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I just wanted to add to the conversation a little nugget. We talk about the need for type certified radios and what that means for manufacturers. Some figure that if a manufacturer allows, through official software or other means, a radio to do something outside its certification then that’s ok. What is not talked about is one’s obligation, per the rules, as a GMRS licensee. This obligation is to operate fully within the rules. Much like an amateur license where the burden is placed on the amateur to make user they operate with power and frequency limits, so too does the GMRS licensee assume a similar burden. If the FCC were to get pissy, and decided to make an example of someone, they could not only go after a manufacturer for some form of non-compliance, but also licensee for knowingly using hardware in a manner inconsistent with the rules. Even something as simple as operating at more then 1/2w ERP on the 467 interstitials, operating simplex on 467 main channels, or using a non-certified radio in GMRS. While some might argue “the manufacturer’s product allowed me to do it” so it must be ok. But ultimately responsibility exists on both sides. The licensee agreed to the rules when then they applied for and where granted their license. Just like the FCC appears to be unwilling and powerless to go after the manufacturers for skirting the rules, so too are they not likely to come down on the user. My point being, licensee responsibility is equally as important as manufacturer responsibility. Worth mentioning. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

Thus far no one's even mentioned the elephant in the room: repeaters! The vast majority of GMRS repeaters are using transmitters that are not Part 95 certified... <plonk> As far as I can determine, the only GMRS repeaters that are Part 95 compliant are those that are "home-built" using at least a certificated transmitter. N9GIX / WQWU626

On the radio side you have basic several choices to make. 1. Do you want a hand held radio? 2. Do you want a mobile only radio, that could also be used as a base? 3. Numbers 1 and 2 above. 4. Do you want a purpose designed GMRS radio? 5. Do you want a used commercial radio, lets say a Motorola, Kenwood or Vertex for example. 6. Do you only want Part 95 certified radios, highly recommended? The prices will vary from under $100 to well over several $100's depending on your choice. Usually the performance is better with the higher price points, but not always. The general opinion is the used commercial radios perform better than the cheaper offerings from the Chinese manufactures. Personally myself I have a rather large collection of commercial Kenwood hand held radios. Another member is a very strong advocate for Motorola gear and won't touch anything else. One thing is for sure, you'll get a lot of opinions one way or the other. One other point, if you are considering getting a Ham license at some point that may change your choice of which radio(s) to get. Some model of radios will allow you to enter NON GMRS frequencies in them, like for the Ham 70cm band. For those radios you can use on both services without requiring two separate radios. One radio I've been using lately, which is Part 90 and 95 certified is the Kenwood TK-3170. The software will allow out of the officially supported band range frequencies so I have both GMRS, and a bunch of Ham 70cm repeaters programmed in to it. The later when entering those frequencies the programming software will generate a warning but accepts the entry when you acknowledge the message. The Kenwood radios I have in my collection that have the required Part 95 certification for GMRS are: TK-370G-1 https://mra-raycom.com/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/Specifications/portables/TK-270G-370G-Product-Brochure.pdf TK-3140 type 1 http://rsws.zapto.org/RadioSoftware/Kenwood/tk-2140-3140.pdf TK-3170 type 1 https://www.wirelessvoicedata.com/downloads/kenwood/kenwood-tk-2170-3170-brochure.pdf TK-3173 type 1 http://www.secomwireless.com/KWLIT/LIT_TK-3173.pdf TK-3180 type 1 https://www.ameradio.com/doc/Kenwood_TK-2180_TK-3180.pdf TK-3212 type 1 http://www.deisradio.com/files/TK-2212-3212 Brochure.pdf The commercial radios come in different frequency ranges. Make sure the "type" you are buying covers the frequency range for GMRS, 462 MHz to 467 MHz. Also don't forget for any radio you'll need to get the programming software and cable for it. That's very important for the commercial radios since they can't be programmed from the font panel. Antennas, coax, mounting etc. that is a whole other topic.

