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I just found something interesting in the GMRS rules. From 95.1771: a. Each GMRS transmitter type must have the capability to transmit F3E or G3E emissions. b. Only emission types A1D, F1D, G1D, H1D, J1D, R1D, A3E, F3E, G3E, H3E, J3E, R3E, F2D, and G2D are authorized for use in the GMRS. Ok. F3E is FM (frequency modulation) voice. G3E is phase modulation voice; essentially the same as FM. So basically a. states that a GMRS station must be able to transmit FM. Then, b. adds to that. In addition to being capable of transmitting FM, a GMRS transmitter (because the transmitter is really the regulated part) may also have the capability of transmitting the other listed emission types. 1 and 2 refer to digital content. 3 refers to analog content, including voice transmissions. The third character refers to type of content, with E being telephony: voice or music. Of course music is verboten, so E means voice in the case of GMRS. So looking at the first character, the analog voice modes that are listed are: A3E, F3E, G3E, H3E, J3E and R3E. As already stated, F3E and G3E are FM voice. Here's the interesting part: A3E is AM voice. J3E is SSB voice. H3E and R3E are modified forms of SSB. DSB (Double Sideband, suppressed carrier) also falls under the heading of A3E, so that would be allowed as well. Conclusion: as long as a transmitter meets the rest of the requirements (including the ability to transmit on FM), there is nothing prohibiting the use of SSB or AM on GMRS. If someone would just build a Part 95 type classified multimode transceiver... The thing is, on ham radio it is not uncommon to communicate over paths of hundreds of miles, simplex, using 432 MHz SSB. It would seem that availability of a proper radio is the only thing preventing us from doing the same on GMRS freqs.

Hello all; I just received my GMRS license a couple of days ago. I am a ham and have been involved in various facets of radio since the '70s. I've considered getting a GMRS license for years, but prior to 1999 it just seemed too restrictive and didn't seem to offer any real advantages for me. I was much more involved in amateur radio and didn't have the time for what GMRS was at the time, or at least what I perceived it to be, right or wrong. That was then, this is now. I'm pleased with the direction GMRS has taken. I remember when FRS first came out, and in fact I sold some of the first FRS radios before they were widely available. I watched as the blister pack radios became more capable, and heard the buzz about how they would result in the demise of GMRS. I'm happy that hasn't happened, and that GMRS has become a more useful and accessible radio service than ever before.

RCM- Welcome to the forum. I like your avatar... nice line drawing of a Shakespeare SE-2500 VHF Marine radio. I wonder if anyone else caught that.

I agree and the Arizona GMRS Repeater club actively works towards the goal of furthering the adoption and use of GMRS. Practical applications of radio (as opposed to just rag chewing) is what I enjoy most, and I find GMRS to be a gret fit for my purposes. Welcome!

Welcome RCM Keith T

There is no RF ground on a J pole. It is in reality an end-fed half wave antenna, fed with a quarter wave matching stub. And that being the case, you can't make a quarter wave J pole. You can however bend it at a 90 degree angle, at the end of the matching stub where the radiator begins. The reason a quarter wave antenna needs an "RF ground" is that it is only half of an antenna: the radials, RF ground lead or whatever you use forms the other half. A half wave antenna is a complete antenna, hence no grounding requirement.