[Why 1/2 watt for ch 8-14]

Hi all.  I'm new both here and with 2-way radios in general (outside of have some bow archaic FRS radios from the late 90s or early 2000s. 

 

I received my GMRS license last week (and am studying for the Amateur Technical). I have a question that I searched for, but didn't find the answer.

 

With the re-alignment of FRS/GMRS frequencies and the increased power for a chunk of them on the FRS side, why are ch 8-14 still limited to 1/2 watt for both?

 

Is there something unique about those frequencies and the possibility of causing interference on some other service?

 

 

EDIT:  Also, does the fact that FRS and GMRS have different bandwidths mean that they cannot talk to each other?

I found the answer at https://midlandusa.com/why-gmrs-for-two-way-radio-communication/  They can communicate with each other.

 

EDIT2:  I didn't even notice the reply below before I added the Midland link.  I was using a cached version of the page I think.

 

Thanks,

John