Welcome to the forum. Lots to learn hear and a lot of folks at various experience levels are here to help. Enjoy. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

Yes you can have same repeater with any number of same repeaters with different PL codes. Feel free to PM me and we can talk...I have two 805G and 905G as well... Will share my config file so you can look at it. MacJack

Welcome Droopy... Just read all the posts, ask questions on the forum or in a private message PM... Any way you see it this forum has many interest and the biggest think is to pick a radio based on your needs... So pick what is best for you and your family needs first... I did purchased from https://www.buytwowayradios.com as I was looking for a Part 95 certified radio. Our family is having so much fun and connected to the best private local repeater. Who we have connected with personally and he encouraged me and my grand daughter to get our Ham license which we are Hams for the last month. I learned a lot as we made our family local repeater for our neighborhood in our valley which helped my 12 yo grand daughter how it all works so we pass the test. A lot of info here so ask us on this forum as we all where Newbies which I was in Nov 2020... Look at me now as a Ham... MacJack

So, you messed up (potentially, maybe not) the repeater for everyone else. Congrats, take a cookie from the jar. I think that was answered before. Ham is self-policing, GMRS is regulated. GMRS is structured, cut and chiseled very much like land-mobile business service. Totally not like Amateur Radio.

Welcome Droopy! There isn't any special GMRS lingo, no 10-4, no 73's etc. Like ham operation, you are required to USE your call sign. The main thing to know about GMRS is that its in the UHF band and signal propagation is nearly exclusively line of sight. If you are over the horizon without an elevated antenna location there will be no tranmission beyond 20 miles under any conditions. Buildings, trees, hills count as nearly 100% signal blockers. Repeaters are the big advantage of the GMRS band as licensed in the US. If you are lucky enough to be in an area with many GMRS repeaters (very much like ham and police emergency service repeaters) you may be able to work thru them for dramatically extended range beyond the 1, 2 or 3 mile normal local transmissions. Some examples: I can hear but not get into a particular repeater about 15 miles away, I can easily get into one about 2 ½ miles away and another repeater 18 miles away very well placed high up a hill and on a high tower. The repeater at 18 miles lets me communicate with others within a 25 mile radius of the repeater itself in all directions potentially 40 miles from me in that direction. Some GMRS frequencies are inhabited by legacy business licensees and are nearly useless in the immediate area of the business. Repeaters are privately owned, some require permission for use, others only ask that you operate legally. I only have experience with Wouxon and Motorola GMRS units. Not 100% certain I would buy another Motorola, but definitely would buy another Wouxon. I have a few Baofeng hand helds, but probably wouldn't replace with same if they failed.

I think there are a few older Kenwood repeaters that have Part 95 acceptance, but I don't remember model number or FCC ID. Other than that, you are right. The only current type accepted repeater available is the Revitis, but the power is extremely low. EDIT: TKR-820 FCCID:ALH9TKTKR-820-1

I'd love a confirmation from someone that's used the 905g, but given how it's above the 805 in features in pretty much every aspect, I can't see it being a problem. I know it can be done on the 805g via the software, as I have mine set with the base 30, 2 repeaters on .575 (ch 16), 1 on .625 (ch 18), and another set of repeater presets to use for travel.

This proves how easy it is to make basic antennas that work. Like you said it isn't petty but gets the job done.

Any outside antenna can get hit by lightening...

I just made this one! GMRS resonant! ugly, unlike yours, but it works!!!

