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So the Kenwood 8180 is installed programmed and working great, I was able to talk through a repeater near Seattle that is 52 air miles away clearly. Appreciate all of the input from this group that made this possible as we still travel a lot and the ability to add frequencies with different PL codes was the one reason I went with the Kenwood, Now I need to figure out how to get only my 36 channels to scan properly using the Kenwood software. Thanks for all of the information!!!!! Mike

That could be the case. You can see the FCC data on the radio at this site below: https://fccid.io/WVTWOUXUN16 The FCC certification grant is there. More of interest you can find internal photos of the radio. After looking I didn’t see the typical radio-a-chip device, which seems to be the favorite used in the cheap Chinese radios, on the circuit boards. I didn’t try to look up the chip numbers so the manufacturer could still be using a different one, or a customized version.

I know I have posted this before, but I can't seem to find it. So, here it is again. GMRS is a radio service designed for a specific purpose: family communication. A mobile two-way voice communication service, with limited data applications, for facilitating activities of individual licensees and their family members, including, but not limited to, voluntary provision of assistance to the public during emergencies and natural disasters. ​Contrast that with Amateur radio a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art. c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art. d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts. e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill. It sounds like some of what @krvw and others here expect from GMRS is actually found in HAM (Amateur) radio. If you want to try and make GMRS into another HAM like service, you are doomed to failure. My suggestion is, take advantage of GMRS for what it is and don't fret what it is not. If you are looking for a broader hobbyist community, try amateur radio. You will find repeaters everywhere with all-kind of communities (some of which you will love, others which you will hate). An Amateur tech license is not only not hard to get, but in the process of getting the license you will learn a lot about radio in general that will help you with GMRS as well. And, if you become interested and go for your amateur general license, then there is the world of low-band, short-wave...