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Don't assume the coverage shown on the map display in My GMRS is accurate. It's a generalization based on assumptions such a antenna height, efficiency and generally flat terrain. Software that uses more accurate Longley-Rice propagation models are very expensive and those do include terrain modeling showing coverage holes used by hills and ridges.

If one takes a look at the FCC's description for the Citizens Band Radio Service you will note a statement that GMRS serves a similar type of service. Stating GMRS is meant primarily for communications between members of the same family as intended in the rules does not agree with the statements in other sections of the same rules. Just as CB was originally intended for communications between licensed stations much as amateur radio continues to be it is still an open system that can be used by any operator to communicate as desired. Sometimes it is better to read the rules and their wording for intent using a shovel than a scalpel. There are many areas of the rules that are to be taken exactly as written but determining intent of a particular section often has to be taken broadly and compared to other sections.

Even on the 2W channels?

You can start getting them used to the FCC requirements by having them use a pair of FRS radios. If they forget to identify it's not an issue as they are not required to use your call sign.

Somebody else familiar with the the microphone test done on the first gen digital computers.

Rebroadcast of NOAA Weather Radio is not considered as emergency communications except for the broadcast of watch and warning messages. These are very specific as warnings and alerts all start with a specific SAME burst. Alerts and warnings are also only in affect for a maximum of four hours or other period specified in the message. While it is fairly easy to detect the SAME burst to start he retransmission, it is not as easy to detect when the alert ends and that's the primary issue.

https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-confirms-amateur-radio-license-exams-may-be-held-remotely The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released a notice today that Amater Radio License exams may be conducted remotely. This is great news for those who are stuck at home but wanting to get their Technician or General ticket.

https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-confirms-amateur-radio-license-exams-may-be-held-remotely The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released a notice today that Amater Radio License exams may be conducted remotely. This is great news for those who are stuck at home but wanting to get their Technician or General ticket.

GMRS, if I remember correctly started back in the late 70'sor early 80's as a step up from the morass that was CB at the time. My father was a radio dealer operating out of a spare bedroom peddling CBs, antennas and linears along with modified ham gear on the 11 meter band. He and my mother were also in REACT and did move to GMRS because of the pollution on 27 MHz. The biggest thing for them was the ability to set up repeaters to make up for the short range All this was back when the channels were also open for business. I believe their REACT team also made the switch to the "UHF CB" channels.

You could also file a petition to have the restriction reviewed. It doesn't have to be a formal document, just a document on the ECFS site stating what you have said here and asking the FCC to review if the restriction is still required.

The Ed Fong antennas include the choke which is inside the PVC pipe. It's on his web site

GMRS isn't really a plug-n-play type of service. Other than the handhelds no one markets or recommends any complete system. Take the antenna needed for a base station. Which antenna depends on at least 4 variables - size, cost, efficiency and mount. There are plenty more that I cannot fathom. My particular situation is unique as I live in a ground floor apartment facing a 300 foot high ridge on the east side and a 400 foot ridge on the south. I can't make any holes through the walls and I have an apartment on my west side so I can't access the other two directions easily. For an antenna on my mobile used in the house I have a J-pole stuck on a piece of PVC leaning against wall. Not a great install but one no dealer would look to put in. My range is probably 5 miles to the west and north wit a 25 watt unit. Now, how would you attempt to market something similar as a $500-700 kit. As you have to rely on the purchaser to do the install, what kind of performance figure would you attach to this "apartment size" kit. What would you do if the customers complained their range was less? How could you verify any complaints or would you brush them off as being a user installation problem? I live with my limitations because I had a decent idea of what I was going to get because of my environment. But then my case is different from someone in a highrise with a clear place to mount an antenna who gets 10 to 15 miles of range with the same equipment,

The conceptual idea is sound in that professionals do have the knowledge to design a system for a user or even a class of user however, we all know there are no real "cookie cutter" solutions. While it would be possible to specify some equipment from a single brand that would fit the three (or is it four) classes of user; mobile, base, repeater and possibly the fourth being handheld not every manufacturer of these radios build all the parts needed for a complete installation with the exception of handhelds. Lets look at a typical home or base station setup. First you need the transceiver and a DC power supply with it as very few are AC powered. Next you would need the coaxial cable feed to the antenna and its mount with the antenna being the final piece. Here is where the most customization takes place. You need to know the distance for you coax run and how you will mount your antenna. There is some help on the mounting of an external antenna as the FCC has ruled that building owners and associations cannot deny you the right to install your antenna however they may make and enforce rules about how it is placed. The biggest issues any combo or kit recommender runs into are meeting customer expectations. While some expectations can be mitigated through different mixes of equipment, the biggest hurdle for the consumer will be the price of the kit and the performance of the equipment. Better equipment means a higher end price to the purchaser. That's why the homebrew solutions often work best. Being able to mix and match pieces provides the best path for any user. As different equipment becomes available the user can upgrade different parts of the install. A better transceiver may be able to use the DC power supply from the older unit along with the coax and antenna. The coax could be replaced with one having lower loss for the same distance or the antenna changed, each providing some improvements. There are just too many variables for a system designer to overcome.

