pcradio

Proposal [1] is a good request. The others don't personally interest me. Radio has been so strangled by HAM restrictions that it maybe too late to fix it. Hence the desire to turn GMRS into what people want, which is a way to send off grid messages to family and friends who are not radio freaks.
That has always been the problem with HAM, it is a club of people who like to talk about radios but don't actually use them. The people who actually use radio for important things are GMRS users or Public safety, etc.
But as more HAMS use GMRS, naturally, they make it about saying your callsign 10 times a minute, talking about radios, yadda yadda.
 
 
 

Agreed.
We spent the weekend with friends who do a lot of FRS on RVing and backcountry/hunting trips.  When the wife and I pullout out the GMRS HTs the questions started ("How come that antenna comes off?").
By the end of the conversation everyone was eager to upgrade.  The biggest problem was licensing; not that it was costly, but that it was so cumbersome.
"Well, first you need to establish an FRN, then you need to apply for a GMRS license..."
I loved one response: "Amazon should sell the license." Which is not a bad idea.

Proposal [1] is a good request. The others don't personally interest me. Radio has been so strangled by HAM restrictions that it maybe too late to fix it. Hence the desire to turn GMRS into what people want, which is a way to send off grid messages to family and friends who are not radio freaks.
That has always been the problem with HAM, it is a club of people who like to talk about radios but don't actually use them. The people who actually use radio for important things are GMRS users or Public safety, etc.
But as more HAMS use GMRS, naturally, they make it about saying your callsign 10 times a minute, talking about radios, yadda yadda.
 
 
 

Proposal [1] is a good request. The others don't personally interest me. Radio has been so strangled by HAM restrictions that it maybe too late to fix it. Hence the desire to turn GMRS into what people want, which is a way to send off grid messages to family and friends who are not radio freaks.
That has always been the problem with HAM, it is a club of people who like to talk about radios but don't actually use them. The people who actually use radio for important things are GMRS users or Public safety, etc.
But as more HAMS use GMRS, naturally, they make it about saying your callsign 10 times a minute, talking about radios, yadda yadda.
 
 
 

I use mine for off-roading.. any time I want to "make contacts" and find anonymous men to talk with, I use the Grindr app.

Wow, now that is a big load folks!

Yesterday a friend of mine and I heard about a long truck carrying a big boiler during one of our ham radio nets. So we drove down to see it.
The “truck” consists of a pull tractor, the load, and two pusher tractors. A notice from MDT says it’s 217 feet long and 29 feet wide. Another video said the boiler is 360,000 lbs.
The truck travels at night on state highways to avoid traffic. 
While I drove my friend videoed the truck on my phone:
 

In 2014 the FCC opened docket 14-180 to try and clean up Part 22 (the auctioned Paging & Radiotelephone Service, now popularly used by some governments as a supplement or substitute for Part 90 freqs when they're unavailable) rules
Interestingly a good number of the commenters there were screaming "let us use Part 90 cert'd stuff on Part 22" in unison

This could be it.

My only guess on those Hyteras (and it's totally a guess) would be that they are programmed for low power with either .5 or 1 watt on FRS channels. If your school does not have a specific frequency licensed with the FCC, some radio shops and dealers would just plug in some low power random FRS channels as a workaround instead of bothering with Licensing issues.
 

Well that model of Hytera is only 3watt and has a very small antenna. Probably not even transmitting 3w with battery age/use. In any event they will be outclassed by a 5watt radio with a bigger antenna like what the UV-9G has. So, the test result you've seen has plausibility. The real question is what type of building & topographical interference is in the area that is causing the need for larger radios?
GMRS is a licensed service. So, as long as everyone gets a license, you have some GMRS radio options out there, but really a full keypad radio is not a good option in your setting and end users.
Thus, here are some business radios that make sense for you.
Look at the Hytera TC-508 (dual band), PD402i-U1 or BD502i-U1 which are much better alternatives for your environment. Also look at Motorola CP100D, Motorola RM RMU2080, Icom F4001, Kenwood NX-P1302AU.

