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The definition is clear IMO. A fixed station is at a location that doesn't move and only communicates to another station that doesn't move either. Think of a microwave site. The dish only communicates to another dish some distance away. Neither end moves.

I spent many years dealing with government regulations and one of the most important lessons is to not overregulate yourself. The only regulations that matter are those that are written. For GMRS that means the rules in Part 95, Subpart A, which apply to all personal radio services, and subpart E, which specifically apply to GMRS.

another way to explain what Sshannon is saying if it makes it easier to grasp, a radio at a gate to a property (a com box if you will) that only communicates (via radio) with a com box in the home on said property. This is a fixed station. At the end of the day it's the same. It's two radios intended to talk only to each other.

One thing is for sure, having my ham call on my license plate makes me think twice about taking part in road rage. It helps me drive more courteously than I already do.

These are usage limitations. Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only. I have a house in town and a cabin sixteen miles away in the mountains. If I buy two radios and locate one at my house and the other at my cabin and the only thing I do is use the two to communicate to each other, I would argue those are “Fixed stations.” In this usage I am responsible for limiting my output power to 15 watts. That doesn’t mean the transmitter must not have the capability to transmit at a higher power! Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations. If I use a more or less permanently located radio, transmitting only on the 462 MHz main (not interstitial) frequencies to talk directly to my friends and neighbors, that is a “base station.” Control station. A station at a fixed location that communicates with mobile stations and other control stations through repeater stations, and may also be used to control the operation of repeater stations. If I use that same station to talk through a repeater on the 467 MHz frequencies, that is then a “control station.” Hand-held portable unit. A physically small mobile station that can be operated while being held in the operator's hand. If I hold a radio with a battery in my hand while I’m using it, that’s a “hand-held portable.” Mobile station. A station, intended to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified locations, that communicates directly with base stations and other mobile stations, and with control stations and other mobile stations through repeater stations. If I mount a radio in my car, that’s a “mobile.” Finally, Repeater station. A station in a fixed location used to extend the communications range of mobile stations, hand-held portable units and control stations by receiving their signals on one channel (the input channel) and simultaneously retransmitting these signals on another channel (the output channel), typically with higher transmitting power from a favorable antenna location (typically high above the surrounding terrain).

Do any of the gmrs radios that "text", work with other radios of different brands? For example Can a btech gmrs pro text a rino or t800? Thanks

Maybe this will help. I put together a very short Word document that lists the definition and every mention of "Fixed Station" in Part 95. Here's the Readers Digest Condensed version: Subpart A - Definition Subpart C - Prohibition of RCRS causing interference to Fixed Stations. Subpart E - Rules regarding Fixed Stations in GMRS Remote Control of Fixed Stations allowed. Network Connections allowed for Fixed Stations. GMRS Channels - Fixed Stations allowed only on 462 MHz and 467 MHz main channels. GMRS Power Output - Fixed Stations limited to no more than 15 W output. That's it. There are no other references to Fixed Stations in Part 95. References to "Fixed Base Stations", etc. for other services are simply not important. I have reviewed the general rules before all the Parts. There’s nothing there that changes anything. Fixed Station.docx So, based on the rules, I believe a good example of a couple of Fixed Stations would be what I posted before. I could have a permanent radio station running at 15 watts at my cabin and another at my house. These two radios would have directional antennas pointed at each other and in fact they could use repeater hardware for full duplex communications between my cabin and house, since Fixed Stations are permitted to transmit on the 467 main or 462 main frequencies. Set up like this they could be a full duplex voice intercom system between my house and cabin.

Which regs make it clear? This is the definition straight out of the regs: Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only.

So if you a few of one of these options can you directly text an individuals by using different tones? The glued on antenna is a bummer also, why cant the fcc make this option more fun?

I’m absolutely certain that when phone communications were first introduced someone said exactly the same thing about Morse Code. Evolution is bound to happen. FRS, MURS, and GMRS have had data communications since long before you or I got our licenses. CB is limited to voice communications.

Thank you so much for the details and making it understandable, I had this posted for awhile on Arrl and no response.

I wonder if we will ever have radio frequences that you can just talk on or will they always end up turning into a computer and cell phone.

+1 on what Sshannon said, willing to test. I have Rino 120 and 530 units that work together as they are both Garmin products but have yet to have another model that texts to test out. They work well for texting, because a short data burst often gets through where voice will not be clear. I'm just glad that Garmin cracked that egg with the FCC years ago, text and location data for showing position on a map, can be useful.

Yes! Steve Shannon for the win. Thank sir, thank you.

Yes, Last time I checked, I don't own this repeater! ?

I wonder if you got a dud? Mine receives virtually the same as my other radios when doing my controlled test(s).

How will passing the ham test make the GMRS Pro useful?

The biggest issue with what you are asking is finding an amplifier that will take the little bit of power that repeater puts out and amplifying it to 50 watts. One of the issues you will run into is the amp will need to be type accepted for GMRS and I don't believe there are any that are. Second issue is amp's typically don't have a 10dB gain number. Meaning 5 in for 50 out. it's less than that. Most of what I have seen in the commercial world was 6 dB of gain. which would be 5 in and 20 out. BUT 20 isn't bad with a good antenna, feedline and height of the mount for the antenna. Unless you are having specific coverage issues where the repeater can hear users that can't hear the repeater, the increase of output power does nothing except stroke your ego that you have 50 watts instead of 5 watts. And if the receiver in that repeater is not up to the task of hearing as far as 50 watts will transmit, then you end up with an alligator that's all mouth and no ears. Which leads to interfering with other repeater owners or prospective owners that can't use that pair because of interference.

Not much of a trick and it may seem obvious to others, but I just noticed that this radio can monitor CB freqs. Gonna get it programmed up this weekend. I have a CB in my Jeep, but never use it or even turn it on really. I like the idea of tucking the CB away in the center console and being able to monitor CB freqs just in case. Then I can dig out the CB if I need.

Nice observation. Don’t let the SWR power reading mislead you. I have that same meter. The readings I get when using that meter with an antenna will at times appear as though less power is being put out and at times more power is being put out. However, when I replace the antenna with a purely resistive dummy load, that same meter has shown consistently that power of all my radios to be within a 1-5% of what the manufacturer’s rating is. One time I was using the meter with a 5-watt HT. Radio measured 4.9+ watts into the dummy load but about 8.9 watts into an antenna. Wow, big difference. Bottom line, don’t trust the power readings you get with that meter while using an antenna. Give the readings you obtain while using a dummy load more weight. After all, that is how the factory determines power too. Just a little nugget of experience for you. Hope it helps. Regards, Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM