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Good catch on this informal and informational page; the phrase "or any other network" showed up in November of last year per archive.org well after other sources in the FCC had stated that it's fine and well after linking had already become prevalent on GMRS based on that correspondence and the implementation of the 2017 rules. This 'minor' addition in my opinion is in conflict with prior correspondence from the FCC before this date, the current CFR (which of course represent the actual rules: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-95?toc=1), upon which the GMRS community have already acted (and invested) in good faith. Perhaps they're looking to discourage it, but in my opinion it still remains legal regardless of whatever the official sentiment may be especially since they already stated its fine in the past and the current rules are consistent with that. Perhaps someone inside the FCC had an "oh wait not like that" moment after evaluating impacts of the 2017 rule change, since GMRS absolutely exploded in popularity during COVID. Still - the rules are the rules and are the only thing that governs the service. The only thing that would concern me on the issue is any future proposed rulemaking changes or amendments (which I believe require a public comment period?)

I downloaded the GMRS img file that was posted a few months back. However, I have a question... Is this RPi image really all that different from the ones used by Amateur Radio's Allstar image or, are there just a few network related parameter changes in key configuration files? I ask, because after recently building an Allstar repeater with the RPI 3B+, it seems a relatively minor effort to change the network servers in the config files from a working Allstar config system to those used for GMRS. Seems like duplicating/cloning a working image and simply changing the required parameters rather than start a new build from scratch would be easier. Just curious.

I have heard a ton of digital on GMRS. Get near any port on the coast and its non stop. As I go thru DC and Baltimore I hear it on and off in the cities. Alot is simplex but I know of locations with repeaters on the air. Sad part is people buy CCR DMR stuff and just program away not knowing anything about rules or caring. When they sell stuff on amazon to anyone who has a CC its going to happen. When I was at a radio shop in the past they put a IDAS/NXDN repeater on GMRS for a school "cause they have no money" for licensing. I wasn't there much longer. All we can do as GMRS users is try to follow the rules and encourage others to do the same.

The ORing is to keep water out of the NMO. Nothing more.

Can't help on the NMO... Unless the ancient dual band amateur antenna and clamp-on mount I'd used on a Plymouth Laser RS Turbo, back in the 90s had one. The ATAS-100/120 (40m-70cm screwdriver) I used on a Jeep Cherokee (99-last year, when it was totaled in a roll-over accident) was "UHF" (PL-259/SO-239) style. The rust-bucket I'm now driving has mag-mounts for GMRS and CB, and a Larsen window-glass mount with dual-band antenna that just has a small threaded post with O-ring that the whip screws down against. In this case, the O-ring is obviously a weather-shield keeping rain from corroding the threaded fitting when the antenna is on.

Unfortunately, I don't think FCC Part 95 archives exist on the net. We're talking regulations from before 1995. My reference is "General Mobile Radio Service National Repeater Guide 10th Edition" from the (defunct) "Personal Radio Steering Group". From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_distress_frequency#Other_frequencies In those days, a GMRS license authorized one to use TWO (out of 8, selected by licensee on application) main Frequencies (one didn't refer to channel numbers, but to the .XXX part of the frequency). Most all GMRS radios (part 90 business types) just had an A/B toggle to select between the two frequencies. It was recommended that one include the .675 frequency as one of the channels. The Maxon GMRS 210+3 HT was somewhat hot in 1994/1995 as it had 10 channels -- the somewhat recently created interstitials (what are now channels 1-7), channel 8 was the .675 frequency as it was legal to use that frequency for emergency/traveller assistance even if it was NOT one of the two frequencies listed on one's license, and channels 9&10 -- which were to be programmed by a radio shop for the two frequencies on one's license (but Maxon shipped the 6 page programming manual with the radio; programming consisted of taking the back cover off the radio, pressing a micro-button switch, then dialing up the first frequency for channel 9, then pressing the button again to dial up the frequency for channel 10). Duplex/Simplex was handled by a front-panel button. If .675 was listed on the license, the licensee could use it for routine traffic, not just emergency/traveller assistance.

Turn off the VPN and give it a try.

WENEEDMOARCAPSCAPTAIN!1

WHATISGOINGONHEREIDONTUNDERSTAND

If you go this route just toss a 1/4 wave on it. 6" vs 3" wont be noticed. I had run one of those on my Motorhome before I switched out to the LAIRD fiberglass stick. Worked fine for my application as I had no ground plane on the motorhome.

Just my opinion, while it will work, it is way too much hardware and effort to make the antenna system work. If you are going to insist on using it, use a Tram 1126B antenna to keep the height down However, I would ditch the ground plane kit and just buy a half wave antenna, which is about 12 inches tall, or a 5/8 wave antenna and mount it on the hood or swing gate. The Midland MXTA26, which has 6dB of gain (32" high), is one of the 2 antennas I use. The other is the Tram 1126B antenna. Which one I use depends on where I am and what I am doing. They both work very well. Also, why do you want to install this over the roof line? An antenna on the hood or swing gate will net you about 4.5 miles of range on level ground, while moving it to top of the Jeep will only extend range another 0.5 miles... maybe. Again, just my opinion, the cost and level of effort (not to mention appearance) its not worth doing an 'above the roof line' install.

Understandable? No, it’s a waste of regulatory authority, creating a rule for which a violation cannot be detected and which causes no problem. Here’s the scenario: Rick the radio guy has a commercial handheld that’s type 95 certified. Using CPS he configures it to transmit only on the FRS frequencies and only at FRS power levels. Does he have to have a GMRS license and use his GMRS call sign? I’ll check on the answers tonight.

