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Most radios can be programmed with a "busy channel lockout" which will prevent you from transmitting when the frequency is busy. Usually, they can be set to lockout only when it's in use by someone with your tone or by anyone on the frequency, even if they don't share your tone. So far, I've never been in an environment where I felt the need to use BCL, but it certainly could happen.

How about no thank you. The frequencies can get pretty busy in some areas and all you need is one yahoo jabber jawing for hours on end to destroy a whole bandwidth.

Bold statement claiming the use would be legal by FCC. He better go back and read the FCC's latest interpretation of using GMRS over the internet

Or just plain old don't feel the need to go onto "bigger and better things". I got the GMRS so I could communicate with my wife and family either during an emergency or just because. I have no inkling to take a test so I can go out and spend thousands more to talk to people that I don't know. Maybe when I'm retired and bored I might pursue it but for now I'm happy with only having the family license to talk with family and some other acquaintances I meet along the way.

Well good for you. Normally most people need to install the drivers first. Now and then Windows will actually choose the correct drivers. Windows has been known to pick the wrong drivers more often. In fact the instructions for most radios will tell you to install the correct drivers before plugging the cable in. And you can't use your usually line of people buying cheap/junk radios. The instructions say to install the drivers first even with Yaesu and Icom radios. And it doesn't matter if you use Yaesu or Icom CPS or RT Systems CPS.

I think if someone who both fully understands the engineering and FCC regulations found a legal solution for GMRS linking, it would have happened by now.

You must load the driver that services the cable before ever plugging in the cable. If you don’t Windows will attempt to load a driver, which might not work. It’s the driver that creates the virtual serial port that Chirp or any other CPS software uses. In Device Manager you should be able to see the virtual serial port created when the cable is plugged into your computer. Then you can specify to Chirp which port to use rather than hoping it finds the right one.

Correct, but that requires putting GMRS communications onto a network, which is what is prohibited.

This page in the fcc website explains the rationale they expressed when clarifying their rules: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs Most notably, the language here (any other network) would seem to indicate that the FCC would not approve this scheme either: A GMRS user can expect a communications range of one to twenty-five miles depending on station class, terrain, and repeater use. GMRS stations cannot be interconnected with the public switched telephone network or any other network for the purpose of carrying GMRS communications, but these networks can be used for remote control of repeater stations.

Based on my experience with this forum, there is a greater number of people in GMRS who feel that ham wannabes are taking over GMRS, than hams who feel that GMRS is a pseudo-ham service. There are some people who try to enjoy GMRS by doing activities that are similar to ham radio, but I see nothing wrong with that. I don’t attribute it to either laziness or stupidity. I think some people are either test-shy or feel too busy to study or resent the fact that the government makes them take a test after a life spent working on radio’s. I think some of them they’re afraid they cannot pass the test or intimidated by the math. A free tool like HamStudy.org is a simple (and free!) way to find out.

A lot of amateur radio operators think of GMRS as a pseudo-ham service for people who are too lazy or too dumb to pass the test for an amateur radio license. As such, they feel superior. I had a GMRS license for 3 years before I tested for (and passed) Technician, so I came to it with a somewhat different attitude. And to be fair, a lot of the hams in my local club have GMRS licenses and use it alongside ham for various purposes. Amateur radio tends to be dominated by people for whom the excitement is all about making or obtaining different types of equipment and seeing how much they can get out of it. A bit like if shooting sports were dominated by the people whose interest in firearms is chasing that elusive one-hole 600 meter group. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, except that in both cases, it tends to attract people who consider themselves "purists" and thus superior to "ordinary" folk. There are a lot of hams who don't even like to talk to people; they just make a contact, log it, and move on. By no means does this apply to all hams, however. Some of the most helpful people on this forum are also amateur radio licensees. I've toyed with the idea of amateur radio for decades, but Hurricane Helene was the deciding factor. Radio is the only means of communication which doesn't rely upon any other infrastructure. At present, I have a Technician license which doesn't encompass most of the really long-range modalities, but I will go for a General license in the near future. Then I'll practice the long-range stuff to become adept at it, but I probably will never develop a strong interest in making 30 second contacts with people in Sao Paulo. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but to me a radio is a communication device. Whether that's for staying in touch while offroading or passing along the recipe for a Black Russian (which I just now heard on GMRS 19), you're using the radio "properly" IMO.

https://www.undergroundexplorers.com https://www.mojaveunderground.com

Sounds like something you would do.

Actually, to keep it real I think there are a fair amount of GMRS users who are also interested in turning GMRS into something it is not, lol

The one with the "Free BooFwangs" sign on the side?

Fractured non-standard Haiku?

