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First of all, repeaters are neither allowed nor possible on FRS. There is no provision for repeater inputs in a separate band segment. There might be operators in other radio services using FRS as an input to a cross-band repeater. But, that is distinctly and strictly prohibited by the rules. As to ham operators who do not have GMRS licenses. If they are talking on the GMRS frequencies, they are doing so illegaly. Otherwise, there is nothing compelling a ham operator to have a GMRS license. And, yes, there are no doubt hams operating on GMRS using ham equipment. However, they typically do not go around announcing that is what they are doing, and they certainly do not claim that they have some special need or right to do so. But, regardless of examples of others who might be flouting the rules, their indiscretions do not in any way change the licensing requirements you agreed to to get your GMRS license. And, to be blunt. If someone is unwilling or incapable, regardless of age or other reason, of correctly operating under your GMRS license. Then you, as the license holder are responsible and you must prevent them from using the station. If your grand children cannot comply with the rules, they cannot use a radio operating under the GMRS rules. Period. By and large, the people on this forum support the GMRS service and want to see it remain useful and relevant. Arguing publicly that the rules do not apply to this or that special case is counter to those ends. If you still think you know better, or that your needs are special, or whatever, then go ahead and do whatever you want. Nobody will ever know anyway. But, please do not claim that your special needs come first and expect others to support you. And, please have a little more faith is your grand-children and children in general. They learn quickly and like to do things right.

Congrats! I recently got my technician license as well. Most of the repeaters in my area are 2m so I bought a Baofeng UV5r with a Nagoya 771 antenna as a handheld, and I have a Kenwood TM-281a in my truck with a Laird quarter wave antenna on a fender bracket. I can hit repeaters 20 miles away on low power. It’s a great 2m setup if you ask me, and including the antenna, radio, coax and bracket, it set me back about $215. Not bad at all!! 73, KO4CWG WREX979

I passed the Tech exam this morning by remote! I missed one question. Now it's time for some serious thought about which radio. That FT-991a is sure tempting but I may just start out simple with a dual-band unit.

yeah. Not keying up with the ft991a any more on vhf. The baofeng, well its a baofeng and a ht.... so I will be pounding the ptt. Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Low swr is better. 1:1 means you are getting all the power out. Higher means you are getting reflected power or wasting some as heat. There is an old video (50's 60's) that explains it with models. Swr is not the end all to antennas and many focus on it too much. But generally strive for lower. Db is the increase of gain on the antenna. Dbi means it is based off a reference. Usually DBi gives you a better idea of increase in gain to a reference antenna. Where db may the gain vs a pencil for all you know. So 3 db with make your 5 watt radio equal to a radio with 15 watts of power with no gain. The higher the gain value normally the radiation pattern is flatter with a higher take off angle. For example 1/4 wave antenna is a bit more spherical (like a ball). So when offroading it can be beneficial if you are going up a dune at the crest and there is a truck below you, you'll can hear him. With a half wave design the pattern is flatter and you may not hear him. However, when using a repeater from a mobile the 1/2 wave can more beneficial because then repeater is higher and you have more gain. Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

As the license holder of record you're responsible to insure those operating under it follow the rules. Kids have to learn rules for everything as they grow up. GMRS shouldn't be any different. As far as paying a fine the FCC, when they issue one, they don't screw around. Somehow getting one for $7,500 to $10,000 is sort of scary. They want to get your attention and make a point. And yes they most certainly have in other radio services for failure to ID, unlicensed operation, willful interference etc. I don't know about GMRS but it wouldn't be any different. A number of the cases I've seen the FCC contacted the party informing them of the rule violation(s) first. The fine(s) get issued when they party continues to ignore the rules and the FCC notices. Oh, they also have a habit of taking the equipment too in some cases along with issuing the fine(s). I remember years ago asking somebody at the local FCC field office here what they do with all of the confiscated equipment. I was told it goes to a local junk yard straight into the crusher. None of it ever gets sold or returned to the owner.

But again, if kids are equipped with FRS radios, the they do not need to identify. The only rule is to not cause malicious interference, i.e. do not jam other people. To practice common courtesy, in other words. GRS-to-GMRS communications are perfectly legal. You may still research roof antenna for your V1. Because from inside the house the range will be abysmal. And if house is stucco, then forget it, it's pretty much a Faraday cage.

Slight correction. Old and wise is an absolute state. Older and wiser is a comparative and does indeed imply some other, less old and wise, state. And, the English lover in me adds, the sender implies, the receiver infers.

They do make power port passive diplexers. Not sure if that will help. The satellite hams sometimes but rarely use something similar. Not sure if that is any help. I don't know enough about the topic to really offer much. But this might lead you down the path till someone can chime in. Note this is 75 ohms.. really for satellite dishes not ham/gmrs use. https://www.summitsource.com/Channel-Master-4001IFD-Satellite-Diplexer-Separator-Mixer-VHFUHF-CM4001IFD-950-2150-with-DC-Pass-High-Performance-In-line-IF-Satellite-Diplexer-Digital-Video-Signal-Part-4001-IFD-P11530.aspx