Best brand of Walkie Talkies for Cruise

[Thirsty Cruiser]

The license that you speak of is NOT related to any mile range. It is related to the type of 2Way Radio that you buy.

 

The FRS (Family Radio Service) Channel(s) do NOT require a FCC license. The GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) does require a FCC license. Many of the latest 2Way Radios are combo FRS/GMRS radios. All ya do is select the FRS channels and you're fine.

 

Well, it is, sort of. If you translate the range in miles to the power in watts needed to reach that range. Most FRS radios have 1/2 watt of power vs. 2-5 watts found in GMRS radios.

At best, FRS is capable of 100 yard range indoors, and are totally useless in a metal-walled ship. GMRS radios do much better, but as I stated earlier they require a license if used in the US.

This may all be moot anyway since I am not sure if there is jurisdiction.

[Schlepporello]

The FCC has one agent to cover all complaints west of the Mississippi and one agent to handle all complaints to the east I seriously doubt that they will chase down a cruise ship hundreds of miles at sea where they have no jurisdiction to issue a citation to a US citizen for using a walkie-talkie. The FCC isn't even enforcing laws here in the US inless they receive at least 50 complaints about a certain abuser of the laws. Truck drivers all across the nation are using CB radios that have been illegally modified either to produce more power or to use special sound effects. And several truck drivers still use Linear amplifiers for their CB's too. The last thing I'd worry about in this case would be using a walkie-talkie without a license.