jc1240

I know it's a month later for this thread, but I did a round trip with an Anytone 878 in my carry-on.  TSA at both airports didn't care.

Hi all.  I'm new here.  Posted the other day in some of the forums, but figured I'd make it official here.  I thought HTs would be good for keeping in touch with family that live near me.  One household is 5000 feet away in the next neighborhood and the other is 2 miles the opposite direction (both straight-line distances).  Looks like we're all going to have to upgrade to mobile/base stations with an elevated antenna. 
 
I receive on a repeater, but no idea if I could transmit through it (definitely not on the HTs unless there's an unmarked one very close).  The maps/DB here don't show any in a decent range.
 
I also thought I'd stop at GMRS, but will be taking the amateur tech license test in January.  I think I caught "the bug."  
 
I keep the money tree watered and fertilized, but no fruit yet.

Is it weird that I read that in your voice?

The world is a better place with Chris in it.

The world is a better place with Chris in it.

No.. 
Unless you (or the factory) have added a RX (Receive) CTCSS or DCS/DPL tone/code.then you dont need to do anything.  Not having a RX code/tone will not prevent you from hearing anything.  HAVING an RX tone/code will prevent you from hearing everything unless the transmission also has that same code/tone..  Remove all RX tones and you will hear everything.
I bet there are some good videos on the Youtubes that explain at all for beginners.

The only people responsible for people who try this are the people that try this.

That guy is a clown, but let me explain what he is saying - since "some people" have a real problem grasping the underlaying message because it is not spelled-out literally enough for their defective brains to process.
If you go online (in this forum for example, other forums, YouTube comments, reddit, etc)  "some people" teach us that if you ever transmit without an antenna, for any length of time, ever, in any way, it will destroy, or at a minimum damage your radio - No ifs, ands or butts:  push button with no antenna = destroyed radio.
That video, and the video demonstrating the same thing on an HT (both videos use the "cheap Chinese junk"/CCR radios), show that the common lore of "push button no antenna = dead radio" is not necessarily true.
The video does not suggest that people try it, or make a habit of doing it, it specifically says to NOT do it.  The video simply demonstrates that the common internet lore spread by "experts", has at least a few exceptions.  But unfortunately "some people" interpret the video as "he says you should always use your radio with no antenna" - which, if they actually watched the video and understand the English language, they would understand that is not what was said or even inferred.
Both the "experts" and "some people" have come out of the wood-work in the comments on both videos explaining all the reasons, exceptions, etc, why neither of the test radios were damaged - all proving the point that they are trying to disprove.
Also, FYI, it seems that it is "some people" that seem to be upset/most angry about the video - claiming fraud, trick editing, other fairy-tales, which is very entertaining - its as though their worlds just fell apart.

Just for fun, someone should contact BuyTwoWayRadios.com, the largest distributor of Wouxun GMRS Radios in the United States, and ask THEM what the official GMRS Road/Travel channel is now......
Get ready to hear heads explode...
..You're welcome..
 
 

Oh.. shit.
As it turns out, a AM as stupid as everyone says.  It is also entire possible that I have had too much NyQuil ..
Carry on.

And again, you missed it.  He was being funny.  Watch the video.  Did you not see the crown?  He's a funny dude and does not take himself or the subject too seriously, except for helping others.  He works very hard at that and does a great job of it.

I know it's a month later for this thread, but I did a round trip with an Anytone 878 in my carry-on.  TSA at both airports didn't care.

Another option,
 
A pair of used Vertex VX-231 radios can be had for 20-40 dollars each on eBay. Get a programming cable for about 20 bucks. Download the programming software for free (CE99).
 
Now you have part 90 radios that blow the doors off CCRs.

I almost never use mine (GMRS in general, not the license ID).  There's no one around except a couple of neighborhood kids where big sis bosses lil' sis around.  Which brings me to my question - on the shared frequencies, how does one know if they are using FRS vs GMRS?
 
Maybe there should be a true band split with no shared frequencies.  

Congratulation
Congratulations!

For me, GMRS for family.  Ham for fun.  GMRS in my area is non-existent outside of 1 or 2 repeaters too far away and are hardly ever used.  They are active only when there is an "event" like a blizzard.  

There is no "request a vanity callsign" link in the ULS for GMRS licenses like there is for amateur radio.

You are better off exporting to excel, adding what you want then import the excel file, instead of using the software to type out every channel.

I recommend this series of books by Craig "Buck" K4IA.  I like his philosophy of not using the usual sources because for every right answer they have, there are 3 wrong answers your brain is picking up.  He only focuses on the right answers so they stand out on the test.  
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1985125641/

The GMRS fee is still $70, but only because the new fee structure has not gone into effect.  
 
GMRS, amateur, and a lot of others are classified as "personal licenses" and they will all be $35 (page 85 of the PDF in the first post).  Thankfully, change-of-address will not have the fee.  
 
EDIT:  I see the what n4gix means.  Seems the FCC document is a bit contradictory.  

The GMRS fee is still $70, but only because the new fee structure has not gone into effect.  
 
GMRS, amateur, and a lot of others are classified as "personal licenses" and they will all be $35 (page 85 of the PDF in the first post).  Thankfully, change-of-address will not have the fee.  
 
EDIT:  I see the what n4gix means.  Seems the FCC document is a bit contradictory.  

The dot with a number in it means there are that many repeaters fairly close to each other in that area.  If you zoom in on the map, they will separate to their locations and you can then click them to view the info.

I was just fixing to write the same thing. Great minds do think alike, eh? 

The dot with a number in it means there are that many repeaters fairly close to each other in that area.  If you zoom in on the map, they will separate to their locations and you can then click them to view the info.

Maybe some folks donated to a fund for the repeater and think of themselves as "part owner" of sorts.  No excuse for being rude...I'm just puzzling out loud the reason.  Unless the repeater owner says get lost, I would ignore them.