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We get ham points. Every hundred points allow us to describe our medical condition for five minutes.

Your friend is wise. Remember though, while your immediate family is covered by your license, everyone in your party who isn't covered by your GMRS license needs their own license. But if you are using amateur radio to keep in contact with other people in your party, everyone needs their own amateur radio license. No free lunch for your immediate family. Not everyone wants to take a test. That's the beauty of GMRS. You don't have to know much. You just need $35 for a license, and maybe $30 for a radio.

If that makes you happy, go for it! Me, I'm saving my points for that toaster oven with the ARRL logo emblazoned on it.

There is nothing to establish.. Talk to whoever you need to talk to, however you want. The FCCs says to announce your callsign every 15 minutes and refrain from profanity but since they dont bother to enforce the rules, it doesn't really matter.

Of course he did - I am pretty sure that H.A.M. cult-members get a bonus for every new member they get to join the cult.

As long as you identify with callsign every 15 minutes, you're legal. "Hey Fred this is dad" is perfectly legal so long as you throw your callsign out there every 15 minutes. WRTS881/1 this is WRTS881/2 is too anal. Talk to your family like you normally would, just include a callsign every 15 minutes.

Yes - 3rd party testing, and when you drill down into the FCC Certs for Part 95 equipment, some of it has been 'certified' for strange ultra-narrow emissions and lower power than what people are actually going to use the radios for. If the certification is for a 7 kHz bandwidth and 1.25 watts of power, your shiny Part 95 'certification' kinda gets fuzzy once the end users program their new GMRS HT for 25 kHz and 4 watts.

1/4 wave whip is 6" and will work better than both of the antennas mentioned.....

Used my fiber laser to engrave my call sign on my GM-30 belt clip. I'm not trying to drum up business. Unless you can drive to my front door with a smile and a handshake and a beer I ain't taking on any work.

I'm 1 point away and it's the last one. lol

A little known fact is that the toaster doubles as a dummy load…

I tend to buy the items I think I need instead of what they think I need. Best to do what you're doing, asking questions and research. I see you're also looking at the IC-7300, which is a great radio too. I lean towards Icom for my station. Just stay away from package deals and get the radio you desire, a decent power supply to handle the load should you get your license. I don't know your physical situation when it comes to deploying an antenna, but a great choice would be an end-fed wire with an UN-UN. If you are unfortunate enough to be in an HOA, this is an easily concealable antenna. Calling HRO or DX Engineering and give them an idea of what you want is one of your best options. And they will gladly help you as they are knowledgeable and willing to help.

Yes, I never had any issues with Comet. I will definitely be purchasing another this fall. Hopefully by then it will come from a different production run. Plus, I prefer tower climbing in the colder weather.

WHAT? That would cost postage! We have 235,385,823,556,235,765 illegals and 28 foreign countries to support with "foreign aid". No way you're getting the US Government to waste postage on YOU, taxpayer. Joey Biden doesn't do ANYTHING for the taxpaying American. BOHICA

It's not difficult, you just need to get the basics down. You don't need a H.A.M. license unless you want to get one. I can say that, because I have both lol

You might also want to check out the Queen of Everything GMRS's video channel. He has a few GMRS related videos.

Also if the antenna is not "resonate" at those frequencies it will contribute to reflected power back to the radio and an elevated SWR reading.

I agree with those who think a NMO mount in the roof is the best plan, but I’d avoid the whip. On my 4Runner I did NMO in the roof with the Midland “Ghost” antenna. Low profile and works fantastic here in the PNW. I recently picked up the Pulse-Larsen LP450NMO, which also screws onto the same NMO mount, but has given equal or better performance to the Midland Ghost. The Larsen is shaped like a hockey puck, so it’s shorter than the Midland Ghost and larger diameter. The bottom has a nice foam weather seal. This would likely work well for you and keep low enough for your rooftop accessories when needed.

I have to disagree with using a mobile radio being dangerous when driving. I am unaware of a single study that supports the claim. There are plenty of studies that show drivers adjusting their AM/FM/Sat radios are in the top 3 causes of distracted driving, but nothing about 2-way radio. I would think it's no different then talking to a passenger. The next step from laws like this is no entertainment radio, no navigation, no talking to passengers. It's stupid and tyrannical. Just hold people accountable for distracted driving instead of naming and outlaw every possible distraction.