I will second what @SteveShannon and @OffRoaderX said. You definitely want to make suer to use a good quality cable, preferably with the Silicon Labs FTDI chip in it. You also definitely need to install the correct drivers from Silicon Labs on your computer before ever plugging the cable in. Otherwise Windows will most likely install the wrong driver. You need to make sure that the cable is fully seated into the radio. Sometimes it might feel like it is fully seated when it is not. Some radios are worse bout this than others. CHIRP Next is the way to go with Windows 10/11. Avoid any cables with the Prolific chips in them. Prolific has not updated their firmware nor kept their Windows certificates up to date. And the pirated Prolific chips in the cheap cables from Amazon and eBay are even worse. I've had plenty of issues with Prolific chips and Windows. The Prolific chips flat don't work with Mac OS Sonoma and Sequoia

Shannon that worked, ty!

Make sure the cable you are using is plugged in to the radio and your computer BEFORE you start CHIRP. I also recommend using "CHIRP Next" which is the newer version, as it work better than the old "Chirp" program. If Chirp Next can't see the port, then you are likely experiencing a Windows Driver issue, which I am assured is a "feature" and not a bug.. If this is the case, good luck.

Do you feel like pidgin English is the language of this thread?

Cogent just wants people to purchase equipment through them for the revenue. The Commission has made their position clear in that GMRS repeaters are not to be interconnected for carrying conversations. The spectrum assigned to FRS/GMRS in the Commission's jurisdiction isn't large enough to support linked repeaters without causing undue interference to other users.

I agree. Clearly the FCC doesn’t approve of carrying GMRS communications on the telephone network or any other network. Yet that’s exactly what this does. Cogent would need to produce a letter from the fcc saying that it’s okay to connect GMRS repeaters in this manner before I would consider it.

Great point with HamStudy.org. We live in a time when there are so many different learning and study tools that it's unlikely you won't find something that matches your learning preference. HamStudy is great because it not only drills you on the questions, but it also offers resources to learn why that's the answer and not something else. Rout memorization is a great skill to have, I suppose, but don't just memorize the answers!

International Coverage of your GMRS Repeater This isn't going to happen simply due to the fact that the frequencies used by the GMRS service is specific to the USA only. Even the Canadians don't have access to repeaters, much less to the frequencies they use. Other areas of the world are covered by PMR446 or the various flavors of dPMR446. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMR446 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_private_mobile_radio And for places that doesn't apply you'll find things like UHF CB radio. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UHF_CB There are a bunch of lesser known licensed/unlicensed radio service in other areas. For example. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDR_444 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freenet_(radio)

Good point. I guess I was thinking they were more concerned about not hearing the chatter. I guess in that case, your party could set up a few channels ahead of time, assign them names, and announce that you're switching to channel a, b, c ect.

It's not quite that simple. You can still get stepped on with tones. And you could end up interfering with other communication that you can't hear.

Why do you think he’s a HAM? He is not. Your anger is misplaced.

Hi Bill, Don’t feel like you have to apologize for that! RT Systems is an American company that has developed an entire series of programming software and cables for ham and GMRS radios. https://www.rtsystemsinc.com

Bullshit. We’ve had to correct your fallacious claims many times. This is only true in certain rare situations, like from the hill overlooking a massive desert between you and Vegas. Most people just won’t get that kind of distance before their signal is blocked by the earth’s curvature and terrain. Why lie? Does it make you feel better about yourself?

By the grace of mine own self-worth and sarcasm and by the bounteous authority vested in me, THE QUEEN OF ALL THAT IS GMRS, I doth hereby decree, with much pomp and stupidity, that one @SteveShannon, a stout fellow of questionable repute but unquestionable GMRS knowledge, be forthwith and forevermore dubbed a member of the Most Esteemed Order of the HERD (which, perchance, standeth for “Higher End Radio Dork,) Let it be known across the static-ee airwaves of the peasantry to the lofty frequencies of the saddest of H.A.M.s that Sir StevenShannon, clad in naught but his wits and an FCCs permission slip, hath stumbled bravely and fortuitously into the fray of tomfoolery and emerged victorious—or at least not entirely trampled. With this proclamation, he is granted the sacred right to put the title "HERD" after his name, to wield a UV-5R on GMRS channels, and to confuse all who inquire as to what a “HERD” truly be. So sayeth I, THE QUEEN OF ALL THAT IS GMRS on this fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord XENU two thousand and five-and-twenty. Let the roger-beeps blare, and may the Sad H.A.M.s tremble in his presence ! So it is written, so shall it be done. Arise good Sir @SteveShannon, member of the HERD!

How could it not

I use the DB20-G and love it ease, I can take it with me either in my work van or my wife's Tahoe, just plug it in the cig lighter, pop up the mag mount and go and color screen it sweet. Its a great radio for the price and performance.

Funny, the song “Let’s all go to the lobby” popped into my head.

Learned something new today. Didn’t know such groups existed. Sounds interesting.

The poster lives in Lynchburg, VA He is trying to get the kids (who knows whos) to get on and have fun using the GMRS comms. Probably posted that here in case there where other families here that live in the vicinity to participate it the ose parents want them to get in on the noise... Just more people like yourselves, that want to talk to other people they have never met in a different medium. You do it all the time, right here. Why can't the little ones get in on the fun too?

