Leaderboard

The FCC’s Consumer Complaints page for reporting interference recently added a category for reporting interference to GMRS stations. Previously, there was no way to report issues specific to GMRS, but there was for Broadcast, Amateur, etc. This is a small but important development and may help combat the FCC’s recurring claim that “…we have received no reports of interference...”. This statement has been common in most all Part 95 and GMRS rule-making proceedings over the last few decades to help justify further encroachment of FRS and support other policies that licensed GMRS licensees generally opposed. We are not suggesting the Commission lied about the lack of complaints – they had not provided a way to report, categorize and centrally store them! The Northern California GMRS Users Group (NCGUG) encourages repeater owners and users to report recurring interference problems, such as unlicensed operation on repeater uplink channels, intentional jamming and abuse, and of course interference from FRS (co- or adjacent-channel). We have been reporting recurring interference from maritime operations on our repeater uplinks for some time. While the FCC rarely responds to such complaints, this may go a long way to eventually reducing the rising tide of interference sources that we all have to deal with. Brief instructions on how to use this site follow. ____________________________ https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us Create an account (different from your ULS account) File a complaint Radio Fill in Subject and Description Radio Issues: INTERFERENCE Radio Interference Sub Issue: TO LICENSED TWO_WAY RADIO SERVICES (LAND MOBILE, AVIATION, MARINE) Your Radio Method: PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES (CB, FRS, GMRS) Fill-in the remaining fields marked with “*”. The site provides a selection of “To Unlicensed Service (CB, FRS GMRS)” under Radio Interference Sub Issue. This incorrectly refers the GMRS as an unlicensed service, which it is not. While we have requested a correction, we recommend using the “Licensed….” selection noted above instead. Greg

In my county, if you are a licensed ham, you are exempt from tower regulations up to 199 feet. They wouldn't know what type of antennas are on said tower(s). To me that alone is worth the license. Now I just need to find non-deed restricted land that I can afford.

Being realistic, there is minimal possibility of causing harmful interference and obviously the FCC won't be sending jack booted thugs thru the door the second you key up. But considering this is a GMRS forum, nobody here will help you use any radios in any illegal fashion, on GMRS or any other band. The bottom line is that there is no scenario where you can use those Retevis RT5 (re-branded Baofeng UV-5) radios on the GMRS band (with or without a license) and be in full FCC compliance, as the radios lack the proper FCC type certification.

Same here, as I'm into high end custom CB (30+ years) and now GMRS........

I'd agree with Hans - I'm a radio communications enthusiast. Being a GMRS operator is just one part of that. My main interest as a radio enthusiast is applications in off-roading, camping, outdoor recreation, etc. Many people here in AZ can relate or at least see the benefits of having a two way radio, as there is extensive forest and desert area where cell phone coverage is sparse or non-existent.

I like that viewpoint. I also like your call sign, as it simply rolls off the tongue... ...unlike mine that's decidedly a tongue-twister! WQWU626 Folks are all the time asking me how I got a call sign with only three letters, 'cause all they hear is "WQW626. The last "U" is elided into the preceding "W" unless I enunciate the letters s l o w l y.

Having an alternate means of longer range communications in times of duress or when commercial communications have failed for whatever reason.

Logan5 Safety would be the issue unfortunately. I could put up a 20-25 foot tower but anything higher and it risks hitting hitting a house no matter the direction it falls. I also unfortunately have one of /those/ neighbors who likes to complain and call a lawyer for anything he doesn't like. I had someone show up at my door to "investigate" how dangerous the Jpole I put up was. I could only imagine what I would go through with a tower lol. We can all dream though right? N4GIX, I know the range calculations and what they could be line of sight, however when your portables at 5 watts on level ground outdo the repeater running 45 watts 15' up then somethings been done wrong. This is mostly a family/local repeater so I am not expecting very long range on the unit, yet Durake, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! lol, you actually gave me a straight answer lol. Now I need to find someone who can tune the duplexer. I checked with a buddy of mine who programmed the GR1225 however he does not have the equipment. He's really the only one I know that would have the equipment. Keep me posted on how your duplexer turns out, if things work out perhaps Ill send it to the same place [if they are looking for a little extra business.] Also thanks for the info about the LMR400/213 issue. I thought several users mentioned using LMR400 over all else due to the price over quality of signal, then I couldn't find the posts lol [that what I get for working all night!]

