acres of National Forest.  During the winter these areas are actively used by snowmobiles, cross-country skiers, hikers, and ice fishermen.  The other advantage is that other outdoor users are plugging in 9 11.  I have read that Midland is pushing Channel 1 as a National Calling Channel.

While I normally do not monitor my radio full-time I willl setup channel 9 with tone 11 when I am going out for the day.  If you are aware of FRS channels being used by different ski areas please post them.  FRS radios can be rented at some ski areas.  One ski area in Montana recommends you drop a radio in your kid's pocket at the start of a day.  Ski areas may be use different channels for different activities.  

A well-requlated radio system with trained people have problems with traffic walking on each other at different times.  FRS/GMRS is not a well requlated system with tyrained readio operators.  This means the idiots will rule.  Over the years I have heard a lot of idiots on the CB.  The same thing can and will happen on the FRS.

The ski areas have a special interest in mointoring the radios.  Customer safety is of prime interest.  When people get lost and there is a major search under way, it cost money and interfers with business.  In turn the event is in the press and may drive some business away.

[Siskiyou]

The grapevine tells me that an over due snowboarder was found in the Mountains South of Lake Tahoe a few weeks ago.  The key to the rescue was his FRS radio.  Story was published in the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

[victorcharlie]

Shiiiiiiiiiii!  Around here it's pretty quiet........I want it to stay that way!

[Siskiyou]

I offered to loan my GMRS/FRS radios to my son and grandson when they go snowboarding.  There has been seven (7) deadly accidents on Serria Nevada slopes since January 27th.  I realize this covers a geographic area larger then serveral Eastern States stuck together.  But it does create a little concern on my part.  I guess this is partly because of my background.  I still remember being part of a team of probers, probing for people buried in an avalanche.  Wearing out two pairs of leather gloves in the process.  When the body of a seven year old was dug out it looked bad.  The EMT's did their best, but he was already gone.  Would a faster response made a difference?  I do not know.

At the times the two of them split up they can still communicate with their cell phones.  So I guess they have the communications issues covered.  
At this time they see no need to carry the radios.  I'll leave the offer open, in case they change their mind.  Besides if they lost one in would give me an excuse to buy and test another model.

My most recent effort was offering the radios to my daughter and her family.  They are headed to Hawii in a few months.  It would help her keep track of the kids.  The response was that she is going to check with her cell provider to see if there is coverage for her plan on the Island they will be on.  

Back when CB's came along they had a big following.  Maybe the "Big" following for FRS/GMRS radios is not out there?  The new player, the cell phone is #1 in the communications market for most of the population.  But cellphone coverage is scant in many of the areas I hunt.  The story is the same on some of the lakes I fish.  I know on my favorite lake the locations I need to be for cell phone coverage.  There is no coverage on eighty percent of the lake.  And I rather doubt there ever will be.  

I hope the general public sticks to their cell phones.