GMRS Radios w/TX on FRS channels

[russwbrill]

How do repeater owners feel about allowing GMRS equipment the ability to Transmit on channels 8 - 14 (FRS Low Power) with 125 Milliwatts (a little over 1/10 of watt) or less Narrow FM and external antennas..

 

The FRS channels would be great for vehicle to vehicle comms… Also, the GMRS radios would not have a channel gap..

 

Would interference to repeaters be a problem???

 

73,

Russ

[Jones]

I have already had problems with this, (nearby FRS users on 10 & 11 interfering with a wide repeater on 625) so no, I would NOT like anyone having external antennas and higher power on 8-14.

 

Eventually, I think we will all be ordered to go narrow band anyway, then it wouldn't matter so much.

[Radioguy7268]

Unless I've missed something with the Part 95 update - you already have the ability for a GMRS portable or mobile radio to utilize "Talkaround" by using Simplex on the GMRS repeater outputs. Why would there be a need to add FRS offsets into the mix? FRS already has their simplex low power channels.

 

Perhaps I'm just missing the point. Is there a lack of FRS spectrum?

[Jones]

Unless I've missed something with the Part 95 update - you already have the ability for a GMRS portable or mobile radio to utilize "Talkaround" by using Simplex on the GMRS repeater outputs. Why would there be a need to add FRS offsets into the mix? FRS already has their simplex low power channels.

 

Perhaps I'm just missing the point. Is there a lack of FRS spectrum?

He's talking about using simplex with external antennas on the FRS low-power channels - the 467.xxx frequencies that are right in between repeater inputs.

[Radioguy7268]

I kind of understood that part - the question of "where" he wanted to operate, but I was missing the point of the "why"? Simplex vehicle to vehicle communications are already allowed for. 

[russwbrill]

I have already had problems with this, (nearby FRS users on 10 & 11 interfering with a wide repeater on 625) so no, I would NOT like anyone having external antennas and higher power on 8-14.

 

Eventually, I think we will all be ordered to go narrow band anyway, then it wouldn't matter so much.

 

If a radio has an external antenna, the power would be lower on FRS channels, in most cases at a 125 milliwatts the ERP would not exceed 0.5 Watts...

[russwbrill]

I kind of understood that part - the question of "where" he wanted to operate, but I was missing the point of the "why"? Simplex vehicle to vehicle communications are already allowed for. 

 

It would just be for consistency and interoperability without channel gaps.. But LOW Power with a 0.5 Watt ERP, that's why the GMRS equipment would only be allowed 125 milliwatts of output... 

[Ian]

Because idiots and interoperability.  People who know what's going on will just avoid the interstitials if they're dealing with inter-service stuff, but if you have to talk to someone with no idea about the technical details, it'd be nice in a pinch.

 

I'd almost settle for Midlands being RX only on the interstitials, but ... almost.