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AS long as you are following the guidelines, then GMRS is for what ever you want to use it for. There is no right or wrong way to use GMRS as long as the rules/guidelines re followed.

The internet has loads of strangers you can chat with. But what do you do with people you already know while doing an activity. Thats what gmrs is for. Anything else just goobers up the limited frequencies for people that actually use it correctly

skip is running awful good today, You made the trip all the way to Calif... Welcome to GMRS - Enjoy

Hi there, WSET706 here in McKinney, I'd love to know if there are any people in the area that meet up on a channel to chat Thanks, Rob

It is inevitable that narrowband emissions will be mandatory for Parts 95 and 97 freqs. It is not if it is when. It happened to Part 90 freqs with very minimal complaints. The complaint of the audio not sounding like stereophonic quality audio is not a valid complaint if you still can clearly hear the audio, which you can.

Thanks for all the kind words and info from everyone. I have been having a lot of fun since getting my Tech and then General license. Lots of great contacts on 10M, 12M, and 20M. My farthest contact was about 6500 miles to southern Africa (Namibia). Amazing what you can do with 20 watts and a dipole antenna (at 30 ft elevation) when the ionosphere cooperates. Last weekend was a bit frustrating, but I was playing with an Inverted-Vee 10M/12M at about 15 ft. I am going to make it a 10M/12M/15M/17M and then get it up to 30 ft.

Glad to hear you got it fixed up. The wideband entitlement issue is troublesome, as Motorola is no longer supporting older 'legacy' software, and the EID's only work on the newest, current software. Otherwise, you are left with trying to hex edit the software & bypass the built in checks that forced narrowband in the newer software versions. As you discovered, R05.16 was the last legit version that allowed CP200's to be programmed wideband with 25kHz.

Thats due to the fact to part 90 FCC certification the radio can't have the ability to do that. Many of us that use LMR gear utilize a MPL configuration (PL/DPL List) that is selectable. My work radios have FPP for conventional stuff but thats ordered with appropriate documentaiton. On the hobby side all my midlands allow me to pick what tone I may need when I want from the head or panel. 99% of the GMRS users dont ever change stuff so once you set it you dont change it again. I dont think ive touched my parents radios since they were installed. All depends on use case.

I'm talking about any radio. I still hear lots of guys tell me they need to hook up to their computer to put in new tones. Lots of older Motorola radios still out there.

Written Rules Look Self Explanatory To Me. " In other words, repeaters may not be linked via the internet—an example of an “other network” in the rules—to extend the range of the communications across a large geographic area. Linking multiple repeaters to enable a repeater outside the communications range of the handheld or mobile device to retransmit messages violates sections 95.1733(a)(8) and 95.1749 of the Commission’s rules, and potentially other rules in 47 C.F.R." https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs

That would be correct. The repeater listens on 467.x (RX) and outputs (transmits) on 462.x (TX). It would be wrong if it was the other way around.

It can be programmed EITHER WAY, using the app or thru the mic didplay is what I remember "The Queen" said....

The program software is installed the only thing I think is wrong with it it shows 467. as RX & 462. as TX. I Don't know why it is the RT97L. I was told to run the Driver software first but could not get it to run. The Repeater should be hear Thursday. Thanks for the help guys.

Thanks, I have gotten the cables and the software for the radios, and have had some success programming them. I have 2 CP200's and one CP200d. The CP200d is fully programmed, with no issues. I had to use CPS 2.0, and get a wideband entitlement, no problems there. The CP200's are programmed, and are functioning, but only on narrowband. When I try to change the bandwidth to 20kHz, I have problems. First it tells me that I need to get the 20/25kHz entitlement key. I have one, and it worked for the CP200d, so I go to the 'register application features' option, and put in the key. Then it tells me that it can't reach the license server. I'm not sure what the issue is. This is using CPS_NA_R05.18. The computer can connect to the internet with no issues. Any ideas on what I need to do to get the wideband entitlement validated? EDIT: AAANNNDDD.... Got it! I finally found a copy of CPS_NA_R05.16 and was able to program these with wideband. Yay!

In this day in age I can't imagine a radio that can only be programmed by an outside source. Being able to input tones and such through the radio directly is a must in my book.

And the switch network use to mean mechanical telephone service. Then it meant electronic telephone service, now it can mean both of those and internet. I'm pretty sure they could reclassify it because that's what they do.

I liked the Midland 575 just fine, but wanted the ability to enter frequencies & codes more directly. Another wish was user configurable channels, so I could store all my frequently used repeaters. A louder speaker, preferably on the mic, was my last want. If I followed Randy’s video, it sounds like this new BTech is loud, so that’s good. The ability to enter frequencies & tones from an app, then do a back up of the date, is also a plus. It appears to have the channel capacity. I don’t need another radio, but will likely try this new one.

Maybe, but I think that a good lawyer could argue against that. FCC does define “Network Connection”: Network connection. Connection of a Personal Radio Services station to the public switched network, so that operators of other stations in that service are able to make (and optionally to receive) telephone calls through the connected station.

That's oaky too since I have my amateur and GMRS licenses.

CB doesn't require a license. Ham and GMRS do. A savvy cop might ask for your license. Probably not legal for them to ask, but who's going to stop them.

As soon as you connect two radio links together it can be considered a network.

They write them this way so they can be "interpreted". That way it can mean different things at different times. Which is exactly what it shouldn't be. And since these rules are for normal people, normal people should be able to read them and understand them without the need of lawyers and oiija boards.

Either that or just tell them it's amateur radio, most won't know the difference anyway.

You sound like a sad ham.

So when you get pulled over tell them it's a CB and show them you are on ch22 or something.