In my case, as a Chaplain Responder, "Relying on communications equipment for family safety, as well as coordination with other GMRS licensed Chaplains in post-natural disaster situations when phone service is interrupted for days or weeks."

UHF and Radio Enthusiast is my standard answer.

Note to Self: always read the entire thread before replying... Um, just no... He is an Extra Class ham: See also from the FCC Database: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=253782

No on the Laird, but here's what I use and it really talks. It's almost double the gain of the one you are looking at. I have two for my cars, one is GMRS/MURS and the other is GMRS only. http://www.dpdproductions.com/page_gmrs.html#gmrs58mobile

I've been using the TERA TR-505's for about six months now. They were initially marketed as GMRS/MURS radios (mine even says that on the front) but have since changed the way they are marketed. They are fully programmable radios with VHF/UHF frequencies ( if you buy the cable and down load the free software) with Hi/Low power settings. VHF is 5 watts /2 watts, UHF is 4 watts & 1 watt (although the measured output seems to be a little hotter than what's claimed,more like 5.7 & 5.2 but low power is right on the money). There have been many discussions on the web about whether they are actually Part 90 & 95 certified and I never did see any real conclusions one way or the other, but like I said, when I bought them they were advertised as legal GMRS/MURS radios and I have never seen a recall issued. They come with a substantial default antenna and optional 15" antenna that is almost as good as the short, 3 db, mag mount they also offer. I switched back and forth between mag mount and long antenna at a range of five miles (rolling rural terrain of Virginia) and the other operator couldn't tell the difference. I have since switched to a proper 6db, dual band mag mount which makes a big difference. The 15" antennas are well worth the money and, from my observation, will add approximately 40% or more to your range. About any kind of accessory you could want is available for these radios at reasonable prices. The initial cost is around $90 to $100. Dennis

I have a pair of GMRS/MURS Terra 505s with the optional 15 inch antenna and they work great! I can typically talk 5-7 miles over average rural terrain of small hills and forest. Having said that I was having trouble talking to my daughter who is only 1.5 air miles from me on GMRS because of terrain features blocking the signal. I even tried to talk to her on my mobile radio with 30 watts output on GMRS. She could hear me but couldn't talk back. We recently tried the same test on the Terra's MURS channels and talked fine, so I really became a believer in the VHF frequencies.

thank godness my wife is catching the radio bug !

West coast of Florida the Wal Mart's use MURS # 4 154.570. It's used in their stores and the Wal Mart trucks apparently have the radios also as I hear store personnel calling on the air for the truck drivers to back into a particular loading ramp to be unloaded. MURS # 1 151.820 is used by automated alarms in this area also. I have no positively identified the users but sounds like some of the horse farms in the area. Frequently the automated message - "Alarm in area 1" and 2, 3, and area 4. Best I can tell so far is they are attached to farm gates, when a gate is open it is announced on MURS. Just recently I read some prepper groups are encouraging the use of MURS #1 as a universal prepper channel. Prepper Net Every Tuesday night at 8:30PM CST on 151.8200 Mzh Some folks have come together and chosen a frequency or channel that all preppers can use. They assume that you probably have a Baofeng or Wouxun type radio, or other radio capable of transmitting in the MURS band. We picked this frequency because you do not need a license. You do not need to be a ham radio operator. Just program 151.820 into your radio and label it as PREP. It is our intention to have as many members of our community as possible to use this frequency. Every Tuesday night at 9:30pm est just monitor that channel. At some point, after we get enough people, you may begin to actually have contacts on that channel. Perhaps you are going to travel and you may find preppers on that channel For what it's worth.

I have a 14 year old kid in my neighborhood that heard me on his bubble pack radio and called for me. I answered and told him about the GMRS thing. He now listens to ch15, our receive for our repeater pair, and pushes his call button on ch1 when he hears me get home. I talk to him all the time now. I told him to tell his parents what he is doing and keep them informed. He knows who I am and what I do, and has confirmed it with the deputies at his school. His parents are fine with it and he is really getting into radio because of it. I found him a scanner for next to nothing, and have cleared it with his parents to give it to him. He wants to be a police officer and really likes talking with me. I think he is even going to join my office's explorer group. All that from hearing us on a bubble pack radio. Sounds like a next generation radio guy. Jerry