The same people tend to like ridiculous gun laws that don’t actually reduce crime. Those people likely don’t own radios or guns, so they don’t care. They want government to make it all better. Safer. They also lack enough intelligence to understand they are willfully and incrementally giving up their freedom.

Although GMRS is in the name of the site, the site also caters to ham radio interests. Radio is radio. If you’re so up-tight that the inclusion of helpful information about a radio triggers you, then you probably aren’t getting much enjoyment out of anything. Learn to ignore posts about non-GMRS radios.

Unable to connect to any GMRS nets in my area. Seems the only one is in Fort Pierce, FL. Is that the only one I can connect to? Very new to the GMRS hobby. I am licenced on GMRS and would like to participate in some of these weekly and monthly nets. Not much simplex here in Central Florida area - Winter Garden, FL, 34787 Thanks. Pio Romano WRMG448

We recently relocated to Oregon from Buffalo, NY, and find ourselves in very different terrain. We camp and geocache, so we find ourselves without cell signal often. I have a license (WRDZ 350), which I obtained 2 or 3 years ago, but only because the walkie-talkie like 2-way radios we have do have some channels that are on GMRS frequencies. We only used them for close communication while in woods caching with other friends or while camping. We have never used a repeater. Now that we are here and the terrain is much different, we find ourselves without cell signal often as we travel. For safety reasons, I want to better understand GMRS and the use of repeaters. We are looking at purchasing a handheld type of radio (or two) that can access repeater frequencies, mainly for emergency use, but also potentially to communicate between a small group of people who may be geocaching together in a remote area. Being new to the area and not really knowing the terrain we may encounter by following our GPS to a cache, it would be wonderful to know we have some way of summoning help if, God forbid, ever needed! I do have an account on myGMRS.com, so I can see where repeaters are available, coverage range, owner requirements (open system, permission required, etc.), and then all the really techie stuff that goes completely over my head. I appreciate any insight you may be able to offer. Mainly, what handhelds might be best suited for this situation and then the specifics of how I would go about using said handheld(s) to access repeaters. I understand some require owner permission and others are open. Some accept the travel tones (although still a bit unclear on what that means, but know it has to do with squelch and blocking out other chatter on the frequency) and others do not. We typically know where we are going to be headed to, so I would be able to do the research to ID repeaters in those areas and those along the route to said destination. Thanks in advance for any and all help for this complete newbie!! (I was a CB nerd wayyyy back in my youth, but this seems a bit more complex at the moment!) Best, PJ (WRDZ 350)

Yes, the regulations state that you can use a GMRS radio to communicate with FRS radios. Both services use the same frequencies. Either service can transmit to the other.

FRS and GMRS channels are the same except for the 467 MHz frequencies that you transmit to a repeater using GMRS. If you have a GMRS radio and license you can transmit at higher power on some of them.

I'm pretty fit for a older man and not in a HOA thank goodness. Appreciate the information and my General test is coming up soon but I can still listen etc. Thanks again,

Both the FT-710 and the IC-7300 are SDR radios. The IC-7300 is a few years older than the FT-710, but it's very popular. It's pretty obvious that Yaesu had the popularity of the IC-7300 in mind when they brought out the FT-710. In fact, a lot of people referred to the FT-710 as the IC-7300 killer. Although I lean more towards the FT-710, I don't think you could go wrong with either.

Check out the Polk Co (Bartow repeater) net on Tuesday's at 7:00pm. It started a few months ago and there are usually 30-40 folks that check in a week.

Probably the best 101 level training is the ARRL Technician book. Yes, its geared towards getting an amateur license but the theory is basic and applies to all types of radio and electronics.

No, I don't know what is carried on the cable. My best estimation is that the signals are a combination of analog (voice) from the microphone and either DTMF tones or digital codes from the keys. PTT is probably either voltage or ground to key the transmitter. Someone with an Oscope could breakout the wires and examine the signals. I don't have any test equipment more sophisticated than a VOM and SWR meter.

The setup needed for repeater use varies depending on the make and model handheld you are using. Check for user manuals for your HH units as they will also have the necessary steps to load in repeater channels. Also, remember the axiom High in, low out. Your transmit frequency is always the higher frequency while you receive on the lower.

