GMRS and Aircraft

[WRUE951]

6 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

I just wonder how well that cheap magmount antenna sticks to the airplane. 

my first guess, they're using HT's   .  And my second guess, based on where i think they were flying, 25 miles from my location..     

[amaff]

1. I don't understand why mag mounts are even being discussed. Pretty sure that was brought up as a joke lol
Yeah, they're not a good fit for aircraft for obvious reasons. There's not usually a lot of steel in an airplane, outside of the engine mount.

2. There are air-to-air dedicated frequencies on the air-band. However: Not all air band radios, especially in older planes, allow dual watch for monitoring the Unicom or Controller frquency for your airspace, and also allow you to talk to your buddy in the plane next to you. And air band radios are expansive as hell. If you need an inexpensive solution to be able to talk to your buddy, adding a GMRS or FRS radio seems like a good option vs spending $$$ for another air-band radio.
Hell, a lot of older and light sport aircraft aren't even required to have a radio installed, depending on the air space they fly in. If you fall into that category, are you going to spend $$$ for a 'real' air band radio for your plane that doesn't even have an electrical system? Or throw your GMRS handheld and a headset in your pack? 

[WRUE951]

9 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

But that's not what he said he has.

I know,,  Just saying, who many of us have a 5RM and refer to them as a UV5..  I do cause i'm  a lazy 'ole fart 

[TrikeRadio]

2 hours ago, amaff said:

1. I don't understand why mag mounts are even being discussed. Pretty sure that was brought up as a joke lol
Yeah, they're not a good fit for aircraft for obvious reasons. There's not usually a lot of steel in an airplane, outside of the engine mount.

Yeah, it was just a joke. sorry. I was just visualizing a mag mount flying off a plane... must have been late last night when I was posting.

[WRUU653]

9 minutes ago, TrikeRadio said:

Yeah, it was just a joke. sorry. I was just visualizing a mag mount flying off a plane... must have been late last night when I was posting.

That's why the majority of pilots will just put a mag mount on a cookie sheet in the window... 

[WRYZ926]

46 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

That's why the majority of pilots will just put a mag mount on a cookie sheet in the window... 

A round pizza pan would be more aerodynamic 

[WSGL775]

17 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

Go ahead and tune your UV-5R to 122.750 and tell us how that works out.

So I tuned it to that frequency. Haven't heard anything, nothing, bupkis! That's how it worked out!

[WSGL775]

9 hours ago, nokones said:

You will not hear the helicopters. 122.750 MHz is designated for fixed wing aircraft, that means airplanes that have stationary wing(s). If a helicopter (rotary wing) meaning having a wing that rotates and spins around needs to communicate with an airplane then you may hear a helicopter. Aeronautical freqs are amplitude modulation freqs., so I doubt that your Barfwanger Pandaland radio will emit Amplitude Modulation since they are frequency modulation radio devices.

Okay. Didn't think it would, but just a shot in the dark. However, I believe if I fire up my PRC 77, I'll get traffic.....

[nokones]

On 8/14/2025 at 5:41 AM, WRYZ926 said:

You can listen to the air band with a UV-5R but it won't sound very good since the radio doesn't have an AM receiver. And FM transmitters won't transmit on AM. Get a scanner if you really want to listen to air band frequencies.

The stall speed for planes is around 100-115 MPH. Smaller/lighter planes have a lower stall speed compared to commercial jets. I wonder what speeds a magnet mount will hold up to. They hold fine up to 80 MPH on most vehicles.

Plus the fact that most aircraft bodies are made from aluminum or other light weight materials so a magnet mount won't work. 

The FARs (and I don't mean Farz as in distance) will not allow the use of a magmount on an aircraft.

[WRTS781]

simplest solution for removable antenna is nmo or even bnc bulkhead on an inspection plate.  easy to replace the inspection plate when gmrs/ham/part 90 radio not in use...

[WRCZ387]

On 8/13/2025 at 3:57 PM, nokones said:

There is a designated Aeronautical channel for private fixed wing aircraft for air-to-air communications. That channel is 122.750 MHz. Private Rotary Wing (Helicopters) have their own air-to-air communications channel.

123.025 MHz is air-to-air for helicopters

[RayDiddio]

On 8/12/2025 at 11:27 PM, SteveShannon said:

 

95.307…Operation of Personal Radio Service stations in any location outside of those described in the following paragraphs is not authorized by this part.
(B)Aboard any vessel or aircraft registered in the United States. With the permission of the captain, while the vessel or aircraft is within or over the United States or its territories, U.S. territorial waters, or upon or over international waters.

So, it appears it’s allowed.

Can always count on Mr Shannon. /salute