Call signs

[Blackmar401]

If your following the FCC rules by the letter!

If you using any Channel/Freq at the higher power levels, your using GMRS.

This does REQUIRE your callsigns, not just repeater use. at the start, after 15 minutes and at the end of your communications.

 

That's the difference between FRS and GMRS, the higher power levels on the shared Channel/Freqs.

Unit number are to be used after your Call Sign, if calling / talking to someone in your family, using your GMRS license.

 

 

Now if its for an official emergency use, usually the main coordinator, will assign you a unit number and record document your name and call sign.

In my case, working with the state, county and regional. We then switch to unit ID and Last name.

Some on GMRS and some on there digital band.

I'm just wondering if these "letter of the law" guys are the same guys that do 65 in the high-speed lane then turn the highbeams on when 15 cars swerve around to the right and then cut them off one after the next.

[SkylinesSuck]

Now if its for an official emergency use, usually the main coordinator, will assign you a unit number and record document your name and call sign.

In my case, working with the state, county and regional. We then switch to unit ID and Last name.

Some on GMRS and some on there digital band.

None of these are actual GMRS rules except ones of your own making. Actually you are breaking the rules by substituting your made up callsigns for real ones. Clear and courteous communications are what matters on GMRS. You wouldn't want me picking apart your atrocious grammar on a forum for example, would you? I mean, english rules are rules, even if there is no grammar police, right?

 

I likely spend more time on the radio than any other person on this forum. Nobody is worried about strict use of callsigns or made up tactical units other than a few people banging away at their keyboards on an internet forum, I can assure you. Real professionals use them when needed and no more. I will never encourage people to ignore them completely, but setting the alarm on your watch to make sure you get it out there every 15 min is beyond pointless unless there is a specific need. When I'm reaching out for somebody on GMRS on a repeater or even simplex, yes, needed. When I'm having an ongoing, spaced out conversation with several people in my group of Jeeps going off-road? Nope. And nobody is worse for it.

[gf66]

my only interest in knowing who says what is if the who is a somebody with an audience. Even then it's just for entertainment purposes. maybe someday I can get them to pay me for repeating what I say. Not holding my breath. I do way more listening than talking and I don't care about introductions although it seems introductions are very important to some. The right voice and inflections is a sign of prominence. I've been perfecting mine, say it rapidly and with the least amount of significance possible, then be offended when someone doesn't say theirs. 

[jc1240]

I almost never use mine (GMRS in general, not the license ID).  There's no one around except a couple of neighborhood kids where big sis bosses lil' sis around.  Which brings me to my question - on the shared frequencies, how does one know if they are using FRS vs GMRS?

 

Maybe there should be a true band split with no shared frequencies.  

[SkylinesSuck]

I like being able to interface with my kid's when they use their Pokemon bubble pack radios. And all FRS/GMRS freqs are the same now except for the repeater input freqs. If you don't want to hear FRS, I suggest using a tone. As you yourself said, there usually isn't a ton of traffic on GMRS. If people are worried kids on FRS are going to "ruin" GMRS for everyone else, they might be more suited to ham as a hobby. GMRS has no test and is easy for the public to access for a reason.

[H8SPVMT]

I'm hearing some folks using just the last 3 digits of their call signs to call a friend in order to start a conversation.  They use their full call sign on clearing the channel.  I have to assume they know each other pretty well.

[drk1970nj]

I'm hearing some folks using just the last 3 digits of their call signs to call a friend in order to start a conversation. They use their full call sign on clearing the channel. I have to assume they know each other pretty well.

 

Sometimes just times like that it makes sense if you have a group that gets together all the time yeah

 

 

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[wqxq281]

I like being able to interface with my kid's when they use their Pokemon bubble pack radios. And all FRS/GMRS freqs are the same now except for the repeater input freqs. If you don't want to hear FRS, I suggest using a tone. As you yourself said, there usually isn't a ton of traffic on GMRS. If people are worried kids on FRS are going to "ruin" GMRS for everyone else, they might be more suited to ham as a hobby. GMRS has no test and is easy for the public to access for a reason.

 

That's a pretty good summation.  FRS/GMRS might be all you need.  Some get a taste, and move on to Amateur radio.  I've been an Amateur since 1992, but I was/am excited to see the popularity of GMRS taking off.  Once you're used to VHF/UFH FM, it's hard to accept crappy AM (CB) radio communications.  Like I said, a wide spectrum of society likes "Jeeping" and off-roading.  Midland's marketing to that niche group will expand the use of the band as they discover uses for GMRS off the trail.  It's all good.

 

I have the abilty to transmit and receive across the VHF/UHF spectrum here at home.  I don't really mind hearing the kids playing around on there (except for that non-stop call "ring").  That's what the bubble packs are for.  It's a good way to spark an interest in electronics and communications.

