nvrocketeer

Thanks for the thread, Marc. I saw that post yesterday and wondered myself. Seems like Nevada is more or less the same as California (no surprise). HTs would not be allowed in moving vehicles, mobiles are allowed if you're licensed and if the controls are not on the hand-mike. All operations and devices are allowed if you're a licensed amateur radio operator acting in support of or training for emergency operations or other public services. (NRS 484B.165)

The most recent FCC report I saw on the Midland GXT1000 series was 2.65 W max, despite their advertising. A bit disappointing, that, but it's still plenty for my needs.

Thank you, Marc! That was very lucid.

Hmm. Lately around our house, we've found times and places when a two-way radio would be nice outside. Cell phones let you talk, but it's a hassle. Also, having NOAA Weather Radio is a nice thing to have outside. I poked around the interwebz and found a radio package with the features and accessories I wanted and a doable price. (Features, I confess, did include more power than FRS.) That's how I ended up with GMRS. It did what I wanted to do, and I was willing to pay for the license and learn the rules. I might go further than the handhelds ... but that depends on whether I'm putting up an antenna mast for OTA TV or not. I've considered testing for amateur radio levels. But I don't particularly want to do what ham does, if that makes sense. And the financial gates for amateur are just too much for me to tackle. CB's no place to be. FRS is too weak. So, here I am.

I totally get it. I grew up during the CB boom in the seventies in the valleys and hills of Trinity County, California. I still remember the callsign and handles the family used. And it was usually pretty good. But these days ... I've only got my own household to talk to, and pretty good cellphone coverage usually. So some adequate HTs will do us fine for outdoor activities like rocketry or birding. it's not that we need long-distance communication so much as it is that we hate to shout. :-)

Apology admired and accepted! I do totally get the disdain for the irresponsible or inattentive HT use and share it a bit. But while I don't see myself putting up antenna masts any time soon, I do like to think I'm an honest supporter of GMRS. Evidence: a) I bought the license; I'm hanging around here soaking up info.

I'm already entirely nerd in at least three domains. I don't think my family would notice a new one. :-) But having done an honest assessment of my needs, I'm fairly sure the HTs will do me fine.

I'm wondering why people who buy blister packs can't also be "real" radio enthusiasts. Gatekeeping is entirely evil.

I'm kinda glad to see I'm not the only one who writes on my Page 18. Speaking of that page ... weather radio frequencies. Every manufacturer seems to want to put different frequencies on different channel numbers. I had to make a score-card...

Sorry, but no. On the GXT1000 series, ch 15-22 are the 462 MHz main frequencies, 1-7 are the 462 MHz interstitial frequencies, and 8-14 are the low-power 467 MHz interstitial frequencies. You've correctly identified ch 15, but the rest is misleading and does not work toward the problem. As a later poster noted, Midland's "Ch 23-50" are just a hard-coded selection of regular channels with CTCSS or DCS tones applied. A delusionary shortcut which lets them claim "50 channels!" when it's not, not really. These radios do not support the 467 MHz main frequencies which tie to the repeater options. Page 18 of the GXT radio user manual lists all the permutations. But I don't know if CTCSS or DCS definitions are common between manufacturers. So I'll be happy to take education in that regard. (Insert the forum-required "privacy codes aren't actually private" disclaimer here.) Hope that helps, Bob P

Oooh, but not in NATO (whiskey-quebec-whiskey-uniform)

Roger all that. Thank you both! (Knowing the phonetic alphabet was no bother ... I still remember it all from when I learned it in high school. But applying it to four letters is a mouthful and then some, and my sign rolleth not trippingly from the tongue.)

Hey, a follow-up. As I read it, strict protocol would call for use of phonetic letters for callsigns ("Whiskey-Romeo-Hotel-Romeo-Niner-Five-Six"). How common or uncommon is this in the real GRMS world?

Great to hear from experienced hands ... 'cause this is exactly what I was planning to do anyway. :-)

Hello from the suburban wild of western Nevada! And thank you for the site and forums. Licensed Friday, joined Saturday (today), and I've already learned a lot. Now if the radios would just get here.