Let's open another can of worms, Digital GMRS/MURS.

[TNFrank]

Do you think they'll ever come a time when we can use a DMR Radio to digitally transmit on GMRS and MURS Frequencies?  Seems like it'd be the next logical step in the evolution of GMRS/MURS.  Please be kind and don't beat me up too much for asking this. Thanks. 

[LeoG]

1 minute ago, SteveShannon said:

But any radio with a removable antenna could be connected to a high gain mobile or even base station antenna with possibly 12 dBd gain. 

We were talking about non removable antennas.  And I know that.  You could also connect it to a gigawatt amplifier to a 12dbd gain antenna on a 1000' tower on a 10,000 ft mountain.

But it's moot because the antenna was suppose to be non removable.

[SteveShannon]

2 minutes ago, LeoG said:

We were talking about non removable antennas.  And I know that.  You could also connect it to a gigawatt amplifier to a 12dbd gain antenna on a 1000' tower on a 10,000 ft mountain.

But it's moot because the antenna was suppose to be non removable.

Yes, I was reiterating the reasoning behind why antennas are required to be nonremovable. I didn’t mean to piss you off by agreeing with you.

[LeoG]

Well stop IT!!!

[HHD1]

1 hour ago, LeoG said:

And manufacturers never lie about their products.

Exactly.  It could say, "This is a carrot". And one would have to believe it because, after all, they wouldn't imprint it on there if it wasn't true...

[Blaise]

13 hours ago, LeoG said:

So what is the gain?

HIGH, obviously!

[HHD1]

13 hours ago, LeoG said:

Which also means you are now operating a non compliant radio.

Simply holding the "non removable" antenna from a GPS enabled GMRS radio indicates nothing of the sort!!!!  Seeing that radio in the background with a 701G attached may be suspicious. However, there is no definite proof that the radio is on or in use.  So, in fact, your accusation is unfounded and based on hearsay. 

[Jaay]

On 10/1/2025 at 9:32 AM, SteveShannon said:

You misunderstand.  Those are directly out of the GMRS regulations.  They simply mean that a GMRS certified radio designed to transmit data, may not have a removable antenna and may not transmit data on the 467 main channels which are primarily used as repeater inputs. Digital data is not to be transmitted through repeaters.  If I enable my Garmin radio to use the repeater channels it automatically disables the location and text message data.

Some manufacturers whose radios transmit location data glue their removable antennas in place in order to comply. That’s most likely an insincere attempt to comply.

I can't remember the Manufacturer but a few years ago, there was one that actually had a tiny Allen screw at the base of the rubber duck to prevent it from being removed ! ... as if that works.

[LeoG]

14 minutes ago, HHD1 said:

Simply holding the "non removable" antenna from a GPS enabled GMRS radio indicates nothing of the sort!!!!  Seeing that radio in the background with a 701G attached may be suspicious. However, there is no definite proof that the radio is on or in use.  So, in fact, your accusation is unfounded and based on hearsay. 

I didn't realize I was talking to Randy.

[HHD1]

7 minutes ago, LeoG said:

I didn't realize I was talking to Randy.

I'm definitely not the Queen.  Maybe at most, the court jester...  Just another smartass YouTuber. 

[WSEZ903]

The only Issue I see it what Digital platform are you going to use? DMR, P25, NXDX, Tetra or something like D-star or System Fusion? (providing they get into the GMRS game) Issue I see is if they did allow it what is everyone going to use? A lot of people use the older surplus Professional/Commercial radios so they already have a start in the game if it was allowed but may not be able to talk to other users on a different platform.   

 

Are you going to lay out the extra money for said radios?  I highly doubt they will be selling $25-$50-dollar digital radios.

[HHD1]

16 minutes ago, WSEZ903 said:

what Digital platform are you going to use? DMR, P25, NXDX,

Our county jail uses DMR at 460.2 mhz.  That's already pretty close.  Is that common?

[Lscott]

46 minutes ago, WSEZ903 said:

The only Issue I see it what Digital platform are you going to use? DMR, P25, NXDX, Tetra or something like D-star or System Fusion? (providing they get into the GMRS game) Issue I see is if they did allow it what is everyone going to use? A lot of people use the older surplus Professional/Commercial radios so they already have a start in the game if it was allowed but may not be able to talk to other users on a different platform.   

 

Are you going to lay out the extra money for said radios?  I highly doubt they will be selling $25-$50-dollar digital radios.

The question is what "fits" the available spectrum. If you read the paper attached to the linked message it goes into some detail on the issue.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/10845-lets-open-another-can-of-worms-digital-gmrsmurs/?&_rid=1908#findComment-117105

The answers to most of your questions are covered there.

 

[WSJX263]

We DO NOT need digital on GMRS. Good Ole analog FM modulation is just fine. Analog works a lot better on GMRS, given it's higher frequencies and lower power levels.

Digital would be a disaster waiting to happen for GMRS.

[Lscott]

33 minutes ago, WSJX263 said:

Analog works a lot better on GMRS, given it's higher frequencies and lower power levels.

