So did you get your $35 GMRS License?

[MacJack]

On 4/27/2022 at 1:43 AM, JeffL said:

GMRS is a practical radio service where short range voice communications is needed.

Amateur (ham) radio can be used for the the same purpose but is more of a communications hobby radio service.  It can be used for local or world wide communication, experimental communication, satellite, bouncing signals off the moon and back to earth, microwaves, TV.  You can use different modes like AM, FM, SSB, CW (code), digital etc.

Good points Jeff.  Because of doing simplex from one HT to another it is limited so I put up a repeater at the house and range/sound is great in the valley.  

[Sandspur]

On 4/28/2022 at 11:44 AM, MacJack said:

You are on target... we use GMRS for family and neighborhood with PL code thus we know each other and more meaningful conversation, e.g. your horse is loose again.  Half of our family will not get Ham ticket.  

I see GMRS as just an appliance of sorts. I don't give two hoots about all the technical stuff. I have our local repeaters programmed into our radios and called it good.

[Screech]

On 4/26/2022 at 1:57 AM, WRFP399 said:

I think if you came to GMRS to rag chew with randos you probably feel underwhelmed. That is definitely ham territory. GMRS is really just an expanded FRS and seems to be focused on family and friend tactical (meaning local) communication.

That can vary from region to region. I've had my GMRS for almost 5 years, got it back when it was a 5 year for $70, and I just bought my first radio, Midland MXT275, in March while camping in Florida when I finally heard GMRS users on a local repeater through my part 90 radio I use at races that I was using as a scanner. Prior to that I was borrowing a radio while on trips to the mountains of NC (US-129) with a group of car enthusiast. I had some decent conversations with them while camping between races down there. After getting back to my home area I connected to the local repeater (Newport 575) and most I seem to get around here is a radio check confirmation. 

[rwolenski]

On 4/22/2022 at 2:44 PM, WRFP399 said:

Side bar question: Do you think your family would benefit from a HAM license? What can do you on HAM that a basic user of UHF/VHF can't do with GMRS/MURS?

This could be my misconception but I see HAM as a band for people who like to experiment and more "advanced" radio work besides simple voice communication. 

Personally my family isn't going to get any benefits from HAM at this point in time. In our situation the GMRS license works well, for us. Its purpose was back up communication here in the local area. Our telecommunication network has gone down in earthquakes, mostly due to overloading. Based on where we live and work a single low powered GMRS repeater connects it all together. That made selling a GMRS radio to them easy. A simple HT that they can just turn on to monitor and talk with a simple PTT. Simple, easy, affordable. No need for them each to apply for a license. Call signs are simple. When needed you just call it out and from there just use your first names. And quite frankly, no one is going to jump down the throat of a user if my wife or kid doesn't ID every 15 minutes or the end of the convo like happens on HAM. This user friendly experience has morphed it into more than just a backup plan and it get used recreationally. Mostly for backcountry communication here. 

I am not saying GMRS is the greatest thing ever. It's just another radio service band that has an intended purpose. Same as HAM. 

My gf travels to see family that are a few hours away, plus she has to drive to take the granddaughter to her fathers which is a few hour drive every other weekend.  I'm hoping we can use repeaters to keep in touch using GMRS, but in the ham environment there are more connected repeaters that will allow that easily.  Other than that within the city using either ht to ht or ht using a repeater to keep in contact.

Ham bands are not just for experimenting, it is also for communications on a much larger scale than GMRS, using different bands and repeaters.  Using ham radio you can use digital voice modes like DMR and D-Star that can have access across the country. Also, in ham radio, there is the fun factor.  More bands, to be able to socialize with a broader range of people.  Contacting people from a park, (POTA) talking to the space station, being in contests, digital modes like FT8.  Ham radio is a hobby.

[WRPC505]

On 4/22/2022 at 4:44 PM, WRFP399 said:

Side bar question: Do you think your family would benefit from a HAM license? What can do you on HAM that a basic user of UHF/VHF can't do with GMRS/MURS?

This could be my misconception but I see HAM as a band for people who like to experiment and more "advanced" radio work besides simple voice communication. 

