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Frankly, unless someone requests your call sign phonetically because they cannot understand it when you ID, I wouldn’t use phonetics. Use your names and ID with your call sign. And, if someone does ask for it phonetically, you’re more assured of them hearing it correctly if you use the NATO phonetics. They were chosen to reduce the chance of misunderstanding by people with accents, and people who natively speak other languages. That’s important to the military and to hams who might be communicating with hams internationally, but has less importance for GMRS, where coverage is limited to within the USA.

So does Whiskey Romeo Tango Golf

I don't think it's an issue of how to prove you wrong. The issue is that there is no desire to. Big difference.

In this ARRL image, we can see what happened when a Baofeng UV-5R was keyed without an antenna. This is dangerous stuff. Not to be taken lightly.

Yes it is just a shortcut to zero squelch, so you don't have to change your squelch setting for a momentary check.

Usually the monitor button allows you to listen to the frequency you are currently on with no squelch or tone on receive. Handy if you see a signal on the s-meter but don't hear the audio.

That’s offensive.

I'll second this statement. @Tiercel the way you are going about this is a good way to get acquainted with radios and programming which will help you make informed decisions about future radio purchases. Also if you find you need more channels for repeaters you will be able to add them with the radios you have. Chirp makes this easy too.

That sounds about right for a HT given the circumstances. Now having a mobile radio setup as a base station with an antenna above your house will definitely increase the range. If you were inside a vehicle while using your HT then you did good. Vehicles will block a lot of signal. And it looks like you are going about things the right way by starting off with HT's and then deciding what you want /need as far as equipment goes. It is too easy to go crazy buying radios and such right away. An easy solution for vehicles would be a good antenna hooked up to your HT along with a hand mic. That saves you from having to buy a mobile radio right away and you can use the antenna for a mobile once you decide to get one.

I am new to the GMRS community and not up on all the so called tech speak associated with GMRS. This will be my month 2 and now I am ready to start to expand on my systems at home, that will connect to the rest of the system RF/Zello. It is so frustrating on all the so called info I have been watching and reading about making a Node/Raspberry Pi board/AllStar. I am a retired tech from another area of communications. All this stuff is very new to me. What is worse is the large amount of so called Help on YouTube and other forums. Everyone is just talking heads to think everyone in the world knows what they are talking about. I have given up on that crap. Is there anyone who can get me up to speed on this subject. I think I know what this node things does, but limited knowledge on the Pi thing, or how it's suppose to be connected to the rest of this stuff. And what if anything do I need to buy? kind of confused Gregory S WRYG543

No,, its the truth....

The quote was specifically about the XPR, APX and XTS. Not all LMR radios. I never checked on the XPR because I never wanted or owned one. However I know with certainty the the APX and XTS were both certified for General Mobile Radio and Broadcast services under 47 CFR Parts 22, 73, 74, 90, 95 and 97. Also, the XTS was granted its certification in 2003. I am not sure what date the APX was certified. It's been awhile since I looked. The only time the APX and XTS would not be usable is IF they are programed to use Part 97 frequencies. Then, only that specific radio no longer has a valid certification for Part 95, until such time that it is returned to a state that would otherwise be compliant, meaning no more amateur frequencies. Again... I am no lawyer and I could be 100% wrong. This is just how I have interpreted the rules after doing some reading and consulting with people way smarter than me who do this stuff for a living.

Unfortunately a lot of people drink at the font of ignorance. They got it from a friend who got it from a friend… They feel very superior in their ignorance in fact And there have been some radios that were vulnerable to finals failure; anecdotally the Yaesu ft-817 may have been one, but most modern quality transceivers simply fold back power to limit current in the finals. With the right combination of transmission line length and open (or shorted) termination the current in the final transistors will be twice as high as they would be with an appropriate termination. If the final transistors cannot withstand the current and nothing happens to reduce the current they will overheat. There have been cases where they have been damaged, but unfortunately some people interpret that to mean that the damage always happens immediately.

I think *that* is a myth. If it's not, I have yet to see where in Part 95 E that it says it's automatically OK to use a Part 90 radio on GMRS. What it does say is that a radio must be certified under Part 95 E to be "legal" on GMRS. It also says that a radio can be certified under "another part" (like 90) AND Part 95 E, but it specifically forbids a radio from being certified under 95 E if it can also be used on amateur radio frequencies. So "opened up" ham radio transceivers are explicitly NOT OK to use on GMRS (per FCC regulations). As far as LMR radios? Pretty sure that there are some older models that were certified under Part 90 and pre-2017 Part 95 and those are grandfathered and still OK on GMRS. If there are newer models that also have Part 95 certification I haven't met them.

Except it wouldn't be spoken of in this thread if the myth wasn't being spread around by someone.

Relax, the OP was asking some philosophical questions regarding 10 codes and the rules prohibiting encoded messages with hidden meanings. You are not being required to learn or use 10 codes.

