March 25, 2025

This Week in Amateur Radio

North America's Premiere Amateur Radio News Magazine

Ghostbusters cosplayers warned of safety and legal risks with the use of Frozen Empire’s new radio

From behind-the-scenes videos to just-released set photos, it’s apparent that in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, iconic film props such as the Proton Pack and Ghost Trap will not only continue to evolve but new gear will be introduced; among them, one piece of real-world tech that has caused some concern amongst fan franchises.

As part of the recent Empire Magazine feature, an upgrade to the old MT-500 radio was spotted, quickly being identified as the Baofeng UV-5R and, in the process, has already become a popular item amongst the Ghostbusters prop community. While readily available through Amazon (BUY NOW), it should be clear that these are anything but a toy; instead, they are functioning ham radios with attached legal requirements that could potentially disrupt emergency services and have severe consequences when used near hospital equipment.

In a new video from friend of the site, Ghostbusters: Afterlife prop armorer Ben Eadie, among the topics include the user’s licensing requirements, as well as the phenomenon of “desensing,” with the latter serving as a must-watch PSA for Ghostbusters fans franchises, especially those that visit any kind of the medical facility.