Channel mode and frequency modes are the same thing. The difference is in what is displayed. Channel mode shows the channel number while frequency mode would show the frequency for the channel. GMRS repeaters operate with frequency pairs with the pair being 5 MHz apart. A 462 MHz frequency is paired with the 467 MHz frequency, The different tones are used to to enable the receiver (input) side to open up and listen to the signal on its input frequency and then key the output or transmit side of the repeater. The tones are also referred to as privacy codes. The repeater listings often refer to the "travel tone" which is 141.3 and needs to be enabled on your transmit frequency in order to access the repeater's receiver.

Welcome to the group first of all. There are a lot of people with a lot more knowledge about the subject than I, but my first question is if you purchased a programming cable with your radios? The cable will make things a lot easier to do once the answers begin to come in. The second thing is to go to chirp.danplanet.com and down CHIRP. This is the programming software that will allow you to input all the necessary numbers to get your radios fully functional and allow you to copy the configuration "code plug" to the other radios you have.

I would also like to see remote testing for Amateur licensing as the current setup near me is 30 miles away and you need to be enrolled in their Community College class. I completed electronics training in the Navy many years ago and only miss one or two questions on the practice exams. Even though I haven't done any component level work in many years I retain enough knowledge to pass even the General level exams,

Well Pappaw, welcome to the forum. Different brands of radios are compatible as long as they are using the same modes of transmission. In plain American that generally means analog FM. The other requirement (but not quite a requirement in many instances) is the signal occupies the same amount of bandwidth or spectrum. GMRS is wideband or a 20 KHz signal and FRS is a narrowband or 12.5 KHz signal. Narrowband signals typically sound weak on wide band radios as the occupy only a portion of the band. A wideband signal sounds loud on a narrowband radio but the two can talk to each other over less distance because of the narrow signal on one.

You are on an a channel that is offset by 12.5 KHz. If you programmed your radio incorrectly and specified that channel as a wide band then you are bleeding over the channel boundaries. A narrow or 12.5 KHz channel has 10 KHz to carry intelligence with 1.25 KHz on each side as a quiet guard bang. A wide channel has 20 KHz for intelligence with a 2.5 KHz guard on each side. Chanel 4 should be specified as a narrow-band (NB) channel.

I can't help you with the NY situation but I will state the BTECH 25X2 is probably a better choice for your truck than the 50X1. You won't need the extra power as it does very little in the UHF frequencies.

Welcome to the group and,yes, there are some valid concerns about causing interference to other licensed user of adjacent frequencies. The question about the brand and model of your radios will allow those of us with more knowledge to mentor you along and provide help on configuring your radios, needed accessories and software to program your radios for proper operation in your area. Perhaps one question that needs an answer first is if you have applied for a GMRS license. If you haven't, then our advice is to log onto the FCC website and complete the process and pay the filing fee. If you aren't licensed, then don't expect our assistance to operate what would then be an illegal unlicensed station on the GMRS frequencies. You do not need a license for the FRS or Family Radio Service channels which include some channels shared between GMRS and FRS but US radios would already have FRS frequencies coded into them.

I'm using a J-Pole also but I'm having no noise issues. The feedline needs either ferrite beads or a balun installed about a foot before the antenna connector. I'm using a coil of feedline for my balun. Have you done either of these? The feedline balun is a 3 inch diameter coil of coax (3 turns).

I have a BTECH 25X2 and it does program the 2M and 70CM frequencies.

He can determine the channel and if it's a GMRS, report it and let the FCC make the determination.

If you have a business on the GMRS channels report them to the FCC at PSIX-ESIX Homepage - PSIX-ESIX If you can get the name of the business as well, it makes the job easier on the FCC's part as they can then go into the business and check their radios without having to monitor first.

WREA898 is in Arecibo, PR.