Perhaps, but it's also understandable, since the pre-2017 rules allowed for those combination FRS/GMRS radios, and somewhere in the manual that came with them there was a notice that a license was needed if you wanted to use the higher-power "GMRS" channels. I'll bet the percentage of people who purchased those bubble-pack combo radios and got (or had) a GMRS license was in the single digits. FRS radios are also not allowed to use repeaters, so it's not just bandwidth and power levels that differ between FRS and GMRS. As far as the requirement to ID if using a GMRS radio (even on simplex), that certainly seems to be what the FCC regulations say. Will anyone know and/or care if you don't? Probably not.

I understand the regulation. It’s stupid.

A repeater at 4 watts will talk no further than a portable at 4 watts. No need to install an amp. You would be best served by purchasing a quality antenna and feedline.

For completeness -- ALL channels... INCLUDING the repeater inputs since they are 5MHz up from the simplex frequencies. However, you could probably skip the interstitials (in the current numbering scheme: 1-7, limit to 5W ERP) as they fall midway between the main channels. That leaves the main simplex channels (15-22) and the repeater channels (which may appear as 23-30, or as 15-22 with some indicator of repeater mode: rp15, 15R, etc.). If your primary usage will be via repeaters, having a low SWR on the repeater channels will be more desirable. If you will be using simplex and repeaters, you'll have to compromise. Try to match simplex 22 and repeater 15 in SWR (simplex 15 and repeater 22 will be the worst SWRs, since you are tuning to put the minimum SWR around 464/465MHz, which is not a GMRS frequency band on its own, but midway between simplex and repeater frequencies. This is where a standalone antenna analyzer (or a VNA -- though I don't have experience with those yet; mine arrived today, with the power switch in the ON position, so the battery is extremely dead with NO battery included [I've never seen a "standard flat-top 18650" locally -- button top and worse, protection circuit on some], and I hope it will charge). One: these devices don't spew high power RF, running in microWatt levels. Two: they let you sweep the frequency range while watching a needle and/or LCD display of SWR so you can rapidly get an idea of where the min-SWR is, and what the <2.0 bandwidth covers (Antenna analyzers tend to use of rotary dial to manually sweep, VNAs normally do the sweep via programmed parameters, and display graphically). You would 1: need a calibrated RF signal source to validate your power meter reading and 2: a reasonable dummy load for the power and frequency range (a 300W dummy load can only operate for half a minute at 300W before giving it a multiple minute cool-down; same unit is good for 3 minutes at 50W before cool-down. At less then 25W it can pretty much go on forever). You probably won't see a full "advertised" power. Especially when that power level is also an FCC legal maximum output power (whereas the common 100W Amateur rig is not limited that way -- since 1500W is the legal max). Manufacturers may set the max to some level below the 50 (a few watts) just to ensure compliance with FCC regulations. There is also just unit to unit differences -- if the final check-out technician is having a bad day, they may not spend much time tweaking the final output levels and consider anything under 50W is good. A few watts is insignificant. If I recall, to double the received signal strength (2 S-units on a meter?), one has to use something like 10X the power (I need to restudy my technical books. If a 5W signal brings up half the s-meter, going to 50W is likely to only tick one or two more dots on the uncalibrated LCD meters most units display. I have a BTech GMRS-V2 -- advertised as 5W HT... My last test showed something between 2.5 and 3.5W. In contrast, my GMRS-V1 (a 2W design) showed around 2.5W. The main feature of coax is that it is supposed to be shielded from outside electrical noise. The RF signal goes up the center conductor, and ideally tends to be balanced by the /inside/ of the braided shield (this is a much simplified description). Noise tends to be induced on the outside of the braided shield where is should be grounded out at the radio. Twin-lead has lower losses, but has to be kept a few inches away from any metal, much less something carrying electricity. The zip-tie somewhat concerns me.. How TIGHT are they? You don't want to squeeze the coax and the inner insulator may deform, putting the shield closer to the center conductor... And that will become an impedance bump (SWR affect -- maybe small but...). For my install, I bought some canisters (10ft lengths, at O'Reilly) of split-tubing plastic conduit. Press the cables in through the split, then use cable clamps or zip-ties to hold the conduit in place. Icom ID-5100 transceiver installed in the under-bed well. The conduit has a few inches of antenna cable, power cables, external speaker cable, microphone cable, and control head cable. The speaker, microphone, and control head cables split off at the driver's seat to go in to the central console (actually, I should double check. The speaker is mounted just behind console, but did I run control cables along central console, or with power cables and split off at the driver's kick panel? Just to get more on topic -- those are the GMRS and CB (both mag-mount antennas) which run up the right side until passenger seat, then cross over to central console.

Another "Expert"....and you guys think I make this stuff up.. I didnt even mention that he only has a ham callsign..

Just remember, that as predicted in the proclamation video, "some people" will always and forever spew reasons why Ch19 (any channel, actually) is not "the right choice", and will argue about it as they have for years, accomplishing nothing.. Those people are not invited to join with the rest of us normal people on Ch19.. They can go talk to themselves on some other channel.. My name is Queen Randy and I approve this message.

Should probably point here: https://forums.mygmrs.com/guidelines/ The other link was from before a pretty big site/forum upgrade, I suspect things have shifted around a bit. They're also in the menu in the top right, under the "browse" submenu, at least on mobile view.