gortex2

Full disclosure, I used to work as an engineer for the the JVC/Kenwood Group / Zetron.....the 5000 series Kenwoods are nice, but I prefer APX series Motorola for sure. I will only contemplate Kenwood amateur radios now, unless they are at a hugely discounted rate. You may have dodged a bullet, and it was hard for me to recommend Kenwood P25 radios when I knew some of the inside info.
My area is going P25 Phase II as well, and multi-band capability is also needed. Years ago, I did have some Harris Unity XG-100P radios for this purpose, but I only keep one for my own use now (amateur bands, marine VHF, GMRS, etc.). P25 is my favorite digital mode, with DMR second.

APX8000 and APX8500... not bad at all!!
 

Another quick update...   I have to say, I do like the ease of the programing of the radio.  The software is free, very easy to install and use.  Also, being able to custom program channels 8 through 14 is a nice plus.
I am currently setting it up to use channel 19 and 22 with 141.3 tone... and then used channel 8 and 9 for the 650 and 725 pairs for another PL so I don't have to change the PL when I want to move between the different repeaters.

Dude... I didn't test on 2m.  I used two distinctly different watt meters to confirm the numbers are correct.  See?  I tested on two meters, not 2m.

If he just got his technician, I'd get him a reasonable priced dual band HT and start there. 440 is about the same as GMRS so he can still use that. Alot more repeaters for amateur radio in the world than GMRS. 

@gortex2  I think it has a lot to do with were you are and if you stimulate the traffic or not.  In my experience, people meet there and then move to another frequency to leave the calling frequency open.  Since VHF is still a LOS, you may just be missing the traffic if it is out there.
 
I live near Interstate 95 in the DC metro area.  I monitor with my base while working during the day and there is always traffic on 146.520, 147.525 and 446.000.  They are well used by the locals and travelers who are making their way north or south and looking to chat. 
 
I even do it myself.  Recently, I was driving from DC to New England, alone.  The bands sounded dead, but during the day every time I called out on 520 announcing I was traveling through and looking for a contact, someone got back to me. 
 
One of the longest 2m contacts I had with a stranger was while I was heading north.  I was just getting on the Cross Bronx and called out.  Some guy in CT on a mountain top heard me and responded.  I chatted with him all the way to RI.  As we chatted, we had several other people hop in and out of the conversation too.
 
I'm headed to New England this Saturday.  I'm going to be using 20m and 2m for company since I will be driving alone.  Between the two, I typically have company the whole trip.

BINGO! You got it. As it is a treaty it has to go through the Congress Critters in the Senate who will do everything in their power to politicize it. 

The rule for Line A is required of the FCC by a treaty between the USA and Canada, not by lack of motivation by the FCC.  Until Canada and the USA amend the treaty the FCC cannot change the rule. 

eCFR Title 47, Chapter I, Subchapter D, 95.303: Definitions
"Fixed station. A station at a fixed location that directly communicates with other fixed stations only."

Here is a link to some info on the Canadian GMRS service. Note this link just high lights some changes. The complete list of frequencies are found elsewhere.
https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf08144.html#s3.1
However that doesn't really tell the whole story. While GMRS use in Canada is license free the power limit is set at 2 watts maximum, effectively just FRS radios.  Look at section E.1.5 in the following link for the power limits.
http://peppersradio.net/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=26
Here in the US we can run 5 watts on HT's, 50 watts on the repeater channels. The potential for interference at higher powers is not a moot point.
Have a look at section 7 at this link.
https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf08655.html
So if a Canadian GMRS user causes interference to a licensed service on a GMRS channel the GMRS user likely has to cease operations on that frequency.
I got my GMRS license in 2018 and the prohibited frequencies are clearly stated on the license. Further the FCC's web site still shows "Line A" and "Line C" for frequency restricted used on UHF.
https://www.fcc.gov/engineering-technology/electromagnetic-compatibility-division/frequency-coordination-canada-below
If one wants to propose a frequency, channel, for travel use at least pick one that isn't questionable due to various regulatory usage restrictions. While one may think the restrictions are "moot" it's still on your license, and you're legally required to comply with it. Until the FCC officially changes the rules we're stuck with it.
Being in the Detroit area I have to pay attention to these frequency restrictions. There are also some for the Ham Radio service too since I'm licensed for both services. In fact there was a GMRS net on the local repeater last night and the above was one of the topics of discussion.

JJAMUSA is at fault here in some degree I do believe that.  They heavily promoted Midland in the last two years and then weren't even using that brand.  (My experience) I got kicked around for asking questions because I was new to GMRS and questioning how this system was going to benefit the cause of communication. 
Long story short: FRS is OK and GMRS with more wattage is not what they were looking for I guess, for clearer communication on the trails.  But they haven't mastered the CTCSS / DCS codes yet as a group (causing crossed communication between different groups).
 
I remember too getting into CB's and having it explained that channel 19 was a CALL CHANNEL only.  If you made contact then you would move your conversation to another channel.
We all see how that worked out and then the license requirement was dropped.
I believe this (GMRS) is just another (new) rabbit hole we are all headed down.  So I'm not getting too serious about it at all.  Sit back and enjoy the conversations & OPINIONS as we all have one and they all "might matter....."
 
