Why really some folks say GMRS repeater linking is illegal

[SteveShannon]

8 hours ago, jwilkers said:

I guess wireline is any non RF mode of transport of intelligence. Again...a guess.

There is no "must be". I believe it is more of a "designed as" or "originally intended for". Similar to where GMRS wasn't designed as a hobby service; but you know how that ended up.

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I agree with your comment about range.  I think the use of the phrase “short range” was simply intended to reflect that the useful range would be limited in practice because of the line of sight nature of UHF and because output power is relatively low.  Saying that it’s a short range service doesn’t mean that it must only be used for short range communications; if it did the rules would need to define what is meant by “short range”.

[Davichko5650]

On 9/10/2022 at 10:57 AM, KAF6045 said:

 

FCC must not be using sequential calls, or it has a separate pool (since class D/CB used to get the same AAA9999 format).

 

Not speaking to that here, but in 1976 I was issued KAUO6363 for Class D CB.  Up until a few years ago, still had the paper copy I got from the FCC.  Wonder how far back, or if it even does, the ULS archive goes for those?

[SteveShannon]

5 minutes ago, Davichko5650 said:

Not speaking to that here, but in 1976 I was issued KAUO6363 for Class D CB.  Up until a few years ago, still had the paper copy I got from the FCC.  Wonder how far back, or if it even does, the ULS archive goes for those?

Not quite that far.

[Davichko5650]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:41 AM, SteveShannon said:

Not quite that far.

Those I've seen of course. The WQUR589 I had and forgot to renew. Tried to get a waiver to get the call back when I did reapply, but a friendly call to the FCC and they  explained I was better off just getting a new call. "It's GMRS, it's not like you're attached to the old call like you are to the Ham one, right? A waiver for a call re-issue is pretty much unobtanium"  I must say, the FCC phone helpline is pretty good!!!  And maybe I'm the rare one, but I've never had any problems navigating their online system when renewing for HA or ZA...

[WRQI583]

Linking even by internet is illegal. There is a YouTube video where FCC officials were present and part of the meeting and the question of linking over the internet on GMRS came up and the gentleman who asked actually stated that he linked a couple of his repeaters together by internet and was wondering if that was legal or not. Simple answer from the FCC official? NO!

I hope this post reaches the ears of GMRS users across the country, because these are my thoughts on it -

I don't think linking is a bad thing if done properly and in moderation (not linking every repeater in the USA together). If the linking is kept between repeaters and NOT on the internet. This can be done very easily on microwave frequencies with equipment that is easily obtainable.

If you all want linking and think there is nothing wrong with it, how about you take the energy you have here, grasping at straws and debating and speculating, and band together and petition the FCC to allow linking (within reason) on GMRS. State situations where it would be beneficial such as in many of your more rural areas where you could have a repeater out in the middle of nowhere but it doesn't reach into civilization where someone at home could render help over the airwaves by making proper phone calls etc. I am sure that if you showed how it can be done WIRELESSLY (not internet) without causing issues and you showed how it would not get out of control (such as linking over the internet), there is a chance the FCC may allow it to happen and GMRS repeater owners would not have to resort to the internet. 

Quite honestly, in my opinion, internet linking is garbage because it lags and doesn't always pass the message through. I have listened to a linked over the internet GMRS system and I would hear what sounded like a one way conversation because the connection to the internet at one of the sites was not allowing the audio to go through, but  then all of a sudden it all started working. There were times where one link would not allow any audio to go through for 5-10 minutes straight and then all of a sudden it started working but as quickly as it started working, it went back down again. I am not saying this is the case all of the time, but internet in my experience does not work as well as many people say it does. It's cool to watch your webpage take 20-30 seconds to load, but that doesn't fly in the case of real time voice.

[OffRoaderX]

4 minutes ago, WRQI583 said:

There is another YouTube video I watched yesterday where a person was interviewed who was part of a club and they were using a linked repeater system over the internet. The owner of the repeaters was asked to shut down the linked system due to it being illegal.

That is a very incorrect interpretation of the interview and what happened. You should watch again, but try to pay attention this time.

[back4more70]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:03 AM, Davichko5650 said:

And maybe I'm the rare one, but I've never had any problems navigating their online system when renewing for HA or ZA...

I've also had no trouble on the FCC site, I guess we are in the minority

[WRQI583]

On 8/3/2024 at 9:44 AM, OffRoaderX said:

That is a very incorrect interpretation of the interview and what happened. You should watch again, but try to pay attention this time.

Edited

[jwilkers]

Word is the FCC is going after more linked systems.

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