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19 is a terrible idea, as 462/7.65 is strictly prohibited above line A.

If you’re looking for simplicity, familiarity, ease of remembering for the masses then what about FRS/GMRS ‘19’ (462.650) simplex, no tone. Those from the CB world can easily relate to it because 19 has been engrained in our culture for 50+ years. Simplex to keep the radio traffic mostly local to you and ensure greatest pubic participation (FRS and GRMS) and because it does not rely on repeaters you may need permission to access. No tone because the masses will struggle to remember it and how to set it while traveling and because a tone is also not set in most radios on their channels when purchased. The downside to this frequency choice is that it is one of the high-power repeater frequencies and it will at times interfere with some folks being able to receive the repeater. A downside to not using a tone is that cheap legal radios will have no standard squelch control. As radio noise picks up, the users will be faced with more un-squelched audio they may find undesirable. All-in-all, I would predict 19 could have the greatest chance of success for the reasons I gave paragraph one. If some individuals repeater owners wish to specifically support travelers, they can either choose to support it on 650 (PL in, No PL out), or in the form of the alternate 675 with the 141.3 traveling tone as a quiet room for licensed traveling users to side-bar. For me, in reality, I would likely not monitor the channel once radio traffic picked up substantially, and definitely not once the CB trash-talk emerges, except perhaps during extended traffic slow-down situations. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

Because a repeater is a "station," I believe Michael is correct that there needs to be an ID provided when the station is in use (every 15 minutes, etc.). I do not believe it needs to be automatic. If I'm using my own repeater to talk to my family, I believe just IDing with my call sign is sufficient. If someone is using someone else's repeater, and it doesn't automatically ID, then, in order to be in compliance with the FCC rules, they would need to provide their ID and the ID of the repeater (for example: "This is aaaa111 on the bbbb222 repeater").

Hello; New to GMRS. I'm wondering if CB Mag-Mount Antenna can be made to work on GMRS frequencies, by cutting the whip length? thank you for your input. WRFP757

All of my 70cm ham antennas work fine on my GMRS and have and SWR well under 2:1. Vince

Your points are right on. Even with the often quoted negative 5db, more or less, gain of the typical VHF rubber duck antenna that still leaves a theoretical 4.5db advantage, a factor of 2.82, for VHF over UHF when using an HT with the factory supplied rubber duck antennas. So, a 2 watt MURS radio on VHF could generate a signal strength equal to a 5.6 watt UHF radio, assuming the UHF radio is using a good 1/4 wave antenna on it. In a variable environment like suburban and urban the advantage for VHF over UHF might be hard to qualify even with the gain advantage. In line of sight open areas VHF would likely do better. In an urban area UHF likely would because the signal bounces off buildings better than VHF. This might be an interesting test comparing VHF MURS to FRS/GMRS using the same power and factory supplied antennas in different environments. https://youtu.be/JGSLe39gh8k

Never say never but no. Just pick up a standard 1/4 wave uhf mag mount on amazon.

"A GMRS travle channel should not be a repeater channel simplex only" So what do you mean by this. We only have 8 repeater channels. Are you proposing to use channels 1-7 which are 5 watt low power ? For me I dont want someone camping on my repeater pair or using it as a "road" channel. If your set on a designated channel I'd pick a 1-7 channel.

This means channel 19 and 20 are not to be used within closes proximity of Canada boarder. for the most part upper parts of MI and the north east states that are rather populated would be effected. west of MI the line is straight and not as populated. Best see attachment file. Comparing CB past problem's are some what germane, I hope Legal licensed GMRS usurers would not use a busy travel channel and monitor if the activity that is germane to your geographic location and find info usable. To "chew the rag" keep it short or move to another channel. Licensed GMRs for common curtsy would announce there call sign a help keep the non Licensed users a bay some. Non-Licensed are free to lessen, to those not giving a call sign one does not have to respond. I know there will alwyas be the "cowboy illegals" upset the apple cart. If you want to worry about the few that don't play by any rules we will go on and on and NRVER advance the GMRS concept. Remember the G in GMRS is general, Not just my close frinds or people that think like me. General invites ALL. A travle channel must first consider ALL in the picture. The majority of FCC rules are intended so ALL use the air-waves and get along. In time I see more GMRS getting licensed and seeing the benefits of working togeter not dividing us. A GMRS travle channel should not be a repeater channel simplex only, no tones. as well as limited to a lower power in congested population high traffic locations. https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/maps/frequency-coordination-canada/

I have what may be a similar issue, but I have intermittent drop outs of audio and RF output. I have tried wiggling the mic plug in the jack, and then I wedged it into place, and that may help...it is had to tell since the problem is intermittent, BTWR said they were sending a replacement mic incase a loose wire/contact is causing the problem. That was about one month ago, and I am still waiting for the mic. I really like the radio otherwise.

If it comes up often then it sure sounds like there might be a need for one. DownEastNC sits back and waits on lecture about how GMRS is supposed to be for personal communications

"Affiliate link below" ?

In my continued understanding of the rules, Yes. If a repeater is used solely for communication by the owner and others covered by the owner’s license, my understanding continues to be that it does not need to ID. At the moment it switches from owner’s family communications to use by members of the public/different license then it is suppose to ID. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM

I own the Ellicott City and Towson repeaters and I also know of quite a few repeaters in the DC area that are not publicly listed. This will probably arouse some disbelief by some here, but there is actually a repeater on almost every single pair surrounding the DC area. Some of which have pretty significant coverage. Unfortunately, they don't have an IDer (illegal btw), so we've never been able to reach the repeater owner (I suspect most of them are owned by same person). So, without getting direct permission from them, I would tread lightly. Most of them work on the traveler's tone 141.3.

I liked it so much I bought 2! Like the form factor, and sensitivity is good. A lot of bang for the buck, scanning speed is decently fast, 300 channel memory.