Date: February 13, 2008

To: BSA Troop Leaders

RE: Intra-Troop Adult in-field communications

PARTIAL LIST OF SCOUT TROOP COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS WHEN

‘IN THE FIELD”.

1. Communications with your local “in camp” Troop leaders while out of cell
phone coverage and out of sight.
2. Talking with our local “in camp” Troop leaders without dialing a telephone
number.
3. Communicating “car to car” while driving to a Scout event to coordinate
lunch stops, bathroom breaks or gas stops.
4. Talking “base camp to field activity group” to coordinate mealtime, first aid
response, etc.
5. Coordinating movements of the “sag wagon” with the movements of the
Troop on a hike or bike trip.
6. Communications between the hike leader (first person in line) and the hike
trailer (last person in line) without shouting.

SOLUTIONS TO CONSIDER:

FRS radios (‘2-mile’ 14 channel radios):

Pros - 1. No FCC license needed.
2. Inexpensive radios to purchase
3. Most use rechargeable or alkaline batteries.
4. “Pocket size” radios.
5. Can be purchased inexpensively (under $50 a pair).

Cons - 1. “2-mile” range is theoretical on flat land with no

vegetation.
2. Carry one or more spare sets of batteries (even for a
weekend trip).
3. Pre-trip coordination of channel and “privacy code” use.
4. Possibility of accidental channel change during your event
resulting in no communication.
5. Not FCC approved for any use except intra-family (illegal
to use for BSA communications).
6. Maximum legal FRS radio power is ½ Watt.
7. Commonly available to general public = many radio users.
Results are high likelihood of interference to Troop
communications in populous or tourist areas.
8. No mobile (car) radios on the market.
Citizen Band (‘CB’) radios:
Pros - 1. No FCC license needed.
2. No FCC prohibition on BSA use.
3. Relatively long range possible (up to 20 miles).
4. Inexpensive to purchase.
5. Handheld radios usually use rechargeable or alkaline
batteries.
6. Some low power handheld CBs are pocket sized (with the
antenna collapsed).
7. Mobile (4 Watt) radios are available.
8. Maximum power is 4 Watts
9. 40 available channels.
10. Nationally recognized Emergency Channel 9.

Cons - 1. Handheld – must extend antenna to get maximum range

(it’s long).
2. Carry one or more spare sets of batteries for handheld
radios (even for a weekend trip).
3. Pre-trip coordination of channel use.
4. Possibility of accidental channel change during event
resulting in no communication.
5. Many, many users of CB channels resulting in interference
to Troop communications and reduced range.
6. No “Quiet Codes” (or “Privacy Codes”) available.
7. Sometimes hear CB operators from across the nation rather
than a local station.

MURS radios (‘2 to 5 mile’ VHF MURS radios that have up to 5 channels):
Pros - 1. No FCC license required
2. No FCC prohibition on business use.
3. Some handheld radios use alkaline batteries
4. Some handheld radios are “Pocket size”.
5. Handheld radios can be purchased relatively inexpensively
(approximately $60 to $125 per radio).
6. Five channels to choose from.
7. 2 Watts gives you more range than FRS only (1/2 Watt)
radios - especially in the woods.
8. More range than equivalent power handheld GMRS radios
- especially in the woods.
9. Relatively unused frequencies/channels.
10. Can be legally used for interpersonal (non-intra-family)
communications.

Cons – 1. Only 2 Watts transmit power allowed on any channel vs.

up to 30 Watts on the BSA licensed frequency (below).
 2. Handheld radios will cost approximately the same as BSA
licensed frequency radios (below).
3. No known mobile (car) radios on the market.
4. Multiple channel radios increases the possibility of
accidental channel change during event resulting in no
communications.
5. Most MURS radios utilize specialized rechargeable
batteries which require specific chargers.

GMRS radios (‘2 to 5 mile’ UHF radios that have up to 22 channels):

Pros - 1. Some use alkaline batteries.
2. Most handheld radios are “Pocket size”.
3. Handheld radios can be purchased relatively inexpensively
(under $100 a pair).
4. More range than FRS only radios.
5. Can be legally used for interpersonal (non-intra-family)
communications.**
6. High power mobile (car) radios can communicate with
handheld radios.
7. Maximum handheld radio power is 5 Watts, maximum
mobile radio power is 50 Watts.

