Is There A Road Channel For GMRS?

[JCase]

LOL to Sbsyncro’s “state your call sign first”. Made me literally LOL so I thank you for that.

[wrjc901]

The county Jail uses GMRS 20, 462.675 between floors, I hear them almost daily leaving work. 
I think there is only about a half dozen GMRS users in the whole county. 
I do occasionally here someone (unlicensed) bounce off the repeater. 
Then there is a few kids with GMRS radios around, though never hit the repeater. 
Those that do find the repeater, I invite them to get a license. 
99% of the time no one ever uses it. Just our family. 

[Lscott]

On 5/3/2021 at 9:04 AM, railfandanny said:

As I said earlier, I run a Kenwood TK8180 mobile and my friends all have Midland or Motorola blister pack handhelds. While we all have VHF scanners for listening to railroads, MURS is not an option for non-radio folks unless they use Bao-Fengs, Wouxuns or that ilk.

 

I know this is a bit late but how much of the railroad communications takes place using digital NXDN? At one time I understood the railroads were switching over to it in place of analog.

https://www.scannermasterblog.com/railroads-nxdn-and-ptc/

https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/railroads-and-nxdn.362261/

 

[djxs]

On 5/3/2021 at 7:04 AM, railfandanny said:

On several recent road trips, I scanned all GMRS channels looking for other drivers. My radio mostly hit what sounded like couples traveling in two vehicles and they were predominately on channels 1 or 2 discussing routes, other drivers or where they were getting off for gas. I reached out to them. some would come back, most wouldn't. Unless we were traveling in the same direction the talk window was always a minute or two at most as they were on handhelds and I was on my Kenwood TK mobile.

This has been asked before on this forum, but after searching the responses I've not found an answer to the road channel question. I know it's cultural thing and not an official one, but I still wonder if there is any group, online or elsewhere that is advocating for GMRS use on the road. I believe this is one of the best potentials for GMRS. A lot of folks are in it for the hobby aspects, like Hams, but the traveling aspect seems to be overlooked right now. I know that off-roaders and Jeep people have made the switch to GMRS. I recently used it with several friends on a railfanning trip. We chase and photograph trains. We're kinda like birders but our hobby is much noisier.

As I said earlier, I run a Kenwood TK8180 mobile and my friends all have Midland or Motorola blister pack handhelds. While we all have VHF scanners for listening to railroads, MURS is not an option for non-radio folks unless they use Bao-Fengs, Wouxuns or that ilk.

Thanks,

Danny Harmon

Tampa

 

After reading all of the posts, in reply to your question, it would seem (for now) that there is not clear cut answer. I too have scanned while on road trips only to hear sporadic chatter. I tend to stay on the higher power channels to allow for further simplex communications. Perhaps, with the proper discussion, motivation, and educating people. When a channel is recommended (if ever) for use while on the road, then it can be a mission of the mygmrs community to share the knowledge.

[AdmiralCochrane]

8 hours ago, djxs said:

After reading all of the posts, in reply to your question, it would seem (for now) that there is not clear cut answer. I too have scanned while on road trips only to hear sporadic chatter. I tend to stay on the higher power channels to allow for further simplex communications. Perhaps, with the proper discussion, motivation, and educating people. When a channel is recommended (if ever) for use while on the road, then it can be a mission of the mygmrs community to share the knowledge.

There is a clear answer, it was the first response:

Quote

GMRS20 (462.67500) is considered "unofficial" travel cannel.

 

[djxs]

4 hours ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

There is a clear answer, it was the first response:

 

Such is the case Admiral. I did in fact miss it. Thank you for the clarification. 

[djxs]

.

[Roadtrekker]

I am fairly new to GMRS. I came to it while looking for a road travel channel while traveling mostly alone in my RV.  I first tried CB — only 2 useful communications in 8 years; then ham (2m & 70 cm) — nothing for 6 years. 

 

Doing research on GMRS, found several recommendations for channels.  One website for truckers recommends channel 7; another trucker website also recommends channel 7, but with a tone. An RV website recommends channel 20 with or without a tone. 
 

I understand that under the old rules the FCC recommended channel 20 with a tone. 
 

My personal recommendation would be for everyone to use channel 7.  Truckers could use a tone if they don’t want to hear non-truckers.  If channel 7 get really crowded, us non-truckers could agree to go to another channel. 
 

what do you think?

[maddogrecurve]

On 5/3/2021 at 9:13 AM, OffRoaderX said:

We hear the same thing on the roads.. A lot of nothing and people that dont respond (probably using privacy codes)..

When offroading, the official GMRS channel is 16.. This a scientific fact because is "offroading" = "4 X 4" and 4 x 4 = 16 .. so this is the scientific answer to the question - it is explained in more detail in this video made by some Youtube clown:

 

Pretty sad!  C.B is about dead also, I mean I can raise people, but it is not common like it used to be!  Of course I don't talk much either, I mostly listen to audio books.  

