WanabeFree

I do not think that is quite true. Most if not all modern GMRS radios are frequency locked and will not transmit on anything but GMRS frequencies. There are some older part 95 radios that are grandfathered and have dual type acceptance available on the used market. I own a modern commercial type 90 (business band) digital radio that can be programmed for GMRS but its still not legal for GMRS use even though its far better than anything I have seen available specifically for GMRS Part 95e use. I personaly do not buy the argument that modern ham radios are inferior to cheap GMRS radios. Only the Cheap Chinese Radios like the uv-5r are a real problem and even at that I just do not buy that a 5 watt HT radio can cause much interference or could cause much spurious interference. The idea that Hams build there own radios is a real stretch too. Maybe back in the day it was a thing but not anymore especially for UHF use. Truth is that many Hams just don't like GMRS and many GMRS users don't like Hams. Many Hams want it all to be special for them only and think GMRS is just for people to lazy to take a test and use radios responsibly. Many GMRS users think of Hams as cranky old Men who want to feel elite I am a Ham and now a GMRS user and just want to have friendly conversations on the radio. I don't care what license you have as long as you are respectful and not causing problems. I am an advocate for using any radio that works and doesn't cause interference. Most Ham radios would be just fine for GMRS and should be allowed. But what do I know I am just an old not so cranky Ham operator who likes to talk on the radio GMRS too.

PL Tones do not give you more channels they just cover up other users. This does nothing for interference or cross talk.Two or more radios on the same frequency will cancel each other out. the one with the most power will cover up the others.

There seems to be two camps on FRS vs GMRS. Some like that FRS overlaps GMRS because it allows licensed users to talk to license free FRS users. On the other hand FRS is mostly kids playing around or folks who just refuse to pay to play. Soon the fee for GMRS will drop to $35 so maybe more will not see the cost as a big factor and more will join the big boys on GMRS. This does nothing for the lack of usable channel/frequency space available. I am in the camp that FRS should be on separate frequencies and GMRS expanded. As a Ham operator I like Digital radio but also have seen it almost make FM analog extinct in my area. I live rural and local analog 2m & 70cm repeaters are rarely used accept in times of emergencies. I think Digital GMRS would make it less appealing to the average user and the added cost for equipment for digital be a bad thing. If you really want to do digital radio then just get a Ham Tech license and do it for real. The License fee for a Ham ticket will soon cost the same as a GMRS license and the Test is not that hard . What I really wish is that Ham and GMRS be merged into one where NO test GMRS be only allowed to use limited frequencies at low power and Licesed (tested) users be given full power, full frequencies privileges. This would put some life back into the vastly unused Analog Ham repeaters and leave FRS all to itself. A Novel Idea that will likely never happen because most Hams would hate it but worth thinking about ? Dave

I did not hear this anywhere, I just suggested that it would be nice if Hams who have to take tests and study to be radio operators should be allowed to use the GMRS bands since they are Trained Radio Operators. The Whole GMRS radio service is just a carve out for general use by those that just want to pay a fee and talk, no training or tests required. Ham Radio for years has been FREE and will soon be required to pay a $35 fee, One fee for both would be good because Ham radio is a Public Service and a provides vital communications in times of need. That is not to say that GMRS is not capable of the same but since it only has a few limited channel frequencies its much more limited. At least for me the fascination as a Ham for GMRS is that its another means of communication between friends and family who for what ever reason don't want to get a Ham license. I think of GMRS as Ham LIte its just a subset of frequencies that are no different from Ham or even Business for that matter. I also use Business Radio but that is Private/Business use only. Ham radio use of UHF frequencies is dead in my area accept for Digital/DMR and you don't even need a repeater for that since a $100 hot spot will connect your through the internet so the band is at least in area going to waist. I would have no problem opening up a few channels in the UHF ham band to expand GMRS. This probably would not sit well with many others in the Ham world but would be a good thing in my opinion. At the same time I think FRS (Unlicensed) should not be a a subset of GMRS frequencies. This would eliminate a lot of interference in areas that are busy on GMRS repeaters . These are just my opinions and I doubt that any of it will actually happen any time soon so take it for what it is. Dave

I also doubt JJ/Midland will have a huge impact on increasing licensed GMRS use. Part of the problem is the fact that FRS shares the same frequencies and a lot of folks don't see the difference and feel like no one is going to know the difference anyways. FRS should be set aside from GMRS or just make it all GMRS and license by Type acceptance like MURS. Heck the FCC would get a lot more money if they just taxed every radio purchased an extra $5 . I am not advocating this but its one way to eliminate the confusion. Also Ham radio operators who will soon have to pay a $35 fee should automatically or for a small fee like $5 0r $10 be able to add the GMRS license to there Ham Ticket and be allowed to use there Ham radios for GMRS. This would make Ham more appealing and allow for one radio to be used instead of carrying a dumb ed down radio for GMRS. Most brand name Ham radios are far better than any cheap GMRS Radio and the good GMRS Radios are just firmware neutered to comply with GMRS rules. A ham operator is supposed to know how to legally use there radios where as GMRS user because its just a paper license for the most part doesn't care and just wants a simple to use radio.

I just recently got my GMRS license. I have had my Ham license for about 25 yrs. I have faded in an out of Ham radio over the years but mostly stayed sort of active on 2m & 70c bands until I retired and moved out of Southern California. Ham was very active there and I had several friends who were also Hams. I also used FRS for family outings and trips with friends who were not Hams and had little interest in becoming one. I also used Business radio for work so radio has been part of my life for a long time. Now after moving to a small rural Northern California community I have once again started to get back into Ham Radio but have found that much has changed in the past few years. Many Hams have move on to Digital Radio so I purchased a DMR radio to find out what I was missing. Its fun and you can talk to folks all over the country but I miss my old Rag Chew analog Ham days. Around here there is not a lot of chatter on the Ham repeaters so I started looking into GMRS but truthfully there is not a lot of action on it either. I got my GMRS license just so I could talk to more folks without limiting my options. For me its not like I prefer one over the other but I want more options. GMRS to me is kind of like Ham radio Lite and is easier to get into than Ham so its no wonder that it is growing perhaps faster than Ham but GMRS needs more bandwith (Channels) or it will soon be over saturated in Big Cities. Where I live now its underused but so is analog Ham. So bottom line for me its all about having more options and making more contacts and radio friends.

Hello to all on myGMRS my name is Dave and I finally bit the bullet and got my GMRS license. Was waiting for the FCC to lower the price but in the end just decided to get it done once and for all. I am a long time Ham Radio guy that enjoy all forms of radio comm. Been monitoring GMRS and occasionally using FRS radios for talking with my wife and friends who have no interest in Ham radio but do like frs/gmrs. So I filled the void and joined in with this mode. I am hoping I can find or create some interest in my local area here in Northern Ca. (Lassen County). To my knowledge there are no active GMRS repeaters anywhere near me. In time I might think of putting up a repeater in hopes of building up some local communications. Even in the Ham world here we have pretty limited activity accept during local emergencies. Most local folks seem to be more into HF modes and the repeaters are seldom active on the analog frequencies. We do have a couple of digital (DMR) local repeaters but most of the talk is from out of state and not local which is fun but I really would like to make more local contacts. So I am here and we will see where it goes . Dave

Yep its seems to be fixed , registered just a few minutes ago.