Why do we need 10 codes, what is wrong with plain English. Not everyone knows 10 codes, nor cares to learn. Speak like you're holding conversation with any person on the street.

more like rogue cranberry muffins, am I right?

This ^^^ . I think a good practice is if I live around family members using my license that works for me. If we’re on a trip and I hand out radios we’re still good. If they’re on a trip of their own perhaps they should have their own license. If my adult son or daughter in another State is using radios with their kids it would be best if they had their own license. I know you can make an argument against this but it maintains some control of your license and is in the spirit of how the rules are written. If some family members were or are interested I would even get them a license as a gift.

But: 95.1705(b) Individual licensee responsibility. The holder of an individual license to operate GMRS stations is responsible at all times for the proper operation of the stations in compliance with all applicable rules in this part. and 95.1705(f)(2) The licensee must maintain access to and control over all stations authorized under its license.

I used to have a stereo system in my room as a teen, and living less than a quarter mile from the freeway, occasionally I would hear CB transmissions come through the speakers when the stereo was turned off. I'm guessing these guys had amplifiers, because most likely a cheap 4-watt CB probably couldn't do that.

This one is kind of easy, if I understand the rules correctly. Radios like the ones mentioned noted above have been certified for use in the LMR service. As long as it's programed to be in compliance with GMRS rules and not be changed through front panel programming, they are grandfathered in. These are the only 3 requirements I am aware of. Due to the point that amateur radios cannot be certified, regardless if they meet the other 2 requirements, they won't be compliant.

Why not just use the automatic CW-ID that is built-in on the VXR-7000?

With Respect To Grindr 259

On GMRS all phonetics are funny because they aren't necessary and many people laugh at them.

I was going to start answering the questions, but jeezus.. I have to be in bed in 3 hours. Good luck.

NOVA GMRS and OCD Offroad are inviting everyone to join us for an "Intro to GMRS" presentation at OCD Offroad's service location in Stafford Virginia on Saturday, November 4, 2023. This presentation is prepared for people who have little or no radio experience, are looking to learn some very basic information to understand radio principles, radio performance and purchasing options. We will cover the following: What is GMRS? Why Select GMRS over CB, FRS or MURS. GMRS Compared To FRS. Range. What is a Repeater? Radio Technology and Programing Overview. Radio Types and Licensing. This session will be video recorded and published for public viewing at a later time. Please be aware that if you attend, your image may be published publicly, electronically (online) and via other means. Seating is limited. You must RSVP below to attend. If RSVP within 24 hours of the event, message MarcSpaz to confirm seating availability. If you can't attend, don't worry. We will be sharing a video of the presentation after the event.

There is a level of overthinking here I didn't think was actually possible. 1. First off, these are rules, not laws. Secondly (and legally - wife is a lawyer) hidden meaning can only be determined on a case by case basis. I could say "Be sure to deliver the package where it will be seen" and literally mean leave the damn box where the idiot recipient will see it this time. Or I could mean leave the explosives where they would have the most effect. Until something has happened and the audio (just example) is played in court, it's just words spoken OTA. Those rules and regs are specifically there and constructed the way they are so that Uncle Sam can haul your ass off to Gitmo if you decided to use GMRS for terrorist purposes. Again though, until said terrorists do something or are placed under investigation, it's just words OTA. 2. The FCC does not have a 10 codes list because they are regional in nature and are not even uniform across counties, let alone the USA as a whole. They mean if you're using your 10-codes list, then that's OK, it's allowed. 3. At any time, you are not assumed to be hiding anything unless there's proof beyond a reasonable doubt you are. See #1. You can use any 10 codes list you want, including your own, without publishing it anywhere. No one will assume you're hiding something. They will assume you're some type of weirdo nerd radio person though, so be prepared for that. In conclusion, this is just a whole other kind of over analysis. @OffRoaderX made an excellent point in one of his videos: The number of GMRS rule enforcement actions by the FCC is 0. "They don't care." This is something folks who have used 11m band know all too well. 4W main/12W SSB PEP is the legal limit for power there. I can point you to countless FB groups, forums, YT channels, etc. of folks who not only know this, but flaunt it. We're talking 10,000W+ amplifiers, both tube and pill. Giant 7+ element, high gain beam antennas making their ERP 30,000+ watts. Let's make up a number of 100 for example purposes here. Every year, of those 100 wattmongers, maybe 5 will get busted and even then most times it's a fine issued ($5k+ so it does sting). No equipment confiscation, just a fine and a "don't do that again, please". Most times these folks make amps for sale and a "nice" one (one that has a decent LPF) that's say, 2000W will run about $2500-$3000. You can now just imagine how much they care about a $5k fine. "They don't care."

I’m gonna put up a repeater and make it a requirement that everyone must use a roger beep and the more annoying the better. We’ll hold contests! And it’ll be on channel 19. ?