Cons - 1. **Requires FCC license for each unrelated (non-family)

individual at $85 per person/family for a 5-year license.
2. Higher power (more range) handheld radios use specialized
rechargeable batteries only.
3. High power mobile radios require an external antenna and
professional installation.
4. High power mobiles are relatively expensive ($125-$500
per radio).

VHF ‘Red-Dot’ (151.625mHz) business band radios:

Pros - 1. BSA holds a nationwide FCC license (KB28829) that
allows up to 30 Watts on the “Red-Dot” frequency
(151.625 mHz).
2. Some businesses are selling new and used “Red-Dot”
handheld radios relatively inexpensively ($50-100 per
radio).
3. “Red-Dot” radios are available with ‘PL®’ and DPL®
(Quiet codes, also known as Privacy codes).
4. Use of this frequency lessens likelihood of other non-BSA
radio users nearby interfering with your intra-Troop
communications.
5. High power 30 Watt mobile (car) radios can communicate
with 5 Watt handheld radios.
6. Legal for all Boy Scout intra-Troop and inter-Troop use.
 7. No possibility of accidental channel change. Reliable
because it is a single frequency radio.

Cons - 1. Handheld radios usually use specialized rechargeable

batteries only.
2. High power mobile radios require an external antenna and
professional installation.
3. High power mobiles are relatively expensive ($125-$500
per radio.
Suggested guidelines for the use of the BSA licensed frequency:
1. Use only for official Boy Scout communications:
A. Coordination of travel to & from an activity site (ie. Keeping the group
together.)
B. On-site communications necessary to the operation of the troop.
C. Adult leaders and ranking Patrol Leader (SPL, Acting SPL or Patrol
Leader if a Patrol only event) only.
D. In the event of an emergency situation involving peril to life or patrol
safety issues, any Scout or Parent should use the radio to call for help
within the Troop.
2. Press the Transmit button on the radio ONLY after listening to the
frequency by utilizing the MONITOR button on the radio. This minimizes
the chance that your use of the frequency does not interrupt ongoing
communications of another authorized user of the channel.
3. If using high power mobile radios, do not transmit using more than 30
Watts of power to the antenna.
4. Program Channel-1 as the BSA frequency with your choice of PL® (or
DPL® (quiet/privacy codes)) on transmit and receive. Program Channel-2
as the BSA frequency with your PL® (or DPL®) on transmit and “Carrier
Squelch” on receive to interoperate with other BSA radio equipped
Troops. This Channel-2 programming will allow your Troop radios (on
Channel-1) to hear what you are saying to others and you will be able to
receive not only your Troop radios but also other BSA radios as well.
5. Inform your Unit Commissioner that you intend to use the BSA licensed
frequency for Troop safety, Troop activity coordination and Troop
movement coordination purposes.
6. Always say the Callsign “KB28829” then your Troop number at the
beginning and end of each conversation and every 10 minutes during your
conversation if you are longwinded.
EXAMPLES:
A. Opening a conversation – “KB28829 TROOP 113 SCOUTMASTER
TO BASE CAMP”
B. 10 minutes into a conversation – “KB28829 Troop 113”
C. At end of conversation – “KB28829 TROOP 113”
7. Keep in mind that the Boy Scouts of America (and your Troop) do not
have exclusive use rights to this frequency.
8. People will listen to you with a radio scanner so be a good example.
9. Put a copy of the attached FCC “Radio Station Authorization (Reference
Copy)” in your Troop records and your ‘Travel binder’ that you keep your
emergency medical/contact forms in.
10. Be Trustworthy in using the frequency by being:
Loyal to all the BSA principles, especially when using any radio
Helpful to other users of the frequency
Friendly to others on the air
Courteous to all other users of the frequency
Kind to other users of the frequency and sharing with them
 Obedient to the FCC rules, including sending the Callsign in a timely
manner
Cheerful in your demeanor on the air at all times
Thrifty by not hogging the frequency for ‘chit-chat’ and killing your
battery(ies) in the process
Brave in trusting/allowing your SPL, ASPL and PLs to use the frequency
with adult leader supervision and/or monitoring
Clean in your language use at all times, especially on the air
Reverent in obeying the FCC rules of using a radio.

ATTACHMENT:
Reference copy of BSA license captured from the FCC website 02/13/2008.