I don't listen to SW too much, but occasionally I will tune around SW on my IC7300. I have an old 1934 RCA Victor C7-6 (6 tube) "wideband" (540kHz-18.0MHz) receiver that I collected from my grandfathers estate that I need to have someone put on a varriac to see if I need a to recap the whole thing or not. I'd love to have it as a centerpiece in the shack one day.

No, it happens with any company. I bought a Comet SBB-5 that had a high (4.5:1 or so) on one band. Unfortunately I bought it from a private party to save $12 compared to the best retail price I could find. I emailed the Comet distributor and they diagnosed that it sounded like a bad capacitor in the base unit. I could have sent it in to be serviced, but instead I bought a new base for $24. It works perfectly. I like Comet antennas and if I ever figure out how to disassemble this base unit I’ll fix it.

MFJ had too many "moving parts" they pulled under one umbrella. There is likely investor interest out there, but only for some of the subsidiaries, like Mirage, Ameritron etc. Now that the announcement is made that manufacturing will cease on 5/17, I believe, I wonder how the prices will look on new and used gear that will soon be out of production. With the Hamvention coming up in a few weeks that's going to be interesting to see.

With line-of-sight radios (UHF and VHF frequencies), added power means you have better reception in the area covered rather than greater distance. The distance (farz) depends on how high the antenna is above the surrounding ground. An antenna 6 feet above ground level (AGL) can reach a repeater many miles away if the repeater is on ground higher than you. That' why so many repeaters are located on high hills, buildings, and mountains. Height more than power equals distance.

Honestly, if the software transforms the radio into the radio you want it to be, I wouldn't worry about the power. I would program everything for medium power and not look back. I doubt you'll notice a difference in range.

Another thing to consider though, and this isn't meant to be a rebuke to what you're talking about, because I agree with all of that. but when people discuss "dirty RF output" or spurs on harmonics, it's not always in the context that they're being good natured for cleanliness of the RF spectrum. If your radio has an output rating of 10 watts lets say,.. You'll put it on a meter, and sure enough you get 9.8-10 watts. Checks out,.. That meter detected a NET output wattage squirting out of the antenna hole.. But if you've got a dirty radio, it may be the case that some substantial portion of that RF output isn't even on the desired frequency. It takes wattage to power those harmonics as well,... So for selfish reasons, you may not want a dirty RF emitting radio because your effective radiating wattage might be inefficient. You might be getting 70% power where you want it, and 30% on spurs many harmonics up and down the spectrum..

Agree with WRXP381 on the NMO mount, mag mount or edge mount, and a Midland MXTA26. Their GMRS antennas need no tuning, so it's about as easy as it gets. So if it's an option its a great place to start. OffRoaderX reports some fine performance with an MXTA26 mounted lower on his jeep in what many would say is a less than desirable manner, but works for him. If that's not workable, the antenna farm has 1/2 and 5/8 wave NMO antennas which cover the 450-470Mhz range, not sure if they need to be, or can be trimmed, for optimal performance. Like many things GMRS you may have to experiment a bit to see what works for your particular situation

Minnesota - While it is interesting to see all the FCC Licensed GMRS People/Families and their locations, if you were to try and chat up or try and start a conversation on GMRS like you would Amateur (Ham) Radio, you would probably be met with the following comment: "Get OFF Our Channel!". I've actually heard a few amateur radio operators I know of here in the Twin Cities area, that tried to bring their ham radio operating ways, over to the folks on GMRS. To say it was not well received, was an understatement. Afterwards, the well known Hams left GMRS with their tail dragging between their legs. A few days later, these very same ham operators were on all the local amateur radio forums writing about how GMRS Sucks and the people there are like CB'ers. They berated GMRS. GMRS is not, Ham Radio Lite. Most people get a GMRS radio to communicate with: Family, Friends, or Groups they are involved with. Not, conversation with random strangers. Although, that can sometimes happen, but not very frequently. GMRS and Amateur Radio are two completely different radio services, which may be a very big disappointment to some who want to turn GMRS into HamLite. On our Trail Patrols, Ski Patrols, and Event First Aid Stations, we never come up and chat with random people unless we can Hear Distress or the word Emergency spoken. Then we pop up on their GMRS radio channel, identify ourselves and ask if they need assistance. If the person doesn't need assistance, we immediately wish them good luck, sign-off with our FCC callsign and no longer talk. People can get extremely territorial on GMRS, especially if there are family members or club members involved in conversation on the radio. It's rare that strangers are welcomed into an existing conversation. So, we tread lightly and are respectful when popping up on someone else's channel. So, if you want to chat with someone you've never met before on GMRS, my advice is: be polite and extremely respectful when busting into an existing radio conversation 462.675 / Channel #20. Calling/Travel/Motorist. No CTCSS/Tone. Simplex. In Minnesota. For those people also in Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities. Try tossing your FCC Callsign out on Channel #20, Simplex. You might be pleasantly surprised if or when someone comes back to answer your call Hope to hear you On-The-Air. WRPG537, Dan.