One of my daughters is an SLP at a local elementary school where most of the teachers and all of the admin use FRS radios. I was sitting in the parking lot one day waiting on my granddaughter and scanned and then listened for a while. I told my daughter about doing that and she said she needed to get her own FRS radio. I gave her an old Motorola FRS radio I had purchased new around 2002 or so. I had given two of those to her and her sister to keep in contact with me at a music event we used to attend yearly. It still works perfectly and brought back memories as a bonus.

More info? radio? computer? Operating System Cable?

I've re-read the FCC Part 95 Subpart E language several times over. I've watched the video twice. I've re-read the FCC language, and followed all the references in Subpart E through to the other documents they refer to. And still I don't see any new information here that would change my mind that the FCC has explicitly disallowed what the video is claiming to be legal.

Unless they changed it since I got mine, the GT-5R is made and marketed as a HAM radio. It was made to only transmit on HAM frequencies. The UV-5G is essentially the same radio in a GMRS version.

WSHJ950, nice job. Most of us knew what you meant. Learning how to use repeaters with their radios is a stumbling block a lot of new users encounter. So I am glad things seem to be working out for you.

I’m relatively new to GMRS. I was in Atlanta over the recent weekend and was able to hear chatter over 60 miles away on my HT Baofeng UV5G Pro. Seems like a vibrant GMRS community in the Atlanta area. This is encouraging to me because, although I enjoy tinkering with my radio and learning, it is also fun hearing people engage over the air. I know, I know…if I wanna talk to people then I should be a Ham and if I want to talk with my friends while outdoors, then I should use GMRS. Why can’t it be both? Haha

I’m seriously curious. Obviously you’re not here to ask for help, you inject negativity into the threads started by people who actually do help, and you make zero effort to get along with people socially. So, why are you here, Devin? Do you actually like the negative attention you receive? Is it somehow better than no attention at all?

I normally don't respond to posts or spend a bunch of time on forums. I found this interesting with lots of differing opinions and some good points. My thoughts on radio and its use are shaped by a carrier in public safety, emergency management, and my personal use of Marine VHF, GMRS and HAM, within licensure guidelines. The FCC states "95.1703 Definitions, GMRS. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). A mobile two-way voice communication service, with limited data applications, for facilitating activities of individual licensees and their family members, including, but not limited to, voluntary provision of assistance to the public during emergencies and natural disasters." As mentioned, I have both GMRS and HAM licenses. I also own a local GMRS repeater that has a large footprint, and am involved in HAM repeater systems that are part of the SKYWARN network. No, GMRS was never meant to be HAM. But all things evolve over time, it will not become HAM (nothing will become HAM, it is literally an experimental license that allows HAMs to do many, many things), but its use has and will evolve (grandfathered licenses for example) just like CB radio did. In my opinion, GMRS has some distinct advantages over HAM. The biggest being that once license covers a family. Repeater linking is not allowed in GMRS, so that keeps comms more local. A big benefit to GMRS and GMRS repeaters in particular, is the ability to provide alternate and emergency comms for families and friends. Most of the people who want access to my repeater specify they want it for emergency use to communicate with family and friends. Something a lot of people don't realize about cell phone service. Cell providers, and really all of telecom, are not required to provide long term emergency power for their sites or nodes. Most only have battery backup that doesn't last very long. My area gets hit with some severe weather once a year that causes widespread outages due to power and telecom lines being down. The first thing that happens is the cell towers get loaded up and bandwidth drops. If you have a cell provider that is not a big company that owns its own network, you are the first to get dropped from the network / site. Most people also don't realize that most "landline" phones are now VIOP. When the node goes down because its batteries are dead, so is you phone and internet (assuming you have power). As soon as the cell site without a generator looses it battery backup, its off the air and your cell is out. This can last for days. In contrast, the "big" repeater sites, both HAM and GMRS, are on UPS and gen power. My GMRS repeater can run a minimum of 24 hours with moderate use before I need to plug it into the generator. All the HAM sites I'm familiar with are the same way and are usually on commercial towers with gen backup. In order to use radio for emergency comms, you need to be familiar with radio and be fluent in its use. You need to know your radios work, you need to know the repeaters you programmed a year ago are on the air, and you need to know where you can use them from and who you can communicate with on them. You also need to have a plan for using radio to communicate when cells and landlines are down. Radio checks, general conversation, and rag chewing on repeaters helps ensure this.

The DB20G also wasn’t supported by RT Systems until just a few weeks ago, but now it is and it works very well! I would suspect Chirp support will follow.

If you suspect anyone of an infraction as it pertains to the proper use of their GMRS license / callsign, you should IMMEDIATELY call the police. Do not try to confront the person or sort it out on your own as they could be dangerous.

Today i was in an area known as Eagle Mountain near Joshua Tree and heard a lady calling out to her dog, over the radio, who was helping them find the radio that they had lost in the desert.. apparently the dog could hear her calling him over the radio and led them to it, but it took about an hour.. and we got to listen to the entire show.