Personally my family isn't going to get any benefits from HAM at this point in time. In our situation the GMRS license works well, for us. Its purpose was back up communication here in the local area. Our telecommunication network has gone down in earthquakes, mostly due to overloading. Based on where we live and work a single low powered GMRS repeater connects it all together. That made selling a GMRS radio to them easy. A simple HT that they can just turn on to monitor and talk with a simple PTT. Simple, easy, affordable. No need for them each to apply for a license. Call signs are simple. When needed you just call it out and from there just use your first names. And quite frankly, no one is going to jump down the throat of a user if my wife or kid doesn't ID every 15 minutes or the end of the convo like happens on HAM. This user friendly experience has morphed it into more than just a backup plan and it get used recreationally. Mostly for backcountry communication here. 

I am not saying GMRS is the greatest thing ever. It's just another radio service band that has an intended purpose. Same as HAM. 

At this point in time I don't think anyone in my family will take a stab at ham radio. However, my wife actually likes the idea of getting on the air with a GMRS radio and using the umbrella GMRS license I acquired. (I paid the full $70 fee before the reduction of said fee; I just couldn't wait!) She has enough to do trying acquire annual CE credits for her job (911 dispatcher) that she does not want to take another test for a radio service that she will not likely use. She does believe that it's fun to listen to some of our grandkids using their FRS radios, as well as actually talking to them from 2 miles away with our GMRS gear!

So I guess I will be the only ham operator in the family from now until I get to the radio room in the sky. But for me, having both Amateur Radio and GMRS licenses is a good thing.

[WRTE203]

On 4/21/2022 at 3:58 PM, OffRoaderX said:

anyone that got a $35 license - can you confirm that it's for 10 years, and not for 5 years?

Just got mine. it is 10 years.

[WRTF629]

Got mine last Saturday 10 years $35

[WRQK522]

anyone that got a $35 license - can you confirm that it's for 10 years, and not for 5 years?

I got the $35 license , it’s good for 10 years . 2022-2032.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WRTP440]

Process was pretty easy for me.  I went from having and knowing nothing on Saturday morning to completing all the steps in less than an hour.

I got an email with my call name on Tuesday morning.

 

10 years, $35.

[KAF6045]

On 4/22/2022 at 5:44 PM, WRFP399 said:

Side bar question: Do you think your family would benefit from a HAM license? What can do you on HAM that a basic user of UHF/VHF can't do with GMRS/MURS?

This could be my misconception but I see HAM as a band for people who like to experiment and more "advanced" radio work besides simple voice communication.

Resurrecting an older post!

Note that there is no such thing as a "family HAM license". EVERY user will need to pass the appropriate tests and get their own license (minor exception is when the licensed user is present to handle the controls and lets a third-party do the talking, maybe letting them handle the PTT).

In contrast, GMRS was originally aimed at family and small business (visualize a moderate farm, repeater/base at farm house, field workers with HTs). One license covered family members who resided in the same household. Actually talking across licensees was somewhat limited (and base to base was verboten). Current FCC rules seem to have dropped the "residing in same household" clause, and just list what relations are allowed under the license. But since the license holder is responsible for behavior, I don't think I'd let the nieces operate under my call sign (they live some 40-60 miles away, brother is up the block but I don't trust him at all; his wife, maybe).

Amateur radio is focused on communication, emergency support, if one is a MARS/CAP associate one can have radio's modified for the military frequencies for cross-over support, and experimentation/development of new communication technologies. Granted, many repeaters may become rag-chew forums or used by licensed truckers (in lieu of or in addition to CB). But that helps encourage the maintenance of the repeater -- repeaters that don't see much use may be quietly shut-down by the owner. If you have the access (maybe a very low-band/wide-receive scanner with a long wire antenna, 14.300MHz runs a Maritime Mobile net and occasionally has reports of boats that are missing).

 

On 4/22/2022 at 5:44 PM, WRFP399 said:

And quite frankly, no one is going to jump down the throat of a user if my wife or kid doesn't ID every 15 minutes or the end of the convo like happens on HAM. This user friendly experience has morphed it into more than just a backup plan and it get used recreationally. Mostly for backcountry communication here.

