Field Trips By Ed Stiglitz The leader of this trip will be Ed Stiglitz. He can be reached at 702-271-5011 or Hiiamed@cox.net. I can also be reached at 401-6566 or Harriet@fortheloveofafrica.com. Our next field trip is scheduled for Sunday, March 22 to Death Valley National Park and are hoping to find lots of wild flowers. We will meet at 7:00 in front of "Pro Bass" out by the Silverton Hotel and leave there by 7:00 AM. If you wish to meet us during the day there is only road - Highway 178, through the park so you will catch up to us at some point. Our first stop will be Jubilee Pass and should arrive at Furnace Creek right around sunset. We are hoping for lots of clouds and even a few sprinkles for great photo's I'm sure some of you may want to drive together and share gas so you can safely leave your car in the parking lot until we return in the evening. We will enter Death Valley at the south by Shoshone Entrance and exit at Death Valley Junction, North of Indian Springs. Our day will be full so bring food and lots of water along as there aren't many places for food along the way. We will stop for lunch at 1 Pm at the nearest picnic area. Bring your camera, lenses, extra batteries and cards, tripod and cable release if you have one. Bring layered clothes as the temperature in the desert can change drastically during the day and night so be prepared. Also bring a hat, sun glasses and sunscreen. There is a $20.00 entrance fee, per vehicle, unless you have an annual pass or yearly pass. For any of our out-and-about field trips don’t forget about the FRS radios. This may help locate the group and possibly inform other member of better photography locations. Family Radio Service Radios By Edward Lee Stiglitz, HNCC The Family Radio Service (FRS) is an improved walkie talkie radio system authorized in the United States since 1996. This personal radio service uses channelized frequencies in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band. It does not suffer the interference effects found on citizens’ band (CB) at 27 MHz, or the 49 MHz band also used by cordless phones, toys and baby monitors. FRS uses frequency modulation (FM) instead of amplitude modulation (AM). FRS radios are limited to 500 milliwatts according to FCC regulations. Channels 1 to 7 are shared however with the GMRS band, the General Mobile Radio Service. Unlike Citizens’ Band (CB) radios, FRS radios frequently have provisions for using sub-audible tone squelch (CTCSS and DCS) codes, filtering out unwanted chatter from other users on the same frequency. Although these codes are sometimes called “privacy codes” or “private line codes” (PL codes), they offer no protection from eavesdropping and are only intended to help share busy channels. Tone codes also do nothing to prevent desired transmissions from being swamped by stronger signals having a different code. FRS stations on channels 1 through 7 may communicate with GMRS stations on those shared channels; the GMRS stations may use up to 5 watts of power, while the FRS stations are restricted to 0.5 watts (GMRS requires an $85.00 dollar license). The Nevada Camera Club uses channel 2 on these radios. This is so they may communicate with both kinds of radios. The PL code we use is 8; this is so the display on your radio should read 2.8. A number most photographers should be able to remember (as in f2.8). The range of these units will vary depending on how good of a unit you have, the terrain, and if you are in or out of your car, but at best about 5 or 6 miles. We find them very useful when caravanning or meeting up somewhere out in the field. Or to call and say over here, or even to ask someone to get out of your photo. FRS Radios are inexpensive (although the more expensive ones have more range) and can be purchased just about anywhere (Costco, Wal-Mart, Fry’s, Best Buy, etc.). (I Like the Motorola ones best.)