I received a pair of Tidradio TD-H5 radios today that I ordered a few days ago. They are very similar, but not identical, to the GM-30 model from Radioddity. Basically, the speaker grille on the body of the radio is a little different. That and the TidRadio logo are the only differences I could see on these radios. All the menu/keypad choices appear to be the same. I was also able to successfully program both radios with the Radioddity version of the software. Since I already had this installed on my computer, I gave it a try and it worked as expected. To download the software from TidRadio, I believe you have to create an account on their site in order to access the downloadable file. I did not need to do this since the Radioddity software works as is. Overall, I think the two-pack of these radios (available on Amazon last I checked) is a great value. For just under $80, I received four batteries and two speaker mics for my existing radios, a programming cable, and a few other accessories. If the batteries were $13 each, the speaker mics $10 each, and the programming cable was $10, those things alone would exceed the cost of the package I ordered. Even without the radios, the package would be a decent value, but the package I received even contained a couple of "spare" radios (if there really is such a thing). The one thing that is not included is a charging base. Like with the GM-30, the included batteries can be charged with a USB-C cable, which was included. I like charging my radios on a charging base, so I use the TYT UV-88 charging base. The UV-88 uses the same basic case design, so the charging base is compatible with these radios, too. I have also used a Baofeng UV-5R charging base with these radios. While the fit isn't perfect, the batteries will charge properly as long as the radio is making good contact. The LED on the charger will indicate charging status. As was mentioned earlier in this thread, the radio's antennas are "fixed" and cannot be removed. Not unless you loosen the set screw, that is. When you do that and unscrew the antenna, you'll find the jack on the radio is an SMA female, and requires an SMA male antenna. This means that your typical UV-5R type of antenna won't work, because they are SMA female If I have anything negative to say about these radios, it's that the belt clip seems a little flimsy. The same is true for the GM-30 and the UV-88, as they all use identical belt clips. There were also only two belt clips included, but since they attach to the batteries, there aren't enough of them for all the included batteries. I prefer the GT-3 type of belt clip, which is a direct replacement for the standard belt clip, so I ordered a 10 pack of the GT-3 belt clips to replace those on all my batteries. The UV-5R belt clips will also work. In summary, if you need or want a pair of decent GMRS handheld radios, I would recommend the Tidradio TD-H5. They come as a two-pack for about the same price as two of the Radioddity GM-30 radios. The TD-H5 package also includes two extra batteries and two speaker-mics that you do not get when you order two of the GM-30 radios. You can find better handheld radios, but they generally cost at least twice as much as the TD-H5.

I like option 2. Perhaps social media can encourage local participation during the holidays. Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

No, you are ok. The above power procedure where you press buttons is a form of unlocking the firmware, which is where it breaks the certification. There are a large number of Kenwood and Moto gear that were granted both Part 90 and Part 95 certifications, and using it on commercial, GMRS and ham licenses is not a violation of the FCC grant. As far as I know, the FCC stopped granting dual certifications (90/95), however, the existing dual grants stand.

I wonder if the allotment just got used up in one or the other...it's interesting crossing paths with people that got licensed not long before or after, and seeing how far the "sequential" counter turned.

I see this is a bit old but in case the OP checks back: I would second the RT97. I have one running on a mountain side here in Alaska and get 25-30 miles of coverage to HT. An RT97 setup at your centrally located house with an antenna put up above roof level would work wonders for you. If simplex is working from one side to the other at ground level, having the repeater in the middle sounds like it would give you exactly what you are looking. There doesn't appear to be a need to place a repeater antenna 6 million miles in the air. A few feet above the roof of your home sounds like it would be more than enough to accomplish the goal you're trying to accomplish. I would be willing to bet that the RT97 set on low power and some HTs set on low power would set you up nice. Advantage to low power use is much extended battery life on the HTs and having the option to push to high power if you find an area with spotty coverage. The RT97 is weather sealed and small so you can place it very close to the antenna and not worry about loss from long coax runs. Something as simple as the RT97 feeding a mobile antenna with a ground plane kit via some RG400 would work just fine. Are their better setups out there...for sure...but this works well for what it is. There is no need to over complicate the system for some cases. RT97 https://www.retevis.com/rt97-portable-repeater-power-amplifier-uhf/#A9150A Ground Plane Kit https://www.amazon.com/TRAM-1465-Mobile-Ground-Plane/dp/B004PGMFGM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tram+ground+plane+kit&qid=1627330792&sr=8-1 Simple Antenna (I have one and works well, the cutting guide that comes with is accurate) https://www.amazon.com/Browning-450MHz-470MHz-3dBd-Mobile-Antenna/dp/B00IDTJ2EA/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=browning+uhf&qid=1627330865&sr=8-2 RG400 Cable in various lengths https://www.ebay.com/itm/132890965676?hash=item1ef0eb36ac:g:QWgAAOSwaPNcFyCP

We have seen that the Google, Bing, Ask and other search engine spybots are camped out here reading new posts. Just a word to the wise... use your discretion in posting personal or sensative information that could possibly compromise your personal safety, security, lead to identity theft, or give non-licensed individuals a way to access your radio systems.

We are bumping up this announcement once again as a refersher to all members. MyGMRS is one of the fastest growing GMRS and alternate radio service forums in the US. As a result of it's popularity, we are being "scanned" by countless 'spybots' from all the major search engines as well as some from other countries. We have seen as many as 30 search engine 'bots' collecting data here at one time. We would just like to remind everyone that this forum is PUBLIC and if you don't want the world to see your personal info, don't post it.