 

Hey, I'm back. I have a question. Who elected you to be deputy Barney Fife? When you have a moment to get over your anger issues, review back a couple of posts or where I addressed your concerns in a tactful way. Evidently you didn't like my answer and you just want to provoke me in some fashion because you can't pin me down in some kind of "gotcha". I honestly don't know why you keep up the persecution but I am growing fond of it and I'm enjoying watching you continue to make an ass out of yourself. Oh, claiming that you're "Right" about some silly little nonsense that you conjured up doesn't mean squat, but hey, if you feel like you've won some kind of award then by all means go for it. Troll on!

a 1/4 wave on the roof would be fine. I had 4" in my old garage. got the stico flex whip and never had an issue. Center of roof on an NMO will be good. 

Whatever you say, Alex... and just like I said on my previous post, sometimes not even sleep can fix the problem... 
G.
 

Neither am I.  It does not occur as such in page 1 of my searches.  Note that GOOGLE changes your search results based on cookies; the results you see ARE NOT the results everyone sees.
 
 Its probably a bigger data chaser than Facebook. 

And remember just because a repeater is listed here does not mean its actually there. I really wish the DB would auto delete al after a year if no one did updates. 

As reference this does come up on other forums also. 
https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/calling-channel.429825/#post-3547729
https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/the-history-behind-462-675-mhz-and-the-travel-tone.374402/#post-2973504
An interesting read here that I think was linked in the past...
http://www.nsea.com//index_files/nseainfo.htm
In the end it really doesn't matter what anyone uses. Unless the FCC mandates or defines something folks don't need to follow along. I still do a lot in the NE and 19 is off limits. There is more chatter up there on simplex channels as cell is spotty. In the end you will still head more on CB than on GMRS as you travel as so many people still have CB. Its not like it was in the 70's but if you travel the interstates like I do you see alot of antenna's on more that just trucks. Especially in the south. (then again I think to register a pickup in SW VA you need a CB and a Dog box ).... 
Many GMRS users use the service for a specific task, like talking to friends or family, 4x4 trail riding, traffic control or farm use. I don't come across many folks calling on the radio wanting to just talk to someone. To some extent Ham radio is not much different. I have traveled down the highway and seen HAMs with huge stickers "monitoring 520" or similar. I'll switch over and never hear a peep. When I travel my HAM rig is on APRS and normally turned down. If I'm traveling I'm normally talking to the wife or navigating. If I'm in the motor home the CB is on 19 and my GMRs is on 20/20 as that's what my dad would be on. My on board repeater is on on 21 so its just channel up when I get where I'm setting up for the weekend/week. Around home I sit on my repeater channel and that's it. Even at home I don't scan other GMS channels other than my repeaters and PL. 
Good thing someone put a pole up but as said in an earlier post we are about 1% of the GMRS users. Many come and go from the forums as they either get GMRS and find out it doesn't do what they want or just loose interest in it. That could be a huge topic on another thread.... 
 

My comment about my search engine use being deficient was in regard to the fact that the often quoted Youtube result does not occur in the first page of results I get.  Nor does any website that suggests 19. 
I must be doing something wrong. 

You are totally not understanding my dispute. It has nothing to do with the channel number at all. I honestly don't care what it ends up to be. I have previously expressed my opinion on that but yes I am flexible and will go with whatever the consensus is. Now let's take a look at the word "consensus" and think about that for a moment. What it should mean is that as a group we all mutually make a decision. I'm not going to quote it but what has happened here is one individual came in, proclaimed a final solution and then went on to say that the discussion is closed (I'm paraphrasing here). I find that a bit arrogant and annoying. You call it butt hurt but it doesn't matter. A lot of members have made an investment in this discussion and to just dismiss their opinion with the click of a mouse,  in my opinion shows no decorum or respect for others. This could have been handled a much more tactful way. So I reacted. And that's it.
Some of you have expressed relief that someone made a decision. That's fine if that's how you feel about it. But as a secondary argument I am saying that the "decision" really goes no further than this forum and a YouTube video. It's a big ass country out there with thousands of GMRS participants that don't know a thing about a travel channel or our "decision". If you really want to effect this proposal and get country wide participation then someone is going to have to roll up their sleeves and go to work. It has been suggested that this will roll out itself over time but I'm not that optimistic.
I would propose that we post a poll with the proposals that have been made. Now that would be a consensus. Do you agree?

PERHAPS OUR RESIDEN IN WHITE HOUSE WILL MANDATE A OFFICAL GMRS TRAVEL CHANNEL FOR WHATEVER THATS WORTH?

Well I'll be darned, that Wikipedia article lists "Chanel 20" as:
(7) National GMRS calling channel (CTCSS tone 141.3 Hz).
How about that?  ?

Well I'll be darned, that Wikipedia article lists "Chanel 20" as:
(7) National GMRS calling channel (CTCSS tone 141.3 Hz).
How about that?  ?

No one? Obviously everyone on this website is licensed!

I guess you're not going to buy a new Cobra / Uniden FM CB for $500, either? LoL 

radioguy7268..  Problem solved. The PA in its last stage was the cause of the problem, transistor replaced and came back to life. thanks to all...