Do you have any links to any engineering level testing with quantitative measurements to support that statement? Being an engineer I would be interested in the details. If one can't find an objective meaningful way to measure something it's just an opinion.

[Blaise]

1 hour ago, WSJX263 said:

Digital would be a disaster waiting to happen for GMRS.

Why?  because there'd be data-static once in a while?

[LeoG]

1 hour ago, WSJX263 said:

We DO NOT need digital on GMRS. Good Ole analog FM modulation is just fine. Analog works a lot better on GMRS, given it's higher frequencies and lower power levels.

Digital would be a disaster waiting to happen for GMRS.

It's already in there and the noise it makes is havoc.  They limit it to bursts and short transmissions but when you have a dozen sources in the same area doing it, it makes for an extremely noisy environment.  I have that issue in my area.  I have to keep the squelch on 9 just so my radio will scan.  Otherwise it gets stuck from the noise.  The tones only block the speaker from outputting, the radio still registers it as a signal and stops the scan.  Down in the 155 MHz band it's pretty quiet and the scan works great, nary a stray noise.

[WSJX263]

13 minutes ago, LeoG said:

It's already in there and the noise it makes is havoc.  They limit it to bursts and short transmissions but when you have a dozen sources in the same area doing it, it makes for an extremely noisy environment.  I have that issue in my area.  I have to keep the squelch on 9 just so my radio will scan.  Otherwise it gets stuck from the noise.  The tones only block the speaker from outputting, the radio still registers it as a signal and stops the scan.  Down in the 155 MHz band it's pretty quiet and the scan works great, nary a stray noise.

I'll Clarify, We don't need digital voice modes. Analog is just fine for that.

[LeoG]

Digital voice, digital data... all sounds the same - disruptive. They should have frequencies designated digital or analog.  They shouldn't be mixed.  I kills the analog portion of it.  GMRS is suppose to be more family orientated and no digital data should be on it at all.  The manufacturers want to tinker and push as far as they can.  GPS and location data, texting on a radio.  Just talk.  That's what radio is for.

[HHD1]

Totally hypothetical and Noob question here, but is there a band of frequencies that could be opened up/ designated for "digital gmrs" if the FCC wanted to? Would that eliminate the digital noise on analog freqs?

I feel like I read somewhere that the idea was already shot down.

Forgive me for being stupid...

[OffRoaderX]

1 minute ago, HHD1 said:

is there a band of frequencies that could be opened up/ designated for "digital gmrs" if the FCC wanted to?

No, not in the UHF spectrum.. Pretty much everything is in use.. and because EVERYTHING in that range except for GMRS makes money for the FCC, it is doubtful they would ever "want" to do it. 

[LeoG]

Hey, they're taking $3.50 a year from me in order to transmit on GMRS..

[WSJX263]

34 minutes ago, LeoG said:

It's already in there and the noise it makes is havoc.  They limit it to bursts and short transmissions but when you have a dozen sources in the same area doing it, it makes for an extremely noisy environment.  I have that issue in my area.  I have to keep the squelch on 9 just so my radio will scan.  Otherwise it gets stuck from the noise.  The tones only block the speaker from outputting, the radio still registers it as a signal and stops the scan.  Down in the 155 MHz band it's pretty quiet and the scan works great, nary a stray noise.

I haven't heard anything Digital here, data or voice. Hopefully it stays that way. GPS and text messages from a radio? This is radio not a phone or GPS device.

[WSJX263]

48 minutes ago, Blaise said:

Why?  because there'd be data-static once in a while?

That's not what GMRS is for. If you want that, get a ham license. I have a ham license also, and I don't use those digital modes there either.

[LeoG]

I have horrible DMR coming through 625.  Sometimes it manages to break squelch.  We have 2 repeaters, one in my local area and one sorta out of reach.  But I know how tones travel so much better than voice and I think the people using the further repeaters tones are enough to disable my QT squelch and let the DMR through on occasion.

I had to search for a combination of tones for my own repeater that wouldn't let the DMR noise though so it didn't drive my wife crazy.  Ended up using a CTCSS to activate and a DCS tone for my output tone.  Took me about a week to find the combination.  It's very unusual for noise to get through my radio on my repeaters tones.  But it still has.

[HHD1]

1 hour ago, WSJX263 said:

That's not what GMRS is for

That's your opinion. Plus GPS can be turned off.  I find it strange that there are areas "full" of digital noise. There must be counties out there filled with nothing but Btech GMRS-Pro users, all with their GPS turned on.  These features are not very common on GMRS Radios, as far as I know.  Which, I could be wrong.

I find GPS to be handy when I'm camping or hiking or other outdoor activities.  I don't want to play with my phone doing those things.  That's usually when I want to get away from the screen.

I think digital voice is intriguing. My opinion is that it's not needed for GMRS and probably will never go there. As far as texting, it's a neat technology, but I found it pretty useless in the world of GMRS.  That's part of the reason I returned my Btechs. 

Good job Frank!  Can opened... Worms everywhere!!!