Very good question. I am utterly amazed there has not been more talk about this topic. While I am not an expert on the subject I will share what I do know. - There is no official need for DTMF in GMRS. It is a feature that can be used when you have a special need for it. - DTMF codes are commonly used to remotely control repeaters and to control other electronics that might be monitoring the frequency. - In some radio circles (outside GMRS) some repeaters and other radios might require both a tone burst to trigger a remote receiver to open up. This is a feature that equipment that long pre-dated CTCSS and DCS sometimes needed for operation. I know of no cases in GMRS where is applicable today. Perhaps someone else will have a current day example where it is being used. - Sidetones refers to the feature of your radio that allows you, the operator, to hear the tones that your radio is sending out. This could be your radio’s ANI-ID, manual DTMF from button presses, or even select-call calling tones. The term ‘Sidetone’ comes from telephony and refers to the sound emitted from the ear piece portion of the phone. If you press a button on the phone’s keypad you will hear the tones from the ear piece. In your radio, when sidetones are not active you could very well be sending out DTMF tones and have no idea that you are. If you are using DTMF for anything, turn sidetones on so you know when and what you are sending. - The ANI-ID on your radio is a number that you establish that identifies your radio. You have six digits available and values must be greater than 101. - If you have ANI-ID turned on, when you press and/or release your PTT, your ANI-ID is sent out. The BOT, EOT and BOTH values you see in one of you radio’s function menus determines if your ANI-ID is sent out when you press PTT, release PTT or press and release. - If a receiving radio has a DTMF decoder within it, your ANI-ID will appear on their display suggesting to them which radio is transmitting. - The ‘Ring’ feature is one that, when properly enabled, allows other radios in your group to cause your radio to ring to attract your attention. For this to occur, the transmitting radio must have a valid ANI-ID value configured, the receiving radio must have an ANI-ID configured, and the transmitting radio also needs to have the receiving radio’s ANI-ID entered into the Call Group it is using. So, for example, if you have two radios, one with an ANI-ID 101 and another with an ANI-ID 102, radio 101 can cause radio 102 to ring, and radio 102 can cause radio 101 to ring. The Call Group fields are where you enter the ANI-ID of the various radios you want to be able to call/ring. Think of them like speed-dial memories. For radio 101 to call 102, radio 101 would have 102 in one of its Call Group cells. - When you have one of your PF buttons configured to make a Call, that button causes two things to be sent out in rapid succession: your ANI-ID and the receiving radio’s ANI-ID. Using the 101 and 102 radio example above, this takes the form of ‘101#102’. - Some wildcards are supported in Call Groups. Instead of entering ‘101’ in a Call Group, you could enter ‘1**’. The later would case all radios whose ANI-ID begins with ‘1’ to ring. - Ringing is not enabled by default on Wouxun radios. One must expressly enable it. - One way to enable ringing is to set the current channels SP-Mute mode to “QT*DT” or ‘QT*DTMF”. Since SP-MUTE is a channel-by-channel setting you can have some memory channels configured to ring when called and others that do not. - ANI-ID needs to be programmed, but it does not need to be turned on to always send out to use the Select call feature. I have found zero Wouxun documentation or videos that covers this. Admittedly I struggled for sometime trying to piece it together. Thanks to [mention=5881]IanM[/mention] who provided some enlightenment to help me bring it all into focus. I have found some BF stuff that covers the subject a little, but terminology is slightly different. These features have, in my view, practical use in large organized group and family outings. They have also had merit, and perhaps still do, in some LMR circles. I recently have been configuring all my radios to have unique ANI-ID, and setting up Calling Groups. I have yet to work to work out the specific details of the SP-Mute mode called ‘QT+DT’ or QT+DTMF. But my current understanding is that the radio will not break squelch until it hears an ANI-ID in DTMF form and then when it does there is some other unique behavior. I will soon be exploring that and documenting its behavior. Hope this helps. Michael WRHS965 KE8PLM Edit: If you to do some experimenting and to see things work with little complication do this: 1) Configure multiple Wouxun radios. Give each a unique ANI-ID starting a 101 and going up. Use 101 in your KG-935G. 2) Set each radio to GMRS channel 01 (462.5625), low power. 3) Make sure all radios are using the same CTCSS. Say 67.0 Tx and Rx. 4) Set the SP-MUTE mode for channel 01 on all radios to QT*DT. 5) On your KG-935G radio, enable sending out of the ANI-ID each time the PTT is pressed. 6) Turn all radios on. 7) Press PTT on the KG-935G and immediately press 102# and watch what happens. Then repeat using the ANI-ID for all other radios. This simulates a select call. 8) Press PTT on the KG-935G and immediately press 1** and watch what happens. 9) Press PTT on the KG-935G and immediately press *# and watch what happens. When you have made it this far and have seen ANI-ID show up on the radio displays and you have successfully experienced ringing, then move to programming your call groups in the radios if you decide you want to use them. You may also wish to explore the different behaviors you get if some radios are in the 100 series, some in 200 series and some in the 300 series of ANI-ID values. BTW, Despite PTT-ID being a menu option on the 805G, the ID is never sent out of that radio, nor will the radio ever display one if it receives one.