[sharonsell]

in New Jesey we get a bunch of kids me or my husband uses our call sign and thay stop talking my husband says its because thay dont have a licence        Sharon Sell WRMB768                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

[axorlov]

in New Jesey we get a bunch of kids me or my husband uses our call sign and thay stop talking my husband says its because thay dont have a licence        Sharon Sell WRMB768                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

After 2017 rule change FRS and GMRS use same frequencies, except FRS cannot use repeater inputs 467.xxx0. Kids may be clean in the eyes of the law if they use FRS radios.

Just for your information...

[drk1970nj]

What the fcc really needs to do is work for real ! and do the right thing and separate the frequencies and give us a little more to work with plus some dmr channels family radio service needs to be separate from gmrs period

 

 

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[WQBI410]

What the fcc really needs to do is work for real ! and do the right thing and separate the frequencies and give us a little more to work with plus some dmr channels family radio service needs to be separate from gmrs period

 

 

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I agree about FRS being moved to a different portion of the spectrum, but not about DMR. I prefer NXDN because it is a true 6.25kHz signal, as opposed to being 12.5kHz wide. We can fit in 4x the frequencies into a 25kHz allocation whereas with DMR it would be only 2x.

[Lscott]

I agree about FRS being moved to a different portion of the spectrum, but not about DMR. I prefer NXDN because it is a true 6.25kHz signal, as opposed to being 12.5kHz wide. We can fit in 4x the frequencies into a 25kHz allocation whereas with DMR it would be only 2x.

While that is true one thing you can do with DMR, and not with NXDN, is setup a SRF, Single Frequency Repeater, that doesn’t require an expensive set of tuned cavity filters. Several DMR radios have the functionality already builtin. This is due to DMR being TDMA verses NXDN’s FDMA mode. 

[drk1970nj]

Well they gotta do something soon the bubble packs are annoying period

 

 

KeasbeyNj700

Darrin K (WRCU244) owner/operator

KeasbeyNj700gmrs.com

[WQBI410]

While that is true one thing you can do with DMR, and not with NXDN, is setup a SRF, Single Frequency Repeater, that doesn’t require an expensive set of tuned cavity filters. Several DMR radios have the functionality already builtin. This is due to DMR being TDMA verses NXDN’s FDMA mode.

I’ll have to try that on my P25 radios since they’re TDMA as well! Going back to the DMR on GMRS idea, I don’t think that would work leagally at present because of the rules. As far as I know, inputs have to be in the 467 range, at present. That being said, I’d have no problem with NXDN & P25 being authorized on GMRS!

[SkylinesSuck]

I'm happy GMRS overlaps with FRS. It opens things up to a lot of people that would otherwise never consider it, myself included. If I want to sit by a radio and anxiously await for somebody to talk to using only correct phraseology and not hear any kids, I'll get in to ham.

 

I think some of you might be trying to think GMRS is something it isn't. It's test free, cheap, and overlaps with FRS for a reason.

[Lscott]

I’ll have to try that on my P25 radios since they’re TDMA as well! Going back to the DMR on GMRS idea, I don’t think that would work leagally at present because of the rules. As far as I know, inputs have to be in the 467 range, at present. That being said, I’d have no problem with NXDN & P25 being authorized on GMRS!

Unless the Chinese market some really cheap P25 radios the price of the commercial ones is rather high, not something I would look at buying just for hobby use.

 

There seems to be plenty of interest in DMR. Some decently performing Chinese DMR radios are available for a reasonable price. There is a good amount of activity on the HAM bands using DMR. I don’t expect the FCC to allow DMR on GMRS anytime soon. 

 

So far NXDN hasn’t generated much interest. I understand there is some fair level of NXDN use in Florida. My self I picked up a used Kenwood NX-340U from eBay real cheap. I was also gifted a used Kenwood mobile radio, NX-820HG. Both are the “-K2” models operating from 400 MHz to 470 MHz. So far I haven’t really did anything with them.

[WQBI410]

Unless the Chinese market some really cheap P25 radios the price of the commercial ones is rather high, not something I would look at buying just for hobby use.

 

There seems to be plenty of interest in DMR. Some decently performing Chinese DMR radios are available for a reasonable price. There is a good amount of activity on the HAM bands using DMR. I don’t expect the FCC to allow DMR on GMRS anytime soon.

 

So far NXDN hasn’t generated much interest. I understand there is some fair level of NXDN use in Florida. My self I picked up a used Kenwood NX-340U from eBay real cheap. I was also gifted a used Kenwood mobile radio, NX-820HG. Both are the “-K2” models operating from 400 MHz to 470 MHz. So far I haven’t really did anything with them.

eBay is where I’ve gotten my gear used for under $100, & it’s more rugged than new CCRs, so there is that route. I bought my latest radio, a P25 HT for 136-174 MHz, for $115 less tax. I love the audio quality & robustness of P25, and the frequency economy of NXDN!

