Over use of call sign announcements on GMRS

[UncleYoda]

1 hour ago, WRTC928 said:

That kinda depends on why you're doing it. I think it's a good idea for a neighborhood watch or a prepper group.

A neighborhood watch is my intent but only during emergencies - not worth trying to get people involved while they have the regular communications.  But I don't know if we'll do routine check-ins even then; just monitoring at set times is the main plan.  I understand it could be an indication of somebody in trouble if they fail to check-in but it could just be they're busy so I don't know if that justifies check-ins.  It can be worked out at the time it's active.

Quote

What rule are you referring to?

The unwritten one - you mean you didn't read it? (haha).  Go back and read two places: repeater definition in section 95.303 and station types allowed to use 467MHz (95.1763(c)).  And the FCC clarification in this topic:

https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/10063-base-station-cannot-use-repeaters/#findComment-106907

[BoxCar]

1 minute ago, UncleYoda said:

The unwritten one - you mean you didn't read it? (haha).  Go back and read two places: repeater definition in section 95.303 and station types allowed to use 467MHz (95.1763(c)).  And the FCC clarification in this topic:

https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/10063-base-station-cannot-use-repeaters/#findComment-106907

There are no base stations in GMRS. There are portable (HH), mobile, and control stations. A mobile radio run from a power supply at a home is classified as a control station as its intended use is to contact other mobile stations or control a repeater that connects to other control or mobile stations. A HH is considered as a mobile. I

[UncleYoda]

12 minutes ago, BoxCar said:

There are no base stations in GMRS.

95.1763 (a) & (b) are enough to make it clear you're wrong.  Also 95.1749.

And I'm not going to respond to anymore of these BS interpretations.

[BoxCar]

9 hours ago, UncleYoda said:

95.1763 (a) & (b) are enough to make it clear you're wrong.  Also 95.1749.

And I'm not going to respond to anymore of these BS interpretations.

Well, I will state that 10 years as a Part 90 frequency coordinator issuing frequency assignments to business and public safety licensees and working directly with both the Wireless and Public Safety bureaus states your interpretation is in error. Base stations are fixed sites such as E911 centers and EOCs, commercial radio and television stations and the like. Stations installed in police stations, fire stations and business offices and buildings are control stations.

[W3sG4c]

On 7/11/2025 at 8:29 PM, OffRoaderX said:

Confunculated……

[nokones]

Per Subpart A Rule 95.303, a base station is defined as:  Base station. A station at a fixed location that communicates directly with mobile stations and other base stations. 

The FCC defines the station class by how the radio device is configured and functions and not by the type of the radio device being used.  If the transmitter is connected to a fixed antenna at a fixed location and communicates with other base stations or mobile stations, it is a base station.

It doesn't make a difference if a portable handheld or mobile radio device is being used if it is connected to a fixed antenna at a fixed location, it is a base station operation when it is communicating with other base or mobile stations directly and not through a repeater/mobile relay station

If a base station communicates to other base stations and/or mobile stations through a repeater/mobile relay station, then the base station is controlling said repeater thus is now a control station.

[UncleYoda]

49 minutes ago, nokones said:

Per Subpart A Rule 95.303,

Well, you were doing good until you got to that last paragraph.  That is stated exactly nowhere.  You and all the other radio experts need to back up your control station when using a repeater interpretation with a clarification from FCC because that is all that counts.

[nokones]

2 hours ago, BoxCar said:

Well, I will state that 10 years as a Part 90 frequency coordinator issuing frequency assignments to business and public safety licensees and working directly with both the Wireless and Public Safety bureaus states your interpretation is in error. Base stations are fixed sites such as E911 centers and EOCs, commercial radio and television stations and the like. Stations installed in police stations, fire stations and business offices and buildings are control stations.

If the stations at those said fixed sites are communicating (transmitting) directly to another station, such as a mobile and base stations that is only receiving receiving that transmission, and not automatically repeating/rebroadcasting/relaying that transmission, then the transmitting radio station is a base station classed station. 

If people are calling it a control station, what is that transmitting station controlling when the receiving stations are just receiving?

Also, when a base station transmitter and receiver that only does one function (transmit or receives) at a time and not function as a receiver and transmitter simultaneously by one transmission at the same time at that fixed location by a dispatch facility such as a Police or Fire Station or a non-public safety entity such as a Taxi or Tow Truck Company, etc., that transmitter/receiver device is classed as a Remote Base Station because it communicates directly to either mobile or other base stations without communication through a classed repeater/mobile relay station, by that subject dispatch facility, that Dispatch Facility will be classed as a Control Point for operating that remote base station, when that dispatch facility is operating that remote station with a dispatch console by way of a media circuit type, such as a cable, wireline telco circuit, or an operational fixed classed station such as a 70 MHz, 150 MHz, 450 MHz, or Microwave systems.

I retired as a person in command, with a staff of 60+ employees of the one largest statewide mobile radio systems (3,000 vehicles, 10,000 mobiles and portables, 300+ remote sites 26 Dispatch Centers, 75 operational channels) and I was on the board with one APCO Chapter and two separate Chapter Frequency Coordination and NPSPAC Committees with over 36 years of total service and 5 years as a part-time employee for a small city is essentially performing the duties. So, I think I am very aware how stations are classed since I was responsible for a variety of various types of stations.

[LeoG]

Arguing about nothing.

Only when you get into the big stuff does it really matter other than on paper.  The eff sea seas doesn't give one crap about your little 50 watt station if it's classified as a base or a fixed.  Because it depends on who you are communicating with and next thing you know you are classified from a fixed station to a base station.

Semantics.

[UncleYoda]

1 minute ago, LeoG said:

Arguing about nothing.

Only when you get into the big stuff does it really matter other than on paper.  The eff sea seas doesn't give one crap about your little 50 watt station if it's classified as a base or a fixed.  Because it depends on who you are communicating with and next thing you know you are classified from a fixed station to a base station.

Semantics.

Nothing to one it may be but to others not so.  And I don't want to confuse you with more facts about what's nothing to you, but fixed isn't part of the equation because that type isn't in the allowed list either.

[BoxCar]

37 minutes ago, nokones said:

If the stations at those said fixed sites are communicating (transmitting) directly to another station, such as a mobile and base stations that is only receiving receiving that transmission, and not automatically repeating/rebroadcasting/relaying that transmission, then the transmitting radio station is a base station classed station. 

 

47 CFR 90.7

Base station. A station at a specified site authorized to communicate with mobile stations.

Mobile relay station. A base station in the mobile service authorized to retransmit automatically on a mobile service frequency communications which originate on the transmitting frequency of the mobile station.

Mobile repeater station. A mobile station authorized to retransmit automatically on a mobile service frequency, communications to or from hand-carried transmitters.

Mobile service. A service of radiocommunication between mobile and base stations, or between mobile stations.

Mobile station. A station in the mobile service intended to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified points. This includes hand carried transmitters.

And yes, GMRS is covered by this section of the rules. Home based stations are not licensed to operate from their home location only.