People really need to wake up and start checking our governments. Let me ask this,.. Was there some sort of insane uptick in ham radio related driving accidents? I'm going to speculate that there wasn't... So why is it that the state of Pennsylvania feels compelled to just decide to impose a seemingly punitive law upon the people? I feel like we're just too many generations of people removed from the times when people conceptualized and understood the proper dynamic of government and the citizenry who ALLOW it. We're not just supposed to be a ruled people. We're not supposed to just live and accept the rules that mom and dad politicians make for us. These sorts of laws for "the good of public safety" should generally be a consensus (more people than not) agreement by the citizenry and the governing bodies that we both fund and give/entrust the authority to govern with. Any time some thing of this type comes about, ask yourself this question. "If this issue went to referendum, would The People sign off and agree to this?'. If you really feel like that's a no, then the government are acting as criminals and intervention is necessary.

I totally agree. That way the system users can operate under the system license authority and don't have to worry about getting an individual license. I have several Part 90 Business Radio Service frequency pairs licensed statewide in California and if I need to I will give permission and/or give up a pair for his system.

No one has mentioned if gmrs is used. All the household users or non-related users will need to be licensed. It will probably be better to get an lmr/commercial license. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

According to the mygmrs.com map, all the GMRS channels are not overly used in Sonoma County. I just took a quick look and the "725" channel pair appears to be a good candidate for a county wide GMRS channel. You will need to get a good simulcast system designer so you can start designing and identifying the transmitter sites. You just can't plunk down a simulcast transmitter on any site and have a good working system. It'll take careful planning. I know what it takes to plan a good working simulcast system in Sonoma County. I spent a lot of time and driven many miles in Sonoma County to get a simulcast system to work. To save time and effort you should try to acquire the space and services for the remote sites and mirror the Sheriff's UHF Simulcast system. Acquiring the remote site space and services is going to be your biggest problem if improvements are required. The County should be receptive in providing services for renting mux channels for a fee of course on their Microwave System. You will need to identify where you will be locating your system control equipment.

Have you tried the Roadkill network?

Oh man... A lot of people are going to shart-themselves when the reality that the FCCs makes their info public and easily accessible to anyone that has their callsign starts to sink-in...

Can't go wrong with the brands used by Public Safety agencies if you want reliability, longevity, performance, and cost-effectiveness over a long period of time. If you buy cheap, you get cheap. You don't see Public Safety agencies using some of the cheap antennae previously mentioned.

March 2024 Update from Bastrop, Tx. Alamo/New Braunfels is my closest repeater on the Alamo network. It is 70 miles away and pegs the meter on my KG-1000. Yesterday, I did a radio check and spoke to a 2 mobile units at both ends of 1604, east side and west side. They were as clear as day on my end and they heard me LC. What an awesome service to our Tx GMRS community. Many thanks to all involved.

I wouldn't sweat it too much. Around my area, normal range (say mobile to mobile) is about 3 miles. On a good day, if both operators are on high spots, maybe 8 to 9 miles.

Osceola 700 and Wedgefield 725 appear to be down according to the notes on their repeater pages here on myGMRS.om Be sure to check for the proper tone, for example 141.3 on Pasco 550 (I only set the tone for my transmissions and not for my reception, as I like to be sure to hear everything available, especially when I am traveling to use distant repeaters):