Ham radios don’t have a certification specific for Part 97, the Amateur Radio Service. What you do see is the typical Part 15, which is to ensure the radio can’t receive cell phone frequencies.
As others mentioned you can’t have a radio that has GMRS, and certified for Part 95, and Ham frequencies in it at the same time I don’t agree with that opinion. The reason is the Ham 70cm band is NOT an exclusive allocation for Ham Radio. In fact Hams are officially secondary users while various government users are primary where a license is required and the radios require certification. Rereading the GMRS rules regarding radio certification an argument can be made having 70cm band frequencies in the radio along with GMRS doesn’t necessarily mean the rules are violated IMHO.

”What Happens If You Transmit Without An Antenna?”
With near 100% certainty nobody will hear you. 

That is literally what I said... you just worded it differently. 

NOVA GMRS and OCD Offroad are inviting everyone to join us for an "Intro to GMRS" presentation at OCD Offroad's service location in Stafford Virginia on Saturday, November 4, 2023.   This presentation is prepared for people who have little or no radio experience, are looking to learn some very basic information to understand radio principles, radio performance and purchasing options.   We will cover the following:
What is GMRS?
Why Select GMRS over CB, FRS or MURS.
GMRS Compared To FRS.
Range.
What is a Repeater?
Radio Technology and Programing Overview.
Radio Types and Licensing.   This session will be video recorded and published for public viewing at a later time. Please be aware that if you attend, your image may be published publicly, electronically (online) and via other means.   Seating is limited. You must RSVP below to attend. If RSVP within 24 hours of the event, message MarcSpaz to confirm seating availability.   If you can't attend, don't worry. We will be sharing a video of the presentation after the event.

I am dead-center in the path of the storm... Extreme rain and hazardous squalls were predicted to arrive beginning at 4am... it is now almost 1PM and we got some light drizzle that stopped a few hours ago, and I think we had a couple of wind-gusts that might have topped 3-4mph...
The local news is really having a rough time finding anything to scare us with but God bless them, they're trying.

We don't have to imagine.  That is literally what GMRS is.

The only reason that I own GMRS and FRS radios is because I like to set a good example and follow the rules.  If I were to use MURS channels on a regular basis, I would get myself some MURS radios.  There are times when one would be significantly better than the other, and there are a plethora of radios which will do both, so it's frustrating to explain that you're not supposed to use those radios that way.  Even if you follow every other rule and use the appropriate amount of power, etc, it's illegal for no good reason.  I would absolutely buy a set of legal, dual-band FRS/MURS radios if the FCC would allow it.  I have the ability to do this already with many of my HTs, but I would spend my hard-earned money on a redundant set of radios just to have a set that is fully legal, so I could set a good example.  It would also give me something I could recommend to people who don't want to make radio into a hobby, etc.  

It would be very useful for an individual to be able to have a fully legal handheld radio which does both FRS and MURS (and VHF marine, for when you're boating, etc).  There is no technical reason why a radio cannot be manufactured to do all of these (because any unlocked Baofeng or "MARS-modded" ham radio can already do this), but the FCC doesn't want us to do it, so they prohibit it in their regulations.  VHF and UHF have different behavior depending on the terrain and it makes sense to be able to switch between them depending on the circumstances, but carrying two different radios for FRS and MURS is a hassle and it's just silly when one radio can easily do both.  I'm sure there are manufacturers who would love to market an FRS/MURS radio for unlicensed use.  It's just the FCC that stands in the way.  They would sell well to people who want to follow the letter of the law, as long as the price was reasonable.

I found the problem thanks to a Facebook user.  It was a priority scan problem.  After more testing, it would work if I had the other band selected...for example A was priority, but I was receiving on B.  If I was receiving on A, and A was the band I had selected, it would cut out.  I was having this problem even when not scanning frequencies and it was doing it on all frequencies I tried it on, whether I was listening to a HAM or GMRS frequency.  Disabling priority scan solved my problem.

I would think it's important to explain the use cases for GMRS. There's quite a few disillusioned new users here who get a GMRS license and a radio and find no one to talk to on either simplex or repeaters, one of the reasons being that GMRS is not like amateur radio in that there's not oodles of people listening and calling CQ. But if you ask "seasoned operators" who use it for off-road trail comms, RV caravans, hikers and campers using it to keep track of each other, public service groups coordinating special events, etc, it's the greatest thing since cold ice cream. My two cents, which adjusted for inflation is about a penny. Thanks for putting this together.

Explain that the letters “PTT” on the microphone button stand for: “Push, THEN Talk”.