 

I am not familiar with the Kenwood line (I’ve been buying Icom gear), but hopefully you can soon program up your 340 & 820 for GMRS & NXDN!

[Lscott]

I am not familiar with the Kenwood line (I’ve been buying Icom gear), but hopefully you can soon program up your 340 & 820 for GMRS & NXDN!

I can do that, however they are not Part 95 certified. Seems like the FCC isn't too interested in busting people using good quality Part 90 equipment, but that isn't a sure thing. A lot of people are doing so without issues.

 

Both of the radios I have are dual mode, analog and digital. Since digital is not allowed on GMRS I could use the analog half of the radios, which can do wide and narrow band FM BTW.

 

There is only ONE repeater I've seen in the general Detroit area that's list as supporting NXDN in the RepeaterBook database last time I looked.

 

These are the two radios I have that do NXDN.

 

https://comms.kenwood.com/common/pdf/download/05_nx240v_340u_K_1117_typeD%20added.pdf

 

https://comms.kenwood.com/common/pdf/download/10_NX-720HG&820HGBrochure.pdf

 

Spending over $100 on a P25 radio is a bit outside my price range at the moment. The few P25 models I looked that seemed interesting were well north of the $100 mark.

 

One of the other things is getting the software. All the stuff I have was freely downloaded. I think Kenwood has gotten more anal about their radio software for the newer stuff. I heard about dongles and such being necessary etc., however I haven't looked into that much. I think so far I have between 8 to 10 different packages installed to program the collection of radios I already have, and that's just for the commercial stuff.

[WanabeFree]

There seems to be two camps on FRS vs GMRS. Some like that FRS overlaps GMRS because it allows licensed users to talk to license free FRS users. On the other hand FRS is mostly kids playing around or folks who just refuse to pay to play. Soon the fee for GMRS will drop to $35 so maybe more will not see the cost as a big factor and more will join the big boys on GMRS. This does nothing for the lack of usable channel/frequency space available.

I am in the camp that FRS should be on separate frequencies and GMRS expanded. As a Ham operator I like Digital radio but also have seen it almost make FM analog extinct in my area. I live rural and local analog 2m & 70cm repeaters are rarely used accept in times of emergencies. I think Digital GMRS would make it less appealing to the average user and the added cost for equipment for digital be a bad thing. If you really want to do digital radio then just get a Ham Tech license and do it for real. The License fee for a Ham ticket will soon cost the same as a GMRS license and the Test is not that hard .

What I really wish is that Ham and GMRS be merged into one where NO test GMRS be only allowed to use limited frequencies at low power and Licesed (tested) users be given full power, full frequencies privileges. This would put some life back into the vastly unused Analog Ham repeaters and leave FRS all to itself.

A Novel Idea that will likely never happen because most Hams would hate it but worth thinking about ?

Dave

[kirk5056]

If you really hate FRS then use your CTCSS/DCS and the bubble pack traffic vanishes.

 

It looks like everyone wants to add DMR and NXDN, some even P25, but no one uses the PL codes we already have.

 

We only have a few frequencies (30) but with PL codes we have several thousand "channels".

[gortex2]

I’ll have to try that on my P25 radios since they’re TDMA as well! Going back to the DMR on GMRS idea, I don’t think that would work leagally at present because of the rules. As far as I know, inputs have to be in the 467 range, at present. That being said, I’d have no problem with NXDN & P25 being authorized on GMRS!

P25 radios with TDMA will only work in trunking applications. They will not work in TDMA mode as simplex or conventional. That is still FDMA. 

[WanabeFree]

If you really hate FRS then use your CTCSS/DCS and the bubble pack traffic vanishes.

 

It looks like everyone wants to add DMR and NXDN, some even P25, but no one uses the PL codes we already have.

 

We only have a few frequencies (30) but with PL codes we have several thousand "channels".

PL Tones do not give you more channels they just cover up other users. This does nothing for interference or cross talk.Two or more radios on the same frequency will cancel each other out. the one with the most power will cover up the others.

[BoxCar]

I agree about FRS being moved to a different portion of the spectrum, but not about DMR. I prefer NXDN because it is a true 6.25kHz signal, as opposed to being 12.5kHz wide. We can fit in 4x the frequencies into a 25kHz allocation whereas with DMR it would be only 2x.

Theoretically you can put four 6,25 kHz signals in a 25kHz channel but actual usage shows only 3 are viable with today's equipment. You need the extra spacing between the three channels.

[SkylinesSuck]

PL Tones do not give you more channels they just cover up other users.

Exactly. I haven't heard much complaining about interference or crosstalk. Just not wanting to hear little kids and their call beeps. If it bugs you, use a tone and let them deal with your more powerful GMRS radio crapping all over their play time.