Show me any legal GMRS radios,there are none.

[marcspaz]

4 hours ago, WRKC935 said:

Not sure if this was specifically said,, so if it was, I am repeating it.

If you are communicating with an FRS user that is using an FRS radio and is unlicensed then YOU are using that service.

Since you are using that service and NOT GMRS which is licensed then YOUR radio needs to comply with the service it's being used on.  GMRS and commercial radios are NOT compliant with the rules of FRS and therefore can't really be used to communicate on that service even if the frequencies are the same. 

Would you get dinged for doing it, PROBABLY not.  Unless there were other factors involved.  But if the FCC really wanted to they could fine you and pull your license.

 

 

Sorry... I have to.

 

 

[WRKC935]

Welp, I stand corrected. 

But that knowledge does make thing easier.  You can have a cache of FRS radios that can be handed to anyone and you can then have short distance communications with them radio to radio... I would assume that they can't use FRS radios to talk on a repeater.

 

[marcspaz]

10 hours ago, WRKC935 said:

Welp, I stand corrected. 

But that knowledge does make thing easier.  You can have a cache of FRS radios that can be handed to anyone and you can then have short distance communications with them radio to radio... I would assume that they can't use FRS radios to talk on a repeater.

 

 

I'm glad you have a good sense of humor..

 

I actually do just that on our trips. If there is someone who didn't bring a radio or doesn't have FRS/GMRS when everyone else does, I just hand out a cheap loaner while we're out on the trails. 

 

If you let someone use the GMRS radio,, unless the person using your handheld radio is an immediate family member, they can't use your license to go on the repeater.  Also,, FRS radios are not repeater capable, so that prevents someone with an FRS radio from getting on a repeater as well.

[WRQI583]

On 4/27/2020 at 3:50 PM, WRAK968 said:

"The FCC when they approve a cell tower and a cell provider a license, require them to install and maintain a GMRS repeater." Would never every happen. I remember a group of hams who said the same thing about ham radio repeaters to help with RACES/ARES/Skywarn. If cell companies and the FCC weren't willing to work with emergency communications groups (Who by the way, often help those company's by setting up portable cell repeaters) they sure as heck wouldn't want to pay for and maintain GMRS repeaters that could be used by anyone, anywhere, anytime, while being liable for any issues that could come from such operations. The only way they would allow it would be if it was a pay-to-use system which is not allowed by FCC rules.

I've posted this before on other sites but when it comes to emergency communications and being notified, I trust my cell phone above any radio I have. A summer or two ago I was sitting in my back yard with my wife and a bad storm was approaching from the northwest and west and as it came towards me, it spawned 2 tornadoes just south of me. All I saw was a normal summer storm, but my cell phone emergency alert went off warning me to take cover because tornadoes had touched down and were spotted. Confused, I turned on my Ham Radio and tuned to the local repeater that carries Skywarn and heard nothing. I checked the DMR network and tuned into several talk groups including Skywarn, Again, Nothing! I continued to monitor all of them and................ you guessed it...........NOTHING. This is a common occurrence. 

Simply put, Cell phones are probably what they want us to use to receive our emergency alerts and communicate with. Quite honestly, Ham radio goes down more often than cell phones from my experience and that's coming from someone who lives in the rurals where cell service is spotty and who should be relying on radio in an emergency. 

GMRS repeaters should be installed at certain cell sites as a back up seeing how you can pick up these radios a dime a dozen and throw money at the FCC and, bam. you have a license. It would help the public out.

[AdmiralCochrane]

Skywarn is effective in my area. 

[gortex2]

On 5/4/2022 at 4:44 PM, WRQI583 said:

GMRS repeaters should be installed at certain cell sites as a back up seeing how you can pick up these radios a dime a dozen and throw money at the FCC and, bam. you have a license. It would help the public out.

And who do you think would do this ? Cell companies dont care about critical infastructure at all. Its all the bottom line. I have seen some rough cell sites over the years. Many with no generators, small battery plants and horrible installs. Some good but the point is who is going to spend the money ? 

I get there is no "real" service to get help in an emergency but GMRS isn't it either. 

[WRPC505]

Skywarn is very effective in my area of Central Texas. The groups under the Skywarn banner here work well with National Weather Service personnel, emcomm and local TV meteorologists - they've done so for many years now. I've been involved with all of that. Unfortunately, there are a large number of locations that doesn't have this or similar services.

Warren, WRPC505 / WQ1C

[WRQW589]

I read the entire Part 95 section yesterday, and one thing that stood out to me is this:

 

§ 95.1733 Prohibited GMRS uses.

(a) In addition to the prohibited uses outlined in § 95.333 of this chapter, GMRS stations must not communicate:

....

(4) Music, whistling, sound effects or material to amuse or entertain;

 

Every blister-pack GMRS radio I see has a "call" button. This button causes the radio to transmit either: Music, whistling, or sound effects.  The rule above prohibits music, whistling, and sound effects OR material to amuse or entertain. Every GMRS sold in a blister pack will, with its call button, transmit a sound effect, so breaks the left-hand side of that OR clause. The purpose of the call button could arguably be "to amuse or entertain" as well, though I understand manufacturers will claim it is not intended to amuse or entertain (not even the duck calls... definitely those are neither amusing nor entertaining).

 

Again, to violate 95.1733a4, the transmission is either music, or whistling, or a sound effect, OR material to amuse or entertain. 

 

I would love to see that feature excluded from radios, or at least harder for kids to discover.

[marcspaz]

I have to admit, when there are 5 kids in the neighborhood wracking that button nonstop for 3 hours, it gets old fast.  Especially when you find out the kids are all in the same room.