None the less -- ID at 15 minutes or end of conversation IS IN THE FCC RULES. If you really don't like that aspect, stick to no-repeater NFM FRS rigs. After all, after the 2017 reorganization, those are permitted up to 2W on all but the 0.5W 467MHz interstitial channels (that limit is so that they don't interfere with the GMRS repeater inputs). Original FRS (aimed at... family... keeping track of children at parks, stores, etc.) was limited to only the interstitial channels at 0.5W to reduce interference with GMRS (which runs nearly twice the bandwidth and is allowed up to 50W on the primary channels -- now numbered 15-22, but originally referred to by the kHz part of the frequency or channel 1-8; back in the day when GMRS licenses were good for only TWO of the 8 primaries [chosen at time of initial licensing]).

I have two pairs of pre-reorganization (sold as FRS/GMRS) radios that, after the reorganization fall solidly into the GMRS side. Midland has three power levels, and H is above the 2W limit, while the Motorola only has two power levels (selected by which half of the PTT is pressed!), BUT has repeater capability.

 

[WRUA294]

Just got mine a few days ago.

[WRQW589]

I got mine in June. $35 for ten years.

 

Yes, the FCC website is everything I would expect of a bloated government website designed to work equally poorly for all apparent use-cases. It took 30-45 minutes to navigate through it for the first time, to figure out what the flow is supposed to be, and so on. The emailed license came a couple of days later.

 

The price; $3.50 per year, $0.29 per month, $0.01 per day (using reduction to the ridiculous) shouldn't be prohibitive for anyone who can buy a set of radios for $50. I imagine the biggest deterrents for people are (1) Not being aware that the requirement applies to everyone, and that the radio purchased IS a GMRS radio. (2) Lack of simplicity in working with the FCC site. (3) Various viewpoints on not wanting to give the government anything.

 

I'd say #1 and #2 are really it. If each radio came with a QR code that took people to a name, address, credit card number form, I think adoption would be a lot better. In other words, make it more obvious that it's needed, and make it really simple to acquire. You can't change attitudes easily, but you can help those who are willing to be helped.

 

For me it's worthwhile getting licensed. I want to feel comfortable in using GMRS around town, up at the ski resorts, out camping, on road trips, and so on. I know that enforcement is almost non-existent, but I do gain some comfort in knowing that I'm doing the right thing.

[KAF6045]

4 hours ago, WRQW589 said:

The price; $3.50 per year, $0.29 per month, $0.01 per day (using reduction to the ridiculous) shouldn't be prohibitive for anyone who can buy a set of radios for $50. I imagine the biggest deterrents for people are (1) Not being aware that the requirement applies to everyone, and that the radio purchased IS a GMRS radio. (2) Lack of simplicity in working with the FCC site. (3) Various viewpoints on not wanting to give the government anything.

These days, with the reorganization of FRS and GMRS (which prohibits marketing of "FRS/GMRS" bubble-pack radios, the odds are very good that anything found in a "big box" store is labeled as just FRS yet still allowed up to 2W power. No license required.

Unlikely to find things like the Baofeng UV-5G in those stores (though Amazon does have a pair for $52 sale; and that page does specify license required.

[WRUK676]

Got mine a week ago....

$35.00 good for ten years.

[WRUT329]

On 4/22/2022 at 5:44 PM, WRFP399 said:

Side bar question: Do you think your family would benefit from a HAM license? What can do you on HAM that a basic user of UHF/VHF can't do with GMRS/MURS?

1: Yes, I'm licensed.

2: There is absolute zero chance that my mate will ever sit for a Technician exam. Therefore when we need family coms, it's GMRS.

3: My 2m and GMRS HT's both work in similar fashion, but my 2m radios require a ham license for both parties, and there are lots more 2m repeaters around here. If I had a GMRS base station, I'd be limited to 50 watts. On HF, I'm limited to 1500.
So, if we're at a festival and my presence is suddenly required at the beer tent; GMRS. If I want to chat up Australia; ham radio.