In the early days of FRS radios, there was Motorola and Radio Shack.  The early FRS radios were around the $100 range.  Some over, some slightly under.  Then came some more models, but the $100 barrier seemed to be unbreakable.

Then came the Ranger to the rescue!  When the Ranger 1010 was first introduced, it was under $50.  It offered everything the more expensive models did, but at a more reasonable price.  This is when I decided to take my plunge into FRS radios.  I bought my first pair of Ranger 1010BL (BL stands for blue) at K-Mart for $30 each.  The first thing I noticed about these little babies was the size.  It was small...very small.  The shape of the radio fit the hand very well and was comfortable to hold.  After loading the 4 AAA batteries, I turned both units on.  This was the first time I used FRS radios.  I have used ham radios, but never these inexpensive little cousins.  I was very impressed with the performance.  It was everything I had hoped it would be.

I used the Ranger 1010's for quite a while.  By now there were many FRS radios under $50...Even under $30.  I started to see the advantage of the CTCSS tones and I started looking for a set of radios with that feature.  Since I had such a great experience with the Ranger radio, I looked for its big brother...The Ranger 1020 (also called the Ranger Plus).  This was identical to the Ranger 1010, but had the CTCSS tones.  Both radios had the scan feature, but the 1020 also scanned the sub codes.  Still to this day, many FRS radios will not scan.  The Ranger 1020 was fantastic.  It worked just as good as the Ranger 1010 and had the CTCSS codes to boot.

There were two more radios in the Ranger line of FRS radios.  The Ranger 1008 was identical in every aspect to the 1010 but has a translucent case.  The other was the Ranger 1040.  This was the Ranger with it all!  It looked just like the other Rangers, but it had the 38 CTCSS codes, voice scrambling (people scanning your conversation could not understand what you were saying), weather channel reception and several call tones.  I never owned one of these Rangers, but all the reviews I have read about them were favorable.

Ranger radios have disappeared...Well kind of.  BellSouth radios are actually Ranger radios with new name badges.  The BellSouth 1008 was identical to the Ranger 1008.  Other BellSouth models are the older Ranger designs encased in newer outer shells.

The Ranger lives on with another name.  What has hurt the Ranger and BellSouth sells is that most, if not all of them take the 4 AAA batteries.  Radios with the AA batteries last much longer between battery changes.  I have to say, though, that The Rangers I have owned have been remarkable little radios.  I am, still to this day, fond of my Rangers.  I would have to say that my Ranger 1020's are among my favorites.

Ranger 1010 Display