[WRQW589]

On 6/17/2022 at 6:20 PM, marcspaz said:

I have to admit, when there are 5 kids in the neighborhood wracking that button nonstop for 3 hours, it gets old fast.  Especially when you find out the kids are all in the same room.

Again, it seems like the call feature is a noisemaker, and essentially intended for entertainment. I don't know why the FCC allows manufacturers to include the feature. We'd be better off without it.

[jwilkers]

Im.thinking, these are frs, not gmrs radios.

Sent from my SM-A125U using Tapatalk

[WRPC505]

46 minutes ago, jwilkers said:

Im.thinking, these are frs, not gmrs radios.

Sent from my SM-A125U using Tapatalk
 

I'm thinking the exact same thing: These are definitely FRS radios.

[wayoverthere]

5 hours ago, WRQW589 said:

Again, it seems like the call feature is a noisemaker, and essentially intended for entertainment. I don't know why the FCC allows manufacturers to include the feature. We'd be better off without it.

Is Midland still including it on the mxt115? I know the one I bought in 2020 definitely has it

[Sshannon]

8 hours ago, WRQW589 said:

Again, it seems like the call feature is a noisemaker, and essentially intended for entertainment. I don't know why the FCC allows manufacturers to include the feature. We'd be better off without it.

Not necessarily. Some of us actually use it for the purpose intended. At rocket launches that I host I leave my radio on my work or LCO table. I may be placing a rocket on the launch pad or arming sensitive recovery electronics.  We don’t like having radios too close while doing that.

A friend who is out recovering a rocket can call me and I can hear his call signal even though I am well away from my table, better than his voice. The call signal is more of an attention grabber.

i could also imagine that the call signal might get my attention better than a voice if I’m running my tractor or chainsaw.

Yes, it’s annoying when abused, but it doesn’t have to be abused.  

 

[marcspaz]

10 hours ago, jwilkers said:

Im.thinking, these are frs, not gmrs radios.

Sent from my SM-A125U using Tapatalk
 

 

10 hours ago, WRPC505 said:

I'm thinking the exact same thing: These are definitely FRS radios.

 

6 hours ago, wayoverthere said:

Is Midland still including it on the mxt115? I know the one I bought in 2020 definitely has it

 

 

It is definitely not just FRS radios. Every GMRS radio I have owned or used from Midland, has the call feature and a bunch of call tones. That includes the new MXT500 and MXT575. 

 

Come to think of it, every Motorola GMRS handle I have ever own had a call feature too.

[WRPC505]

On 6/19/2022 at 10:33 AM, marcspaz said:

It is definitely not just FRS radios. Every GMRS radio I have owned or used from Midland, has the call feature and a bunch of call tones. That includes the new MXT500 and MXT575. 

Come to think of it, every Motorola GMRS handle I have ever own had a call feature too.

I stand corrected. Thank you!

[marcspaz]

12 hours ago, WRPC505 said:

I stand corrected. Thank you!

 

Your reply was very pleasant and I appreciate that.  I try not to think of it as "correcting" someone... because occasionally there is a negative connotation with the expression.  I hope my reply didn't come across coarsely. 

 

I prefer to think of it more as... we have different experiences and we are just sharing our experiences to help each other.

[WRPC505]

On 6/21/2022 at 11:28 AM, marcspaz said:

 

Your reply was very pleasant and I appreciate that.  I try not to think of it as "correcting" someone... because occasionally there is a negative connotation with the expression.  I hope my reply didn't come across coarsely. 

 

I prefer to think of it more as... we have different experiences and we are just sharing our experiences to help each other.

No sir, not at all. I simply look at it like this: If I know I'm right and can show it, OK. But if I'm incorrect, I'll admit it and learn from it. As I have said before, I'm learning and getting the feel for this stuff; I'm learning from those who know what they're saying and/or doing. Thanks again!

[Steaven78]

By what I've seen on the fcc website. Those who don't have a gmrs license are limited to 0.5w or walkie talkie. Those who have a gmrs license are able to do more. I believe it 50w max, but on on the upper channels. 462.600-462.725. Also the frequencies are the same for most of the gmrs and frs. Only difference is that you need a license for a radio that puts out more than 0.5w. Another thing is gmrs licensed individual can transmit to a repeater on 467.600-467.725, receiving from the repeater 462.600-462.725. Gmrs radios do have to be part 95 certified. In lamens terms amateur radio has to be an amateur radio, Gmrs radio has to be a Gmrs radio and walkie-talkie has to be a walkie-talkie. No trying to use amateur radio on Gmrs or as a walkie-talkie and vice versa. The radios are made different on purpose so everyone stays in their lane. Baofeng uv-5r amateur radio is not supposed to be used with Gmrs, but they do a gmrs certified version...I can't remember off the top of my head what the model number is. It is part 95 certified and looks almost identical to the uv-5r. Well that's about all the knowledge I have on the subject. 

[wrci350]

Uh, mostly incorrect.  You need to look at Part 95A and Part 95E.  But here's a chart that summarizes it for you.  Look for the "post 2017" table.

FRS/GMRS combined channel chart - The RadioReference Wiki

[Steaven78]

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/part-95 what I could find on fcc website. It has been updated recently with new information and regulations. 

[MichaelLAX]

@Steaven78welcome to this forum!

I would not get too worked up about this thread; it is old and has gone off course many times.

That being said, the chart cited in @wrci350's post is a good up-to-date summary of the differences between FRS (unlicensed radios) and GMRS radios (which require a GMRS license).

Just note that other than Channels 8-14, FRS radios can go up to 2 watts.