Where I live there are no repeaters for GMRS, there are two ham repeaters, but no one uses them, and I hear a couple of people speaking Spanish on a GMRS frequency during the day (I think it is a shuttle service).  Other than that, I hear travelers and I cannot get responses like the rest of you.  

[Roadtrekker]

Something I thought of after my post:  I would NOT recommend using channels 15 through 22 for a travel channel.  If there became much roady traffic, it might interfere with repeaters. 

[AdmiralCochrane]

3 hours ago, Roadtrekker said:

Something I thought of after my post:  I would NOT recommend using channels 15 through 22 for a travel channel.  If there became much roady traffic, it might interfere with repeaters. 

In most areas, traffic is so limited that there is no such concern.   If you are hearing that much traffic, you are more than lucky.

[kirk5056]

Channel 7 is limited to 5 watt (although it is my daily channel).  Using channel 20 would allow higher wattage, if needed.  I like the idea of using the "travel PL" filter (141.3) for hailing (initial contact) then moving to another PL filter or even a different channel for the chit/chat.

 

[WQBI410]

On 5/3/2021 at 12:13 PM, OffRoaderX said:

We hear the same thing on the roads.. A lot of nothing and people that dont respond (probably using privacy codes)..

When offroading, the official GMRS channel is 16.. This a scientific fact because is "offroading" = "4 X 4" and 4 x 4 = 16 .. so this is the scientific answer to the question - it is explained in more detail in this video made by some Youtube clown:

 

As it turns out, my friend’s wide-area private repeater sits on 462.575! I’m thinking we’ll have to use it more on weekends!

[H8SPVMT]

On 5/20/2021 at 8:54 AM, kb2ztx said:

I'll be in UWARRIE this weekend for the JJ Academy. Will post my findings. Last year only 2 guys had GMRS and most of the chatter was on FRS channels. 

At the JJ Academy.  What did they use?

[djxs]

There is much to be discussed on this topic. Its good that the dialogue starts so that one day , we can agree on GMRS road channel best practice. 

[gortex2]

10 hours ago, H8SPVMT said:

At the JJ Academy.  What did they use?

They had radios for sale. No one on my ride had a radio. I was in scan all day and only heard one other user. Lots of chatter on CB still.

 

[scootle]

For what it's worth, this is what the RR wiki has to say about it in two places:

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Family_Radio_Service#Recognized_Channels



https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/General_Mobile_Radio_Service#Recognized_Channel_Usage

Beats me if there is actual general adoption of any of the above, as GMRS is typically just casual/local type comms for caravans and families in most situations, as many have pointed out.

Interesting thread though!

[SkylinesSuck]

I'm off the mind there isn't an agreed upon, generally used travel channel. I wish there was.  Maybe 19 would be good just to make the old CB guys feel more at home

[OffRoaderX]

2 hours ago, SkylinesSuck said:

Maybe 19 would be good just to make the old CB guys feel more at home

I think CH19 would make the most sense.. Unless you're off-road, then, 16 ...

[djxs]

Channel 16 for GMRS road channel is gaining traction! 

[SkylinesSuck]

On 7/14/2021 at 8:21 PM, djxs said:

Channel 16 for GMRS road channel is gaining traction! 

I feel like that was an off-road pun

[kirk5056]

If the FCC "Line A" is real (it seems to be) AND if applies to GMRS (as some report) then Channel 19 is not available to the whole US.  I am not sure why but many have reported that Line A effects GMRS 19 and 21.

[gortex2]

Its a waiver on everyones license however many do not read it nor care and do their own thing anyway...

 

"Effective 2/16/99 the GMRS rules have been amended and you may operate on any of the primary or interstitial channels shown in section 95.1763. Exception: Licensees who operate North of Line A and East of Line C may not operate on channels 462.650 MHZ,467.650 MHZ, 462.700 MHZ and 467.700 MHZ unless your previous license authorized such operations."

 

So 462.650 and 462.700 are not to be used above Line A. That's about 100 mile stretch from the boarder. 

[AdmiralCochrane]

On 7/14/2021 at 4:06 PM, scootle said:

For what it's worth, this is what the RR wiki has to say about it in two places:

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Family_Radio_Service#Recognized_Channels



https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/General_Mobile_Radio_Service#Recognized_Channel_Usage

Beats me if there is actual general adoption of any of the above, as GMRS is typically just casual/local type comms for caravans and families in most situations, as many have pointed out.

Interesting thread though!

I don't know why some are trying to reinvent the wheel 

[Hasaf]

12 minutes ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

I don't know why some are trying to reinvent the wheel 

Agreed, most placed I have read say that ch20 is the calling channel, just like 146.52 on 2M. Those seem to be the channels that it makes sense to monitor while driving.

The whole cb19 is a different thing. When I was driving truck I was in California, mostly the central valley, most communication was on 17.