Don't want to detract from the real story which is, "have a radio". Just pointing out that if you're a ham, you won't be able to help regular folks with radios. Hams are rare. Most people have FRS radios.

Looks bad in Hawaii right now. Quote from the news link.
I don't know if hams could help, but personal radios with friends could at least coordinate with each other. Good reason to always have your radio mars/cap modded. Another news link.
 

This is a link to a document on the Hawaii Emergency Amateur Radio site:
Maui HAM RADIO - Updates
This file: https://bit.ly/HAM-UPDATE - Send updated to KH6ML808@gmail.com 
https://bit.ly/Maui-ICS-205-HAM - Updated by KH6ML and KH6UU 
Suggest you download and print - Load into the radio. 
Radio Bulletins RE:  Maui Wildfires have affected phones, internet, and cell services across Maui.
No contact was established with Lahaina or its ham operators due to burned fiber lines and VERY limited hams in the area.
KH6COM Linked Repeater Update As of 9:15 am, operational in Kula, Maui (NH6Y & KH6UU)
Maui Winlink Status:
Stations are operational but some face internet disruptions.
Can still function as digipeaters.
HF Stations are suggested to monitor 7.088 LSB. Your participation is crucial during this time. SEE 40meter.net  Informal Nets held at 9am, Noon and 4pm. 
12:19pm 8/9/23 checked AREDN microwave link Waialae Iki to Haleakala PtP link operational LQ 100% both directions. Microwave to internet crossover on Oahu is Kaimuki one hop from Waialae Iki. Received AREDN call little while later from Mitch advising the KH6MP-3 gateway on 145.09 available and reachable from West Maui and Upcountr and/or Digipeat WH6FVX in Kula.
Normal Weekly HF ARES Net on Wednesday night 18:30 on 7.088 LSB
DMR-Hawaii-  Lost Kula and West Maui repeaters. 
Wailuku is still up on 444.9500 + CC3
Mauna Kea Repeater at the top of Big Island  is on the air for EMCOMM purposes, 146.720, Negative Offset, - pl100.0  FM (4:33 PM 8/9/2023
Haleakala Digipeater Protocol:
Should KH6COM-10 encounter connectivity problems, it will continue as a Digipeater.
KH6ML and digipeat via KH6COM-10 on 441.000.
Change to 441.000 KH6ML Winlink Gateway to service Maui -Station: KH6ML: 441.000 VARA FM Kaneohe, Oahu
Status: Operational as a Winlink Gateway with internet 
Note: Please limit testing to affected areas.
Hawaii Allstar Repeaters on-line on Maui County:
Maui
WH6AV - Wailuku       443.025 (+) PL 103.5 Repeater
WH6CYD - Pukalani   147.000 (+) PL 88.5 Repeater
WH6YF - Lahaina        147.540 PL 100 Simplex (Offline) Fire related
WH6FQM - Lahaina   444.800 (+) PL 88.5 Repeater (Offline) Fire related
WH6FGS - Wailuku   442.525 (+) PL 100 Repeater
WH6FEO - Wailuku   446.175 PL 100 Simplex
AH6MA – Napili            147.495 PL 100 Simplex (Offline)
WH6FGX – Waiau         147.510 PL 100 Simplex (Offline)
 Molokai
WH6IT – Ho’olehua 147.420 PL 100 Simplex (Offline)
WH6IT – Kaunakakai 145.370 (-) PL 88.5 Repeater
Lanai
KH6CED - Lanai City 147.435 PL 100 Simplex (Offline)
WH6DNN – Lanai City 147.510 PL 100 Simplex (Offline)
Please stay vigilant and safe. We extend our gratitude for your amateur radio service.

8/9/2023 10:00am LOCAL AND Visitors that are displaced and do not have accommodations on Oahu can go to Hawaii Convention Center.

Maui wildfires 8/9/2023 Noon 
Impacted areas are approximate and provided for informational purposes only. Check official sources for more information.
Help & information
Shelter information and family reunification hotline
American Red Cross 800-733-2767
 Please text for emergencies - Maui 911 back up 2-911
Maui County Emergency Management Agency twitter.com/Maui_EMA
Traffic updates on TwitterHawaii Twitter.com/DOTHawaii
 Situation updates on Twitter County of Maui twitter.com/CountyofMaui