gortex2

I concur. 
There is a lot to unpack in that filing, and it will likely go nowhere with the FCC.  As a ham, I find this desire to by many of our fellow amateurs to "change" GMRS a bit disturbing.  I've run into this "attitude" with several hams local to me.  
All license classes of amateurs have full privileges from 420MHz - 450MHz (70cm).  Most everything outlined in that filing we already have available to us in the 70cm band. And for you non-hams out there, guess what?   The 70cm band goes largely unused!  The only thing that filing does is further annoy the FCC when it comes to amateur radio operators.  My eyes were rolling reading it, and if I were the FCC it would be targeted for the circular file. 
Allowing digital voice modes (DMR, etc..) is a very bad idea.  This would be very confusing and annoying to existing GMRS users.  To another point, most hams can't figure out how to program their DMR radios. 🙂
As for the random joe-ham or the VM (Volunteer Monitors) performing band police duties?  Seriously?!? 
 

Yup hams trying to inter-fear in yet another service. My hopes are the FCC laughs at this one. 
 

Personally, I think it's sloppily written with inaccurate premises and illogical conclusions.  I see absolutely no reason why a ham radio licensee should be excused from paying for a GMRS license and arguing that equipment that requires no certification should be allowed on a service that requires certified equipment is ridiculous.
But it's interesting what people will ask for.

Yup hams trying to inter-fear in yet another service. My hopes are the FCC laughs at this one. 
 

Yup hams trying to inter-fear in yet another service. My hopes are the FCC laughs at this one. 
 

I read the document. Wow, there is a lot going on there and I'm not talking about the technical aspects.
I am not sure I understand why anyone with an amateur license would need or want to make all these changes to GMRS. Everything the document proposes is available in the amateur bands and is not relegated to the small number of frequencies given to GMRS even with going narrow band to add channels.
The most disturbing paragraph to me was proposing people holding an amateur radio license could volunteer to be the radio police for both GMRS and the proposed GMRS+ services. I guess having an amateur license makes one superior to the folks on GMRS. I have a "HAM" license and a GMRS license and I am not better than anyone. I'm sure there would be plenty of volunteers for that gig.
 

You miss understand public spectrum. Spectrum is the frequency and airwaves. Equipment I purchase, install, maintain is my personal equipment. If someone requires membership its up to them. Personally my repeaters are closed. I see no need to pay for power, tower fees and other associated fees for others to use it. GMRS is not ham radio. Sadly many feel if they buy a $35 license they are entitled to use any repeater they want. 

You miss understand public spectrum. Spectrum is the frequency and airwaves. Equipment I purchase, install, maintain is my personal equipment. If someone requires membership its up to them. Personally my repeaters are closed. I see no need to pay for power, tower fees and other associated fees for others to use it. GMRS is not ham radio. Sadly many feel if they buy a $35 license they are entitled to use any repeater they want. 

I'd run a 1/4 wave basic antenna on a air stream personally. My CTC ran one and it worked perfect. 
 

Personally, its not that I don't want others to use my repeater, but I do want to know who is using it. It also helps if I have to make a change, that I have a list of people to notify.

Pretty much everyone I know personally... we all use the exact same methods.

Mine is pending. Not sure how long until they approve.
My interest was to get others to comment. But I guess unless a YouTuber says to go do it most folks wont. 
 
Not sure why the link did not work but here is the FCC link
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/docket-detail/RM-11970
 

Stating the fact that there are not droves of GMRS users across the country staring at their radios every-night waiting to chit-chat with strangers is not dissuading anyone from doing anything.  Its simply stating a fact.
If this makes you sad, I have just the cure to ease your pain and itching.
 

Feedline is another important consideration. If your going to be under 50' good LMR400 with the proper connectors will work well for your application. You want cable to be minimum length needed to get to the antenna and surge arrestor and not use adapters. 

Comparing services in UHF HAM vs GMRS. Both services have their pros and cons, but each service gets the same job done. True an Amateur Radio Licenses only authorizes the person who passed his or her exam and GMRS licenses authorizes the entire Family. A CB would do just about the same as GMRS on simplex and even about the same with the audio quality, now that FM is legal on 11m Band.   In a real SHTF, the majority of GMRS repeaters, like Ham repeaters will be down or in service for BUCC, with the Local ARES or CERT groups. So, using any repeater, whether Amateur or GMRS will be like trying use a Landline or Cellular. 
 

Because they are so close to the repeater input frequencies.  It's to minimize potential interference with repeaters.
(c) 467 MHz main channels. Only mobile, hand-held portable, control and fixed stations may transmit on these 8 channels. Mobile, hand-held portable and control stations may transmit on these channels only when communicating through a repeater station or making brief test transmissions in accordance with § 95.319(c). The channel center frequencies are: 467.5500, 467.5750, 467.6000, 467.6250, 467.6500, 467.6750, 467.7000, and 467.7250 MHz.
(d) 467 MHz interstitial channels. Only hand-held portable units may transmit on these 7 channels. The channel center frequencies are: 467.5625, 467.5875, 467.6125, 467.6375, 467.6625, 467.6875, and 467.7125 MHz.
They are only .0125 MHz away from the repeater inputs.

Honestly, using two radios which were not designed to be combined as a repeater would be quite a challenge anyway. While there are some high end radios that are designed to be combined into a repeater (Motorola is one) and work well, but almost everyone on this forum who has tried something similar with inexpensive radios discovers that problems with de-sense are difficult to overcome. 

GMRS is not really intended to find anonymous men to chat with for "action". For that kind of "action" you might want to look into H.A.M. radio or the Grindr app for your phone.   GMRS is primarily intended for things like communicating with your group while off-roading, hiking, caravanning, etc. so in many/most places it is very quiet.
 

The travel tone is 141.3. Its up to the repeater owner if he/she wants to enable the travel tone and allow folks to use it. Long before GMRS became ham lite GMRS users had used different PL tones to keep the channel clear at home. For decades we had a base radio at home and the only people we would hear is a parent calling base. At 2 in the AM we really didn't want joe calling testing his radio. It was used way different then that folks seem to use it for now. 
As others said its costly to put up and maintain repeaters. That's why none of mine are listed. None are open for use other than family and close friends. That was the intent. I use GMRS for other stuff on jeep rides and off road and all comms are CSQ then. 
So the KISS method of standard tone is already there if folks want to use it. Many do not for multiple reasons. I enabled it for a week on one of my sites. After 3 days of two guys rag chewing for hours on end I disabled it. 
 

Pursuant to Section 95.1767.(c) the power on the 467 Interstitial freqs are regulated to half a watt ERP. 

One Laird FG4605 Omni 5dB Base antenna for my Repeater, and two Lairds B4502Ns for my two base XTL5000s that are installed in the attic for comm with several repeaters in my area.

You are correct, I can confirm one year as my friends needed updating recently. 

If I remember right if there are no changes/updates in over a year (maybe 2) it goes to stale. 

If I remember right if there are no changes/updates in over a year (maybe 2) it goes to stale. 

We did Greenbrier on it's inaugural event, mud festival and wet leaves all uphill it seemed, but fun. Crawled the creek it seemed for half a day!  Retired Navy, had heard all about the place and wanted to see it for myself.  NICE DIGS!🥰
Still doing the Williamsburg JJAMUSA now for 18 years... well will be 19 next year.