[So did you get your $35 GMRS License?]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:44 PM, WRFP399 said:

Side bar question: Do you think your family would benefit from a HAM license? What can do you on HAM that a basic user of UHF/VHF can't do with GMRS/MURS?

This could be my misconception but I see HAM as a band for people who like to experiment and more "advanced" radio work besides simple voice communication. 

Personally my family isn't going to get any benefits from HAM at this point in time. In our situation the GMRS license works well, for us. Its purpose was back up communication here in the local area. Our telecommunication network has gone down in earthquakes, mostly due to overloading. Based on where we live and work a single low powered GMRS repeater connects it all together. That made selling a GMRS radio to them easy. A simple HT that they can just turn on to monitor and talk with a simple PTT. Simple, easy, affordable. No need for them each to apply for a license. Call signs are simple. When needed you just call it out and from there just use your first names. And quite frankly, no one is going to jump down the throat of a user if my wife or kid doesn't ID every 15 minutes or the end of the convo like happens on HAM. This user friendly experience has morphed it into more than just a backup plan and it get used recreationally. Mostly for backcountry communication here. 

I am not saying GMRS is the greatest thing ever. It's just another radio service band that has an intended purpose. Same as HAM. 

My gf travels to see family that are a few hours away, plus she has to drive to take the granddaughter to her fathers which is a few hour drive every other weekend.  I'm hoping we can use repeaters to keep in touch using GMRS, but in the ham environment there are more connected repeaters that will allow that easily.  Other than that within the city using either ht to ht or ht using a repeater to keep in contact.

Ham bands are not just for experimenting, it is also for communications on a much larger scale than GMRS, using different bands and repeaters.  Using ham radio you can use digital voice modes like DMR and D-Star that can have access across the country. Also, in ham radio, there is the fun factor.  More bands, to be able to socialize with a broader range of people.  Contacting people from a park, (POTA) talking to the space station, being in contests, digital modes like FT8.  Ham radio is a hobby.

[So did you get your $35 GMRS License?]

I got mine.  Been wanting to get one for the family, mostly to keep in contact and motivate them to get a ham license, but couldn't part with the $70 fee.  When I heard it was going to be $35 I waited and finally got it.  I really don't think they will get a ham license but who knows.