Bobbi, I was going to post a link to this in the chat room but my browser crashed before I could do so.
http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/ico-ic-2300h?seid=dxese1&gclid=CNLc5d6v5sUCFRCMaQodekwAKg
This would make a good entry level HAM rig for most anyone, including spotters or chasers. Icom makes good quality units and this is one of the more inexpensive, quality mobile systems currently out there. The drawback is that it is only a 2m rig, not a dual band that also supports 70cm. But dual-band radios are generally $250 or $300 and up in terms of cost. And 70cm isn't an absolute must-have. Most of the SkyWarn nets are on 2m anyway. If you are on a tight budget, the 2m capable single band radio might be the best option. But by all means, if you can afford it, go with a dual-band. It will just give you more options.
The major plus about this radio is the power (65 watts) and the ability to use a much better antenna with it than what is available on portables. With 65 watts and a good antenna, you will be able to hit repeaters from considerable distance. And for car to car usage, you will get far more range out of a system like that than with a portable putting out 5 watts through a crappy antenna.
For serious use, I'd at minimum save up for a radio on par with the one above.
As for FRS/GMRS, I wouldn't even worry about it. Those bands are marketed toward people that want to share those little walkie-talkie type systems you can buy at Wal-Mart for use at relatively close range. They are popular among hunters, hikers and for people to talk car to car with each other as they convoy down a highway together. But the radios themselves are for the most part cheap, unreliable and they have terrible range despite the claims you see of 25 mile performance. You'd be lucky to get a half mile range out of them in lots of situations. A good quality CB radio would be far more useful actually, and I don't consider those overly useful either. And pretty much all of the spotters and chasers who use radio use the amateur bands anyway, so the odds of finding someone on FRS that could prove useful are minimal anyway.
If you are wanting a radio to use for spotting and chasing, I'd just wait until I got my Technician license and then get a legit, decent quality HAM radio. In the meantime, if you are in need of some form of close range communication, such as talking with a chase buddy that you may be convoying with or what-not, then those little FRS/GMRS radios might be a decent, inexpensive option for the time being. Just don't expect much from them otherwise you'll be seriously disappointed. Also, MURS, as I mentioned in chat is a better option than FRS/GMRS. But the radios tend to be a bit more expensive. And unless you have plans for using a pair of portables in a convoy or something, those wouldn't prove very useful for what you are seeking to do with them either.
Oh, one thing I forgot to mention. I think with FRS, you are limited to 1 watt of power. And I think you may be able to use somewhere between 2-5 watts on GMRS if memory serves me. But technically, GMRS is also suppose to require a license, though very few people actually bother to get one. I haven't heard of the FCC coming down on anyone for transmitting on GMRS without a license, or for transmitting on FRS with too much power. But I personally prefer to err on the side of caution.
